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Show 54 el Oe r € e tT e re et ad os pal a erty them. Whatever may be our notions now about the propriety of putting such large bodies of land into private ownership, we have no right to forget that these great grants upon the frontiers of Mexico were made under circumstances and motives of public policy totally different from those which now prevail. At that day the country was of no value to the Mexican people. It was not even reduced to possession by them. The greater part of it was occupied and over-run by hostile tribes of Indians, who were a constant menace to the outlying settlements. The frontiers of those settlements were continually harassed by their inroads. So that with the Navajos and Apaches on one side, the Utes on another and the Plains Indians on another, the whole region was unsafe for the habitations of civilized men. Besides it bordered on a territory of the United States on the north and of Texas on the east, as to both of whom the Mexican eee a ee and uneasy. , ecame, therefore, a part of the deliber ad phot et e et ee ree ar ar Oe Me OB mt oa of the Mexican 3 ie seo . =r Cae nar aus he J rs ‘et ° ar ee Ce Pe te af et ee ee Pied el Pe Lees es al ee Ct es taal ° Oe ie ok esd ed om CAL o¢ # aP + Ce ea a Pie ge et * Oe ee nt Oe PE Pe, foe ee deere ee a ad a Re ee ee det ee a ee fat a et ee ed nd A * Ces et ee oe ae S F ee a. ae see " aed " at Me es)5ae sscdees ~a ee be a eed 5 ee teal Be 1 Pl Oe Be Pe Rte Ohl O Ce ee co * ee NAA eteteet ot Pt ‘ Pe (pee e 2b =F Padded ¢ ees Oe rt a et fl eeOe eee * Ca Srey * @¢ CO NA ek ed ed Pr P+ & + * o £-@ Pe SL alcae Peep‘ Pine Pe Be rahe ee Pe See el ee eest. bd) Sl Se tee eeaPeHeeett Fhe ee! o~E-¢- 2 he | * ead Pe 6 ee ere re ae government settlements with to encircle large grants adventurous spirits who ae a of land made were willing to lead CO a extend the frontiers of civilization, and up goin against the inroads of their savage ent ; encroachments of their enterprising neigheee the border. For this purpose, it gave the on stint, and without regard to quantity. As eo caine in the land itself, they gave it no sort of ce A league then signified less than an acre ertile and secure valleys of the Ohio or Misa oe and descriptions were rude and nds nie on survey egal ae e. It aa Ca ogre ae illies one was never contemplated that they - the tests by which scientific endua a ete of a bonanza mine, of these lands paid for them, not in Service they then gave the state, and ae nea ey took in maintaining a foothold upon eink. € same may be said of the early American “aoa een hs oh them from their Mexican owners. is! Meacil y, of those who now bawl the loudest about e rant would have had either the sagacity : t en :; shea did, or the courage to hold it S of warfare. When this portion a quarter of a century of its territory came of to be Do THE SPANISH ARCHIVES OF NEW MEXICO THE SPANISH ARCHIVES OF NEW MEXICO Indian ceeded it to the United States, the Mexican government made of land an express condition that its previous grants It is a fact should be acknowledged and protected. te conworthy of note, that notwithstanding the despera dispersed; armies her with war; the after Mexico of dition flag flying her strongholds in our possession; and our had been over her capital; when the treaty of peace senformulated, and was ratified by the United States on of ate, with only the general clauses for the protecti the eighth property rights which are usually quoted in to refused ent governm Mexican the articles, and ninth ee guarant solemn a d obtaine had they ratify it until added in from the commissioners of the United States, that the the form of a protocol, expressly stipulating prior to May grants of land in the ceded territory made American tri13, 1848, should be acknowledged by the bunals. pioneers for ‘“And I say now, after the labors of the able to live half a century have made it safe and comfort coming there there, it lies not in the mouth of any man car, to say that amid the ease and luxury of a palace and the grants, these make to right no had Mexico so States, United The them. own to right grantees no dejudicial and ive legislat its upon d far as it depende the obligations impartments, has never sought to evade It has desired to acposed upon it by this treaty. rights derived from knowledge and confirm the property every case where it in small, or great r Whethe Mexico. been recognized or have would title the that ig evident has, as this court it ies, authorit Mexican the perfected by nor enforce res, forfeitu discover to has said, not sought It has not sought to defeat them rigorous conditions. or the application of by a rigid adhesion to strict rules, It has endeavoured to act as a refined technicalities. perform its treaty great nation, ready and anxious to ungrudgingly stipulations, policy of nations enjoin. ago stated by this court, and liberally, as the Its declared purpose, has been law to authenticate and as long titles, to rights which ensue and to afford the solid guaranty by the supreme authorfrom their full acknowledgment ity. prius courts in judge from the records of the nist Vem ies during the past territor and states western the of many suppose that a United few years, an observer might well settlement of title, is a being of instead States patent, instead of being a that ; ation litig of but the beginning |
