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Show vi Bees st gta igs hg 2. pe RPMI as ete alert ieie ere tt ete IE DAR DSTA dia iat ial @ig tie sie e! Laan REM RS PCA ePC AS Cras Sara ae WAC SACS tad sing? - | N Pan Pe, et ee ek de Se af see) ee Sn 2d ne ot Ponta ee ee ed feat toe pt J ece oe ete Pe oI PRP eMeee ee 2 ih Pas bain ree Ce teeta teen Dedede a Pe ae oe ee a , ul”we Yo Wl Pht iar ay ee go Dade MP l Phe is Ce Pet Pac in at , Co hehe Pt — ya. Ce ee a * ks ide rer aes * *-&-* # od fe %- a8 CJ ea. G-4 dk «+ ot ral PP had el tal ee * Si ted tad Cd “ Fen Pad | en ee ee Sct * iat J Ce Cee De ee Oe ee et et oe et et ee ee Pal Pe Se ee ee et ae et Pe Re oe) cs f het. eee O-8 ” ot i Par “ ~ Ptah Oe ee LAE H/ is | hes et ee ee Cea ek ed StFe ie e oe Para Lhe + Ox Papioe ad et a 2 *.8-@ RPT ae De oe De Cre i e fans are +# ee go a Pee ot. Pg eh ee ot ot fe ee eee ee a eal & Ce Ort aCee ¢~# Pid #2. 2 Es a, ee "i Lf *¢. ; DFRAL TS ete _ae xiv 0 AC IAS are te tee a PNM AR TC eaBALTRaO HC ; SP ALNRA AICPA Ped RK ee} rin RR SR RPS Pe POSS. ahlatet yet riet, area Fm asap Mat e Soe or THE SPANISH ARCHIVES OF NEW MEXICO tirely familiar with the documents in the office of the surveyor-general. Much testimony was taken by that official, the major portion of which is of more than ordinary historical importance. Translations of these archives were made by a succession of official translators, notably Whiting, Miller, Ellison, Key, and Vigil, and during the existence of the court of private land claims by Flipper, Tipton, Chacén, and others, the work of all of whom has been used in this compilation. Not one of these documents has ever been mislaid or tampered with while in the custody of the representatives of the Department of the Interior. These archives are by far the most valuable and interesting of any in the Southwest, not excepting those of California. Here we find reflected the home and busi- ness life of the early settlers. In the expedientes, testi- monios, and other papers, numbers of which have been translated and given in full, are disclosed the pride of ancestral achievement in the conquest and pacification of the country; recitals of Indian campaigns, usages, methods of defense, the erection of forts and towers in exposed localities on the Indian frontiers; customs, civil and military; names of officers in all branches of the service; the respectful regard for the rights of the Pueblo Indians relative to their land holdings; the ef- forts to win over the hostile tribes and convert them to the Catholic faith; the deference for the ecclesiastics; PREFATORY NOTE XV two centuries. The will of General De Vargas exemplifies in many ways the picture of official life at Santa Fe; the manners of dress, the home life, the use of elaborate plate, the wearing of resplendent jewelry, the affection bestowed upon his intimates, all are found in this notable document. Those archives which, in 1854, remained in the custody of Governor Merriwether, became a part of the official records of the executive office. On February 4, 1854, the Territorial Assembly memorialized Congress, reciting that the archives were in a ruined condition, documents of great importance being exposed and in danger of complete destruction; that the Territory was without means to care for them properly, and asking for an appropriation of fifteen thousand dollars for their care and translation into the English language. Congress did nothing. Even the Palace of the Governors was, at that time, in such poor repair, according to the governor, that it was no fit place for the sessions of the Assembly. During successive administrations recommendations were made to the Territorial legislatures for appropriations for the care of these important docu< ments. Meanwhile many of them disappeared, and during the administration of Governor Pyle, it is said, many were carried off. In a measure this is true, but they were not destroyed, as nearly all of them found their way into private collections at Santa Fe and else- official admonitions; wills and testaments, slaves and slavery, laws and forms of official procedure, dencain eotxiemes din customs, fimo; almost everythit ip nscessary for ate 6h thestivics:innithoes) woratind, dient eid dail where. In 1891-2, during the administration of Governor L. Bradford Prince, the Legislat ive Assembly authorized the expenditure of two thousand four hundred dollars occupations of the people during a period of more than for cataloguing, numbering, indexing, b inding, and |
