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Show 206 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY THE and from that point, where all could see and hear, he would speak to them, which he did as follows: ‘*Mr. Alcalde and People of New Mexico: I have come amongst you by the orders of my government, to take possession of your country and extend over it the laws of the United States. We consider it, and have done so for some time, a part of the territory of the United States. We come amongst you as friends, not as enemies; as protectors, not as conquerors. We come among you for your benefit, not for your injury. ‘*Henceforth I absolve you from all allegiance to the Mexican government, and from all obedience to General Armijo. He is no longer your governor [great sensation in the plaza] ; I am your governor. I shall not expect you to take up arms and follow me to fight your own people who may oppose me; but I now tell you, that those who remain peaceably at home, attending to their crops, and their herds, shall be protected by me in their property, their persons and their religion; and not a pepper, not an onion shall be disturbed or taken by my troops without pay, or by the consent of the owner. But listen! He who promises to be quiet and is found in arms against me, I will hang! ‘*F'rom the Mexican government, you have never received protec- tion. The Apaches and the Navajés come down from the mountains and carry off your sheep, and even your women, whenever they please. My government will correct all this. It will keep off the Indians, protect you in your persons and property; and I repeat, will protect you in your religion. I know you are all great Catholics; that some of your priests have told you all sorts of stories; that we would illtreat your women and brand them on the cheek, as you do your mules on the hip. It is all false. My government respects your religion as much as the Protestant religion and allows each man to wor- ship his Creator as his heart tells him is best. Its laws protect the Catholic as well as the Protestant; the weak as well as the strong, the poor as well as the rich. I am nota Catholic myself; I was not brought up in that faith, but at least one-third of my army are Catholics and I respect a good Catholic as much as a good Protestant. There goes my army! You see but a small portion of it; there are many more behind; resistance is useless. Mr. Alcalde, and you two captains of militia! The laws of my officers, the former dismissed the auxiliaries to their homes, and with his gains troops retreated to the south by way of Galisteo, near which point he a his cannon, Armijo was blamed by the many who were hostile to the inv - ers and who were ashamed to see their country thus surrendered without 2 8 — Doubtless the governor, had he desired it, might have waged @ so a warfare that would have given the foe much trouble; and there is =. cause to believe that his reason for not doing so was not a praiseworthy esire to prevent the useless Shedding of his subjects’ blood.’’ | WAR WITH MEXICO 207 country require that all men who hold office under it shall take the oath of allegiance. I do not wish for the present, until affairs become more settled, to disturb your form of government. If you are prepared to take oaths of allegiance, I shall continue you in office and support your authority.”’ The captains did not protest but looked with downcast eyes upon Noticing his atthe earthen roof upon which they were standing. titude, General Kearny said to one of them, in the hearing of all ‘‘Captain, look me in the face, while you repeat the the people: The oath was administered through the interpreter, oath of office!’’ Robidoux, and the general and his staff descended, mounted, and galloped away to the head of the column. The sun was shining brightly; for the first time since leaving the Missouri river, the guidons and colors of each squadron, battalion, The trumpeters sounded *“‘to horse’’ and regiment were unfurled. with spirit and the rocky hills to the west multiplied and re-echoed the eall. Leaving Las Vegas, it was expected that the troops would meet with some opposition at a point a few miles distant, but nothing occurred and the command moved on toward Tecolote where Cap- Here and at the next town, tain Cooke and Dr. Connelly were met. San Miguel del Bado, the general made the same character of address as had been made at Las Vegas. At every step reports came to the general that Armijo had collected a formidable force and would oppose his passage at Apache canyon. the When command reached the ancient town of Pecos, Kearny was notified by a Mexican coming from the direction of Glorieta that Armijo 14° and his army had ingloriously fled. 145 General Manuel Armijo was not unlike others of his nation and time. As we have seen he He was not to the purple born and was of low extraction. finally managed to obtain foothold in the official circles at Santa Fé and was made collector of customs. Later he became governor, and again, after the assassination of Governor Perez was made governor of the territory. He was essentially a cruel man, not only to foreigners but to his own people. He undoubtedly entertained the same ideas of the American occupation and the causes for the war with Mexico as other state executives and military commanders of the Mexican republic. At the city of Mexico, and in all the newspapers of the republic, great attempts had been made to exasperate the minds of the people against the Americans. The war was represented to be one for national existence and that it was the wish of the United States to destroy the Mexican nation. It was declared to be a war of rapine and plunder, many generals in their proclamations to the people and to the soldiery, declaring that the United States intended to oppress them, to rob their churches, and desecrate |