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Show 294 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY TERRITORY feeling upon the subject in New Mexico, the citizens seeming determined not to give up the district in question. I have before stated, that any other line was ever agreed upon down to the date of the Gadsden treaty, which settled the whole matter in 1853-54, yet there was a senate report against the Bartlett line, and the appropriation bill forbade the expending of money on the survey until it should appear that the line was not farther north of El Paso than it was laid down on Disturnell’s map, the president accordingly declining to authorize the expenditure. . . The only troublesome Mexican colony point left in later years grants made treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.’’ after 1848, was and respecting therefore the validity of the not protected by the Relative to this matter, Governor Lane, in a letter written at Washington, D. C., January 23, 1854 — Gov. Doc., 33d cong., 1st sess., H. of R. No. 81— says: ‘‘When I went to New Mexico in the summer of 52, I was urged by the delegate from that Territory to claim jurisdiction over the Mesilla district and take possession of it by force. For reasons that will be apparent to you, I declined to adopt this course, but as soon as I was informed that the government of the United States had repudiated Bartlett’s line (which was in February) after consulting the attorney-general of the Territory, I issued a proclamation and claimed jurisdiction of the country until the boundary line should be established by the two governments. The claim of jurisdiction was resisted by military force by the authorities of the state which resistance I have reason to believe the authorities encouraged by certain officers of the United States army. things, I deemed it to be advisable to attempt of arms by means of N. Mex. and Texan to take volunteers, who of Chihuahua, in of Chihuahua were Under this state of the country were rights under of the person scandalous, and authorities according property of the to the in state this reports of district. Chihuahua which The had I received. invasion been and forwarded my communication to the President annoyed rights and it advisable from where I nik tit ee oni i with Mexico, the Mexican population Grande in Texas and New Mexico by the encroachments of the Americans, and occupying the were greatly by their determined ef- forts to despoil them of their landed property. ’ This was done by the latter either settling among them, or in some instances foreibly occupying their dwellings and cultivated spots. In most cases, however, it was done by putting Texas head-rights’ on their property. These ‘head-rights’ were grants issued ee aati * and after the war bank of the Rio gehen of Texas, generally embracing 640 acres, or a mile square, thou had served ate ee enae military racta. land-warrants, They. were issued: to periieae wars, oer like our and also to origina ] settlers, ’ are ae certificates, or ‘head-rights,’ many Americans flocked to = hdl the rande, and in Tepeated instances, located them on pr pehanieie oa a had been in_ the quiet possession of the old Pee times in fear of tt . ee santo to avoid litigation, and, et the Mexican side f thve a of the Ric aan ee river.yooh at ink Dofia negAna,Sg a modern town on the eastern itis Bes cas 42 ‘ eing a desirable place, and moreover selected by the Uni ‘$ military posts became an attractive point for speculators, is Lane, his opponent after the election and was in Consequence these then was (some 300 miles south of Santa Fé) whence the packet was taken by Hon. Grafton Baker, at my solicitation, to this city.’’ Bartlett, J. R., Personal Narrative, pp. 212-214, says: ‘‘Immediately pre ceding, eastern Governor of undisguised MEXICO 295 being José Manuel Gallegos. On the returns Gallegos received 4,971 and Lane 4,526; Lane contested the election but was unsuccessful. by force to lay the whole subject before the President of the United States as soon as possible, for delegate to congress, the secretary, I deemed NEW Shortly after his arrival Governor Lane, in his capacity of superintendent of Indian affairs, evolved a policy of keeping the Indians quiet by giving them rations, believing TREATIES WITH INDIANS _ that this was a better method than fightBY GOVERNOR LANE ing. He made treaties with the Apaches in the southwest and northeast, in which he agreed to give them rations for five years, and also additional aid provided they would work. A large number of the Jicarillas in the north were induced to settle on farms west of the Rio Grande on the Rio Puerco. Governor Lane expended about twenty thousand dollars in the execution of this policy, and when, his treaties not being approved, the food supply was cut off, the Apaches became worse than ever, and went on the war-path. Governor Lane was a man of superior ability. He was nominated importunate In their demands that I should take the country and restore our citizens to their OF William for delegate, left New Mexico, acting as governor until the S. Messervy,?”° pounced upon by them, and covered by the’ Texan land- Warrants. Whether the Mexican occupants of the town and lands adjacent were they the were lawful theowners or not it is needless to investigate; it is sufficient to Say first settlers, and had long been in undisturbed possession. sik, i how rahe became of New alarmed. Mexico, Litigations commenced; some applying Texas, or the United States, for protection. fa! ; obtain it, several hundred abandoned tect; ought an asylum in Mexican their property and homes to the Fail- in despair, territory, preferring the very uncertain pro- en they Could obtain there to remaining as citizens of the United States. a a a this resolution, a spot was selected on the opposite or western side of within a Six or eight miles below Dofia Ana, which, it was believed, would be Don R- ae limits of Mexico. On the Ist of March, 1850, sixty Mexicans, with na ‘atael Ruelas at their head, most of whom had been domiciled at Dofia 0 sp pandoned their homes on account of their many grievances, and moved than } oe known as the Mesilla, where they established themselves. . . More the “he - the population of Dofia Ana removed to Mesilla within a year. _ When a fears whole Oundary oS vere ea line was established New Miictsn, 33 of eis ce in April, 1851, and it became certain that was south of the boundary line, according to. the treaty map, their removed, and a day was set apart for public rejoicing. For the had determined the village, and to abandon thus placed the place them if the a under the jurisdiction Messervy was a native of the state of Massachusetts. wr o He came to Several oo before the Mexican war; was engaged in business at Santa Fé for nd en years, where he built up a large fortune. He was a man of fine talents lates~ * *Or gee the confidence of the people. He and A. W. Raynolds were candidelegate against R. H. Weightman in 1851. |