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Show TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO 325 captives were bought and sold, in some families many being held in this sort of bondage. There were few military or civil officials who did not possess these Indian captives. The peonage system was not alfected by the emancipation proclamation, inasmuch as it was not regarded as involuntary servitude, but was finally abolished by act of congress in 1867.?52 The Protestant Christian missionaries came to New Mexico shortly after the conquest in 1846, but found the field anything but inviting. They had great difficulty in securing PROTESTANT MISSIONS any sort of foot-hold and became greatly discouraged. A Baptist missionary, who came as early as 1849, began a mission school at Santa Fé and erected the first Protestant church in the territory. The Methodists also The act provides among other things, that if the servant does not. wish to continue in the service of the master, he may leave him upon paying all that he owes him; this the poor peon is unable to do, and the consequence is that he and his family remain in servitude Country, the master market value, and generally all their lives. keeps a store, Among where the proprietors in the the servant is obliged to Purchase every article he wants, and thus it is an easy matter to keep him always in debt. The master is required to furnish the peon with goods at the "ages. may advance him But these provisions, made instances disregarded, te buys, and is allowed order to prevent terms it, ‘driven hen a, Servant to run in debt beyond him leaving into a state children out as peons, runs two-thirds the for the benefit amount of of the peon, his monthly are in most and he is obliged to pay an enormous price for everything and away his master. of slavery,’ with this beginning from his the amount When parents they have the master, the they latter of his wages, in are, as the statute right to bind their become goes slaves for life. before a justice tt the peace, or some other civil magistrate, and takes out a ‘warrant of the debt,’ which authorizes the arrest of the peon in any part of the Territory. ns of the most objectionable features in the system is, that the master is not vliged to maintain the peon in sickness or old age. When he becomes too old ° work any longer, like an old horse who is turned out to die, he can be cast adrift to provide for himself. These are the leading features of peonism, and, - Spite of the new name it bears, the impartial reader will not be able to make snything else out of it than slavery.’’ en Affairs Report, Joint Special Com., 1867, p. 326; Judge Kirby tine lect, chief justice of the supreme court of New Mexico at one period, ‘a “ying on this subject, said that, in addition to the Indian captives, orphans : children of the destitute were often sold into slavery by their relatives. four that a sound, healthy, intelligent girl of eight years was worth nen The children of peons were not regarded as saleable pro ted dollars, or more. these of number He estimated the but were treated as citizens. holga Under the laws these Indians were entitled at from 1,500 to 3,000. to th asl freedom, there having been several court decisions in their favor; © indians did not seek the aid of exceedingly sensitive of Casi] — at any movements in atten St ie It ‘ fg dispossess them of what was the opinion of Governor but the courts. He stated that those who held their supposed interest in them, and were the courts which might be construed rae they considered to be their property rights. Connelly that congress should pay for the |