memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第1章

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Memoir　of　the　Proposed　Territory　of　Arizona

by　Sylvester　Mowry





〃The　NEW　TERRITORY　of　ARIZONA；　better　known　as　the　GADSDEN
PURCHASE；　lies　between　the　thirty…first　and　thirty…third
parallels　of　latitude；　and　is　bounded　on　the　north　by　the　Gila
River；　which　separates　it　from　the　territory　of　New　Mexico；　on
the　east　by　the　Rio　Bravo　del　Norte；　（Rio　Grande）；　which
separates　it　from　Texas；　on　the　south　by　Chihuahua　and　Sonora；
Mexican　provinces；　and　on　the　west　by　the　Colorado　River　of　the
West；　which　separates　it　from　Upper　and　Lower　California。　This
great　region　is　six　hundred　miles　long　by　about　fifty　miles　wide；
and　embraces　an　area　of　about　thirty　thousand　square　miles。　It
was　acquired　by　purchase　from　Mexico；　during　the　mission　of
General　Gadsden；　at　a　cost　of　ten　millions　of　dollars。　In　the
original　treaty；　as　negotiated　by　General　Gadsden；　a　more
southern　boundary　than　the　one　adopted　by　the　Senate　of　the
United　States　in　confirming　the　treaty；　was　conceded　by　Santa
Anna。　The　line　at　present　is　irregular　in　its　course；　and　cuts
off　from　our　Territory　the　head　of　the　Santa　Cruz　river　and
valley；　the　Sonoita　valley；　the　San　Bernardino　valley；　the　whole
course　of　the　Colorado　river　from　a　point　twenty　miles　below　the
mouth　of　the　Gila　river；　and；　worse　than　all；　the　control　of　the
head　of　the　Gulf　of　California；　and　the　rich　and　extensive　valley
of　Lake　Guzman；　besides　a　large　and　extremely　valuable　silver
region；　well　known　both　to　Mexicans　and　Americansthe　planchas
de　la　Platte。　General　Gadsden's　line　included　nearly　all　the
territory　south　of　the　Gila　river　to　the　thirty…first　parallel　of
latitudeall　the　advantages　above　mentionedgave　us　the　mouth
of　the　Colorado　river；　and　probably　a　port　near　the　head　of　the
gulf　at　Adair's　Bay。　We　have　no　accurate　survey　of　the　west　coast
of　the　Gulf　of　California；　but　I　am　strongly　of　opinion　that　the
original　line　conceded　by　Mexico　would　have　thrown　a　portion　of
the　gulf　into　American　hands；　by　cutting　off　an　arm　of　it
extending　east　and　north　from　the　main　body　of　water。　A　port　on
the　gulf　is　of　great　and　immediate　necessity　to　our　Pacific
possessions。　Of　this　hereafter。

The　proposed　boundaries；　of　the　Territory　of　Arizona；　are　the
34th　parallel　of　latitude；　with　New　Mexico　on　the　north；　from　the
103d　meridian　west　to　the　Colorado；　Texas　on　the　east；　Texas；　and
the　Mexican　provinces　of　New　Mexico　and　Sonora　on　the　south；　and
California　on　the　west。　The　new　Territory　would　thus　contain
within　its　borders　the　three　largest　rivers　on　the　Continent；
west　of　the　Mississippi？the　Rio　Grande；　Gila；　and　Colorado　of
the　west；　and　embrace　90；000　square　miles。

The　Gadsden　purchase　is　attached　by　act　of　Congress　to　the
Territory　of　New　Mexico。　At　the　time　of　its　acquisition　there　was
scarcely　any　population　except　a　few　scattering　Mexicans　in　the
Mesilla　valley；　and　at　the　old　town　of　Tucson；　in　the　centre　of
the　territory。　The　Apache　Indian；　superior　in　strength　to　the
Mexican；　had　gradually　extirpated　every　trace　of　civilization；
and　roamed　uninterrupted　and　unmolested；　sole　possessor　of　what
was　once　a　thriving　and　populous　Spanish　province。

Except　the　report　of　Col。　A。　B。　Gray；　there　is　scarcely　anything
in　print　with　reference　to　the　early　history　of　Arizona；　beyond
the　scanty　but　valuable　notes　of　Major　Emory　and　Hon。　John　R。
Bartlett；　in　their　reports；　and　in　the　appendix　to　Wilson's　late
book；　〃Mexico　and　its　Religion。〃　To　this　last　I　beg　to　refer　any
reader　who　desires　accurate　information　respecting　the　Northern
Mexican　provinces；　presented　in　a　straightforward　common…sense
style。

In　the　possession　of　the　writer　of　these　notes　is　a　map　drawn　in
1757；　just　one　hundred　years　ago；　presented　by　the　Society　of
Jesuits　to　the　King　of　Spain。　The　original　of　this　map　is　now　in
the　archives　of　the　Mexican　Government。　It　was　copied；　with　the
notes　relating　to　the　Territory；　and　to　Sonora；　Chihuahua；　and
Sinaloa；　by　Capt。　C。　P。　Stone；　late　of　the　United　States　Army。
The　map　bears　the　inscription；　〃Carte　levee　par　la　Societe　des
Jesuites；　dediee　au　Roi　d'Espagne　en　1757。〃

The　copy　of　the　map　and　the　accompanying　notes　are　certified　as
accurate　by　the　officer　of　the　Mexican　Government　in　charge　of
the　archives。

My　information；　therefore；　upon　the　early　history　of　this
comparatively　unknown　domain；　is　accurate　and　reliable。　As　early
as　1687；　a　Jesuit　missionary　from　the　province　of　Sonora；　which；
in　its　southern　portion；　bore　already　the　impress　of　Spanish
civilization；　descended　the　valley　of　Santa　Cruz　river　to　the
Gila。　Passing　down　the　Gila　to　its　mouth；　after　exploring　the
country；　he　retraced　his　steps；　penetrated　the　country　north　of
the　Gila　river　for　some　distance；　and　ascended　the　Salinas　or
Salt　river；　and　other　northern　branches　of　the　Gila。　The
explorations　of　this　energetic　priest　did　not　stop　here。
Proceeding　east；　he　explored　the　valley　of　the　San　Pedro　and　its
branches；　thence　along　the　Gila　to　the　Mimbres；　and　probably　to
the　Rio　Grande　and　the　Mesilla　valley。　Filled　with　the　enthusiasm
of　his　sect；　he　procured　authority　from　the　head　of　the　order　in
Mexico；　and　established　missions　and　settlements　at　every
available　point。　In　a　report　to　the　government　of　the　viceroy　of
Spain；　made　during　the　early　settlement　of　the　province；　I　find
the　following　language：　〃A　scientific　exploration　of　Sonora；　with
reference　to　mineralogy；　along　with　the　introduction　of　families；
will　lead　to　a　discovery　of　gold　and　silver　so　marvellous　that
the　result　will　be　such　as　has　never　yet　been　seen　in　the
world。〃

The　reports　of　the　immense　mineral　wealth　of　the　new　country；
made　by　the　Jesuits；　induced　a　rapid　settlement。　There　are　laid
down　on　the　map　before　me　more　than　forty　towns　and　villages。
Many　of　these　were　of　considerable　size。　There　were　a　few　north
of　the　Gila；　and　several　on　the　lower　Gila；　near　the　Colorado。
The　Santa　Cruz　and　its　tributary　valleys　teemed　with　an
agricultural　and　mining　population。　Thousands　of　enterprising
Spaniards　cultivated　the　rich　valley　of　the　San　Pedro；　and
scattered　settlements　flourished　at　every　suitable　stream　and
spring　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains　towards　the　Rio　Grande。　The
notes　before　me　say：　〃All　these　settlements　and　missions　were
founded　in　fertile　valleys；　and　by　streams　and　springs；　which
produced　luxuriant　crops　of　wheat；　corn；　and　beans；　and　in　many
parts　grapes　and　other　foreign　fruits　were　cultivated。〃

In　the　western　part　of　the　Territory　were　the　missions　of　St。
Pierre；　St。　Paul；　St。　Matthias；　St。　Simond；　St。　Francisco；　Merci；
the　ranches　of　Eau　Cheri；　Eau　de　la　Lune；　and　others；　on　the
Santa　Cruz　the　missions　of　San　Xavier　del　Bac；　Santiago；　San
Cayetano；　and　San　Philipe；　the　towns　of　Tueson；　Tubac；　Reges；　San
Augusta；　and　many　others。　San　Xavier　del　Bac　is　still　in
existence。　It　is　a　mission　church　of　great　size　and　beauty；
magnificently　ornamented　within；　forty　thousand　dollars　in　solid
silver　served　to　adorn　the　altar。　Upon　the　San　Pedro　river　were
the　missions　of　St。　Mark；　San　Salvadore；　San　Pantaleon；　Santa
Cruz；　and　the　towns　of　Quiduria；　Rosario；　Eugenia；　Victoria；　and
San　Fernandothe　latter　at　the　mouthwith　many　more。　To　the
east　some　small　settlements　were　found　on　the　Valle　del　Sauz；　on
the　Mimbres；　at　the　copper　mines　north　of　the　Mimbres；　and　to　the
south　the　immense　grazing　and　stock…raising　establishment　of　San
Bernardino；　where　since　have　been　raised　hundreds　of　thousands　of
cattle　and　horses。　The　Indians　in　the　vicinity　of　the　missions
were　reduced　first　to　obedience　by　the　Jesuits；　and　then　to
slavery　by　the　Spaniards。

The　notes　referred　to　above　contain　the　names　and　localities　of
more　than　a　hundred　silver　and　gold　mines　which　were　worked　with
great　success　by　the　Spaniards。　The　survey　of　the　Jesuit　priest
about　1687　was　repeated　in　1710　with　renewed　discoveries；　and
consequent　accession　of　population。　From　this　time　up　to　1757　the
conquest　and　settlement　of　the　country　was　prosecuted　with　vigor；
both　by　the　Jesuits'　Society　and　Spanish　government。

The　missions　and　settlements　were　repeatedly　destroyed　by　the
Apaches；　and　the　priests　and　settlers　massacred　or　driven　off