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crimes or civil injuries…﹏o courts； no law； no magistrates。 The
Territory of New Mexico； to which it is attached by an act of
Congress； affords it neither protection nor sustenance。 The
following extracts from letters received by the writer tell the
story of the necessity for early action on the part of Congress；
in urgent terms。
TUBAC； GADSDEN PURCHASE； August 15； 1857。
Affairs in the Territory have not improved。 A party of Americans
（our countrymen） had made an 〃excursion〃 into Sonora； captured a
train of mules； and killed several Mexicans。 Upon their return to
the Territory with their ill…gotten booty； the citizens formed a
company and took the property away from them； and returned it to
the owners in Magdalena； ＇a town of Sonora┅Ed。＇ and delivered
the robbers up to Major Steen； commanding first dragoons； to be
held in custody until Courts should be organized。 They have again
been turned loose upon the community。 In justice to Major
Fitzgerald I must say he was in favor of retaining them in
custody； and has generally maintained favoring law and order in
the Territory； but as he is only second in command he has no
absolute authority。
We have no remedy but to follow the example so wide spread in the
Union； and form a 〃Vigilance Committee〃contrary to all good
morals； law； order； and society。 Can you do nothing to induce the
government to establish authority and law in this country； and
avert this unhappy alternative？
It is not desired by any good citizens； and tends to anarchy and
mobocracy； causing disloyalty in our own citizens and bringing
the reproach of foreigners upon our republican institutions。 It
is impossible to progress in developing the resources of the
country under this state of affairs。 The greatest objection the
capitalists of San Francisco have to aiding me in the development
of silver mines； is the insecurity of property； want of
protection from government； and general distrust of fair and
honest legislation。
They have no confidence that the guarantees of the GADSDEN TREATY
will be respected by the United States； in regard to land titles
under the Mexican government。
The silver ore brought to San Francisco from our mines； has been
tested by a dozen different officers； in as many different ways；
and no result falls BELOW FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER TON OF ORE。
Senator Gwin goes on to Washington soon； and will corroborate my
statements。 He has a piece of the silver； the first smelted in
San Francisco； showing 8；735 20EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED
AND THIRTY…FIVE 20…100 DOLLARS PER TON OF ORE。 Mr。 Dunbar is
getting the petition to Congress signedand moving in the
affairs of the Territory in connection with Mr。 Ehrenberg and our
friendsbut the government came near 〃crushing us out〃 by
sending a Custom House Collector to consume and destroy what
little we had saved from the Apaches。 Can nothing be done to rid
us of a Custom House？ It is no protection。 The Territory （as yet）
produces nothing but mineralsand we have to pay duty upon every
article of consumption。 This is a very onerous tax upon our first
feeble efforts to develop the resources of this remote and
unprotected country。
Very truly yours； C。 D。 Poston。
To Lieut。 Mowry； U。 S。 A。； Washington； D。 C。
〃We are living without the protection of law or the ameliorations
of society。 New Mexico affords us no protection。 We have not even
received an order for election。 Every one goes armed to the
teeth； and a difficulty is sure to prove fatal。 In this state of
affairs it is impossible to hold a convention。〃
Tueson； Oct。 1； 1857。
We are pleased to hear that the prospect for Arizona is so
bright。 If you should succeed in getting a separate organization
for Arizona； you will lay the people under many obligations to
you。 You have no doubt received many petitions for Congress； and
also your certificate of election as delegate for this purchase。
You received the entire vote； there was no difference of opinion
among the voters。
Your ob't serv't； J。 A。 Douglas。
Lt。 Mowry； U。 S。 A。 Tueson； Oct。 25； 1857。
I send you the last petition from the Territory。 The work is now
in your hands； and we say； God speed it。
G。 H。 Oury。
Tueson； Arizona Territory； Oct。 17； 1857。
Every thing begins to look up in the Territory notwithstanding
the difficulties we labor under。 The Indians the other day came
within eight hundred yards of Fort Buchanan and remained some
time； and when they left carried off with them all the horses and
mules in the valley for six or eight miles below。 Try your hand
in this matter of our Territory； and see if some change cannot be
wrought to some benefitwe need it greatly。
Very truly yours； G。 H。 Oury。
孴ueson； Oct。 2； 1857。
We have heard from Mesilla and they fully concur with us in all
we have done； showing that you are the person chosen to act for
them and to represent their interest in this matter。 The people
here are very much elated at the turn things are taking； and
every one seems to be highly pleased with the course you have
pursued。 An election was held on the first Monday in September；
at which you received all the votes given； and a certificate of
your election； signed by the judges and clerks； has been
forwarded to you。 The country is being settled very fast； and
there is somewhat of a stir to obtain cultivated lands。 The lands
already under cultivation are now fifty per cent。 higher than a
short time back。 The great misfortune we labor under is want of
protection。 Thousands and thousands of acres of land； as rich and
fertile as any on the face of the globe； lie idle and useless
because they are not protected from the Apaches。 We want only one
thing besides the Territorial organization； and that is
PROTECTION。
Very truly yours； S。 Warner。
Oct。 8； 1857。
The guerilla warfare on the Sonora frontier continues with
increased aggravation。 We look for the happiest result from the
exploration of this interesting region of the Colorado； about to
be explored by Lieut。 Ives； U。 S。 A。 The ores from the
Heintzelman mine took the premium at the mechanics' fair in San
Francisco； just closed； where the ores from California and the
western coast were on exhibition。 So； Arizona leads California；
the great mineral State。
All we need is good government and honest； liberal legislation to
make Arizona equal in production of precious metals； if not
exceed； California。
Yours truly； C。 D。 Poston。 Lt。 Mowry； U。 S。 A。
Fort Yuma； June 2； 1857。
News has just come in from the Arizona which represent an awful
state of affairs。 During the time Mr。 Belknap was below at Sonora
it was unsafe for him to go out unless accompanied by his friend；
Don Gaudaloupe Orosco； and even then it was very dangerous。 No
news from Sonora nor even an arrival for the last twenty days。
God knows what is going on； though of one thing we are
certainno American； never mind whatsoever he may be； can go
into Sonora； with or without a passport。
Very sincerely yours； P。 R。 Brady。
孉ug。 5； 1850。
The condition of the purchase has been extremely bad since the
unfortunate and injudicious expedition of Crabbe into Sonora； and
at the present time is but little better than a field of guerilla
warfare； robbery and plunder。
The exasperated state of feeling between the Mexicans and
Americans prevents intercourse and commerce； upon which the
Territory is dependent。 Americans are afraid to venture into
Sonora for supplies； and Mexicans afraid to venture over the
line。 Americans who had nothing to do with the fillibustering
invasion have been treated badly in Sonora and driven out of the
country； and Mexicans coming into the purchase with supplies and
animals have been robbed and plundered by the returned
fillibusters。
The Americans in the Territory are by no means harmonious on
these subjectssome in favor of filibustering and others opposed
to it； some in favor of murdering and robbing Mexicans wherever
found； and others opposed to it。
It results that we are in a state of anarchy； and there is no
government； no protection to life； property； or business； no law
and no self…respect or morality among the people。 We are living
in a perfect state of nature； without the restraining influence
of civil or military law； or the amelioration of society。
There have not been many conflicts and murders； because every man
goes armed to the teeth； and a difficulty is always fatal on one
side or the other。 In the midst of all this； the Government has
blessed us with a custom house at Calabazos to collect duties
upon the necessaries of life which； by chance and 〃running the
gauntlet；〃 we may get from Sonora。
God send that we had been left alone with the Apaches。 We should
have been a thousand times better off in every respect。
In this state of affairs it is scarcely to be expected that the
people will meet together in a convention； there was no
arrangement for that purpose up to the time of my leaving； and
none could be made。
We have never had any orders of election from Santa Fe； nor heard
of any convention。
Yours truly； C。 D。 Poston。
Major Fitzgerald； U。 S。 A。； whose long experience on the Paci