THE NORTHERN MYSTERY 245 



history provokingly stops short, leaving the 

 rest to our imagination. 



The system of peonage, or servitude for 

 debt, introduced by the Spaniards, and not 

 abolished until 1867, made of the Indian, 

 and in his turn the composite Mexican, a 

 veritable bond - slave. Curiously enough, 

 however, the records tell of little or no 

 rebellion under the yoke. It appears to 

 have been considered by all parties con- 

 cerned an equitable arrangement, and as 

 such was recognized by law. The father 

 dead, it was slipped upon the neck of the 

 son, bowed to receive it. The larger number 

 of the Mexicans inhabiting our valley at one 

 time wore this yoke ; that is to say, they 

 were peons. The custom, abolished in New 

 Mexico by Act of Congress, still exists, I 

 am assured, in portions of Old Mexico, 

 together with numerous other obsolete 

 manners and customs. Except that the 

 peon could not be sold by his master, his 

 condition was worse by many degrees than 

 that of the negro in the Southern States 

 before the Civil War. 



As the years rolled on after the Spanish 



