AMERICANS AND ENGLISHMEN. 227 



ment and superiority of her more industrious 

 neighbors. It is a notorious fact, that while 

 tlie English are universally treated with 

 comparative consideration and respect, the 



of 



epublic are frequently taunted with 



and its want 

 of decision. So openly has this preference 

 for British subjects been manifested, and so 

 thoroughly conscious have the Americans be- 

 come of the humiliating fact, that when a 

 mercantile firm, consisting of an American 

 and an Englishman, has occasion to present 

 a memorial of any description, or to sue either 

 for an act of favor or of iustice from the na- 



name 



made 



thus 



command proper attention- 



Few men, perhaps, have done more to 

 jeopard the interests of American traders, or 

 to bring the American character Itself mto 

 contempt, than Armijo, the present arbitrary 

 governor of Ne w Mexic o. I am happy to say, 

 however, that in the midst of his many oppres- 

 sions, he was once at least obliged to ' knock 

 under' to one of those bold and daring spirits 

 of the Rocky Mountains whom obstacles 

 rather energize tlian subdue. This was about 

 the year 1828, during Armijo's previous gov- 

 ernorship. A law was then m existence 

 which had been enacted by the general Con- 

 gress proliibiting foreigners from trappmg bea- 

 ver in the Mexican territory, under penalt}- ot 

 confiscation, etc. : but as there were no na- 



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