27 



[7] 



600 men had collected at the pass ^vhich dv^bouches into tlfe Vegas, 

 two miles distantj and were to oppose our march. In the morning, 

 orders were given to prepare to meet the enemy. At 7, the army 

 moved, and just as we made the road leading through the .town, 

 Major Swords, of the quartermaster's department, Lieutenant Gil- 

 mer,«of the engineers, and Captain Weightman joined us, from 

 Fort Leavenworth, and presented Colonel Kearny with his com- 

 mission as brigadier general^ in the army of tlie United States. 

 They had heard we were to have a battle, and rode sixty miles 

 during the night to be in it. 



At eight, precisely, the general was in the public square, where 

 he was met by the alcalde and people; many of whom were mount- 

 ed, for these people seem to live on horseback. 



The general pointed to the to^ of one of their houses, which are 

 built of one story, and suggested to the alcakle that if he would go 

 to that place he and his staff would follow, and from that point, 

 where all could hear and see, he would speak to them; which he 

 did, as follows: 



*'Mr. Alcalde and people of New Mexico: I have come amongst 

 you by the orders of my government, to take possession of y^ur 



country, and extend over it the laws of the United States. ^ We 



consider it, and have done so for some time, a part of the territory 



^of the United States. We come amongst you as friends — not as 



enemies; as protectors — not as conquerors. We come among you 



for your benefit — not for your injury. 



^'Henceforth I absolve you from all allegiance to theMexican- 

 government, and from all obedience to General Armijo. He is no 

 longer your governor; [great .sensation.] I am your governor. I 

 shall not expect you to take up arilis and follow me, to fight your 

 own people who may oppose me; but I now tell you, that those 

 who. remain peaceably at home, attending to their crops and their 

 herds, shall be protected by me in their property, their persons, 

 ahd their religion; and not a pepper, nor an onion, shall be dis- 

 turbed or taken by my troops without pay, or by the consent of 

 the owner. .But listen! he who promises to be quiet, and is founcl 

 'in arms against* me, I will hang. , • . * 



'^^From the Mexican government you have never received pro- 

 tection, Tlie Apaches and the Navajhoes come down from the 

 mountains and carry off your sheep, and even your women, when- 

 ever they please. My government will correct all this. It will 

 keep off the Indians, protect you in your .persons and property; 

 and, I repeat again, will protect you in your religion, I know you 

 are all great Catholics; -that some of your priests have told you all 

 sorts of stories — that we should, ill-treat your women, and brand 

 them on the cheek as you do your mules on the hip. It is all false. 

 My government respects your' religion as much as the Protestant 

 religion, and allows each man to worship his Creator as his heart 

 ' tells higi is best: Its laws protect the Catholic as well as the Pro- 

 testant; the weak as well as the strong; the poor as well as the 

 rich. I am not a Catholic myself — I was not brought up in that 

 faith; but at least one- third of my army are Catholics, and I re- 

 spect a good Catholic as much as a good Protestant. 



