150 NEW TEACKS m NOETH AMEEICA. 



and to explain to them, the wonderful results to be expected 

 when " El cameno de fiero caril " should traverse the terri- 

 tory. The speeches had all to be re-deliyered in Spanish by 

 an interpreter, and so impressively Tvas the subject put that 



his evening's amusement rather expensive. The dancing, 

 however, was well worth watching; for those sun-burnt 

 brunettes glide most gracefully through the languid and 

 suggestive movements of their Spanish dances. An occa- 

 sional quadrille was formed in honour of the Americans 

 present ; and thus the evening passed away with — quadrille, 

 drinks — slow waltz, driults — Spanish reel, drinks — mazmka, 

 drinks — and so on, with sigarettas ad Uhitum. 



The Delegate to Congress for Kew Mexico was elected 

 during our visit, and caused for the time a great deal of ex- 

 citement. The inhabitants here know or care very little 

 either about the squabbles between ISTorth and South, the 

 nigger question, or the fundamental difference "between a ^ 

 Copper-head and a War-Democrat- Mr. Clever represented 

 the American party, whose motto was of conrse ^' Progress." 



M 



Mr. Chavez, his rival, was a Mexican, and advocated the 

 individual interests of the large lando^vncrs, who felt the 

 raid against peonage, and the increased price of labour caused 

 by the developing influence of the new-comers to be greatly 

 prejudicial to their interests. The American party for the 

 first time carried the day, and their victory was commemo- 

 rated by a ball to Clever and Progress, and other appropriate 

 rejoicings. Some of the young ladies who were present we had 

 met before at Fort TJnion ; they did not consider a hundi-ed- 

 mile drive at all too long for so great an occasion as the 

 Santa Fe ball. In this I quite agreed with them. 



Then we had of course a railway meeting, at which every- 

 thing was said that could be said to enlighten the populace, 



^ 



