214 EL PASO 
pants of the town and lands adjacent were the lawful 
owners or not it is needless to investigate; it is sufli- 
cient to say that they were the first settlers, and had 
long been in undisturbed possession. They now be- 
came alarmed. Litigations commenced. Some apply- 
ing to the authorities of New Mexico, Texas, or the 
United States, for protection. Failing to obtain it, 
several hundred abandoned their property and homes 
in despair, and sought an asylum in Mexican territory, 
preferring the very uncertain protection they could 
obtain there to remaining as citizens of the United 
States. | 
With this resolution, a spot was selected on the op- 
posite or western side of the river, six or eight miles 
below Dofia Ana, which, it was believed, would be 
within the limits of Mexico. On the 1st March, 1850, 
sixty Mexicans, with Don Rafael Ruelas at their head, 
most of whom had been domiciled at Dona Ana, aban- 
doned their homes on account of their many griev- 
ances, and moved to the lands known as the Mesilla, 
where they established themselves. To increase the 
colony, the government of Mexico offered to give lands 
to other actual settlers, which offer induced large num- 
bers of dissatisfied Mexicans living in New Mexico and 
in the small settlements along the Rio Grande, in 
Texas, to remove there. More than half the popula- 
tion of Dofia Ana removed to Mesilla within a year. 
When the boundary line was established in April, 
1851, and it became certain that La Mesilla was south 
of the boundary line, according to the treaty map, 
their fears were removed, and a day was set apart for 
public rejoicing. For the whole population had de- 
