50 The Amencdti Geologist. July, 189& 
our distinguished citizen, Dr. James Hall, was incarcerated in prison 
as a result of this investigation; and. 
Whereas, said articles, by their wide circulation among American 
and foreign journals, do an irreparaVjle injury and wrong to a distin- 
guished state officer, who, since his ap])ointin§nt to his present official 
position by Governor Marcy in the year 18.'57, has served his State con- 
tinuously and with distinguished creditand whose scientific attainments 
and accomplishments have given him a world-wide fame, therefore, be 
it 
Uesoired,Th.-Ai the Legislature of the State of New York desires to place 
upon its records this denial of the gross and false charges against the 
official integrity of Dr. James Hall, and to officially announce that they 
are unjust, untrue and not warranted by any evidence produced at said 
hearing, and to express its confidence in his integrity, and appreciation 
of his distinguished services and scholarly attainments, which, during 
a long life, have reflected such credit upon our State. 
Resolved. That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by the Clerk 
of this House to Dr. James Hall. 
By order of the Assembly. 
[Signed,] Hamilton Fish, Speaker, 
A. E. Baxter, Clerk. 
State of New York. 
Seal. 
Clerk of Assembly. 
Notes on the Geology of Southwestern New Mexico. — Of the 
vast area comprised within the "Rocky mountain region of the west" 
no part is, perhaps, so little known, geologically, as is its southern por- 
tion, circumscribed within the area occupied by sovithwestern New 
Mexico. Althovigh one or two hasty recounoissances of portions of this 
region have been made at ditferent times (Vjut which were, under the 
circumstances, necessarily brief and more or le.ss imperfect) by divisions 
of the United States Geological Survey, yet little has been added to our 
knowledge of it. 
For nearly three years the writer conducted systematic researches 
and investigations in the geology and archeology of southwestern New 
Mexico, and when requisite extended these researches into old Mexico 
and Colorado. This area comprises a portion of the extreme southern 
part of the great "Plateau region" of the west, and it is safe to say that 
no other portion possesses features of greater geological interest. 
The general topographical features of the region are represented by 
.several rugged and extensive mountain ranges, isolated grouxjs and f-oli- 
tary peaks mainly of recent volcanic origin, which usually spring ab- 
ruptly out of the vast level plains; also wide stretches of sandy desert 
and narrow fertile valleys. The mountains of this region abound in 
vastly rich resources of mineral wealth. 
What strikes the gv5ologist most forcibly in this region is. perhaps, the 
(jrcat variety and recentness of nearly all the eruptive rocks, as well as 
