The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921 Page: 27
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Question of Texan Jurisdiction in New Mexico, 1848-50 27
plained that Howard and his party, concerning who-m Van Horne
had been inquiring, were already located on land belonging to
others, thus causing prejudice against Texas.'02
At the time that. Neighbors' letter of February 23 reached Santa
Fe, no answer for Colonel Munroe's letter of the previous Novem-
ber had as yet come from Washington, but he had at least found
the earlier instructions. He at once issued orders to all officers
commanding posts in and near the territory claimed by the state
of Texas, to "observe a rigid non-interference" with Neighbors
"in the exercise of his Functions and equally avoid coming in
conflict with the Judicial authorities created by that State."'03
When the reports began to reach Santa F6 that a Texas commis-
sioner was on his way to organize New Mexico, there was talk of
resistance,' 0 and this spirit was encouraged by a proclamation
published on the next day after Munroe issued his orders for strict
neutrality, by Joab ioughton, one of the judges of the superior
court in New Mexico under the military government. In this
proclamation, Houghton advised the people not to go to the polls
which the Texas commissioner would open, for they should be
neither loyal nor obedient to Texas, but on the contrary, were in
duty bound to resist any attempt on her part "for the unjust
usurpation of our land and boundaries." lie proposed that each
county hold meetings on the following Monday for the purpose
of drawing up resolutions upon the Texan claims, and felt that
if the people would observe his directions, "the present mission
of the Commissioner of Texas will be as useless as that of Judge
Baird."'05
Thus when Neighbors arrived in Santa Fe on April 8, he not
only found that he would be forced to work without the assistance
of the military officers, but also that he would receive little en-
couragement from the people themselves. Hie reported, however,
that he was courteously received by the inhabitants, but that he
102Neighbors to Bell, March 23, 1850, op. cit.
's3Munroe to Beall and others, March 12, 1850, in House Ex. Doc. 66,
31st Cong., 1st sess. (Ser. no. 577), p. 2; also in Abel (editor), Cor-
respondence of James 8. Calhoun, 164.
1"Calhoun to Brown, March 16, 1850, in Abel, op. cit., 163. A similar
report was carried to St. Louis by traders from Santa Fe. See Austin
State Gazette, May 25, 1850.
'0513oughton's proclamation, March 13, 1850, in Senate Journal, 3rd Leg-
islature, 2nd sess., appendix, 11-12; also in Austin State Gazette, June
8, 1850.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921, periodical, 1921; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101078/m1/33/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.