Acts, Resolutions and Memorials, Adopted by the First Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona/Memorials
Memorials.
Memorial
Asking that the Tract of Land in the Bend of the Colorado River opposite Fort Yuma be attached to the Territory of Arizona.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:
Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, respectfully represent that by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, between the United States and the Republic of Mexico, ratified in 1848, the boundary line between the two republics should consist of a straight line drawn from the middle of the Gila River, where it unites with the Colorado, to a point on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, distant one marine league south of the southernmost point of the port of San Diego; that in pursuance of said treaty the boundary line was run by the commissioners appointed by the two republics for that purpose; that in running the line according to the said treaty, the said boundary line crossed the Rio Colorado twice through a northern bend of that tortuous river, by which means a tract of land consisting of about one hundred and fifty acres south of said bend was thrown into the limits of the United States, thus leaving a small portion of the territory of the United States beyond the Colorado river, which separated it from every other portion of their territory. That when California was admitted into the Union as a State, in eighteen hundred and fifty, it was admitted with the same boundary on the south, as declared in her constitution, that was specified in the said treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and run by the commissioners aforesaid, the River Colorado separating the small tract of land before specified from the remainder of the State. Your memorialists further represent, that the organic act of the Territory of Arizona, approved the twenty-fourth day of February, a.d. 1863, declared all that part of the Territory of New Mexico situated west of a line running due south from the point where the south-west corner of the Territory of Colorado joins the northern boundary of the Territory of New Mexico to the southern boundary line of the Territory of New Mexico, should be and was erected into a territorial government to be called Arizona; that the boundary of New Mexico on the west, by the organic act creating that Territory, approved September ninth, 1850, was the boundary line of the State of California from the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude south to the point of the Colorado River where said boundary begins, which was the line run by the commissioners between the two republics as aforesaid; that afterwards, by the Gadsden treaty of 1854, the southern portion of the Territory of Arizona was acquired from the Republic of Mexico, attached to New Mexico by an act of Congress of the United States, and the boundary run and fixed by a joint commission of the two republics at an initial point on the Colorado, twenty miles below the junction of the River Gila with the Colorado; by this means the western boundary of Arizona runs from the thirty-seventh degree of latitude the whole length of the California boundary on the south, and beyond the line of that State on the Colorado River; that said small tract of land lies just below the junction of the Gila River with the Colorado: that it is an important commercial point, and is the commercial landing-place and business point for the Territory of Arizona on the lower Colorado; that it is opposite Fort Yuma, and remote from any civil government organized in California; that there are no police and civil regulations there; that it is essential and important to Arizona to have said tract of land annexed to its territory, for the purpose of forming a landing-place and a commercial town; that it is of little importance to the State of California and of vast consequence to Arizona to possess it; that if annexed to Arizona the benefit of civil government would be immediately extended over it from Arizona City, which lies adjoining it on contiguous territory, separated from it by an imaginary line, while the Colorado flows between the said tract of land and the other portions of the territory of the State of California.
Wherefore, your memorialists pray your honorable body to pass an act by which the said tract of territory of the State of California, lying south of Fort Yuma and the Colorado River, and between the Colorado River and the line of Arizona, be annexed to said Territory of Arizona, providing that the State of California by an act of her State Legislature will relinquish all her right over said tract of land to the said Territory of Arizona.
Resolved, That our delegate in Congress is hereby requested to use all honorable means in his power to secure the passage of such act. That his Excellency the Governor of the Territory of Arizona is hereby requested to transmit a copy of this Memorial to our delegate in Congress; also a copy to the Governor of the State of California, with the request to forward such other information in his possession, in order that it may be laid before the Legislature of the State of California.
Approved November 3, 1864.
Memorial
Asking an Increase per diem for Members of the Legislative Assembly, and an Increase of the Salaries of the Territorial Officers.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:—
Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, respectfully represent, that whereas, the organic act of the Territory, drawn up on the basis of the other Territories of the United States, provides that the pay per diem of the members of the first and subsequent Legislative Assemblies shall be three dollars during their attendance at the session thereof, and the officers of said Legislative Assemblies, together with all the Territorial officers, are allowed a compensation in like proportion; and whereas, on account of the great distance from the manufacturing and producing sections whence the inhabitants of this Territory obtain nearly all their necessary articles of consumption, such as provisions clothing, etc., the cost of such articles is nearly three times, and in some instances ten times the cost of similar commodities in the more eastern parts of the United States Government; and whereas, it is therefore manifestly unjust that such a compensation should be laid at so low a rate; therefore, your memorialists would respectfully ask your honorable body so to amend the organic act as to allow eight dollars per diem for each member and officer in attendance on such first and subsequent Legislative Assemblies, and an adequate addition to the salaries of the Governor Secretary, and Superintendent of Indian affairs of the Territory, of not more than fifteen hundred dollars be allowed; and an addition to the salaries of each of the three Territorial Judges of not more than fifteen hundred dollars be allowed; and that the salary of the United States District-Attorney be increased to two thousand dollars; and that the salary of the United States Marshal be increased to fifteen hundred dollars; and that the pay of the United States District Clerks be increased to fifteen dollars per day; and that the pay of the United States Grand Jurors be increased to eight dollars per day.
Be it resolved, by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Arizona, That our delegate in Congress be and he hereby is requested to use all honorable means to bring this subject to the favorable consideration of Congress, and obtain a redress of grievances; and be it further resolved, that the Secretary of the Territory be requested to transmit a copy of the foregoing resolutions and memorial to our delegate in Congress.
Approved November 5, 1864.
Memorial
Asking an Appropriation of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars for placing Indians of the Colorado on a Reservation.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:—
Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, respectfully represent, that the four tribes of Indians known as the Yavapais, Hualapais, Mojaves, and Yumas, numbering about ten thousand, are now scattered over an extent of country from the Gila River on the south to the northern boundary of the Territory, and from the Colorado River on the west to the Verde River on the east; that these Indians are now roaming at large over the vast territory above described, gaining a precarious subsistence from the small patches of land along the Colorado River, which they cultivate, and from fishing and hunting; that when the seasons are unfavorable to their little farming interests, or the Colorado River does not overflow to irrigate and enrich their fields, they are reduced to a starving condition, and compelled, by necessity, to make raids upon the stock and property of whites, and not unfrequently do they ambush the traveller and miner, and waylay and stampede the stock of trains and plunder their packs and wagons; that the whites are settling up the country, and necessarily diminishing their means of subsistence, and increasing the dangers of a collision with them; that the late Superintendent of Indian affairs of the Territory, Honorable Charles D. Poston, in view of their scattered and destitute condition, selected and caused to be laid off, on the east bank and bottom of the Colorado River, a reservation ample enough for the accommodation and support of all the above-named tribes; that an irrigating canal can be constructed at an expense of a small amount (the Indians performing the labor), that will render highly productive a large tract of land that will yield an abundance for their support, and afford a large surplus to be disposed of for their education and improvement; that when placed upon said reservation they can, under judicious management, be made not only self sustaining, but to produce largely for the market; that, to enable those who may be placed over them or have charge of them to open said canal, to remove them upon said reservation and sustain them until they can, by their own labor, provide enough for their subsistence, your memorialists respectfully ask of your honorable body an appropriation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars; that to secure the attention and favorable consideration of the subject and matters of this memorial by the Congress of the United States, be it
Resolved, by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, that our delegate to Congress, the Honorable Charles D. Poston, be requested to use all honorable means to bring the subject before Congress; and be it further
Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor of the Territory be requested to forward this memorial, together with such other information touching the subject as he may have in his possession, to the Honorable Charles D. Poston.
Approved November 7, 1864.
Memorial
Asking an Appropriation of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars in Aid of the War against the Apaches.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:—
Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, respectfully represent, that the depredations of the hostile Apaches are now the only barrier to a speedy settlement of this Territory. The working of mines of unequalled value, the occupancy of farming and pastoral lands of excellent quality, and the development of all the resources of the Territory, depend upon the subjugation of the barbarous foe so long a terror of the settler within our borders. It were vain to solicit capital or emigration until the power of the Apache is broken. Recent campaigns against him, waged by civil and military expeditions, have been attended with considerable success; but enough has not been done, and your memorialists respectfully request the aid of government in prosecuting a war until the Apache shall be forced, as the Navajo has been, to go upon a reservation.
To this end, an appropriation of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is asked at your hands, it being understood that such portion, if any, of the fund as may not be used in arming and sustaining companies of rangers in the field shall be applied to the care of such of the Indians as shall go upon a reservation; the whole fund to be placed in the hands of the commissioners already appointed by the Territorial Legislature to conduct the war upon the Apache now in progress, and to which the whole power of the Territory is to be applied.
The remoteness of this Territory, the expense of sustaining a large military force here, and the necessity of the overthrow of the Apache to our existence, embolden us to believe that our request will be received as proper, and our plan of operations as likely to prove the most successful and economical that can be devised; and your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
Approved November 7, 1864,
Memorial
Asking an Appropriation of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars for the Improvement of the Navigation of the Colorado River.
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:—
Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, respectfully represent, that the Colorado River is the only navigable water in this Territory, and is the channel through which nearly all our imports and exports must pass to supply and accommodate the middle and northern portions of the Territory; that it is navigable, in high stages of water, five hundred miles; that, by the expenditure of a small amount of money, it may be rendered navigable much higher up; that portion of the river between Fort Yuma and Fort Mojave has a changeable channel, and is obstructed by boulders that render the navigation of it difficult and dangerous; that the removal of said rocks would greatly facilitate the navigation of this part of the river; that the river above Fort Mojave is rendered difficult and dangerous by boulders and ledges or dykes that shoot out into and across the channel of the river; that, by the expenditure of a small amount of money, these obstacles may be removed and the river rendered navigable as far up as Virgin River, from which point there is a fine natural wagon road a distance of only three hundred and fifty miles to Salt Lake City; that by this route government as well as private transportation can be furnished in a much shorter time, and at less cost, than by any other route; that if the navigation of said river is improved, it will accommodate the general government, and greatly increase and hasten the development of the vast mineral and other resources of this Territory; therefore
Your memorialists most respectfully ask, that your honorable body make an appropriation, for the purposes above specified, of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be expended in the following manner, to wit: Fifty thousand dollars in the improvement of the river between Fort Yuma and Fort Mojave, and one hundred thousand dollars in improving the river about Fort Mojave; and that, to the furtherance of this our petition,
Resolved, by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, that our delegate in Congress, the Honorable Charles D. Poston, is requested to use all honorable means to secure the attention of Congress.
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Territory is hereby requested to forward a copy of this memorial to the Honorable Charles D. Poston.
Approved November 9, 1864.