try, and avert this unhappy
alternative?

It is not desired by any good citizens, and tends to anarchy and
mobocracy, causing disloyalty in our own citizens and bringing the
reproach of foreigners upon our republican institutions. It is
impossible to progress in developing the resources of the country under
this state of affairs. The greatest objection the capitalists of San
Francisco have to aiding me in the development of silver mines, is the
insecurity of property, want of protection from government, and general
distrust of fair and honest legislation.

They have no confidence that the guarantees of the GADSDEN TREATY will
be respected by the United States, in regard to land titles under the
Mexican government.

The silver ore brought to San Francisco from our mines, has been tested
by a dozen different officers, in as many different ways, and no result
falls BELOW FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER TON OF ORE.

Senator Gwin goes on to Washington soon, and will corroborate my
statements. He has a piece of the silver, the first smelted in San
Francisco, showing $8,735 20--EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND
THIRTY-FIVE 20-100 DOLLARS PER TON OF ORE. Mr. Dunbar is getting the
petition to Congress signed--and moving in the affairs of the Territory
in connection with Mr. Ehrenberg and our friends--but the government
came near "crushing us out" by sending a Custom House Collector to
consume and destroy what little we had saved from the Apaches. Can
nothing be done to rid us of a Custom House? It is no protection. The
Territory (as yet) produces nothing but minerals--and we have to pay
duty upon every article of consumption. This is a very onerous tax upon
our first feeble efforts to develop the resources of this remote and
unprotected country.

Very truly yours,
C. D. Poston.

To Lieut. Mowry, U. S. A., Washington, D. C.

"We are living without the protection of law or the ameliorations of
society. New Mexico affords us no protection. We have not even received
an order for election. Every one goes armed to the teeth, and a
difficulty is sure to prove fatal. In this state of affairs it is
impossible to hold a convention."

Tueson, Oct. 1, 1857.

We are pleased to hear that the prospect for Arizona is so bright. If
you should succeed in getting a separate organization for Arizona, you
will lay the people under many obligations to you. You have no doubt
received many petitions for Congress, and also your certificate o