Besides the incentives of justice and humanity, foreigners felt a deep interest in the execution of this promise. But a few years previous, another person had been assassinated and robbed at the same place; yet the authorities having taken no interest in the matter, the felons were never discovered; and now, should these assassins escape the merited forfeit of their atrocious crime, it was evident there would be no future security for our lives and property. But the governor's _due execution of the laws_ consisted in retaining them a year or two in nominal imprisonment, when they were again set at liberty. Besides these, other foreigners have been murdered in New Mexico with equal impunity:--all which contrasts very strikingly with the manner our courts of justice have since dealt with those who killed Chavez, in 1843, on the Santa Fé road.[98]
[83] James Pollard Espy (1785-1860), a well-known meteorologist. His collection of reports on the weather, while occupied in his experiments, contributed towards the founding of the present United States weather-bureau. His theory was, that storms could be produced artificially by heating the atmosphere with long-continued fires. He published _Philosophy of Storms_ (Boston and London, 1841).--ED.
[84] About the ninety-ninth meridian, the Canadian extends above the thirty-sixth parallel, forming the Great North Bend. The Oklahoma town of Taloga is on the southern curve of the bow.--ED.
[85] The Canadian and its North Fork approach very closely at this point. The region between the North Bend and the one hundredth meridian contains much gypsum. See James's _Long's Expedition_, in our volume xvi, pp. 141-143.--ED.
[86] From subsequent observations, this point appears to have been some miles west of the 100th degree of longitude.--GREGG.
_Comment by Ed._ See volume xix, p. 217, note 52 (Gregg).
[87] Kendall, _Texan Santa Fé Expedition_, i, p. 192.--ED.
[88] Camp Comanche would appear to have been in Lipscombe or Ochiltree County, Texas.--ED.
[89] For Dr. John Sibley, see our volume xvii, p. 68, note 60. This anecdote is found in his report in _American State Papers_, "Indian Affairs," i, p. 724.--ED.
[90] Robert C. Schenck was born at Franklin, Ohio, in 1809, graduated from Miami University, and practised law at Dayton. After one term in the state legislature (1841-42), he was sent to Congress (1843-51), which he left to become American minister to Brazil (1851-53). In the War of Secession he attained a major-generalship, and resigned to re-enter Congress (1863-70). For six years (1870-76) Schenck served as minister to Great Britain, being one of the commissioners to adjust the Alabama claims. He died in Washington in 1890. Another brother was an admiral in the American navy.--ED.