[Illustration: MAP OF THE INTERIOR OF NORTHERN MEXICO.] COMMERCE OF THE PRAIRIES {PART II} CHAPTER XII[1] Government of New Mexico -- The Administration of Justice -- Judicial Corruption -- Prejudices against Americans -- Partiality for the English -- Anecdote of Governor Armijo and a Trapper -- Outrage upon an American Physician -- Violence suffered by the American Consul and others -- Arbitrary Impositions upon Foreigners -- _Contribucion de Guerra_ -- The Alcaldes and their System -- The _Fueros_ -- Mode of punishing Delinquents and Criminals -- Mexican System of Slavery -- Thieves and Thieveries -- Outrage upon an American Merchant -- Gambling and Gambling-houses -- Game of _Monte_ -- Anecdote of a Lady of Fashion -- _Chuza_ -- Cockpits -- _Correr_ _el gallo_ -- El Coleo -- Fandangoes -- _Cigarritos_. Prior to the adoption of the _Sistema Central_ in the Mexican republic, the province of New Mexico was under a territorial government. The executive was called _Gefe Político_ (political chief), and the _Diputacion Provincial_ very inefficiently supplied the place of a legislature. Under the present system, however, New Mexico being a _department_, the names of these powers have been changed, but their functions remain very nearly the same. The _Gobernador_ (governor) is appointed by the President for eight years. The legislative power is nominally vested in a _Junta Departamental_, a kind of state council, with very circumscribed {226} powers, somewhat analogous to, and certainly not more extensive than, those of a board of aldermen with us. But even this shadow of popular representation was 'prorogued' by Gov. Armijo soon after his accession to power (five or six years ago), and has never since been convened; so that [Pg022] its functions have been arbitrarily exercised by the governor ever since. The administration of the laws in Northern Mexico constitutes one of the most painful features of her institutions. Justice, or rather judgments, are a common article of traffic; and the hapless litigant who has not the means to soften the claws of the alcalde with a 'silver unction,' is almost sure to get severely scratched in the contest, no matter what may be the justice of his cause, or the uprightness of his character. It is easy to perceive, then, that the poor and the humble stand no chance in a judicial contest with the wealthy and consequential, whose influence, even apart from their facilities for corrupting the court and suborning witnesses, is sufficient to neutralize any amount of plebeian testimony that might be brought against them.