New Mexico is the 47th State Admitted to the Union

Struggle for Statehood

In no part of the United States has there ever been such a protracted struggle for self-government as in New Mexico. In no other case has statehood been so long withheld. Perhaps nowhere in history is there such a series of failures, in what at the time seemed almost certainty, through unlooked for and often insignificant causes.

Statehood was almost attained in 1850; it was lost by a handshake in 1875, by a sudden impetuous word in 1889, by a shiver of malaria and a miscalculation of time in 1894.

The struggle for statehood began almost as soon as the American occupation. In the speeches and proclamations of Governor Kearny language was used which aroused hope, if it did not give promise, of self-government. In the first address in front of the palace, on August 19, 1846, he announced the intention to "establish a civil government on a republican basis similar to those of our own States."

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was finally signed early in 1848, and proclaimed at Washington on July 4th, and some action regarding the newly acquired territory was anxiously awaited. The advice of the president was that the people should '' live peaceably and quietly under the existing government for a few months" until Congress could act deliberately and wisely.

Hon. Thomas H. Benton, then in the height of his influence and power as senator from Missouri, was greatly interested in the condition of the new domain, and especially of New Mexico. Under date of August 28, 1848, he addressed an open letter to the people of California and New Mexico, in which he advised them "to meet in convention, provide for a cheap and simple government, and take care of yourselves until Congress can provide for you.''

The advice of Senator Benton was quickly followed. New Mexico was without any legal government, since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had ended the regime of military occupation, and the continuance of the de facto military authority was b...

On Saturday, January 6, 1912 , at 1:35 p.m. in Washington D.C. , a delegation including W.H. Andrews and two congressmen-elect from New Mexico gathered at the Whitehouse and proudly witnessed the making of their new state. President William H. Taft signed the proclamation making New Mexico the 47th state of the United States of America . After affixing his signature to the proclamation, President Taft, turned to Delegate Andrews, and Congressmen George Curry and Harvey Ferguson and remarked: "Well, it is all over, I am glad to give you life. I hope you will be healthy.” The following month, Arizona was proclaimed a state on February 14, 1912 . Almost sixty four years after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the sister territories of the Southwest were finally brought into the union.

Following the Mexican-American War, from 1846-1848 and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, Mexico ceded its mostly unsettled northern holdings, today known as the American Southwest and California, to the United States of America. In the Compromise of 1850 Texas ceded its claims to the area lying east of the Rio Grande in exchange for ten million dollars. The United States acquired the southwestern boot heel of the state and southern Arizona below the Gila river in the mostly desert Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state in the Union on January 6, 1912

William J. Mills (1910)

Governor Mills came to the gubernatorial office well equipped for its duties. He had legislative experience in both houses of the Connecticut legislature, and had been chief justice of New Mexico since 1898. This experience not only gave facility in disposing of most administrative questions but a poise and tact which smoothed many difficulties.

Much of his term of office was occupied by matters connected with the transition to statehood. On June 20, 1910, the enabling act was signed by the president. This was followed by the preparations for the election of a constitutional convention, and that election itself on September 6th. The governor, chief justice, and secretary constituted a commission to apportion the delegates among the respective counties, and this duty was performed on June 28th and the election proclamation was issued the next day. The convention contained 100 delegates, and as elected consisted of 71 Republicans and 29 Democrats. Charles A. Spiess, of Las Vegas, was elected president. The convention met on October 3, 1910, was in session till November 21st, and formulated a constitution good in most of its provisions, but not containing the new theories rife at the time and then called "progressive." The section as to amendments was especially objectionable on account of the difficulties that it placed in the way of future constitutional changes. The constitution was very satisfactory in guarding with extreme care the rights of Spanish-speaking citizens. . The vote of the people on the adoption of the constitution was taken on January 21, 1911, when the result as recorded was 31,742 in favor and 13,399 against. While this is not an accurate expression of the people's will, because unfortunately in a few counties over-zealous friends of statehood prevented any ballots against the constitution being circulated or cast, yet even with a liberal calculation of the votes thus suppressed, the majority in favor of the proposi...