The governor of the territory, the judges, surveyor and all the government officials of any importance, make this place their home.  The Territorial buildings, being the halls of legislation, and such other buildings as are necessary for the State and Territorial purposes, both finished and under process of erection, are located in Santa Fe.  On one side of the plaza there stands a long, low building known as the Palace.  No one, however, would be aware of the fact if not informed of it; for the building has more the appearance of having been intended for a rope-walk than for the assemblage of savants who were to discuss and arrange matters of state and public interest.  Notwithstanding the small pretensions in the way of architecture which the Palace presents, nevertheless, within it, there have lived old Mexican governors who ruled their people with a rod of iron, and whose fiery impulses went forth as just and equitable law.  These tyrants—­for it was very seldom that the poor and ignorant New Mexicans were favored with a good, wise and just governor—­governed on the principle of self aggrandizement.  Being far separated from their home government, they took care to smother all evil reports, while the good, only, were allowed to circulate; and these, so far as the home government was concerned, solely by their authority, in order to have the desired effect to retain them in office.  In this they were usually successful, as they generally retained their lucrative positions until cut off by death, or until they had amassed a fortune which made their tasks burdensome.  Many of these men might have been envied by the richest among Americans, so far as wealth is considered.  They were so envied by the wealthy men at the capital of the republic.  These provinces of Mexico were the Indies where troublesome opponents were to be sent by government, to suck, like leeches, the public treasury, and thus obtain their fill to repletion.  When the United States came into possession of the territory of New Mexico, affairs were somewhat tempered to the state of reason and justice; but, a people who had so long been kept down, could not at once appreciate the value of the changes; consequently, they have been slow in elevating their heads to the proper standard of men.  The legislature of New Mexico, as it has been recognized under the constitution of the United States, resembles other forms of territorial governments.  This statement is true in theory, but not in practice; for it is impossible to collect an uneducated people, unused to self government, and allow them to steer their own bark as law-makers, without observing that they make many openings for serious mistakes to creep in, which are and should be severely criticised.  The pioneer laws, as they came from the first New Mexican legislature, were faulty in the extreme.  They seemed to point out wickedness as a punishment for wickedness.  If we desired to afford our readers a laugh, we should permit them to read many of these laws.  The simple