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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST, j JA MESgTrDN £R, JR. TERMS. Daily, per annum £8 00 Tri-Weekly, per annum 6 00 If paid in advance. 3 00 Weekly, per annum 3 00 If paid in advance 2 30 To Clubs, remitting £lO in advance. FIVE COPIES are sent. This will put our Weekly pa per in the reach of new subscribers at TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. (EpSubscribcrs who will pay up arrearages, and send four new subscribers, with the money, can get the paper at £2 00. [FTpAIi new subscriptions must be paid in ad vance. gjf*Postagc must be paid on all communications and letters of business. ■arrumMßMaMainHHHnHnnßßMvnMaMßßHPim [P rom the New Orleans Delta.] The Deformed. Beneath an aged oak, whose limbs old Time Had coated with his green grey moss, a man Was seated on the velvet sward. "What crime”— As speaking to himself he so began— “O Heaven, have I before thee done?” His heart, Too big with wo, denied him further speech, But to his deep grey eye hot tears did start, And he dr<*>ped his hand in anguish. In reach, Beside the solitary stranger, lay An open letter, tr»ced,hy hand so fair— Conceived by her whose to-hinx *#s da}’, And yet her Words had launched him in despair. A broken sigh Stole from his wounded heart, and on the wing Os a playtul zephyr ’scaped to heaven. ’Twas mournful thus to see him mourn. Tlffe spring— The very fountain whence all joys are given To man, seemed broken, while his swelling soul, Convulsed with poignant grief, heaved up his breast In wild spasmodic measure. To control Such anguish, or to lull it into rest, Needs more than mortal power; for the heart, Dependent of each impress on the mind, Cannot repose in calmness, but will start And tremble, like an aspen in the wind, At clouds of wo or sorrow. On his brow Sat genius—not arrayed in conscious pride And pow’r-—hut ail subdued and drooping now, As if overwhelm'd by the dark rolling tide Os cureless misery within his breast. ’Twas not rejection of his proffered love That robbed his bosom of its golden rest, For pride would lift his fervent heart above The sharp sting of passion unrequited; The cause, of that rejection, was the blow By which all his hopes and peace were blighted In deep and (inextinguishable wo. He was deformed ; and yet within his breast Had wayward nature fixed the purest spring Os virtue and of love a sad bequest, Whose gentlest impulse woos its sharpest sting. Grown calm again, again he did essay To breathe his sorrow on the quiet air In language whose deep pathos did betray The burning eloquence of love, in prayer/ He said; "To thee, my mother, I this sorrow owe. Ah. why, in nature's chaste divinity, Should that sweet stream—a mother's fondness,flow Unchanging onward to infinity Os a’l thought, space and time? Was’t not thy love That cultivated in this crooked breast Each gentle impulse, parented by Jove In thy propitious hour? Was I caressed And made to drink sweet poison from the spring Os mother’s tenderness, that I might learn To calmly bear the sharp, exquisite sting Os grim deformity—that I might yearn For that eternal sleep, whose potent veil The monster and the classic form conceals In one dread cold oblivion ; thy wail. Dear mother, not thy gentle, kind appeals To misplaced feeling in this blighted trunk. Were fitter music for my childhood’s ear ; Then, I had never climbed, nor ever sunk. Nor ever loved, nor hoped, nor shed one tear; But would have borne this mockery of form Fixed in my mind,whereby to mould each thought And action, and so triumph o’er the storm Waked by that virtue thy pure fondness taught. "And thou, dear Amy !—yes, dear Amy, yet Art first to wake me from my blissful dream Os love. Yet why should I with vain regret Lookback at joy and thee? The golden stream That bore me onward to the wished for goal Has wrecked my bark upon the hidden rock Deformity ; it shone not in my soul; My eyes, when inward turn’d, received no shock ; No mirror’d monster lay reposing there ; But all was calm an I beautiful. My flow Os love for thee was purer than the air That chasteneth the rain-drops into snow : ’Twas born of virtue and esteem, and grew To excellence too consummate for earth; As flowTs absorb their life-bestowing dew, This love destroys the Eden of its birth. Why didst thou cli ig to that fatal strain Os romance —whisper’d of another love? Whv urged thou me to wander o’er again Those scenes of joy, that I might dearly prove Thy gentleness of heart, and deeper drink At Hope’s unguarded fountain—that sweet stream Beneath whose magic pow’r the senses sink Into love’s gentle, chaste, seraphic dream? Ah ! why”—He spoke no more. His glist’ning eye, With glowing resignation, turned on high To those bright realms where all our sorrows die Where arx»el spirits sail from star to star, Like wing’d battalions ’gaged in sportive war. He spoke no more ! His spirit broke Earth’s chain, And back to Life Immortal sped again ! rambler. [From the New Orleans Delta , iith inst.] The Mexican News. To-day we follow up our Mexican news, hr giving the letters of our Vera Cruz corres pondent. Except the various incidents trans piring in Vera Cruz, the floating current news, which, under circumstances such as the pres ent are, must always possess interest to the A merican reader, the gist of the whole, as we said yesterday, may thus be given. On the 30th ult. Gen. Scott, with his com mand, was a Puebla—No affirmative action was taken on the peace propositions of Secre tary Buchanan—Gen. Scott was on the eve of advancing on the city of Mexico—And Santa Anna was mustering such force as best he could, to resist him. Mr. Walsingham, from Vera Cruz, than whom there is none in that city has access to more recent or authentic intelligence from the capital, stated to us yesterday a number of circumstances, which ‘ establish these facts.— He had letters from four different sources in the city of Mexico, all in corroboration of them. Gen. Valencia had arrived at the city of Mexico with a force, it is said, of 6000 men and thirty-six pieces of artillery. The strength of the force previously enrolled there, inde pendent of the division of Valencia, with the reinforcements calculated on previous to the arrival of Gen. Scott, are set down at twelve thousand —thus making the opposing force 18,000 men. From such an army—a Mexican army—Gen. Scott has nothingto fear, although Valencia’s command is reported to be an ac tive, soldierlike body of men. Gens. Pillow and'Pierce reached Gen. Scott on the 2d. If, as reported, he would advance on their arrival, the first division left Puebla on the 4th—although our informant thinks he may probably not move till the arrival of the train, which was shortly to leave Vera Cruz in company with Maj. Reynolds. One thing is certain, that the idea of “con quering a peace” by diplomacy or negotiation, at least till the city of Mexico is taken, is now dissipated, blown to the winds of baffled hopes, and the sooner Gen. Scott sets out to accom plish that object, the better. Whv, indeed, there has been so much procrastination, may form a subject of complaint and recrimination yvith some; but ignorant, at present, as we are of the causes which led to it, we must be par doned for not indulging in either. Nor mil 1 we now enter into a speculation of what may ibe the current of coming events. Every day’s experience teaches that the most improbable ; of all probabilities, are tixose dependent on Mexican generals and Mexican Statesmen for their realization. With them, instead of a natural effect following an existing cause, every thing, like Rory O’Moore’s dreams, seem to go by “contraries.” There is nothing now however, left, but for Gen. Scott to capture and take possession of the city of the Monte zumas. At what sacrifice of life this is to be ; accomplished, a very brief period will deter- { mine. What may be the next act in the drama, ; may be told when the curtain rises—not be fore. [Special Correspondence of the Picayune.] Puebla, Mexico, July 13, 1817. An order has :xt length been issued which looks as though an immediate movement was anti cipated. Gen. Scott is to commence review- | ing different divisions on the 15th inst., after j | which it is thought there will be a general turn out and then an onward march. The general impression now is, that there will be a harder fight at the city of Mexico than any that has yet taken place in the country, but j no one can tell any thing with certainty. In may last letter I intimated that a letter i had been received from one of the American I i officers still unjustly retained in Mexico. It j was dated on the Bth inst., and I give oile of ; i two extracts : “Since my last, the preparations for your fe- j ception here have gone on with great spirit.— j An army of not less than 23,000 men, well dressed and apparently well armed, are now in this city and neighborhood. Handsome pieces of artillery have lately been cast, while t their fortifications are nearly completed. The •i artillery may reach 100 pieces—they certainly have not less than 60 in number. This dis j play here is quite imposing, and the nation is made to believe that the great anxiety of the United States for peace proceeds from an ap- I prehension that our army dare not attemot to 1 move upon the capital. The long delay of I Gen. Scott at Puebla, the arrival of a minister of peace, and our repeated offers to treat, give color to the idea in the estimation of this peo ple that Gen. Scott is fearful of attempting the | reduction of the capital. We here know per fectly well the value of the speculations : but it is nevertheless true that they are rapidly becoming riveted on the public mind. * * * i Be assured, there can be no peace made with | Mexico at this time —Santa Anna dare not, and | | Congress itill not. Let oux- army but come ! I here and the resources of the nation are cut off; and the people seeing the capital in our ; hands, peace must follow. * * * * * 1 The strongest defence of the Mexicans is at j El Penon, three leagues from here and on the ! best road leading into the city ; but the best approach is by Guadalupe or Chapultepec, and i the position for throwing shells better from either. The road to Guadalupe branches I about one and a half miles short of the Penon, * j passes round the lake of Tescuco, and is thirty ; miles farther than the direct route. There is two or three leagues of soft ground on this road, made so by the recent rains, which may | , occassion some difficulty to heavy carriages ; but good judges think it may be overcome. — ; i The road to Tacubaya and Chapultepec is good, I and here is the sunply of,water for the city, which may be cut off. ♦♦****! have written to the Minister of War here in I relation to our detention, but can get no an : swer. I was asked a day or two since i by Col. Moreno, a Mexican officer, why our • Government had not proposed to have us ex | changed r I replied that I had no information | on the subject, except that according to the ' official statements, both of Gen. Taylor and j Santa Anna, M e were exchanged the day after the battle of Buena Vista, but whether anv steps had been taken to secure a comnliance I was not in informed. The health of our party 1 is as good as could becxpectcd under the cir cumstances.” I have given you all the most interesting extracts from this letter, and when I state that it is from an officer w ell informed and on the spot, his opinion should pass for something.— His ideas in relation to peace are coincided in by almost every one here. The dragoons un- ; der Kearney and Sibley, accompanied by a white flag, which I mentioned in my last as j about ready to start,went out yesterday morn ing towards the capital with a white flag.— One object of this mission is to procure the li ! berty of the American officers now detained. and it is hoped it will be successful, even if ; they are sent home byway of Tampico, Speaking of prisoners, has it ever occurred ■ to you that there arc other Americans in Mexi- ; I co besides those hold in the capital, who are certainly so far confined as to be utterly una ble to leave ? I might give you a long list of J names and you would find that of your hum ble servant in the number, who have seen quite enough of Mexico and are anxious once more ! to breathe the free air of the United States, ■ but to all intents and purposes we are prisoners here, and there is no such thing as telling i when we are to be released. To be sure we are “on the limits;” that is, we can walk about inside the sentinels ; but he -who goes outside j of the sound of “Who goes there r” does it at great peril. The largest liberty is here com pressed into the smallest possible space, and that perfect freedom of coming and going we enjoy at home may be now quoted in Mexico as merely nominal. A Spanish company of actors is giving a se ries of entertainments at El Colisco, one of the i theatres of the place. The horrible drama of “Lucretia Borgia” was performed on Sunday night with staitling effect. The rains continue. Hardly an afternoon passes without a drenching shower, and as the j army has no tents, the poor soldiers must suf fer incredibly on the road to Mexico. Alluding to the advance upon the capital, there are certainly individu ds in the army, and those wffio should be well informed, who ; do not think we shall reach it—M-ho are of the opinion that peace or an armistice will be set tled or entered into this side. Negotiations i of some kind are certainly going on, all pro bably relating to peace, but the mass know nothing of the nature of them. Yours, &c., o. w. k. Puebla, Mexico, July 16, 1847. The division of Gen. Twiggs was reviewed yesterday by Gen. Scott, and made a most j brilliant show. Gen. Quitman’s division is to I be reviewed to-day, the cavalxyr on Saturday, Gen. Pillow’s division on Sunday, and Gen. Worth’s division on Monday. Col. Garland’s brigade, attached to the latter, is now absent in the direction of Perote—one reason why the division is not to be reviewed sooner. No one can say with certainty, but the impression pre vails that the array will move onwards by the middle of the ensuing week. I have had time to look over the last papers from the capital more at my leisure. The edi tors announce that Alvarez has recently had several long interviews with Santa Anna at the palace, but the result has not been made pub lic. Santa Anna appears to have had ill luck with his coaches. One he lost at Cerro Gor do, and on the Bth inst,, -while visiting the for tifications around the city, another in which he -was riding broke fiat down. He M'as mov ing in great state at the time —-with an ad vance guard, and numerous generals and colo nels galloping on either side—and the editor of El Monitor ridicules the whole affair from first to last. llfb same editor announces that extensive preparations arc being made at the palace for the reception of the youthful consort of Santa \ Anna, who was hourly expected. He inti- i mates that her appearance will alleviate and distiact the illustrious general from other cares, and further says that while she is by his side he probably will riot be able to hqld as frequent conversations with other ladies as : has been his wont of late, to the great preju dice of a third person, (the Senora Santa An- I na he doubtless means.) Rather a hard hit, I this, and as a guard of soldiers entered the Monitor office a short time afterwards in search of the editor, it was probably felt. Almonte has been sent off to Tulancingo, to | take command of the post there, but this here , is considered as equivalent to a disgrace, and is | noticed by the editor of El Monitor under the | head of Persecutions.” Almonte himself com plains that he has no time to collect baggage I ! appropriate for an officer of his rank, being hurried oft’ at an only twenty-four hours’ no tice. A letter from Durango, dated on the 28th June, states that Gen. Filisola had started in j the direction of Saltillo with 600 infantry, 400 cavalry, and 4 pieces of artillery. He was to I be joined by Gen. Keyes, with the Zacatecas ; troops. This would go to confirm the truth ■ |of a recent letter from the latter cit} r , but no i one here believes that either of the above gen- I erals will ever venture within gunshot of Gen. Taylor. tinder the head of “ Very Important!" the RepubHcano of the 9th inst. has the following : ! “The Diario of yesterday announces that ac ; Cording to information on which it can rely, I the enemy will move from Puebla upon this capital on Monday next. If this be certain, j and the rumor false which supposes that 6000 more men are about to disembark at Vera I Out:, we are persuaded, that Scott is about to make a boneless although very imprudent at tempt to force the gates of the capital of the Renublic. The Mexicans, by only recalling to mind the brilliant feats of arms which made their struggle for independence memorable, j (they must forgot their recent shameless de feats of course,) will feel in their hearts the necessary impulse to repel an army sficH as that which threatens us, which is in truth I sufficiently contemptible. Os what avail are 10 or 12,000 men, the greater part of them dis contented, before an armv of more than 20,000 and a population of 200,000? This considera- * tion alone ought to keep the Americans back; ! but supposing that they dare defy Mexico un der such a disadvantage, they wall meet with, j we believe, an exemplary chastisement!” The idea of the Americans being very im - prudent is peculiarly rich. In the same paner we notice accounts of the departure of differ ent small bodies to work on the fortifications j at Chapultapec and at the gate of Nonoalco. I have now given you everything of interest in the latest paners, at least a synopsis of every thing. Os verbal reports we have a multipli city, some of them carrying the evidence of I 1 heir falsity on the face, while others would i seem to be entitled to more credit. The ru mor that Congress had formed a quorum and i commenced its sessions receives additional con firmation, although I cannot yet learn that it iis a well established fact. We shall know in a day or two. J And now let me finish With a few spectlla , tlons of my own —mere speculations, mind you. All our accounts from the city of Mexi co, both verbal and through the newspapers, would indicate that the enemy Is determined ■ upon m «k r ng a stout resistance, and that they i will do it is the general impression. No than can well believe otherwise with the lights now burning openly before him; but at the same time there may be secret influences at work, to bring about an adjustment of our differences with Mexico, which no man out of the circle of those engaged in the secret can know any • thing of. I should be far from surprised were I to learn positively that English influence and American gold were now at work at the capital, and that bribery was endeavoring to ' take from the bayonet its legitimate office.— Sincerely do I hope that such influences may i not be at work, and that, if they are they may prove unsuccessful. The idea of purchasing a a peace of these people must be repugnant to every true lover of his country—it would be 1 dishonorable on the very face of it, and would be far from proving lasting in the end. If Congress is really now in session there are 1 doubtless many of the members ready to do I anything for money—they have hoard of the i “three millions,” and the honor and best inter ests of their country must stand aside if there is any chance of their pockets being replenish | ed. Santa Anna, too, will aid and abet any | movement, so that he can come in for the i lion’s share; and such are the men bribery and corruption have to work upon. I repeat, that I hope that neither English influence nor Ame j rican gold may be able to effect any thing in bringing about a peace. It is impossible for i me to say with certainty that these agents are at work, but I believe they are; and I further think it anything but creditable to our coun- I try to make use Os them. With the Ameri can flag flying at the palace in the capital, per- | haps we might hear something in the shape of i a proposition—the first one—from Mexico.— I At all events, while we are thus far in the country, the experiment were preferable to hiring a beaten enemy to accept our terms. Yours, vSec., g. w. k. P. S. —s o’clock, evening.— The rumors of peace are again prevalent, and the talk now is that the army will not move for two 'weeks — some think not at all. Every hour puts a new phase upon matters, but something unu sual is now in the wind. You shall learn all about it in my next. [Fromthe N. O. Picayune, Sth American Prisoners in Mexico. By the arrival of the Fashion, we are placed in possession of the contents of three letters from the American officers now prisoners in the city of Mexico. In Mr. Kendall’s letter of the 14th ult.. in another column, he gives very in teresting extracts from a letter written by one of the prisoners on the Sth of July. Those : interested in the fate of these gentlemen will i refer to those extracts, while we subjoin here I letters of a latter date, one from Major Gaines, the other from Capt. Cassius M. Clay. It will be observed that Major Gaines fully confirms all that he have -written of the ingratitude of Gen. La Vega for the courtesies shown to him in the United States, by his total neglect of our officers in Mexico. That his good offices in I their behalf were repeatedly invoked, we have i no doubt whatever. Major Gaines’s conclu sions on this point we adopt implicitly. The defence interposed for Gen. La. Vega by Lieut. Mejia, a prisoner here, Maj. Gaines rudely dis poses of. Col. Mata’s defence, it will be borne in mind, was almost instantly set aside by the letter of Col. Wilson. We regret that the very slight confidence we have felt willing to place in Mexican representations is almost wholly destroyed by Major Gaines’s letter, and by recent most inexplicable and fallacious repres entations made here in regard to events in Mexico. Others were deceived by these representations; we were more fortunate, but we struggled to reconcile them, with perfect good faith on the part of those, by whom the National w as lately misled. After reading the letter of Maj. Gaines, we shall leave to others the task of vindicating Mexican veracity. To render the major’s letter clearer, w r e re published one paragraph from a letter address ed us by Lieut. Mejia on the 14th of May last: ; “On the 27th of February, Gen. La Vega w’as third in command, not ‘military commandant in the city.’ The palace at the city of Mexico was besieged by the revolutionary party of the church and its. adherents. I was with him and know that not one last the palace for many days wriio was not shot down by the populace. Three days before the arrival of Gen. Santa Anna we left Mexico in great haste to oppose the Americans at the National Bridge, and the i revolution was still active, so that we could hold no intercourse write the castle of Santiago, where Major Gaines w r as confined, it being ; within the enemy’s lines.” Now read the comments of Major Gaines upon this. His letter is" addressed to his broth er in this city: Mexico, July 28, 1847. Dear Brother —I have been lately favored with the perusal of a letter in the -Picayune, ; dated New Orleans, May 14,1817, arid signed Eureque Mejia, representing himself as the aid of Gen. La Vega, and undertaking to vindicate I that officer against the charge of ingratitude 1 towards the American prisoners confined in this city. In this letter it is stated that the Palace during the revolution was besiged by the “party of the church and, its adherents, and that not one left it for many days who was not shot down by the populace. That three days before the arrival of Santa Anni (the revolution be- I ing still active) they left in haste to meet the Americans, and as the castle of Santiago, w r here the prisoners were confined, was within the lines of the enemy, no intercourse could be held with it.” I have rarely read so short a para graph containing so many falsehoods. The ! Palaee was never besieged by the revolution ary party —their position being near the church called “The Professor,” some four or five hun dred yards distant; not more than two or three persons were shot near it; operations had ceased before La Vega left in haste! the castle I of Santiago was no more within the enemy’s lines than any other part of the city, and the intercourse with it was uninterrupted, being visited, I believe, every day during the fight bv our friends. I sent several messages to La Vega which I feel sue he received, but. wheth i er he did or not, the damning crime of ingra titude must forever adhere to his rotten carcass writh the tenacity of Nessus’s shirt of old. I dismiss him to the tormenting stings of an abused conscience (if he has any) and the merited cdtitempt of his race. Our army is still reposing at Puebla, and w'hv it does not advance unon the city excites 1 the astonishment of all. That there is some good reason for this (to me) extraordinary in activity, I fondly hope. Facts yet to be learned will demonstrate, but with the lights I have the delay is inexplicable. Had our army marched forward directly after the battle of Oerro Gordo they would not have encounter ed an enemy; as it is an army of 30,000 men have been concentrated here. That w r e shall gain another glorious victory, should the Mexicans show fight, there is not the slightest doubt; and perhaps, after all, a peace will he more certainly “conquered” and more speedily than if there had been no de | lay. I have heard nothing from homo since A.’a letter of the 12th March, inclosed in yoUrs of the 24th of the same month. I need not speak of my great anxiety to learn something from you, but I must bide my time. A negotiation is now pending between Gen. Scott arid Santa Anna for orir exchange, and I see no reason to doubt its success; I hope you will write to me often to Vera Cruz, which will follow the army; and if I never receive them you will only lose your time. I have written you so fully con cerning my business that I need say nothing | on that subject. If you have ever heard anything of Harry, or my horse Black Hawk, let me know. [Har ry was a faithful servant and Black Hawk was a favorite horse of the major’s. They were not with him at Encarnacioil.j Yours, affectionately, JOHN P. GAINES. Mr. A. L. G vines. New Orleans. The negotiation alluded to by Major Gaines we presume was the subjeat of the despatches ; forwarded by the hands of Capt. Kearny, of the Dragoons, whose excursion as far as Rio Frio is mentioned in Mr. Kendall’s letters in another column. We riow append the letter of Cant. Clay, a conclusive defence of the i surrender of La Encar lacion, if it needed a ! defence. Letter from Cassius M. Clay. City of Mexico, July 15, 1847. To the Editors of the Picayune —l have till now refrained from making anything public I touching our capture. The probability that it j might become the subject of legal investiga tion, seemed to me to be a sufficient reason among others for silence. But since the merits of our surrender have : became the topic of discussion, any further de ference to personal delicacy becomes criminal injustice to those who have a right to claim of ms, their intermediate commander, whatever protection my humble ability can afford them. I therefore merge the imputation of egotism j and self-elation in the higher necessity of dis ! charging a duty to the living who do not, and the dead who cannot, speak for themselves. If the failure of our superior officers to ex change us after three successful battles, and the capture of many prisoners of war, is ne cessary to the public service, requiring the soldier never to surrender, but in all cases to lay down his life, without regard to the ine quality of numbers or the resulting good of the sacrifice, then without a murmur I submit to the sentence. But if this policy becomes I not general, and is not deemed usual and ne- j cessary in w ar, then or. the part of myself and my brave companions in arms, some of whom have gone from the loathsome prisons of Mex ico, where praise nor blame can never reach them, I protest against it, as a condemnasion writhout a trial, and a penalty without a crime. You term the surrender at Encarnacion an “honorable capitulation.” It is so. The mass of mankind judge of things by their apparent success or failure. With them victory is glory, ams defeat disgrace. But with enlightened minds it is better to deserve success than to win it. Yet paradoxical as it may seem, I say that the expedition to Encarnacion not only de served, but achieved success. Lieut. Col. Field. Surgeon Roberts and Maj. Gaines will remember that on the night pre ceding the adventure, it was urged that the reconnoitering party should consist of a large body writh artillery sufficient to hold the ene my in check, till the arrival of reinforcements, or strong enough to retreat with its face to the foe. Or else it should be a small body wriiose i loss would not be materially felt by the army, a part of whom we might calculate from the superior speed of the horses, and bettor ad dress of the men. w r ould return with the ti dings of the enemy’s position and force. The last alternative we were compelled to adopt, and the result w'as as foretold. We found the enemy and sent back toord of his approach. — Whether this reasoning be in accordance with military science, or no, and how far the suc cess of the glorious battle of Buena Vista was owing to this timely warning, I leave abler strategists than I to determine. But why anticipate capture? The country through which we had to pass was a grass covered plain, shut in by mountains, where | there was no growth of w’ood to conceal us. j We w’ere compelled to go to fixed and well known places for water, surrounded by ran cheros who ever ready and not slow- in giving timely notice of our approach. The night before reaching Encarnacion, we had re | solved, according to the Spartan maxim, con ; tinually to change our camp to avoid surprise, and to move, if necessary, twice a night to prevent the peasantry's knowing our where abouts. That we camped two nights succes sively in Encarnacion, the cause in part of our ■ capture, was rather the result of fortune, than j design on our part. For we had, on the 22d, advanced ten miles in the direction of Sail illo, intending to attack two hundred men whom we learned were stationed there, but night, storm and darkness coming on we were com pelled, having no guide, to return, against the protest of some and our previous rule of ac -1 tion, to Encarnacion. The idea of putting out picket guards in a plain of twenty miles di ameter, intersected by roads in all directions, iis absurd. And had a picket guard given an I alarm in the night, the result would have been the same, for we would not have left our cat tle till morning, till we saw the enemy and knew their force. Seventy-one, men and officers, all told, held Gen. Minon and three thousand regular and veteran troops, as numbered by himself, at bay from dawn till noon of the 23d day of January. Without half as many rounds of shot as there j were opposing foes, without water, without provisoris, one hundred and ten miles from camp, without the remotest probability of rein- | | foreement, we unanimously determined to ex act “the most honorable terms of capitulation known to nations,” or sell our lives like men who held the faith that honor is the only ne- j I cessity. Holding a Mexican chief of equal rank with our commandant as hostage, Map Gaines and Gen. Minon concluded the following terms of capitulation: First. The most honorable treatment as pris ' oners of war known to nations. Second. Private property to be strictly res pected. Third. Our Mexican guide to receive a fair I trial in the civil courts. When we remember that Taylor fought at Buena Vista at a liberal computation one to four, and had his hands full—.and that we stood less than one to forty-two of the enemy under their most gallant chief, I hazard the assertion that in the history of the Mexican war there will I have been no exhibition of nobler gallantry than was displayed at the capitulation of En carnation. Accept assurances of m3' lasting gratitude, that you have, with Mrs. Homan’s in the “Captive Knight,” entered into a prisoner’s griefs, and magnanimously vindicated our claims upon our country’s justice. For all that is generally deemed remunerative in war, falls to the lot of others —but “The worm, the canker and the grief, Are ‘ours’ alone.” Ever your ob’t. servt., C. M. CLAY. [From the New Orleans Picayune , Bth instant. .] Late and Interesting" from Tampico. The schooner William and Elizabeth, Capt. Beach, arrived here from Tampico, which place she left on the 30th ult.. Capt. Beach has fa vored us with the following intelligence: It will be gratifying to the friends of Lieut. Taueyhill, who accompanied Col. Deßussy’s expedition, and was left wounded, mortally as was supposed, at the Calabozo, where the expedition was ambuscaded by the enemy, is still living. An express from him arrived at Tampico, stating that he was doing well, and requesting that his clothing be sent him. It was expected that a Mexican lieutenant of ar tillery, a prisoner at Tampico, would be ex changed for him. It had been ascertained that Gen. Garay had fourteen prisoners in his hands which had been taken from Col. EJeßussy’s party, which reduces by that number the number first sup- j posed to have beeii killed in the expedition. Gen. Garay has, it is said, a force of not less than 3000 men within ten miles of Tam pico. He cuts off almost entirely the sup plies from the country for the Tampico market and has effectually stopped the trade with the interior. Oil the 29th lilt., an expedition consisting of the U. S. schooner Petrel, Lieut. ComT. i Moore, with a detachment of marines and an artillery G-pounder in addition to her arma ment, was towed up the Pantica by the steam er Uridine; The object of this expedition was not publicly known, but was supposed to be to > intimidate the Mexicans and prevent them from cutting off Gen. Taylor’s despatches 1 should he be at San Luis Potosi and desire to I send his communications byway of Tampico, j The Mexican despatches for the interior have all been stopped. On the 27th, it was discovered that some of the privates of the Louisiana regiment had been in the habit of stealing cartridges and selling them to the Mexicans. Over sixty pounds was found concealed in a Mexican out house, with a proportionate quantity of balls, Sc c. Two men of companies D and H were I under arrest, and it was thought that more were implicated. The cartridges had been sold at 124 cents a piece. Since the erection of sheds for the troops ! they have been remarkably healthy. What ever sickness existed among them was mainly I in the detachment of Pennsylvanians. The U. S. propeller Major Tompkins was to sail soon for this port. North Carolina. Caswell county.—The vote in Milton stands —Kerr 78, Venable 101. The Milton Chroni cle says: Since the above was in type, we learn that Venable’s majority is in the neighborhood of : 700—Ker received 298 votes. I The vote in this county for governor, last year, stood —Graham 2GO, Sheppard 996. Pekson county.—Venable’s majority 233. Graham and Hoke —Hoke’s majority 375. Graham and Sheppard—Sheppard’s majority 117. New Hanover county.—The following is j the vote in the town of Wilmington : Hall, 103; McKay, 620; Bryan, 74. Washington County. 1815. 1817. I (W.) (D.) (W.) (D.) Donald, Clark, Donald, Lane, j Plymouth .*••• 135 37 133 34 ! Lee’s Mills 42 35 43 50 Skinnersville 85 41 26 40 Cool Spring 135 16 128 22 347 132 330 116 132 116 Maj. for D0na1d....215 184 • Kentucky. 2d District. —The contest between Todd, (whig) and Clarke (dera.) very close—the re turns only for the Ist or 2d days. 3d District—also very close between Wad dill (whig) and Peyton, (dem.) sth District. —Thompson’s majority over Wickliffe, said to be 700 or 800. 6th District.—Lately represented by Mar- I j tin, (dem.) there were two whig candidates, i It is thought Adams is elected. 7th District.—Duncan’s majority about 363 over Merriwether (dem.) Fayettte District. —Morehead several hun dred majority. 10th District. —Gaines (whig) estimated to be elected over Desha by about 210. Lynn Boyd supposed to be re-elected by 1,500 majority. Bowling Green, August 4, 1847. To the Editor of the Union: With great pleasure I inform you that this district will be represented in the next Congress by a democrat. This is the. last day’s poll, and we are certain of success. B. L. Clark (a Polk electoral candidate) had 200 majority i over J. F. Todd the first day in this district, I and, from partial statements received since, | the majority will materially increase. We set lit down at 300 at least. This district was re i presented in the last Congress by the Hon. 11, j Grider. The convention question receives almost a unanimous vote, and I have no fear but what it will carry by a triumphant maj ori- Vours, respectfully, Augusta, ocar gi a . 'SATURDAY MORNINsI AUGUST 14. FOR GOVERNOR HOM. G. W. TOWNS. OF TALBOT. Democratic Nominations for Senators. sth Dist,—Lowndes and Ware—Gen. T. Hilliard. 7th Tattnall and Bulloch —John A. Mattox Bth “ Striven and Effingham —W. J. Lawton. 9th “ Burke and Emanuel— W. S. C Morris. 12th “ Thomas and Decatur— Wm. H. Reynolds. ; 13th “ Baker and Early—Dr. Wm. J. Johnson. 14th “ Randolph and Stewart—William Nelson. 17th “ Macon and Houston—John A. Hunter. 20th “ Twiggs and Bibb— W. W. Wiggins. 25th “ Jones and Putnam— James M. Gray. 96th M Munroe and Pike—Col. Allen Cochran. 28th “ Merriwether and Coweta—Ore. Warner. 31st " Payette and Henry —Luther J. Glenn. 32d “ Jasper and Butts— Col. J. C. Waters. 38th “ Clark and Jackson— Samuel Bailey. 39th “ Gwinnett and DeKaib—J.\s. P. Simmons. i 40th “ Paulding and Cass— Francis Irwin. i 41st “ CoM) and Cherokee —Wm. H. Hunt. 43d Habersham and Rabun—Edw’d Coffee. 41th “ Lumpkin and Union—Elihu S. Barclay. The Southern Central Agricultural Asso ciation. The Atlantac Luminary of the 12th inst. • tys —“This association held its annual fair yes terday at the Stone Mountain. Those present wore from every part of the State; and the number was estimated at from twelve to fif teen hundred. The specimens produced for exhibition were very creditable considering the recent establishment of the association. The former officers, we believe, were re-eleeted. The next fair will be held at the same place on the second Wednesday in August, 1818. The proceedings will probably be publiched in fulHnour next. ” The Weather, Crops, &c. We have seen a sugar cane from the planta tion of Mr. Despanet Do Blanc, of this par ish, says the Attakapas Gazette of JulySlstt on which we counted 14 joints; it is 54 fee, high, 4 of which have the appearance of be ing ripe. There are on the same plantation 50 arpens of cane, of the same dimensions.— We do not recollect of ever seeing such large cane at this season of the year. Generally throughout the parish the crops arc remarka bly fine. The Savannah Uepublican, of the 12th in stant, says —“We learn that the flood in the Ogeechee has not abated, the prevalence of easterly winds operating, having prevented i the escape of the immense quantities of water to the ocean. The road to Darien is impassa ble; the mail of Monday has not yet been able to leave here. The loss on a portion of the Ogeechee is very heavy, as it is estimated at not less than 75,000 bushels of llice. Four hundred acres' of one crop is irretrievably lost.” The rain of which we spoke in our last (says ’the Winyah Observer, of 11th hist.) lias con tinued another week to the great annoyance of as many as are endeavoring to father com blades; The great rain which we noticed as having fallen here on the 2d and 3d hut. ap pears to have been general. We have official accounts from as far West as Alabama and East as North Carolina. All the intermediate country from the mountains- to the sca-sffiorc has been deluged, and the water coirrses swol len to ah uririsu il height. The Fee Dees, Santees, Black lliver, Waccamaw and Sampit are frill- We apprehend great damage to tlxc rice crops, high up the two former rivers—es pecially as the rice at this season* of the year | will be destroyed if covered 24 hours. We may expect the water to be at its highest rise in the neighborhood ort Thursday, Friday and | Saturday. The Petersburg intelligencer says—“We have had eight days of almost incessant rain, accompanied by a close and sultry atmosphere. Upon the corn, generally, the rain will hav e a most beneficial effect, and judging b’y the? crop I in this region and a portion of North-Curoli na, which we have recently visited, the yield i this season will be unusually abundant. It Is, however, to bo apprehended that a good deal of i corn has been injured or destroyed by the j overflowing of the low grounds on the lower Koanoke. It is thought, that there has been too much rain for tobacco. Although noth ing approximating certainty can yet be known about the crop, it is believed that it will fall below an average one.” The Chambers (Ala.) Herald says—“ The i Hon. G. W. Towns, the Democratic nominee I for G overnor of Georgia, it is said, has taken the stump to canvass the State. Towns is an excellent stump-orator, and we imagine this 1 will place Gen. Clinch, his whig competitor, who is an all-fghting and no-speaking sort of a man in rather a bad box. Some of the whig editors of Georgia seem to betray some little | apprehension lest this method of conducting the canvass should trump the whig lead, and take the trick for Governor.” T say, Jemy, lend me your newspaper.’ ‘I can’t do it, you wouldn’t lend me your new coat ’tother day, you know.’ ‘Nonsense, that’s another tiling; I only want to read it to the ladies.’ ‘Can’t come it, Jerry, I only wanted to wear | your cat to see the ladies.’ — Ex. Pa. Large Fire iu OTaysuille, Kentucky. A most destructive fire occurred at Mays vill, (Ky.) on Wednesday last. The Cincinnati Commercial says: “The flames commenced in the three large warehouses owned by Gen. Collins, which were ent’ :ely consumed; and such was the heat and the rapidity of the fire, in its destroying course, that three other buil dings (frames) were also destroyed. The lat ter were owned by Mr. Newton Cooper, and occupied by several families. A quantity of | hemp and bagging, belonging to the Maysville Manufacturing Company, and amounting, in value, to about $22,000, was destroyed. The entire loss by this fire is estimated at between thirty and thirty-five thousand dollars, of which about ten thousand is known to bo covered by insurance.”