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About Daily chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1837-1876 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1847)
gutanons w l^ and sentinel, lette-' ‘ BY J W. & W. S. JONES. UAILY) TRI WEEKLY & WEEKLY. OFFICE IN RAIL ROAD BANK BUILDING. TERMS —Daily Paper, per annum, in advance••slo Tri- Weekly Paper. “ “ " Weekly, (a mammoth sheet) “ ..2 CASH SYSTEM.—In no case will an order Tor the paper be attended to, unless accompanied w 1 * ® money, and in every instancewhen the time ° r '' ' any subscription may be paid, expires be ore ceipt of funds to renew the same, the paper discontinued. Depreciated funds recen ea this city. SPEECH OF MR. CALHOUN, IN REPLY TO Mr. BENTON, ON THE THREE MILL ION BILL. In Senate February 24, 1847. Mr. Benton having concluded— Mr. Calhoun rose and said : One thing, Mr. President, at least, may be inferred from the un provoked attack of the feeuator, and the great solicitude he evinced to trace the authorship of the war to me —and that is, that the war is un popular. There can be no mistake. He felt that the tide of public sentiment had turned against it, and hence the anxiety exhibited to place its resposibilities on my shoulders, and take it from those on whom it ought justly to rest. Had he supposed the opposite had he believed that the war was necessary and una voidable, and that its termination would be suc cessful—l am the last man to whom he would attribute any agency in causing it. lam grati fied that the Senator has furnished this evidence. It affords reasonable hope, that those who are responsible for it, will exert themselves, and I hope with success, to bring it to a speedy ter mination. He traces the authorship to me, because, as he asserts, I am the real author of the annex ation of Texas, and that annexation is the real cause of the war. I trust, Mr. President, there will be no dispute hereafter as to who is the real author of annexation. —Less than twelve months since, I had many competitors for that honor; the official organ here claimed, if my memory serves me, a large share lor Mr. I oik and his administration, and not Jess than hall a dozen competitors from other quarters, claimed to be the real authors. But now, since the war has become unpopular, they all seem to agree that I. in reality, am the author of annexation I will not put the honor aside. I may now rightfully and indisputably claim to be the author of that great event —an event which has so much extended the domains of the Union, which has added so largely to its productive powers, which promises so greatly to extend its commerce, which has stimulated its industry, and given security to our most exposed fron tier. I take pride to myself as being the author of that great event. But the Senator objects that I so conducted the question of annexation as necessarily to lead to the war. On what does he rest this charge ? He rests it on the ground that I se lected the resolution as it came from the House of Representatives, as the basis of the annexa tion. instead of giving the Texan Government the choice between the House resolution and the amendment of the Senate originally moved by the senator himself. He complained bitter ly that the Senate resolution —passed at the very heel of the session, under the expectation that it would be carried into effect by the pres ent administration, then just coming into pow er, and not by Mr. Tyler’s administration, then about to expire—had not been adopt ed. He seemed to think that the then administra tion had no right to act upon it, and that un dertaking to do so, was depriving its succes sor of some of its rights. He accused me of acting with the greatest promptness. The fact is so. The resolution, if I recollect, was signed by the late President about the first of March. I saw the importance of acting promptly, and advised the President to act without delav, that he had the constitutional right of doing so, and that I deemed it necessary that he should act in order effectually to secure the success of a mea sure which had originated with his administra tion. His cabinet was summoned the next day. and concurred in the opinion. That night I prepared the despatch for Mr. Donelson, our charge in Texas, and the next day, late in the evening of the third of March, it was forwarded to him. It was my last official act of any im portance as Secretary of State. I selected the resolution of the House in pre ference to the amendment of which the senator from Missouri was the author, because I clear ly saw r , not only' that it was every way prefer able, but the only certain mode by which an nexation could be effected. My reasons for thinking so were fully set forth in my despatch which may be found among the public docu ments accompanying the first annual message of the present Executive. They will speak for themselves; they'never have been controvert ed, and never can be successfully. Indeed, I never considered the senator’s amendment as expressing the deliberate sense either of the : Senate or House of Representatives. It is well known that he, and a few of his friends, had the pow'er of greatly embarrassing the pas sage of the resolutions of the House, if not of defeating them ; and that his amendment was moved not so much as an improvement of the resolutions, as to gratify him and them. That the course I adopted did secure annexation, and that it was indispensable for that purpose, 1 have high authority in my possession. That which all would admit to be the highest, if I could with propriety introduce it; and for this prompt and decided act, if for nothing else, I might claim tlie authorship of annexation. How can anything be more absurd than the assertion that the war with Mexico resulted from selecting the House resolution, instead of the amendment of the Senator ? He has ventured the bold assertion, without the shadow of an argumeutto s.istaiuit What possible difference could it make with Mexico, whether the annex ation was made upon one or the other f Whv should the one not be as offensive to her as the other? Indeed, I doubt much whether“veu w, tIC f°- ernmeut al Mexico knows whether the resolution was passed with or with out an alternative. Such is the baseless ground •mth V “ C rI e hilS ch:i r rg r d me with be ing the author of the war. I had heard, for several eSboSS?' M hC Had P ™ pared to make an elaborate attack on me. Some of my friends asked, rather jestmgly, if I did not expect to be nmhilated. After these givings out and such laborious preparation, I did suppose the Sena tor would make some show of a charge : but of all the attacks 1 have ever wU aessed. in this or any other legislative bodv I have never known one so empty and ridicu ehher ° n * ° f h ‘ S ° harges funded ether in gross error or partial statement of I ° nSOin ! fo l rced Hlld absurd conclusion. H?h-.H th m Wlth the Ver ' v first that he made, of the assurance to assert, in the presence the uLI. n ’.! hsit ‘ Was the first to introduce of thi •t 3 }’ "v° Was die rea i author or cause and eve"' L N ?"*- Ia PP ea * to every Senator, the one ° lel md ividual who was present on he occasion, whether the Senator from Ten nessee, [Mr. Turney] did not first charge me « Uh being tiie author of this war, and whether I did not limit myself to repelling his charge, by showing that it originated in the order to Gen. Taylor, to march from Corpus Christi, and take position on the Rio del Norte ? Igj timber and ask, is there a Senator here igno rant of the fact, that the question, of who was the author or cause o! the war, had been long before elaborately discussed iu this body—in the House ol Representatives, and throughout the whole country Irora its declaration Sp to that time. In the lace ot all this, the Senator rises up in his place, after a long and laborious pre paration. and asserts, that it was I who origina ted the inquiry, as to w'ho was its author. This is a lair sample of the accuracy of the Senator in his numerous allegations to show that I was the author of the war. I might go on and take . them up one by one, and show that every one = of his positions and deductions is equally un founded in fact or false in conclusion. Ido not deem it necessary. A large portion of his ' speech was but the stale repetition of what he said in the sesrion of 1842-’43, when the treaty D which I had concluded with Texas, was under 5 discussion in this body. All the documents 2 now brought forward, were then before the Senate, and he went over the same topics very | elaborately, and with much more power than , on the present occasion, without making any impression on the country. The country was > against him then, and still remains against him, i and it is in vain, that he undertakes to disturb its settled conviction. It will remain ever un changed, in spite of all that he can do. Under this conviction, I will not weary the Senate, by repelling assaults then made and then repelled. The most prominent of the charges—the or ders given by the administration to place a fleet in the Gulf of Mexico, and a portion of the army on the frontier of Texas —was repelled by my then colleague, [Mr. McDuffie,] of whom he speaks so highly on this occasion. In repelling it, he said, that if the orders to which the Senator then and now objects, had not been ■ issued, the Executive would have been guilty of great dereliction of duty. The Florida treaty, forming another subject of attack, figured also on that occasion, in con nection with annexation; and whathehas said now is but a repetition of what he said then. He then, as now, made me responsible for that treaty, although I was but one of six members of Mr. Monroe’s cabinet, and the youngest of its members —responsible, without advancing a particle of proof to show that I even gave it my support or approbation. He rests the charge on some disclaimer, as it seems, that the then Secretary of State, (Mr. Adams,) has, at some time, made, that he was not responsible for the treaty. The Senator may be right as to that; hut how can that, by any possibility, show that I was responsible? But I am prepared to take ray full share of responsibility as a mem ber of Mr. Monroe’s cabinet, without having any particular agency informing the treaty, or influence in inducing the cabinet to adopt it. I then thought, and still think it a good treaty ; and so thought the Senate of the United States; for, if my memory does not deceive me, it re ceived nearly every vote of the Senate. [A Senator. “Yes, every vote.”] It then re ceived the unanimous vote of the Senate, promptly given. Os course, if that treaty was the cause of the war with Mexico, as the Sen ator seems to suppose, this body is as much the author and cause of the war, as the individual on whom he is now so anxious to fix it. I have said it is a good treaty, not without due reflection. We acquired much by it. It gave us Florida —an acquisition uot only impor tant iu itself, but also in reference to the whole southwestern frontier. There was, at that time, four powerful tribes of Indians, two of whom —the Creeks and Choctaws—were contiguous to Florida, aud the two others—the Chickasaw’s and Cherokees —were adjoining; they were the most numerous and powerful tribes in the Uni ted States, and from their position, were ex posed to be acted on and excited against us from Florida. It. was important that this state of things should terminate, which could only be done by obtaining the possession of Florida. But there were other and powerful consider ations for the acquisition. We had a short time before extinguished the Indian title to large tracts of country in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia, lying upon streams and rivers which passed through Florida to the Gulf—lands in a great measure valueless, without the right of navigating them to their mouths. The acquisi tion of Florida gave us this right, and enabled us to bring into successful cultivation a great extent of fertile lauds, which have added much to the increased production of our great staple —cotton. Another important point was effect ed by the acquisition. It terminated a very troublesome dispute with Spain, growing out of the capture of St. Mark’s and Pensacola by General Jackson, in the Seminole war: and finally, it perfected our title to Oregon, by ceding to us w hatever right Spain had to that Territory. Such is the treaty on which the senator has lavished so much of his abuse ; but there were other reasons for adopting the Sabine as the j boundary, and of which I was ignorant at the ! time the treaty was formed, and to the know- j ledge of which I have come within the last few years. Mr. Monroe, if lam correctly inform ed, in adopting that line, acted under circum- 1 stances which left him little option. lam not , at liberty to state them—the information I re- j ceived confidentially. It is sufficient to state ! that he had ascertained that the Senate would not ratify a treaty with a boundary farther west. It was communicated to him by senators of first respectability. Their reason for refusing to ratify a treaty which would extend the boun dary beyond the Sabine, I do not choose to go ■ into, although it w r as communicated to me with the information to which 1 have alluded, CONTINUED TO-MORROW. Col. Gumming.— This gentleman, who de clines the appointment of Major-General, is highly spoken oJ. “Col. Gumming is uot gen erally known throughout the country,” says the | Louisville Journal, “but all who do know him speak with enthusiasm of his chivalry, his i genius, and his accomplishments.” We have heard the gentleman referred to designated in a similar manner—a tribute warranted by personal acquaintance and made valuable by intelligent discrimination. Col. Gumming served in the Army in his youth, and distinguished himself in the last w r ar with Great Britain. He resigned his commission iu 1815. The reasons which have induced him to decline the high appointment recently prof fered him, have not come to our knowledge.— Baltimore American. St. Louis, March 9. The stage of water in the Missouri is low for the season. The Illinois river is high. The lowa Legislature has adjourned without a settlement of the difficulties between the rival wrings of locofocoism. They failed to elect Judges of the Supreme Court or United States Senators, and consequently the young State will be unrepresented in the upper branch of Congress for the two next years, A letter from Independence, Missouri, un der date of Ist instant, mentions the arrival there of Mr. Hoffman of Baltimore, and some others, from Santa Fe, 13th January. The Washington correspondent of the New York Journal of Commerce, says: “ The Smithsonian building is about to be put under contract, and no time will be lost in the work. The design selected is very beauti ful and striking —the collegiate Gothic. Should the institution be as w ell managed as it promi ses to be, it will become one of great notice to the country and to the world. There are hun dreds of philanthropic individuals in this coun try and abroad w'ho will contribute large means to the object of the institution—should it be so constructed as to secure thatobject, to wit, “the diffusion of knowledge among men.” Fatal Accident. — We learn from a gentle man connected with the road that the engine passed over a man by the name of Donnegan two or three miles below Jonesboro’ yesterday evening, horribly mutilating his body and killing him instantly. He was supposed to be intoxi cated.—Griffin Whig. Aitchn-ille (pronounced Chilly) Mclntosh, son of the celebrated Idian chief Mclntosh, was recently assassinated iu Arkansas, by an Indian i and a half-breed. Mr. B. Dubose of Tallahassee, gives us the information.— Alabama Journal. The Emperor of Russia gives a premium to the engineers upon his railroad who complete the year without any accident causing the loss of life or property. : Cjronicle aub Sentinel. AUGUSTA, GEO: MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 33, 1847. The Northern Mail failed last night be yond Charleston. The Savannah Stage arriv ed on Saturday and brought no mail from that city. War News and Rumors. Nothing has yet reached us to remove the painful uncertainty of General Taylor’s posi tion. The additional rumors and accounts would seem to represent his situation to be more critical than was previously supposed by many. It is, however, proper to add, that we attach no credit to the rumors brought by the Mexicans. If the Mexicans have got between him and Monterey in as large a force as is represented, so as to prevent his more easy retreat to that place, nothing can rescue him but the most determined and unparalleled feats of valor. We still hope for the best, and shall not believe that defeat has overtaken him, till forced to do so by authentic accounts. The news from Santa Fe is of a most dis astrous character. We shall be compelled to remain for some time in the most painful un certainty in reference to the troops in Santa Fe, and Col. Doniphan and his men, who left Santa Fe to march to the assistance of General Wool. But the accounts speak for themselves, and to them our readers will look with the most anxious solicitude and interest. Party Right or Wrong. Thkre is much to excuse, yea, something to recommend the sentiment, “Ourcountry right or wrong.” We fear that with some people, the sentiment, “our party right or wrong,” is considered as admirable as that in reference to our country, and of authority equally as bind ing. We repudiate the sentiment, and advo cate the doctrine, party for the goou of coun try. When this fails, when we cannot sustain party without injuring country, the obligation to sustain the former ceases. We do not know when we have seen a clear er instance of tergiversation and inconsistency, than in the following case of Mr Charles J. Ingersoi.l. In 1845 Mr. Ingersoli. used the following language. It is found in a speech delivered by him in the House of Representa tives on the 3rd of February of that year. “The stupendous deserts between the Nueces and the Bravo rivers are the natural boundaries between the Anglo Saxon and the Mauritanian races. There ends the valley of the West. There Mexico begins. Thence beyond the Bravo [Rio Grande] begins the Moorish people, and their Indian associates, to whom Mexico properly belongs; who should not cross that vast desert if they could, as we, ou our side, too, ought to stop there, because interminable contlicts must follow our going South, or their coining North of that gigantic boundary. While peace is cherish ed, that boundary rriUbe sacred. Nottill the spirit of conquest rages, will the people on either side molest or mix with each other; and whenever they do, one or the other race must be conquered, if not ex tinguished.” Now compare it with the following taken from a report made by him shortly before the close of the late session. In both instances he was acting as the chairman of the committee of Foreign Relations. “ President Polk had no constitutional right to stop short of the Bravo, and in truth, the Province of Tex as extended to that river by territorial configuration which nature herself has rendered the limitary of that region.” In the first, Texas terminated at the Neuces! Natu re it self had interposed stupendous bound aries between the Anglo Saxon and the Mau ritanian races. These barriers were between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers. “ Not till the spirit of conquest rages," said Mr. 1., wdlthat barrier be passed. “ While peace is cherished, that boundary tcill be sacred." It was passed, however, by Mr. Polk, without consulting Congress, and when not demanded by necessi ty or propriety. According to Mr. I. it was passed for purposes of Conquest and hostility. Can the President engage in such enterprises without the consent of Congress ? How does the first position of Mr. Inoer soi.l compare with his last ? How utterly in consistent they are ! What confidence can be placed in men whose opinions can be so easily changed, and moulded to suit the circumstances of the case? Mr. Polk must be sustained, right or wrong; party must be upheld though the constitution falls ! The first must be “grap pled with hooks of steel” to the soul, though the latter is in consequence, torn, tattered and profaned ! Such doctrines may suit professed politicians who cling to place, rather than prin ciple, but they cannot suit the people whose only interest consists in having the constitution and good laws honestly administered. It is their duty to see lo it, that while men may make wrecks of their own characters, they do not make a wreck of the constitution and the country. Requisition for Troops. The following is the requisition for troops of Col. Curtis, the commander at Camargo : Headquarters, Camargo, March 2, 1847. gif —l send an officer to headquarters, at Washing ton making a requisition on the President of the Uni ted States for fifty thousand six months’ volunteers. All communication for several days has been cut off' between this place and the army above, and I see no adequate relief this side of New Orleans. I request you, therefore, to call out ten thousand men of this character oftroops, and I anticipate they will be re cognized under the call of the President. As fast as any considerable force can be accumula ted, let them be forwarded to Brazos Santiago. All troops as far as practicable, should be armed before leaving the United States, and the officers command ing companies should take in charge ammunition enough to distribute, in case of emergency, forty rounds at least. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, SAMUEL R. CURTIS, Col. Com’g. To the Governor of Louisiana. The N. O. Picayune of the 16th, says, in re* fereuce to the above : “The Senate [of Louis iana, now in session] yesterday passed resolu tions authorizing the Governor to raise troops for the Rio Grande. In the House of Repre sentatives this resolution was referred to a com mittee office with instructions to wait upon the Governor and ascertain what grounds there are for supporting the resolutions. The committee did not report before the House adjourned. — We have no doubt the Governor will make the matter the subject of a message to-day.” Mesmerism. —By reference to the card of Dr. Webster in another column, it will be seen that this gentleman gives another exhibi tion of mesmerism, this evening, at the Masonic Hall. I IMPORTANT PROM NEW MEXICO. - Insurrection at Santa Pe—Massacre of Americans —Col. Doniphan’s Com mand, «fcc. The Philadelphia North American of the 17th inst., has the following late intelligence from Santa Fe. It came from St. Louis in six days by steamboat to Pittsburgh, and was de spatched to Philadelphia by telegraph : Pittsburgh, March 16. By rider we have St. Louis papers four days in advance of the mail, with dates from Santa Fe covering important news. There has been an extensive Mexican insurrection at Taos. All the Spaniards who evinced any sympathy with the American cause had been compelled to es cape. A Gov. Bent, Stephen Lee, Acting Sheriff, Gen. Elliott Lee, Henry Lee. Henry Seal and twenty Americans were killed and their families despoiled. The Chief Alcalde was also killed. This all occurred ou the 17th January. The insurrection had made formidable head and the disaffection was rapidly spreading. The insur rectionists were sending expresses out all over the country to raise assistance. The number engaged in the outbreak at Taos was about 600. They 3 were using every argument to incite the Indians to hostilities and were making prepara tions to take possession of Santa Fe. The Americans at Santa Fe had only about 600 effective men there ; the rest were on the sick list or had left to join Col. Doniphan. Such being their situation they cannot send succor out, as they are hardly able to defem. themselves. It is thought that Santa Fe must be captured, as neither the Fort nor block houses are completed. It is announced as the intention of the insur rectionists who captured Taos, to take posses sion of the government wagon trains, which are carrying forward our supplies, and thus cut oft'all communication. The representations made to Col. Doniphan' that Chihuahua would be an easy conquest, were evidently intended as a lure to entrap him, beget a spirit of security, and lead him far into the interior, where he might be easily cut off. It is the universal opinion in Santa Fe that if Gen. Wool had gone direct to Chihuahua there would have been no trouble in New Mexico. Col. Doniphan bad possession of El Paso del Norte on the 28th December. Letters had been received from the Governor of Chihuahua, stating that Gen. Wool was within three days march of the capital. This, too, was doubtless another ruse to lure £ol. Doniphan on in con fidence, and cut him off'from all chances of es cape, or of falling back upon Santa Fe, to re lieve in its emergency. The Mexicans are bold in their tone and con fident of capturing Col. Doniphan and his com mand. which consists of about 600 men, 500 of them being of his own troops, the first regiment of mounted Missouri volunteers, and a detach ment of 100 men from Santa Fe under com mand of Lieut. Col. Mite lie 11 of the 2d regiment —consisting of 30 men from Clark’s battalion oflight artillery, under command of Capt. Hudson and Lieut. Kribben, and 70 from Col. Willock’s battalion. They then assert that they will massacre every American in New Mexico and confiscate all their goods. A letter from Lieut. Abert, U. S. Topo graphical Engineer, of later date, confirms all the above intelligence. The details oftbe battle of Bracito are also confirmed. The massacre beyond doubt has been a horrible one, of which we have as yet heard but the beginning; and the insurrection has been kept so quiet until all was ready for the outbreak, that our handful oftroops there must be demolished, before any effortcanbe made to relieve them from the most advanced of our Western military poss. Lieut. Abert’s men suffered severely coming to Missouri. The calls upon government for prompt assistance and large reinforcements are strenuous; end the situation of our gallant men, far away from succor, in the heart of an enemy’s country, shows the rashness which has characterized the whole advance into New Mexico. Eight of the leading men engaged in the con spiracy have arrived, (our correspondent does not say where) who have made a full confession of the whole plot. Letters received also state that Col. Cook and the Mormon battalion were 350 miles be yond Santa Fe. They were generally in good health and progressing slowly. From the N. O. Picayune of the 1 C)th inst. From Tampico. The brig Ann Still has arrived in the river from Tampico, having sailed on the 3d inst. To Major Burns, who came passenger in her, we are indebted for our correspondent which we subjoin. Though it contains little news of im portance, it brings down the narrative of events to the latest moment. Lt. Col. Stamford, oftbe Bth Regiment U. S. Infantry, came passenger from Tampico in the Ana Still, in consequence of the injuries received at Tampico during the embarkation of his regiment. He fell into the bold of one oftbe vessels, broke two of his ribs and other wise injured himself, He is, however, we are happy to learn, recovering, although slowly. Editorial Correspondence of the Picayune. Tampico, Feb. 28,1847 —8 o'clock, P. M. This morning the U. S. steamer Edith, from Bra zos Santiago, with Gen. Worth and staff and twoconi panies of troops on board, touched off the bar at the month of our river, coming to anchor two miles out side, and sent despatches up to Gen. Patterson. I went down with a friend and saw Gen. Worth ; found him in good health and fine spirits. The Edith being bound for Lobos Island, sailed on her course at half past 2P. M. By the E. I learn that at least ten ships are ou their way from the Brazos to this place, to take troops down. The U S. steamer Alabama, now lying in the stream opposite this city, is to sail to-morrow with Gen. Pat terson, staff and troops. The steamer Virginia, with Gen. Pillow, do. do. do., as the merchants say. If the transports on the way here from the Brazos arrive, it is probable that by the last of this week all the forces to leave will have sailed. A few days ago we had a report that Santa Anna had left San Luis Potosi to march against Gen. Tay lor at Saltillo. The Mexican has far the greatest number of troops, but I’ll bet on “ Rough and Ready.” Whether or not there be a battle any where else, however, it seems to be pretty certain that we shall have one at Vera Cruz—and before we get to Vera Cruz. It is known here that the enemy are preparing to give us a warm reception on landing. In the rear of Anton Lizardo they have built strong fortifications, too fur for the guns of our squadron to bear upon them, but in reach of the point of lauding. On these forti fications very heavy guns are mounted, and other ar rangements are made and being made to make a des perate stand against the landing of our troups. It is also to be expected that the city of Vera Cruz is in a condition to make a bloody resistance. But a few days, I hope, will tell the tale, and make all specula tion unnecessary. Who doubts the issue ? Besides what I have written you abov there is lit tle news with us here ; excepting the embarking of troops, stores and munitions on shipboard, every thing is still. Tampico, March 2, 1847. The brig Ann Still sails this morning for your city, and though I have but little to say, I will give the last rumor. News reached here yesterday that Gen. Mi non, leading the advance ofSanta Anna’s forces against Gen. Taylor, with 5000 men, had attempted to sur prise Gen. T. by a night assault, but that he met with a total disappointment. The whole force was defeat ed — how many killed and made prisoners not stated precisely, but they were essentially whipped. I hope this may be true. The Mexicans here are not mak ing much noise, which is positive proof that their friends have not achieved a victory. Whenever they have any good news every man, woman and child know s it at once. I think all the troops will get away by the last of this or first of next week. Gen. Shield’s brigade will be the last to embark. I shall go with the General, every body seems anxious to be off and see what Vera Cruz will do. Yours, in haste, f. a. l. P. S.— I almost forgot to tell you that there is to be a meeting held here this evening for the benefit of Ire land ! See the noble spirit of American benevolence ! Here, in an enemy’s country, are the “Yankees” found doing their good deeds of charity for the poor and distressed in another quarter of the globe, as if they were at home ! Besides others, I learn that' Gen, Shields will address the meeting. We find little news in the Sentinel of the 3d inst. or 27th ult. not embraced in Mr. Lums ■ den’s letters or the intelligence we ga\ eon Sunday, by the Pioneer. From the New Orleans Picayune , \6th inst. The News from the Rio Grande* In point of fact, nothing in an authentic shape has reached the city, since our last publication, from Gen. Taylor’s army. The arrivals yester day brought nothing but amplifications of ru mors hitherto afloat. There was a report in circulation, brought by a passenger, that a let ter was received at Matamoros from an officer of the army at Camargo to the effect that Urrea had got between Monterey and the Rinconada with six thousand cavalry, thus cutting oft' Gen. Taylor’s retreat upon that pass. How this information wasconveyed to Camargo we were unable to learn. The same authority reports more positively the loss of Col. Morgan’s de tachment of Ohio volunteers—but perhaps up on no better foundation than what has been be fore known. We might fill column after col umn with these rumors, many of them exag gerations of previous accounts ; but until some thing definite is heard from Monterey, or rather from Gen. Taylor’s camp, it would add little to the knowledge already in possession of the public. As good an idea of the prevailing feel ing in Camargo can be obtained from the requi sition of Col. Curtis, in another part of our pa per, as from all the reports that have reached us. That document would lead us to suppose the valley of the Rio Grande to be in great danger and the officer who penned it to be very sensible of the fact. If one half of the fifty thousand men Col. Curtis requires of the Pres ident are wanted immediately, we fear there will he wailing in these States before the May apple blossoms. But as we before remarked, we count nothing as adding to what has been known for several days that does not come di rect from Gen. Taylor’s camp. The most ominous anticipations we entertain respecting the safety of the American army, are derived from Capt. Ilenrie, who thinks that if a battle has been fought by Santa Anna in force, the chances are many to one that he has proved victorious. Capt. H. is the same gentleman ‘ whose gallant escape from the Mexican troop which captured Majs. Gaines and Borland, and Capt. Clay and their companies, has excited so | much enthusiasm in the country. He is not a I man to be alarmed at trifles, and his opinion somewhat dashed the confidence we entertain ed in the result of the reputed collision. These are, however, hut opinions. In this connection we may add that Capt. Henrie did not leave Saltillo on the 23rd of last month as has been * said. He left Gen. Taylor before that time, : and brings nothing to confirm or contradict the accounts of battles, which have been so rile ol late. We may say further that the great length ' S of time that has elapsed since Gen. Taylor was | last heard from, is not a favorable sign in these | times, when so much is left to speculation and i conjecture. In a short season we will know : j all, and until then, we counsel our readers lo have patience, From the N. O. Picayune, 16 th inst. Prom Galveston and tlie Rio Grande* The Steamship Palmetto. Capt. Smith, ar rived on Sunday evening from Galveston, hav ing sailed ou the 12th inst. Accounts to the 7th inst. have been received from the Brazos at Galveston. There was still nothing later than the evening of the 22d of February from Monterey. We give below a letter we have received from Camargo by this arrival from a responsible source. We have a copy of the Matamaros flag of the 6th inst. From this we learn that a com pany of volunteers was organized in that place on the 4th inst. This makes the second com pany of volunteers in Matamoros, and there are : materials left for others. Tlie 2d Mississippi Regiment reached Mata moros the morning of the sth inst. They re lieve the Indiana regiment, which was to leave the 6th for Camargo. Two companies of the North Carolina vol -1 unteers arrived at Brazos on the 6th inst. Another Mexican spy was shot on the 3d inst. near Matamoros. He had been arrested, | and was endeavoring to escape from his guard when he was shot dead. A Mexican engaged in the murder of the Rogers family and other outrages has been arrested in Matamoros, and will be tried before the alcalde. The Americans residing in Mier evacuated the town on the approach of the Mexicans. Previous to leaving, they made a surrender of their goods to the alcalde, and took a receipt therefor. Col. Curtis was determined to make a strong defence at Camargo. To make an opening for the play of his artillery on the approaches to the town, he ordered two houses to be torn down. The order was executed by setting fire to them. A strong wind arising, the flames were communicated to other buildings, and a great many consumed, principally jacales of no great value. The impression in Matamoros is that Gen. Taylor had fallen hack on Monterey, but they know nothing authentic on the subject. The tenor of our previous advices leads us to a different opinion. The Flag thus speculates upon the news : “The attack on Gen. Taylor no longer remains doubtful. All that we know about it has been deriv ed from Mexicans. Their accounts —and they are numerous—all concur that several severe engagements have taken place, and that in all of them the Mexicans have sustained severe losses. The result, whatever it has been, has evidently had the effect to depress the spirits of those in this region. Had Gen. Taylor been the sufferer in those affairs, Camargo and this place would have been attacked before this. Gen. Taylor we think, must have effected his retreat to Monterey ; at least we hope so.” The Flag discredits the reports that the Mexicans had crossed the Rio Grande. Washington’s birth-day was celebrated by all the Americans at and about Camargo.— Thomas F. Marshall, of the Kentucky Cavalry, pronounced an oration in his usual eloquent style. In regard to the Mexican troops approaching the Rio Grande, the Flag has this paragraph : “ Victoria and San Fernando.- —There are various rumors afloat in regard to the number of Mexican troops at these two points. One rumor states a force of 5000 —infantry, cavalry and artillery. This, we hear, has been repeatedly denied by Mexicans who profess to know—theystate that all the troops recently there, with the exception of one brigade, or a corps of obser vation, have moved on towards China and Cerralvo.— At San Fernando, there are said to be not more than 55 to 60 men.” A company of mounted riflemen from the counties of Navarro, Limestone and Robertson ! in Texas, was organized on the 12th February. They took their departure the next morning for Bau Antonio, to place themselves under the command of Col. Hays. This company, says the Civilian, mainly composed of hardy frontier men, and accustomed to the fatiguesofthe camp, will no doubt render efficient service in what- ; ever position they may be placed. From the Civilian we learn that Capt. Symp- i tom, a famous Gulf pilot, left Galveston on the ! 4th inst, via. Brazos Santiago, for the American ! squadron before Vera Crvz. He was sent for { by the commodore, and will, it is presumed, ) he employed in the operations near Vera Cruz, i The Texas Democrat of the 27th ult. states j that the company which left Austin the 21st i ult., to ascertain the fate of Clark and Sims, proceeded to the place where they fell, and i found they had been interred by Capt. Henry McCulloch’s meu, in a neat and appropriate manner. The names of Grant, Sims, and Clark were marked on the head-stone. The horse left by the Dutchman on the Arroyo Blanco was found. No very recent Indian signs were discovered. The company return ed on the 25th. There were said to be about three hundred Texan volunteers in San Antonio three weeks ago. They are in arms most opportunely.— Immediately upon receiving the requisition of Col. Curtis we trust they will be sent forward. i Expresses had been [sent to San Antonio for - aid. Volunteers were constantly reaching i San Antonio. The Houston Telegraph of the 7th inst. learns from persons who have lately visited the western frontier, that a large body of Indians has been collected for some weeks high up on the Colorado. Many of the western settlers * have entertained fears that they were preparing > to resume hostilities against our settlements.— The Catnanches who have lately visited Tor ' rey’s trading house, however, were remarka -1 bly friendly and manifested no s,gns ofhostility ; “ on the contrary, they appeared to be quite anx r ions to renew their pledges offriendship. They 1 were much elated with their successful foray \ against the Mexicans, and it is probable that f the Indians who have been discovered on the 5 Colorado have assembled for the purpose of 5 recommencing hostilities against the Mexican * settlements. Mr. Colin Cock, of Fort Bend county, Tex as, was recently killed by his neighbor. Mr. ■ Jonathan Waters. The Houston Morning Star say that Mr. Cock, who was regarded as a very violent and desperate man, had threat ened to kill Mr. Waters whenever he met him; and the latter, on hearing this, went with seve ’ ral of his friends to the house of Mr. Cock and ! killed him. The latter was unarmed when Mr. Waters found him, and consequently made no resistance. The affair is to be judicially in ’ vestigated. i Correspondence of the Picayune. ; Cam argo, Mexico, Peb. 2B, 1847, “Give the devil hisdue.'*—Santa Anna is playing the game according to Gunter. He gets hold of Gen. Scott’s despatches, in which are all the minutias ofthe intended operations ; he sees this line of Gen. Tay lor’s is to be left weak, and at once he takes measures to operate against it; and should he be successful, it woidd be “beautiful as an army with banners”—and should he fail, all he has to do is to shrug his shoul ders, and say “I tried or, if he can’t speak that much English, say “Q,uein sabe,” which is the same i thing only differently expressed. . The last intelligence from Monterey arrived day be s fore yesterday, and says that Gen. Taylor and Santa Anna were fronting each other: Santa Anna had sum j rnoned Gen. Taylor to surrender or he would “Knock him from taw.” The general replied, “Come and 1 try it,” and the expressman who brought this from Monterey hither, says when he left Monterey the two ‘ armies were engaged, and (Jen. Taylor was giving > Santa Anna “the devil.”—l give you his own words, i Yesterday we received intelligence that 4000 of the i enemy were in Marin, (this side of Monterey,) 2000 were in Cerralvo, (this side of Marin,) and 50 were in i Mier, (this side of Cerralvo,) and twenty-eight miles 1 from here. These are all cavalry, and had come through a pass near Parras. It is generally believed here that a wagon train (about 100) and 350 mules (the latter packed with ’ merchant’s goods) were captured on the 23d near Ma \ rin, by Gen. Urrea’s cavalry. The force above is 1 said to be intended for an attack on this place. We i are ready; we can raise about 1000. s Many rumors are afloat and all are on the tiptoe of i anxiety to hear from Gen. Taylor and Monterey, and j to have a peep at our customers. Our picket guards { are out, our sentinels are on the top of the church, and j little knots of fellows are goin? about to pick out their s[>ots on the tops of houses. The artillery company is drilling at the guns, and the infantry line the breast works peeping over the parapet walls with their “ eves all sot” fora “greaser.” So you see we are all ready for duty, and when the work’s done I’ll drop you a line, unless a line shot drops me; in which case, “I take this opportunity to assure your excellency of the continuance of my high consideration.” “God and Liberty.” Fort Harney, Brazos, March 6, 1847. t Editors of the Picayune —ln the absence of any i thing like authentic information from above, we have i many runiors and somcof them are exceedingly un pleasant. Nothing has been heard from Gen. Taylor f since the 22d, except from Mexicans, and little reli ance can be placed upon their statements. On the 22d Gen. Taylor was attacked by the Mexican army in force of about 15,000, at Agua Nueva, twenty miles beyond Saltillo. Gen. Taylor fell back on Saltillo, * and there another engagement took place, with severe loss to the Mexican army. Gen. Taylor ordered eve rything to be destroyed which could not be taken along, and fell hack to the Rinconada, twenty-five ! miles this side of Saltillo, at which pass a body ofsooo Mexicans were stationed. The movements of Gen. Taylor this side of Agua Nueva are Mexican accounts, as also the rumor of Capt. McCulloch and company I being taken prisoners, and the capture of the train of 120 wagons. The latter is believed to be true at this j place. Col. Morgan left Cerralvo destroying the sup -1 plies which he could not take with him, and it is said that he and his detachment were taken prisoners near ' Monterey. i Everything is conjecture in relation to what has ; happened to Gen. Taylor and our little army, in con sequence of all communications between Camargo and Monterey being cut off. It is evident that in conse quence of so much of Gen. Taylor’s force being with * drawn from him for other operations, he is in an ex tremely critical position. The 2d Mississippi Regiment has arrived at Mata moros, and one hundred and fifty volunteers from North Carolina arrived here to-day. Fortifications were thrown around the public stores at the mouth of the river on the 2d, and the same was done here on the 3d, in consequence of rumors that a large force of Mexican cavalry had crossed the river this side of Matamoros. This place is under martial law. Capt. G. Porter, of the Ist Artillery, has command of the post, and Capt. Churchill has charge of the artillery. The quartermaster’s men, numbering about 500, are arm ed and held in readiness. Last night an attack was expected, from information received in the evening, but nothing appeared. On the evening that the fortification was finished our flag was run up, a salute fired, and the place named Fort Harney. Col. Harney left yesterday with the balance of his command for Lohos. Yours, &c. Relief to Ireland* We take pleasure in publishing the Report of the Relief Committee for Ireland. We hope that they may be enabled from time to time, to continue to report progress in terms equally creditable to our community, and to all others who have united with it in this noble charity.— Constitutionalist. The Committee in this city have collected up to this time 82,354j|35 They have received from the citizens of Warrenton 105 25 Also from Mr. G. Griffin, being amount of subscription of Locust Grove, Raytown, Crawfordville,[and their vicinities 416 25 82,875 85 They have ilso received a donation in Corn from a gentleman ol i> i. hmond county, of 200 bushels, and have and are receiving from Atlanta, Penfield, Athens, and other places in the interior of our state, Corn, Flour, &c., which will make the whole quantity, it is supposed, equal to 1,000 bushels. I John Bonbs, Chairman Committee. Commodore Conner. —The United Sates Gazette states that Commodore Conner on his I return from the Gulf Squadron, in the coiu mand of which he has been relieved by Com modore Perry, will demand a court of Inquiry for the purpose of showing that his inaction has been occasioned by the neglect ofthe Govern ment, in not furnishing him with small vessels. The Three Millions.— The Mississip pi which sailed on the 7th instant, car ; r *ed out full instructions to Mr. Black, our : Consul at the City of Mexico, in consequence ; of which Mr. Black will announce to the Mex | ican Government the contents of the Three i Millions Bill, with a view of expressing to the j Mexicans our desire for a speedy and honorable peace. This is given on the authority of the W ashington correspondent of the New York I Journal of Commerce. A destructive fire occurred in Bradford (Pa.) on the 12th inst., which destroyed twenty build ings in the business part of the town. The fire originated in the store of N. N. Betts and ex tended very rapidly so as to destroy property to the amount of from $60,000 to SBO,OOO. Naval. —The bomb-ketch AEtna sailed from Boston on Saturday for the Gulf. She carries out a big gun, which is t/ngun, for the arrival of which, the attack on the Castle of San Juan d’Ulua has been delayed. The expense ofthe Alms House of the city ol New-York is $350,000 a year.
