Newspaper Page Text
show of independence, and after so sudden, un
certain undelined a revolution as.lhat which
Relgjcn. fepresentcd. There should be'son#
perniauei t v—something filed, settled and defi
iilt< g'lVe.rnnsebt before its indepen-
V fgjeuoeJixt: fttiui the mother State is
I WWrtTw'fci o’h •
I one tn war ivftU.fhe.'innther'-gwverurient, fr< m
r/ which the State claiitiiujr its siulefiendonee. has
I revolted. There were ltd such ijhaiacti.'i i.riics
in the pretended revolution of Yucatan, and the
recognition of its independence by our Govern
ment was premature and unwise/’
From the. St. Ldui.i Here die.
j.aTfr from new MEXICO.
Mr. Boggs, of Independence, arrived in town
yesteiday on the Amelia. As will lie seen from
the letter below, Santa l'e dates had been re
r vi das late as the 28th February—thirteen
tfxfn liter —-though the intelligence is pretty
much tb’ >!?,',published yesterday. Mr.
Boggs h ai ivJ&ri Mr. Slob Sublette, hearer of
despatches, ifiGrTeaclicd Santa Fe. The-. mali
left on the plains by Mr. Caldwell had reached
Independence, blit was not fownrded per Amelia.
The Mexican who shot ( apt. Burgwiu was
captured, and shot, while a prisoner, bv one of
the volunteers. \\ in. Ilent iiad gone—a se
cond time—to the Cheyenne village to raise a
force to avenge hts brother’s death.
Mr. Hoggs had captured, eighteen miles
from Independence, the second one ofthe team
stors who recently murdered their comrade on
the plains. Their names are Armstrong and
Smith, i hey accuse each other. ‘ldle mur
dered man was named I-owden,
TWO WEEKS LATER FROM SANTA FE.
Independence, March 3], 1847.
By an arrival hero of two of our citizens, di
rect from Santa l'e, we, have news tip to the
28th u!t. from Colonel Price. After Col. P. re
ceived news at Santa Fe confirming the repor
ted massacreo of Gov. Pent and Other Ameri
cans in the valley of Taos, he at once prepared
to march in pursuit. On the morning ofthe
22d his advance guard reported in sight a large
body of Mexicans and Indians, numbering some
3000. He immediately halted his men till the
one my came in view. So soon ns the iVlexi* !
rails got sight ot our army they commenced a I
heavy tire upon them, with their caraliinas, :
which caused Col. Price to retreat, calmly and |
in good order, however, to a more eligible- situ- ‘
ation some half mile distant, which lie gained
without the loss of a single man, when he com
menced tiring in return. w as near the
town of La. Canada.) ‘{’he age incut las. j
ted about lour hours, when the enemy com
menced giving away in great confusion,.leaving
behind them 4xty of their number hilled aysl
wounded. Our troops then marched into the
town of Lit ( amide and look it
On the morning .following, Mir army
, Vfpursuit of the effemy, but they-find the
>, mountains lor
• turned to LaY ana la, and remained -milill the
he n i})*£ *g atli s'fa rteiT i
ever,- the w afftf Einbuodo, anolli-
detachment was mi
ller coiAsohikl ‘or^pntajgs^llcigwin and St.
A raiu. ‘ I hey with some* resistance
tlio enemy s. hie>6oo our brave
and.- ojiio litle btfvid soon rout-ad-them and took
; en the, town with a loss of only two
■ HR! ‘ ~l some thirty Mexicans, The
i*tiie v ivought on the gtith of January.-
The detachment tlieln joined (fob P. and cot),
tinned their in ireh to the valley of Taos, pass-,
sing through several small villages without op
poftitiofi. When they arrived at the village of!
San Fern tide Mid comma nitvi- learnded that’
Mexicans and Indians were reiulezvouing at the.
town of Pueblo, some lew miles distant. Ibf the
purpose of giving battle once, ifiore. The re
giment was immediately ordered toward, and’
approached the town*. Here they met willy)
great resistance, tl:p t number of Mexicans twHf]
Indians being six or eigiit times as la ago as !
that ot the Americans. Goljk, (Vice ordered an !
attack on the town immediately, nijtl ■common- i
cod firing upon it. Their shots were returned
w ith promptness by the Mexicans. Tlu-v con
tinued in this position till near dark, when Col.
P. retreated to tiro village, of San Fernando,
where they remained till the next morning and
prepared to make a second charge on Pueblo
Ho again approached the town and commenced
tiring; they fought for three or four hours
bravely, which caused the enemy to give way
in one part ot the, town. In this engagement
the brave Bergwin made a charge with his
company on one part ofthe village, and lost
every third man of his company ; himself mor
tally wounded, Col. P. finally routed the ene
my, and took full possession of the town, hav.
ing killed upwards of 200 Mexicans and In
dians, his own less being killed and wounded
eighty.
After a day or two ot repose, and after many
fair promises from the inhabitants of Taos val
ley for their good behavior hereafter, Col. P.
returned to Santa Fe. I forgot to mention
that Col. P. had two or three of the leaders of
the rebellion shot.
Late from Vera Cruz.—The schooner
Charon and the U. S. steamship Edith at New
Orleans have brought advices from Vera Cruz
to the 6th inst.
Alvarado surrendered to the fleet before the
arrival of Gen. Quitman’s forces. The author
ities ofthe town and fort sent out a (lag of truce,
and requested permission to surrender it to the
Americans.
Col. ILirncy, xvilti a squadron nl dragoons, ■
two pieces of cannon from Gen. Tuvlor’s hat.
tery, and a detail of infantry from the second
brigade, started out on a recounoiiance, a f,. u
days since. Oil the 2d iiist.. th , mtnnnd on
tered Antigua, fifteen rr.iles from Vera Cruz,
where there was a force of filly lancers, w hom
they charged upon, and of whom they captured
eight—one an officer.
The two port* (xuvs the Picayune) reported
to have been taken hy our |hre**s are I'alcotal.
pan and Gq*atrtoloM|>&n, above Alvorado. They
ha\e fallen without resistance. They mo im
portant points, situated upon (lie line inland win
ter* which have heir outlet to the (.oil at V*l.j
verndo. Mr. Kendall iiifortuoa 0* in n rfnt.
seript to one ofhU letters that t'oth. I‘jirW is
, •!"< starting withall but. vesaejp with lid in
tent ion of rapturing even . ity, town
on the entire vieim i-mt. gfe
riioarmy wns to mote on |hto 7lh>mf., hi
the dtiocliun ofJslnpu Itv divisions, fleneial
Twiggs leading the advance, followed by Gen.
Patterson with volunteers, and Gen. Worth,
with the first division of regulars, bringing op
the rear. The health of the army so far was
good.
Gort. La Vega had retired from Puente N'aci
onal to Ccrro Gerdo, where it was understood
lie was fortifying a strong position, and if rein
forced, intended disputing Gen. Scott’s advance
upon Jalapa.
We copy below extracts from the correspon
dence of the Picayune :
A pru. \—Alvarado, as every one anticipa
ted, xx as taken without firing a gun, and the
-■quadrnn has returned to this place. Captain
Msiro has been left as Governor ofthe town
with a small force, while Capt, Tatnal), in the j
•spitfire, has glue farther up the river to look
in at the different towns. I learn that Gen.
Quitman’s brigade returns to-morrow, and 1
fur'he i Ifear that Lieut. Hunter, of the Scourge
—rtlte* first vessel in at Alverado—has been ar
rested by Corn. Pern tor going ahead of his di
regions: or on some charge ofthe kind. — j
Hotter bo accused of going too fast than too ;
-low, an I'! hope that in the present instance
Lieut. H. can Vxplttin everything satisfactorily.
A great mimherof cannon and other military
stores were captured at Alverado, for there
were no less thpn sev.cn forts anil batteries on
the Water side.
i A body of 1000 men, horse and foot, left Pti
’ ebltt a week ago to-day, in the direction of .hr.
; lap,a. They all talked right valiantly of driving
! the perfidious yankees from their soil, but will
j think better of it when they meet with a few
| samples.
It is thought the Mexicans intend making
one of their bold stands this side of Jalapa. A
few days will tell the story.
The theatrical company of Hart <A Wells ar
rived at Vera Cruz on the evening ofthe sth
inst., on the steamship New Orleans. The
Faglc says that “they will commence opera
tions immediately, we presume, and aro in j
1 good time, as we had just began to wonder in j
! what way we should manage to kilftimc.’’
I
I Later from the City of Mexico.— ln the *
|
| letters ot the Picayune from Vera Cruz, we find :
I some interesting letters concerning affairs at the !
city of Mexico ;
|
“ Apr il 6,—1 have just seen a mail who left
I the city of Mexico feu days since, coming by the j
way ofOriznba. He gives a most ludicrous de
scription of the lighting at the capital. Thai
Polka or Priest party have been in possession of;
tlie Alameida and other portions of the outskirts
ofthe city, while the adherents of the Govern
ment have been quartered at the Palace. At 10
o’clock each morning the firing would commence,
either party going up to their sand-bag barricades
and banging and blazing away, promiscuously
and miscellaneously, at any thing, every thing,
and nothing—more especially nothing. The re
sult of one month’s hard fighting has been that
one poor German matcli-makcr and a few inno
cant women and children liavo been killed or
Crippled; the belligerents have deemed it either
imprudent or inexpedient to come in sight of each
other. A more perfect lirrco has never been
enacted.
“ I have another report in relation to Santa
Anna. 1 heard it stated confidently this morning
that ho lmd advanced us fiir as Puebla, this way;
flfinl he was positively coming on to Jnlnppa, and
that he would raise as many volunteers as he
pleased. What ho intended to do at Jalapa—
whether to fight or to attempt to negotiate a
peace—is not stated. 1 give this as the last ru
mor up to this moment, (8 o’clock, a. m.) before
1 close this letter another may reach.
“I s.'tw Sciior Arrangoiz, the former Mexican
I consul at New Orleans, a night or two since. He
had just nrrifed from Havanna, and had received
-a permit to proceed towalds Mexico. He franklv
told me he did not think his countrymen in the
least inclined to make peace with the U. States.
■ j“Froni private accounts also, from the city of
Mexico, all classes appear to unite in denounc-
Ting every idea of a peace with the United Siates
I —and notwithstanding the dissensions among
j themselvps, tliu majority of them will not even
J listen to overtures until every hostile foot is re
moved from the sacred soil of Mexico. The mis
sion of Atocba is scouted at. Santa Anna, not
withstanding his disastrous defeat at Buena Vista,
speaks with confidence of being able to raise an
array every way strong enough to resist the ad
vance of Gen. Scott upon the capital. They now
talk boldly of bleeding, dying and being buried
amid the ruins ofthe city of Mexico, rather than
have its streets and gorgeous palaces polluted by
“ los Yankees.”
The very latest report at Vera Cruz, was that
Santa Anna would dispute the passage of our
troops to Mexico with an army of 20,000 men.
Santa Anna’s victory at Buena Vista was cele
brated with great pomp in the city of Mexico.
Canalize, at the last accounts, was at Jalapa.
The dilgencia conveying him to that place was
robbed by two Mexicans, although it contained
I five or six passengers.”
From the. .V.”(>. Delta, 16 th.
From Saltillo anp Monterey.—We r es
today received our correspondence from Saltillo
and Monterey, also the “Monterey Pioneer” of
the 29tli ult. from which we make some extracts.
In addition, xve have only to add, that wo have
conversed with Capt. Minor, who left Monterey
on the 31st ult. He confirms the statement of
Mr. Paster, which w e published on Sunday, that
the wounded men are suffering much, and that
many of them arc dying ; that the route from
Monterey to Camargo is now open, both by Cer
ralvo and China, and that Canales has followed
in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor, Ur
rea, and retreated through Tula Pass, clean be.
vend the. mountains. Our army, as a matter of
iiccessaty precaution, lias burned down all the
| towns and ranchos betxvecn Montcrev and Ca
inargo.
file twelve months’ volunteers, whose term of
service is about to expire, are ordered down to
the lower ports on the Rio Grande, while the
new troops are proceeding up to lake their place,
under (veil. Tavlor.
OCr v, e have not yet seen the particulars o 1
the ban o which has been frequently referred 10, :
H liming taken place between Col. Morgan of
the -/d Regiment of Ohio \ nhuiteers, and Gen.
UnvibiLHwers. ‘J “he following extract from a
correspondent in Saltillo,
yUPPM Ohio, hastening to the relief of
” lon. Taylor, from Cerrnlvo, in all 212, under
. 0.1. Morgan, fought with over a thousand Lnu
j c*rs, under (inn. I trea, near Agua Frio, Ibr fur
boici, until artillery i-Hine to their aid from Moil.
terry. ■ Limit. Stewart o| company C. of that re.
giment, merits the highest piuhe'ibr his during
bravery, in riding through the •'.Mexican I me, |„
get reinforcement..,. The \mcriciiii lone, drawn
S) I KB @ ©IB M! □
1 up in a holloxv square, repulsed charge after
j charge of the horse, and sustained a heaVy fire
j from .the chapparal. Capt. Latham, with his Ri
flemen, was about charging into the chapparal
for a hand-to-hand-fight, hut was recalled, as it
appgared evidently the design of the enemy both
to break the square and induce the men to oharo’e
jintcUhe side* of the road, where, singly, they
wouJ<j-notbe able to meet horsemen. ’There
j was/very reason to believe that men were in
ambuscade, ready to rake, at a single volley, any
small body of men opposed to them. Anil srf {*-
afterwards appeared: lor, on the first fire fronj
tha cifiinon into one of these suspected places
nearly 30 of the enemy were killed. After fif
teen minutes’ light with the cannon, the Lancet*
Had in every direction, leaving more than a hun
dred on the field. Wii lost but four killed atid*a
few wounded. The enemy kept up a heavy fire
from their escopotas, but guiuuiiUj. overshot us.
('apt. Graham, quarter-master at Cerrnlvo, was
shot through the heart, in the beginning of the;
fight, and died instantly . Col. IMorgan was him- i
sell—cool, brave and (leterihined, Nvith the heart i
of youth and the head of age—as a y ,ujir man
but old Texan will always feel in battle.
word now passes along the line— “ft.ut
Lf!s in six weeks. ’ As soon as the rainy sea
son comrnene.es, Ho, for Sail Luis! mid judging
from what has happened, catching a pVopheti
gleam of the future by the reflection f.om the
past, xve can well concur in the rude but truthfu ■
sentiment of a wounded volunteer: “Tavlor wiil
tak it like a d-n!”
* . s. i ‘” • ‘
I ex as.— — W e yesterday received some m >ri
i'evas papers, and make up Lorn them the foh
low ing items :
Mrs. Ann .VlafTitt, former consort ofjhe Rev.
John N. M-iftitt, died at Galveston on the
ins*, after an illness < (’several w eeks. It will IF
recollected that Mr. M. was man ted ft second
time, in Rrooklvn, N. k . on the cveniag of the
21 st nit. , V
On the 2~th, Samuel Grimmett, high sherifi
of Montgomery county, while in (lie discharge of
his ofll ial duties, was shot and dangerously
wouiideil hy an individual named Goodman. The
perpetrator had been arrested.
There were two Mexicans shot by some per
sons unknown, at the mission of Ref ugio, a sllor;
time ago. It is supposed that this deed was per
petrated in retaliation for past injuries.
.San Antonio has hern left without any protec
tion, in consequence of which the citizens have
organized themselves into a spy company of 2ft
j men, one squad of mounted riflemen and one of
: infantry.
The region of the upper Trinity is fast settling
with a thrifty and industrious population.
ALABAMA POLITICS.
The following communications will explain
themselves, ns well as show* how they happen
to find place in our journal. The source IriNn
which they come is so rpspectnblfc that we couid
not well deny the favor solicited, under the pecu
j liar circumstances of the case presented to us.
To the friends of Mr. IJiiliard a,like privilege
will be accorded, if they should deem it necessa
ry in his defence.— Ed. Muscogee Democrat.
I Editors .Muscogee Democrat :—
Gents. :—The follow ing article was written
as you will sec, the Montgomery “New
Era,” hot as tlmtipaper has “ceased to exist,”
it is offered to your consideration for insertion in
.your “ independent journal.” It is thus offered
from the fact, that it i. not very likely that ai;v
Whig paper published in the second Congress’-
ional District of Alabama, would gh c it an inser
tion, Mr. Hilliard having the control of the
Montgomery Journal, in virtue of a mortgage
w hich he holds over that concern, and the other
Whig papers ofthe District seem so much devo
ted to his interest, that it is scarcely deemed ne
cessary to offer it there for publication.
Yours, iNc.
Alabam
For the Montgomery Ae:r Era.
Messrs. Editors : —From the tone ofthe Whig
! .Mooting (composed of nine, chairman trad 1 all
included,) recently held at Newton, in Dale Cos.,
a stranger would be inclined to suppose lliatfflir!
i Hilliard was a second edition of the “embodi
ment ot true \\ big ” principles, carefully revised
iind coriected; at least in the second Cottgipss
ional District of Alabama. Without wishbfc to
detract from Air. Hilliard s enviable reputaJitJi as
an orator, and without canvassing too dose his
course in the Congress that has just tcrniiilted,
there are some weighty reasons’ that should in
: (luce the patty to which he professes to helm"-,
to look well"to “the end,” before the clails of
: such “wheel horses” as Hutchinson, Diver,
! Abercrombie and Buford are passed over ij si
; lence. Mho that belongs to the Whig parti can
forget the services of Mr. Hutchinson in 11447
w hen his voice was heard above the thuni t of
j detraction that was heaped upon that patric and
j statesman, the Farmer of Ashland, whfl 1 nl
most alone lie met the “marshalled foreci” of
Locofocoism. Are such distinguished sel'ices
rendered the party to be forgotten, or repniqwith
ingratitude ? Spirit of Republicanism, foiqd it!
i ‘ sl -'ade of Whiggery, protest against it!
Because I have adverted more particulJly to
the claims ot Air. Hutchinson, it must not |ji sup.
posed that 1 would pass over the distingi shed
services of Air. Buford, Col. Abercrornbii, Dr.
O.iver, and many other prominent “Whigs. But
is the precedent to be established that the 1 ins”
must remain in, and tire “nuts” reniaiil out /
W here was Henry AV. Hilliard when tlief dis
j ti’igubhed gentlemen were battling miglf and
main tor the, truth, correctness and aseetlancv
jof Whig in 1814! KngncetJin a
pleasant mission to Belgium ! Again 1 wpeat,
that I di> not wish to detract any thing from Mr.
Hilliard s reputation as an orator and sutrlmnn,
or to question the propriety of rc-dcctimr ,i m if
1 ! air! A ninated. But Ido say if the vimple
| be established oi keeping a man in ofiicfc until
j tie betrays the confidence reposed in hjn the
doors the avenues of honest ambition are com
plctcly blocked and closed! AVl.at sav vou. Mr.
“ Now Era ” ! Is not a fair rotation iVdfftce—
is m crops the more, correct and wise plan?
is it not the only way by which to sustain a par
ty ! Can that party hope to increase its strength
that, pusses over the services of its “ rank and
These remarks have been made for the nur
pose ot bringing out the views ..fabler ivns and
sounder heads than mine, and not to advance the
personal interest of any man spoken of—nor
y* to impede the success of Air. Hiilianl.Vhould
tie be nominated; Ibr the nominee of the party
will be supported by ovciy W hig n f tl,e
.. BACK WOODS.
-V.tr Amlalutta, Ala., March, 1817.
Dr. 1 rnnklin recommend*, in th* .choice, of a
w ile, to select her from p bunch. A dowii.oaat
editor says ihertuntnon practice noxv is, to select
her u ith n hit nch /
Plain Facts. —Texas was annexed, before
Mr. Polk was inaugurated as President.
It was his sworn duty to protect Texas, as
much as any other State. .
Mexico commenced an invasion of Texas, for
tlie avowed object of conquering it.
j The President ordered a force into that State
tlfe repel the invaders.
Had he refused such protection, he would cer
ainly have been liable, and justly liable to im
leachtncnt
The Mexicans commenced the war by an in
fasion of Texas.
The Americans arc bringing it to a close.
11 ereafter American rigltfs will be respected
by .Mexico. Heretofore they have been most
foully trampled upon.
General Holston— Thu Mexican war.
Gen. Houston was at San Aguslinc, Texas,
on bis way homo from Washington, on the 19th
■ult. During the few hours lie tarried, he dc
(livered a short address to the people. Alluding
•<i his speech, the Augustine Shield observes :
He stated that tlie commission of major-gen
eral in the army invading Mexico was tendered
u iiiniseli’ and colleague, (gen. Rusk) but both
had declined its acceptance —his own reason
[for doing so was that lie. differed in opinion as
to the proper plan of carrying on the war with
ilv ofli'-ers who would have been his seniors in
rank, and lie would not assist in carrying out
measures directly antagonistic to his own jttdge
ite'iit. Isis own experience in lighting Mex
icans, which he believed to be greater than
that of any of the generals who would have
boon above him, did not approve tlie idea of
marching to Alexico with such a cumbrous
train of wagons, and such an immense quantity ,
of hay .as Gen. Scott required—he did not wish \
to be encumbered with ail the splendor and j
pomp in which that general was attended.— j
He preferred invading Mexico with Texans, i
who required but one mule to a mess, and
could lay all night with but one blanket around
them, and with their rifles hugged close to their
bosoms ready to fight at a moment’s warning.
Whenever his country called him and he was
allow ed an independent command of any, who,
like Texans, were inured to foil, and could
feed their horses on grass, and themselves on
jerked heel, if necessary, ho xvas then ready to
take his lile in one hand and his sword in the
other, and go as far as his country’s good re
quired.
MUSCOGEE DEMOCRAT,
BY L. F. W. ANDREWS.
‘.ln tittle government ns possible ; that little emanating
J rum and controlled by the People, nnd unijorm
in its application to all.”
Coluiubu*, Thursday, April S3, 18-17.
Ai-i/ointments. —Generals Pillow and Quit
man have neon appointed major Uenerals i„
place of Benton and Camming. Col. Cu.shine
has been appointed Brigadier General in place
of Gen. Quitman, and will have the Georgia
Regiment under his command ! /
Administration Blunders. —ln another col
umn will be found an article from the N.O. Delta,
which reflects severely upon the Administration,
on account ofthe several gross blunders commit-
I ted by it, in the conduct of the Alcsican W ar.
The first and most disastrous—involving the lives
jof many brave men and exposing our troops to
great privation and suffering, was the permission
given to Santa Anna to pass the blockade w ith a
retinue of able and experienced European Ofli
jeers, ami thus placing an active and powerful
| leader at the head of our enemy’s forces! This
! was a mistake which xve fear can never be cn
j ti roly remedied. Gen. Taylor's success at Buena
j Vi sta may have, in some degree, neutralized the
1 effect of such an ill-advised policy, but can never
bring back to life those gallant spirits, who there
fed in lialtle, and who, but tor the permission
given to Santa Anna, might yet be among the
living! Tim blood thus shed might have been
spared, had our Government not weakly put con
fidence in the honor and good faith ofthe treach
erous Mexican. Nor does the evil rest here.—
Santa Anna is still in the field. He is now- the
constitutional President of Alexico, and breathes
defiance to the invaders. And it is not in the
wisdom of man to foresee what mischief lie may
vet do before an honorable peace is consummat
ed. Thousands and tens ol thousands of our
soldiers may yet be made to bite the dust, ere the
conflict is closed, or Santa Anna be forced into
submission !
The second blunder is that of employing that
vagabondizing felloxv Sc nor Atociia, as a confi
dential minister of the Government—and the
third, is the release of Yucatanese vessels on the
ground of their neutrality in tho present contest 1
But xve shall not extend our remarks. Read tho
; article of tho Della, nnd see whether our Gov.
| eminent has not signally failed to profit bv the
1 homely maxim—“a burnt child dreads the lire,”
by again reposing confidence in a race, whose
base perfidiousness has long since passed into a
proverb!
! Won’t have it. —In a recent letter from Gen.
! Taylor In-Gen. E. G. W. Butler, of Iberville,
Louisiana, 110 thus speaks of his nomination for
the Presidency;—
“ I may observe that I have been also named as a
candidate for that high office by a few newspaper ed
itors and others, which lias Jiecn done without my
knowledge, v. islirs or consent.
“ This I have assured all who have written me on
the subject : assuring them 1 had no aspirations for
that or any oilier civil office—that my whole energies,
mental and physical, were and had been absorbed in
such a way as I thought best calculated to bring this
war to a speedy and honorable close, believing it was
for the interest of both countries the sooner it was
done the better—Rt any rale so far as onrs was con
cerned ; and that President-making should be lost
sight of until this was accomplished.”
This settles (he question.. Until tho xvar is
brought to aclnse, Gen. Taylor lay* that “Pre
sident-mnking should be lost sight of.U As that
is, however, a contingency which may yet be j
very remote, (he chances are that old “ Rough
and Ready ” will not be in the field for tho next 1
Presidency, unless his friend* perils! fn running
him “without his wishes or consent.” j
OFFICIAL INSOLENCE!
The following precious document was promuß
gated, on Tuesday morning last, to the “ soge-.
I reign people ” of Columbus, by way, we suppose,
i of punishment to them for complaining of the
| want of accommodation at our city Post Office.
| A more despotic stretch of “ little brief author!•
j ty,” and a more spileful exhibition of venomous
feeling, on the part of a public servant towards
i the community, has never, before, come to our
i knowledge :
POST OFFICE, Columbus, Ga.
April 20, 1847.
The city Post office will hereafter he opened only
durinir the hours required by law, to wit: “the busi
-1 ness hours us the day.'’
In a spirit of public accommodation, the Postmaster
has heretofore caused the office to be opened at night
alter the arrival of the Western Mail. What was done
as a courtesy to public convenience, has been claim
ed as a right, and caused frequent complaints from
tardy persons, that it was not kept open long enough.
Finding that the rule gives much dissatisfaction, and
that he has failed to please alt by doing tr. Dre ritan his
duty, the Postmaster must hereafter endeavor to sat
isfy his own conscience bv following strictly the re
quirements of the law. ‘ -
i his rule is due, also, to the Clerks of the office.—
Their labors are onerous and incessant, by reason of
the arrival ol both the great mails between 9 and 2
o’clock at night--!)y the increase of the business of
tne office : and all accompanied by a serious reduc
tion of their salaries under the recent act of Congress.
It is a standing injunction upon the Clerks of the
office, to act in the utmost spirit of obligingness to
persons having business with the office, that is con
sistent with their duties. The Postmaster has no rea
son to know, that they have ever failed to obey tire in
junction.
The hours of Post office delivery will he from 71
a. m. until 1 p. ni. and from 2 p. n>. until sunset.
JOHN FORSYTH, P. M.
Now, so far as the above order conflicts with
our personal convenience or interests we care
but little, as we have already suffered all that the
petty malignity of the Post Master can inflict, in
keeping back our letters and papers until the
next morning after they arrive, but it is due to
the community that some notice should be taken
of this new act of official meanness and petty
tyranny, which his Royal Highness, the Prince
of Puppydom, lias seen fit to perpetrate towards
the merchants and other citizens of the place.
1 he reasons assigned for the new regulation
tire, two-fold : first, the dissatisfaction and com
plaints of the community, and his failing to please
all by “doing more than his duty,” in opening
the office at night, after the arrival of the Wes
tern mail; and secondly, on account of the oner
ous and incessant labors of the clerks—the in
creased business of the office and the serious re
duction of their salaries, under the new law of
Congress.
That the Post Office law does not compel a
Post Master to open his office at night, may be
true, although it is a custom in ail large cities
for this accommodation to be extended to the
I community for a specified time, uller the opening
|of any important mail. Post Masters who are
gentlemen and possessed of a proper sense of re
speet for their constituency, never think of any
thingebse. It was the custom under the efficient
i administration of Mr. Bedell, the former I*. M. of
this city, and had passed into the force of a law,
by reason of its invariable practice. But, new
measures now arc in the ascendant, and because
the Post Master cannot please all, in the “ eour
tcs!t” graciously extended, heretofore, w hy, for
sooth, he will not accommodate any ! If is own
conscience—a. thing as clastic ns one of the new
patent “ buby-jumpers,”—is hereafter to be sat.
,isiied by “following strictly the requirements of
the law,” which, according to his interpretation
of the “ business hours of the day,” authorises
I him to open the Post Office at half past 7 o’clock,
| every morning, and to keep open till sunset—ex
| cepting one hour at noon ! And is this a cor
irect interpretation of the phrase, “business
j hours 1 Hall past 7 o’clock is now about two
j 1,(11 Rs AfTEn sunrise, and the arrangement,
j therefore, is sadly inconvenient to all classes of
| the community—to the merchant who desires to
look over his correspondence before the hour at
which customers begin to call, as well as to the
mechanic who may wish to get the news before
entering upon the labors of the day. But what
taics this official tor the public convenience ?
He obtained his office contrary to the wishes of
the people, and feels himself, therefore, above all
responsibility to them, as to the manner in which
! he discharges its duties.
I Secondly : Ihe Clerks have too much labor,
i One cause of this is, that the Deputy is
j himself not a working man. if is lily-fair and
dainty hands were not made to handle dirtv mail
bags. \\ ith the implements of the card and
billiard table, and the keys of a piano forte, he
;is tenfold more conversant. If he were not
above the proper duties of his station, the Clerks
might have a little easier time of it. But this
| excuse is all gammon, as is evident from the fact
! that neither the alleged arduous labors of the !
i office nor the pinching nature of the salary re- 1
reived, will induce the Deputy to relieve himself
ot the burdens thus imposed upon him, bv resign- \
ing his office ! If the business does not pav him I
enough to make it his interest to extend every \
accommodation, why let him give it up and re-!
; ceivc the thanks of nine-tenths of the communitv
for the obligation ho will thus confer upon them, j
We venture the opinion that there will not be j
! tho slightest difficulty in procuring a successor
who will keep the office open from sunrise to j
sunset, and for an hour after the opening of the I
Western mail, if necessary. But youdon’t catch
“ Dandy Jack ”at any such game as that! He
will hang on to the pap-spoon until he is choked
off, be the soup rich as Fox’s Turtle cssenec, or !
as lean as poor-house dishwater—and it is no.
thing but sheer hypocrisy and falsehood to offer
such a reason as the above for his want of ac
cfommodation to the public.
In fine, the new regulation gives still greater
facilities to the “ Times ” over its cotemporaries,
i than heretofore. As it was, any extra news by
! Monday night’s mail might have been issued in
a slip and sent, out of the mail, via the Lumpkin
ami F.utimla routes of Tuesday morning. But it
, not so now, as the stages of Tuesday morning
| leave before the office f opened"! The
J “ Times,” however, will have free access to the
news of Monday night, and will, as heretofore,
use the same and the mails for its transmission
Tuesday morning to the South ! So much for
the public accommodation and the private inter
! est of the Post Master! We shall see whether
! the patience of the people is of so long-suffering
a character as to tamely and quietly submit to
such an outrage upon their rights and interests!
P. S. Since writing the above the official fat
has been accomplished, so far as to the general
| delivery, which includes the contents of the two
dollar boxes, but not including the drawers!
The shutters which close up the latter, are not
put down, consequently the few privileged own
ers of the same have, as usual, access to their
documents I This is but an aggravation of the
| outrage, as it makes an unrighteous distinction
; among the customers at the Post Office. The
’ man who pays So per annum for a drawer, can
’ be accommodated with his letters about ten hours
in advance of others who rent bores or who clo
i v
not rent any ! And to cap the climax of imposi
! tion, it is proposed to put up more drawers, to the
j number of 1000, and rent them at the same rate,
\ so that all may be accommodated, without troub.
’ling the Post Master! Here the cloven foot
j shows itself—the whole scheme being devised
j to extort some thousands of dollars, yearly, from
i the citizens, for the benefit of tho official’s pri .
| vate purse !
Under all the circustances, what is the proper
j remedy for the evil ? A remonstrance to Head
j Quarters would avail nothing, though signed, as
| we believe it would be, by nine-tenths of the
people of Columbus. Nor would a like petition
to the official, asking him to resign, be heeded.
Yet the great wrong can be corrected, if the
merchants and business men of the city will only
I act as becomes freemen in the matter. Let eve.
: ry man who now rents a drawer or box throw
it upon the Deputy’s hands and scorn to use a
privilege which is not common to the whole peo
ple, and the thing can be done! Such peacea
ble and lawful means are always to be preferred
to the hasty decisions which are sometimes sot
up under the auspices of Judge Lynch, and which
have been hinted at in the present case. Better
tolerate even worse evils than those now suf
fered than resort to any violent measures, for
their removal.
Editorial Nomination. —'lnc Savannah Re
i publican of the 16th, nominates Gen. Duncan L.
] Clinch, of Camden county, as the Whig candid
-1 ate for the office of Governor of this common,
j wealth. The following is a portion of the re-
I marks of the Republican as to the character and
claims of Gen. Clinch. The preference given
by the Republican to a “fresh candidate,” “call
ed by the popular voice from the solitude of their
farms,” Arc. is a very significant hint on which
the democracy, also, would do well to ponder, in
| the selection of their standard-bearer. In our
| humble judgment, it is high time that the whole
tribe o (stereotyped, standing candidates of both
parties, in the Slate, should be laid on the shelf;
and new men, freshfrom the ranks of the projde,
brought out and elevated to the stations of honor
within the gift of a free people. The mere poU
; ilicians will of course object, but a fig for all such!
They are generally speaking, not worth the pow
| der that would kill them :
“Ho, upon whom the mantle of Crawford shall
tall, will have no easy task to wear it gracefully. He
| will have a stern and elevated model to imitate—a
high and pure standard to attain to. Os the host of
able and just men which our ranks are capable of fur
nishing, we are free to confess that we prefer a fresh
candidate, and there are many who never sought this
: distinction, who present forcible claims. The first
man of our choice, we need hardly say, is Gen. Dt:-
i can L. Clinch, of Camden county. In mentioning bis
honored name, we make no Editorial anticipation of
the views and wishes ot Ihe people. We do no more
than repeat what wc are persuaded would be the
hearty acclaim of a vast majority of the voters of Geor
gia. The appeals of party enthusiasm cannot add
one leaf to tho laurelled wreath with which the people
of this Slate have long since decorated the brows of
; Gen. Clinch. No effort of party detraction can snatch
from it. On the field of battle, in tho halls of Congress,
in the retirement of his domestic pursuits, he is aßo
man. every inch ot him, in all conditions, honorable,
sagacious, just. Stteh men have keen in all times
called by the popular voice from the solitude of their
t.irms, and such are the men who serve their country
1 rn m a sense of duty, not with the vain ambition of
grasping power and place—who come before the pco
ple as a man ought to come, and not like the party
hack uho courts a reluctant constituency for the at
tainment ot private and selfish ends.”
Another Candidate. —Absalom 11. Chap .
pell, Esq. has been named, in one of our ex
changes, as a suitable person to be nominated
ibr Governor, by the democratic party. Absalom
would doubtless make a very dignified and ele
vated Governor, but wo think we of the Wcsi can
furnish a C aptain whose claims arc superior.
M e have, in our midst, a very high-minded lion
orable gentleman,- who has ever been above the
clap-trap devices of party strategy—one of the*
“ old pannel,” who neither seeks nor declines
the honors of political exaltation, but who would
honestly, faithfully and impartially administer tho
affairs of Government, were they entrusted to
his hands. He is a man, too, who is fresh from
the ranks of the people. Wc shall lot, however,
give his name, or further designate the individual
alluded to at this time, than to say that ho is a
citizen of Columbus and a marvellous proper per
son, for the station of Governor. That such a
man will be selected by the politicians is perhaps
more than ought to be expected, under the exist,
ing party arrangements, as he would not suffer
himselt to be used to promote mere party pur
poses, or condescend to the dirty business of log
rolling to secure the nomination. Nevertheless,
we ineulge that he or some other man like him,
may be selected as our stundard-bcarer during
the approaching canvass. The claims of the
\\ est, at least, should not be overlooked !
“ Pistol* ami Coffee for two.”—Our co
temporaries of the Athens (Ga.) Banner and
Whig, lmve been holding, of lute, quite an in.
tcreiting correspondence, growing out of their
editorial relations, and squinting awfully towards
n hostile meeting, at ten paces ! They, finally,
however, thought better of the matter, gave mu
tual explanations,disclaimed all personalities, mid