Daily constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 1846-1851, January 09, 1847, Image 2
' 'i'll E "cON STIT UTI ON ALI ST. |
"jaMES GARDNER, JR.
T i: K M s.
D«i’y, p?r annum, 5^
Tn-\V*ekly, per annum 6 oo
I i paid in advance,
Weekly, per annum, V, ' J
!f paid in advance *
All new Hubscriplions must be paid in adv ai«ce.
{tTPailaje must be paid on all Cornmunicaiu ns
and LcPers of bnnin** l^
The Heroine of Tampico.
The following is a copy ot a letter writ- j
ten by Mrs. Chase, the wife of the Ame
rican Consul at Tampico, and which we
doubt not will be more interesting to that
Hex, of which she is so bright an orna
ment, than any tale which we select.
“Tampico, Dec. 14, 1843.
“ JiTy Esteemed Friend: —A grent
change has come o’er the spirit of my
dream— at within the last month
«o that I almost dnuhl the evidence of my |
own senses, we having at this moment
some twenty sail of vessels in the river
pMimco— steamers passing and repassmg,
the sight of which pays me, in part, for
my six months’ solitude and suffering.—
I am not a believer in Purgatory, hut I
think 1 have passed through that ordeal
by residing in an enemy’s country alone,
not only hostile in feeling, but subtle and
unprincipled.
“Mv dear friend, I scarcely know how
to reply to your friendly solici ude to
ward me and mine especially. In be
ginning rny imperfect narrative, one great
misfortune seems to accompany me—my
pen can never keep pace with my feel
ings. You will have been aware of Mr.
Chase’s expulsion agreeable to the de
r. rc¥i of the 12th of May last; and in com
j'lianee with that act he had only twenty
four hours’ notice to embark, or eight
days to retire twenty leagues into the in
terior. lie prudently cito.se the former,
and embarked forthwith on hoard of the
St. Mary’s, the block an ing vessel off the
liar of Tampico, leaving some eighty
thousand dollars in his «tore with no oilier
protection than such as I could afford,
and two clerks, one of whom was a Mexi
can—and. in accordance with the true
spirit of Mexican chivalry, commenced
robbing me. In fact, my annoyances were
so numerous that 1 cannot give you them
in detail, hut merely sketch an outline,
knowing the sympathy yon feel for my 1
perilous position in this new drama. In ;
the next place, Inez de Pnmera Instancia, i
by order of the Commanding General, i
passed me a notice that my privileges !
ceased as the wife of the American Con
enl, and rny store must be closed. I re- :
plied to him in the most decisive manner, ;
(hat I was not only his wife, but also his
constituted agent —in addition to this. I
■was a British subject, and as such, neith
er the Judge nor the Crucial could de.
prive me of mv natural rights, as the j
Knplfsh law admitted of no alienation— j
<uatin' T that any infraction on its prero- i
gative would be hastily chastised by that J
Government; and in confirmation of my j
tnssertion, referred the learned Inez to the
Law of Nations,
“Thus defeated and exasperated, I
was not allowed to send an open no*e to
my husband, then offthe Bar, But, thank
God, who ‘tempers the wind to the shorn,
lamb,’ he directed me, and I concerted
a plan which again defeated their hostile j
purpose, and sent, by stratagem, nine let
ters in eight weeks, and through the same i
means received replies. But those things ;
were daily making inroads upon my I
health and my spirits, which I almost i
carefully concealed from my good bus. ;
band, knowing the intensity of his feel
ing'* for his government, and particular
ly fur my welfare.
“1 in the mean lime drew a plan of the
city and river, and had it *ent to Com.
Conner and Capt. McC’aney. ofthe John
Adams, with a correct description of all
the forts, the number of guns, a list ofthe
troops, and how they were posted, and
every political movement, so that through
Mr. Chase and his agent, they knew
every important movement in this section j
of the country.
“They abused and insulted the Arno- ;
rican name and nation to such an extent
that it often caused me to retire and pray |
God for the day of retribution. With the
exception of my faithful Amelia, I had
but little human sympathy, as all the
English influence w as against our nation
al cause.
“I am, perhaps a little prosy, but I
well know the sensitive heart to whom
these lines a re addressed, and so continue.
] daily watched, not very chrisiian-like,
for the moment of retaliation, hoping to he
able, although alone in Iho combat, to
•square accounts’ with my fierce debtors,
and if possible, place myself and party
on the credit side of this entangled ac- ;
count.
“Santa Anna recommended to the Go- j
vernment of Mexico the confiscation of all
Amercan property, in order to carry on
•the war, and that all Americans ro<« ling j
in thiS\co«ntrv should he made prisoners
of wattes a fatal stroke to those usurp. |
ing pimes—the gentle name generally j
applied tcAlhem —and that this garrison
should be Vein forced with some 3000-j
troops. Wnen I read litis article in one j
of the flamiuV periodicals, it was rather
grating to tnejin my isolated condition.
I however, upon the old 110
man Motto—
*WUo would be frJe,himself must strike the blow ,2 j
or in my case was at best
helpless, and now even desperate, and
required a desperate remedy.
“Two spies came daily to my house,
always under the guise of friendship; and
on one occasion, one ol the wretches be- I
lieveing that 1 was posessed ofitems con- !
oernrrtff American movements, I represen- :
| led to him that 30.000 troops were to join
! Gen. Tavlor at Matamoros, 30,000 more
had been despatched to capture San Juatr.’
&c., and closed with remarking that I ;
would be compelled to clo-.e my house
within a day or two, as a force of 25,000
or 30,000 troops was corning against this
place—which bit of romance so frighten- ;
ed my poor Amelia that she thought the
general here would call me to account
; for it.
| “Next dav 1 had a call from a captain
of the port, who wished to know the truth,
I and inquired it Mr. Chase had written to j
j me to that effect; and soon after some other ;
of the high functionaries discovered me to j
be am important character in their daily !
rounds. In n conversation with the fath- !
er-in-law of the General, I recommended
to him an early retreat, as the wisest j
course to he taken; and that same night, a i
private post was despatched to San Luis j
Potosi, upon the strength to information so
received, through me; the town of 'Pam- j
pico was ordered to l*e vacated on the
appearance of this large force olTihe 1
I bar; scouts were sent in every direction, j
to procure mules, etc., for the convey- I
ance of property to the interior; and two
schooner loads were shipped to the city ;
of Punuco; six hundred stand of arms i
were sunk, the cannon were removed ;
from the Fort, and Iho troops evecuated i
iho place. 1 then despatched to Corn. :
Connor an account ofthe slate of tilings, !
and in triplicate to Havana, under differ
ent con vers to rny husband, urging his re
turn forthwith. These were sent hv an
agent, who supposed them mere letters
conveying a wish to my husband to meet
me at Vera Cruz, to accompany me to
Havana. J spent a restless night and
morning, but it has certainly brought its
reward. Mv loiter to the Commodore l
was dated October’23d; he received it ;
October 27th, and immediately called a
mee’itig ofthe senior officers, and laid my
despatch before them. It had due weight.
Provisions were brought from Point
Isabel and distributed among the squad
ron, and on the 12th November, they left
Isla Verde, and on the morning of the I
14th hove in sight, twelve sail o!fihe hay
of Tampico. I was so confident ofthe
corning of the squadron, that in anticipa
tion of their coming, I had a flag staff
made one week previous, and had it erect
ed upon the housetop, in order to raise |
the first American flag hoisted as a right |
j over Tampico. On rny first sight of the j
i fleet mv pent up feelings gave way, and ■
1 wept as a child for joy, seeing that God ;
j had brought deliverance to the captives, i
; and in anticipation of soon seeing the oh- j
I ject of my affection, and also in gratitude i
I to Him who is mighty to save, and that !
j my feeble efforts had wrought so strange.
;ly in our national welfare. Here I must
pause, and sav 1 cannot pretend to de
cribe mv feelings at that time. Fortitude 1
: seemed to give way, and in tfie midst of j
•j this emotion, I again saw the squadron ;
i nearjnorto the bar, tire boats manned and I
j the line passing, (Miey standing their own |
i pilots, over that intricate passage.) and
j the broad pennant flying at the mast-heads
j —ihe blue and red. Mv faithful Ame
’ lia and rnvself ran to Mr. Chase’s office.
! and in solitude offered a prayer, then pul
led the flag down, and alone rushed to
the house-top. I carried it up and tied it
on the line with my own hands, and w’e,
Amelia, myself and Mr. Uder, hoisted it,
myself giving the first pull. Thus we
defied the whole town of Tampico. 1
j sent for some of the Americans, but not
, one possessed courage or national spirit to
1 a hand.
In thirty minufesthe Ayuntemente called
upon me and ordered me to liauh it down.
I I replied it was raised as a right of
protection. They said I had no such right.
I rejoined that it was a matter ofopininn
in w hich w'e could not agree. They said
it was a burlesque upon their nation—a
ladv taking the city—and w hat would the
Supreme Government of Mexico say? 1
replied very laconically, “ Qn/en sale?''
and oflered them w ino under the new ban- ;
ner,—They threatened the house. I ran
to its top, and asked Mr. U h r if he would
i stand hv me. He replied. “Yes.*’“Then,”
i said T, “the flag must remain, or all of us j
1 bo sent over the house top, as 1 shall
never pull it down or suffer any Mexican
to sully it by his touch.” I had been rob-
I bed, my store entered and pillaged of
more than two thousand dollars in the
dead of the night; and when the regiment
from Puebla entered tills city, they en
tered my store and carried otf goods, and
I had no redress and sti 1 less sympathy,
and* though alone, the God of the Jusj
was mv captain general, and I had noth
! ing to fear from all Mexico An 1 now
the hour of mv redemption was at hand.
I expected they would either fire upon nr
storm the house. I rested with my right
arm round the flag-stall, the banner wav- ,
ing in majestical beauty, and the squad- j
ron nearing the city, where they saw the |
flag. It was like lightning to pilgrims to j
know from whence it came, hnt soon the
officers saw two female forms standing j
by it, ami gave three cheers in front of
the citv, and then came to my house. ,
which had been now nearly six months j
as if proscribed by some crime or plague, |
and my fault was that of being the wife !
of an American. Commodore Perry and
the municipal authorities came to my
house on arrival, also Commodore Conner. ;
My despatches have been sent to the Slate j
Department, and I have letters of thanks i
from the officers commanding, who have }
changed the name of Fort Lihm tad to Fort !
Ann, in compliment to me. 1 hev arrived j
on the 16th. Forty eight hours after came j
Mr. Chase, crowning all my happiness.
“You will no doubt have heard part of .
my storv previous lo this reaching you; j
knowing the interest you feel, and the tin- j
limited friendship evinced by you, 1 thus ;
have taken the liberty to give, as far as j
practicable in detail, and have extended
my account far beyond my intention, and
at the same lime trusting that you will
<rive at least a reading of this imperfect
scroll, and may never feel the pangs of
mental affliction as felt by me.
‘•You very kindly inqure if the existing
; war lias injured ns in a pecuniary point?
It has very materially, hut that loss has
not in the least allowed my spirits to flag.
Mv trust is in Him who can withhold and i
bcsto w.
“We have suffered in mind, in person
and pocket, but with feelings of interest
toward our beloved country and dulv to
: the cause, and like the widow 1 was will- 1
i ing to contribute mv mite for the honor of
1 the country he had so long represented,
I and as a dutiful wife to follow him in
! weal or wo, according to the pressure of
misfortune: and in impending danger.
{ even the bleak wasts of adversity should
not chill mv ardor, in following his ad
vice and his cause, and trust to God.
“We will loose nearly one half ofour
stock of goods. No doubt the United
States Government will indemnify Mr,
; Cha>e at a future day.
“Our house will he turned into a gar
risen, and three field pieces will he placed
upon if. I am willing to stand by my
husband at a gun until we both die or arc
v ictors.
“1 have been frving to keep a journal
1 of the Beauties of the Drama, in rather a
I rough form, and 'may place it in your
i hands at a future day.” * * *
.
[From the lln mil lon [S. W.) Spectator.]
A i'emiitcliothario.
Appearances are often very deceitful,
1 hut never more so than when a -lady as
j surnes male attire, and in that disgui-e
| visits one of her own sex, and pours into
i her willing ear a portion of the.soft, sweet
| strains of never ending love. There is
} something strange and romantic about
the practice of tlie ladies making love to
each other, for which we could never ac
count. Whether it is done through mis
chievous playfulness, or from a mere
curiosity to know the secrets of other |
hearts; or whether it arises from a desire
j to be revenged on vhe sex, by a portion !
of it who have never themselves been fa- |
voted with a lover, they only know who i
pra*ice it.
We make the foregoing remarks by
| way of introducing a series of courting
i adventures which lately fell to the lot of
j a buxom young Irish girl, residing in this
i citv. This maiden oftfie would-be mas-
I online gender rejoices in the name of Eli
| za McCormick, and for the last two or
i three years has manifested such a parti
1 cular regard for the gentleman’s coat and
j pantaloons, that she often promenaded tlie
I streets of Hamilton in full dress, even to
a cigar and a crooked cane. I bus
j equipped, her next object was to look out
! fora sweetheart; a business in which she
I seems to have been exceedingly fortunate, !
j probably because siie was better acqnan- ■
; ted with the strength of the citadel and j
the method of conducting a successful at- |
! tack, than any of those whose dress and I
appearance site assumed. Be that as it j
may, we have been made acquainted
I with six of her pretended courtships, and ;
; all with dressmakers.
How many more she may have been ,
engaged in we know not, but to those she
| “popped the question” of mar rage—was ;
! accepted, and one of them indulged so fa**
; in the pleasing dream of matrimonial
bliss, that she actnlly prepared her wed
| ding dress. During the lime that this
: female Lathano was carrying on her !
flirtations, she was living as a servant in
j the city, and she invariably played her
j pranks upon such girls aswere acquaint
;ed with tlie families in w hich she lived.
1 She assumed all manner of characters,
I and had as many names as a member of
the London s 'ell mob. Sometimes she
was a student of medicine, sometimes a
limb of the law—in one place she was a
I book-keeper in a dry good store —in an
oilier n gentleman of property lately or
rived from Ireland, and was exceedingly
j hard up for a wife. When she deter
mined on a nocturnal visit lo any of the
dear creatures whose hearts she had so
I skilfully charmed, she always went in
her real character and dress, a day or
two previous, and after sounding the
i cb pth of the young lady’s affection, for
j Mr. McKensie, or Fitzpatrick, or what
j ever name she had assumed, she would
inform her that she had been sent bv this
gentlemen to say that lie would visit the
object of his heart’s fondest solicitude, at
a certain hour of a certain night. This
was playing a double game. It enabled
j her in her real character to find out the
I state oftfie girl’s mind, and iu herns-
I sumed one, to use that information for
| her own advantage.
The most recent love-making adven
ture that this breaker of ladies’ hearts
was engaged in, terminated rather tragi
i call von Sunday night last. She was en.
| gag»d as a servant some two months ago
i by a ladv in the city, and at her master’s
house siie became acquainted with a
| young giil who was occasionally employ
jed there as a seampstress. hen the ac
' quaintance bad ripened into something
| like confidence she told the girl that a
clerk in a certain store in town w as deep
ly in love with her, and that he had walk-
I ed several nights in front of her father’s
residence whistling a peculiar tune, in
i order, if possible, lo get one glimpse of
her pretty face. The bait was swallowed.
To he loved so ardently, and by a
| clerk, too, made the young girl’s heart
beat high, and when she was informed
| that Mr. Crawford, (the name the heroine
i had assumed,) would pass her dwelling
I whistling on a certain night, she awaited
i his approach w ith a kind of feverish anx-
I iety, shaded with hope. The night came,
I and so did Mr. Crawford, alias Miss
; Eliza McCormick, dressed in a suit of
| her master’s clothes. He whistled his
i little tune —the door of a certain bouse
was noisely opened as he passed, and the
young seamstress, blushing at her bold
ness, stood gazing on his receding figure.
In a few minutes he had returned, and
in a few more he commenced operations.
He was in love—deeply, JLlraclly and
incurably.
She listened to his avowal, gave him
j some encouragement, and told him that
i she was free from anv engagement. This
seemed to revive Ids love lorn spirits, and
1 after making an appointment for another
interview, Mr. Crawford depaited. The
parties met several limes subsequently,
' hut the young girl was not so green as
her pseudo lover had expected. She
suspected that Mr. Crawford was an ani
mal oftfie femenine gender, and she com
j municated her suspicions lo a young man
i of her acquaintance, who, with a trusty
companion, was ready to pounce upon
the unfortunate lover, the next time he
would make Ids appearance. Last Sun
day night gave the desired opportunity
Mr. Crawford was seized, hut like a
genuine lii-hntan, lie up w ith Ids fist and
knocked dow n one ofthe intruders. When
the scuffle was ended. Mr. Crawford
“ Stood confessM
A maid in all her charms ! 1”
Sho was taken lo the police office and
locked up during the remainder ofthe
i night. On Monday evening, as no person
j had appeared against her,she was libera
| ted and resumed female attire. We hope
; that the shame and mortification of a
public exposure w ill have a salutarveffect
upon her future conduct. Miss McCor
mick is said to he the same person who
figured for three weeks in the neighbor
; hood of Galt a short time since under the
I disguise of a sick tailor.
| AUGUSTA. GEO..
SATURDAY MORNING, JAN. 9, 1847. *
(LTTiie Northern mail failed last evening
from Offices North of Charleston. The Wes*
tere papers due yesterday, also failed from
1 Mobile and New Orleans.
Prorrrdinsi in New Tlfxico.
We eopv entire the article under this head
| from the Chronicle of Thursday morning, in
order the more clearly lo show by our reply
side by side with it, that we have not
i changed our sentiments on those important
matters, and that the Chronicle is as far
wrong as ever.
The Chronicle says, “some weeks since
we had*i controversy with that paper (the
Constitutionalist) about these very acts and
doings M General Kearney.” The Chroni
cle ijhiistaken. These acts and doings
whicffiave been disavowed by the President,
were not then known either to the Chronicle
or to the Constitutionalist. How then could
there have been a controversy about them,
i Thev were not even known to the President;
! for in Ins message of December 22d, he slates
that the “form of government, ‘‘established
i and organized by the military commander
i w ho conquered and occupied with ins Tunes
I the territory of New Mexico,” was not
1 brought to his notice bv the Secretary o
j D
i War, until after his annual message of the
| stli December was communicated to Con
j gress. We therefore commit no inconsisten
cy w’e exhibit no change of opinion in hav
‘ ing, some weeks ago, to wit on the Joih Oc
: tobJMfed, contended that all General Kear
ney done, so far as we were appriz
i ed, vvlgright and proper, according to the
well eSfeished principles of international
' is nut for any violation of interna
lionaMavv that we now consider him in any
way obnoxious to censure. In that regard,
we consider still that he did no act which is
inconsistent with, or which transcends the
rights which accrue lo a conqueror over a
! conquered State. The Chronicle held the
reverse of this proposition in that controversy
I gome weeks ago. We still think the Chroni
cle as far wrong as ever —altogether wrong
| on that point.
But we consider General Kearney obnoxi-
I ous to censure, for transcending his instruc
| gens— a fact only brought lo light on the
i o2d of December last. The instructions
; criven to the military and naval commanders,
were to establish temporary governments in
the countries conquered by them. These
governments, in the language of the Presi
i dent,
“Were authorised as belligerent rights,
and were to be carried into effect by mih a-y
i or naval officers. They were but the ame-
I limalion of martial law, which modern civili
zation requires, and were due, as well to the
security of the conquest,as to the inhabitants
of the conquered territory.”
But General Kearney transcended his in
structions by undertaking
“To establish and organize a permanent
territorial government ot the United States,
and to impart to the inhabitants political
rights, which, under the Constitution of the
! United States, can be permanently
i only by citizens of the United States. I hese
| hate not been approvedand recognized .”
\Ve will not dispute with the Chronicle as
to whether these provisional governments, be
civil or military governments. We will also
here state that the Secretary of War instruct
| ed Genera! Kearney
i “To assure the people of those provinces
that it is tlie wish and design of the United
States to provide for them a free government.
i with the least possible delay, similar lo that
I which exists in our territories.”
He did not instruct General Kearney lo
establish a civil government. For the Secre
! tary says to him,
“It is foreseen that what relates to the civil
government will be a difficult and unpleasant
part of your duty, and much must necessari
ly be left to your own discretion.”
We find the following instructions from
Mr. Bancroft,Secretary of the Navy to Com
! modore Sloat, which contemplate the estab
lishment of a civil government, not by our
naval commander, but by the Caliiornians;
“la like manner, if California separates
herself from our enemy, the central Mexican
government, and establishes a government of
its own, under the auspices of the American
finer, you will take such measures as will
best promote the attachment of the people ol
California to the United States, will advance
their prosperity, and will make that vast re
gion a desirable place of residence fur emi
grants from on r soil.
‘'Considering the great distance at which
you are placed from the department, and the
1 circumstances that will constantly arise,
i much must be left to your discretion. You
will bear in mind, generally, that this coun
; trv desires to find in California a friend, and
| not an enemy; to be connected with it by
I near ties; lo hold possession of it, at least
| dining the war; and lo fluid that possession,
if possible, with the consent of us inhabi
j tants.”
In a despatch of November 15, IS 10, from
Mr. Mason, Secretary of the Navy, Com.
.Stockton, is ordered to relinquish ail control j
over civil matters to the officer in command j
of the land forces. The Secretary says— j
“There has been no approval or recognition 1
of a rnj organized or established form of civil |
government for the Californias. or any other J
Mexican territory in the occupation of the ,
! naval forces, throughout this department.”
But whethcr these be ci il or military gov- ,
' ernrnents —or whether these officers were in
structed to establish civil governments or
not, is a secondary question. The main
point is this. If there has been any gross
usurpation of power—any gross violation of
the laws of nations—any gross outrages upon
the Constitution of the United Slates, all of
which the Whig press asserts, they have not
been committed by the President. If not by
him, they must have been committed, if at
all, by the military and naval acting
in the premises. Why then has \V hig in- !
dignation cooled down so wonderfully, after
finding out that, the President is not the man
! to lie convicted of these terrible outrages.
| Why, simply because the Whigs find that
i they can make no political capital by con
tinuing “the hue and crv.”
CTThe amount of Treasury notes out- I
standing on the Ist inst.,\vas $3,784,080 97. |
Ornann mid American Sleamrr*.
A letter from Bremen to the Augsburg
Gazette, received at New Y ork by the last j
i advices from Brussels, announces that a j
i steam communication will shortly be organ- i
ized between Bremen and New York. This
j line is fitted np by an American company,
; with the assistance of Government. No
other country lias yet obtained this advan
tage, although many have in vain sought it.
I7ffinwi*«ippi Election.
The Democratic Candida le for Congress.
! Mr. EHel, has been elected by a majority of
i between two and three thousand over his op
ponent, Col. Starke.
of {<un Colton.
Os all the uses lo which the newly invent
. ed gun cotton may be applied, we are indebt
i ed for the most extraordinary to the inventive
genius of a Frenchman, A late Paris paper
states, that a gentleman in that city lately
committed suicide by cramming his mouth
I full of gun cotton and then touching it off
; with a segar.
The Savannah Republican ofthe 7th inst
pavp _ “The li=-t of de.-erfers from the Georgia
Regiment, which we \esterday copied from
the Fort Gaines Volunteer, it seems, must
have been sadly defective. We learn from
! Cant. McMahon that five of the number were
i members of the Jasper (ireem, and that only
one , a man by the name of Rheinhart, was a
I deserter. Three of the others mentioned in
the list, were those who were unfortunately
left, at Mobile, but who followed the Regi
ment to the Rio Grande, and were promptly
allowed lo resume their position in the
ranks.”
[From the Chronicle an I Sentinel, 7 th
The <Jous»ituiiotia!i*l Proceeding j«
New IfZexico.
We 1 ave no desire to provoke controversy
with the Constitutionalist, (or any other pa
-1 per.) but we cannot pass by an article which
appeared in that print on Wednesday last.
jt is there charged ihat Ihe Whig papers,
since the disavowal of some of the acts of
Gen. Kearney and Commodore .Stockton by
Mr. Polk, have ceased their invective
against those nets — that finding them to be
i the acts <f those commanders ami not the re
-1 suit of instructions from the President, they
| are disposed to pass them in silence.
Such is not, however, the fact. Ol course.
; the sain'* necessity for censure would nit
; exist, if they are disavowed by the President,
were not done hv his instructions, and pio
|.er steps are taken to rectify their errors.
We were surprised to find the following
in the article of the Constitutionalist of which
we are treating;
“It is not that we seek to defend the conduct of
tho-e officers, or to deprecate censure. 1 hat they
and in<*re especially ( ormuodore Stockton, have
transcend -d their instructions is undeniable, "’e
( ]o not think, therefore, that ihcir conduct should
he passud over in silence. For th- sake of prop-r
deciplme, some notice should betaken —mine re
primand b-stowed upon lhe;r acts. Hut we see no
enormous wrong committed by either.
Some weeks since we had a controversy
with that paper about these very acts and do
ings of Gen. Kearney. Alluding to an ar
ticle of the Chronicle As Sentinel, the Con
stitutionalist of the 1 Oth of October said ;
“ Vesterd iy appeared one condemnatory of Gen.
K'-arney. who forsooth has committed the grave
offence of conquering all California, and annexing
it to the United States. It seems our amts leave
been too successful to suit the taaie—lhe ton scrim
live taste, of the Chronicle.”
Again, the same paper said, October 25 :
“And in the whole history of war, we are yet
to learn when the right of the conqueror to the
sovereignty of the conquered Stale —and in a
word the right to do all that Gen. Kearney did,
was ri'er disputed, until the memorable and bless
ed era of ISIB, in the good town of Augusta by
the “new lights” of intermediate law—the Chron
icle & Sentinel.”
Wo r.re glad to find that our neighbor has
changed his sentiments in some respects up
on these important matters. We were not
altogether wrong after all.
We shall not say. however, that these
“now lights” of the Constitutionalist have
been obtained since the inmate of the White
House at Washington has spoken. The
Constitutionalist says :—,
“We hope rhat when the provisional military
government there shall cease, his suggestions may
not be altogether thrown away. ’
lie is alluding to the suggestion of Com
modore Stockton. Now, the Constitutiona
list knows that the governments which have
been established in New Mexico and Cali
fornia are cicil governments. V\ hy then term
them military ? We know that many Dem
ocrats feel satisfied that the present form of
> Government should not have been eslablish-
I ed. Indeed, the President disavows some of
; rite acts which have been done by our milita
ry commanders in those sections.
' But does not the Constitutionalist know
that they were instructed to establish civil
governments ?
Why does not the President, who seems
to be afraid of It is own shadow, (and well
he may be.) tell the country what he does ap
prove and what he docs not approve.
It is not at all wonderful that, when Mr.
Polk shifts and dodges about so much, some
of his friends, who may try to follow hi*
! gvral movements are caught in the mazes us
! change and contradiction
1 °
Decease of an old nud rc»peclcd Citizen.
| 'The aged and venerated of our land are
| daily passing from time to eternity. Tho#e
( who have accomplished their term of life sink
into the grave, and others succeed them, to
I pass through the same ordeal. So it is with
| the human family, and so it will be until lime
j shall be no more.
Yesterday, one of our oldest and most
venerated citizens paid the great debt of
nature. Mr. Joseph llighton 1 hia
last, at the mature age of 85 y < hav ng
lived respected during a long life of useful
ness, and leaving as a heritage to his descend
ants a name unsullied and without reproach.
Mr. Righton assisted in hoisting the first
American Flag that floated over Fort Mr
chanic, a rude fortification erected at a point
near the place now known as the East Bay
Battery, immediately alter the Declaration of
i Independence, although then quite a youth,
and was, we are informed, the last survivor
of lh« hostages that snfle edjincarom ’ion on
hoard the prison ship Torbay and Pack
Horse, while Charleston was in possession of
the British forces. — Charleston Courier B th
ins I.
[From the IV. Y, ('ornine r ciul Advertiser. ]
Approach to >t’< * «:y of .llcxiro.
Ts a march to the M<*xioai capital, from Vera
Cruz as the start mg point . • i on hytha
great military sage* at Washington, we all have
an interest in knowing vvhal is to be encountered
on the. road. Tim following itinerarv. ns it may
' t, e called, has tieen made up from autuentic sour
ces. and is believ erl to be accurate.
Vera Cruz. — ; . .of Vera Cruz is walled
round, with a for: it t.*- extremity of the water
front; the walls on *! ■ la.id side are loopholetl for
musketry- Parap ge.-s have been recently
mounted on the walls The city walls are very
thick, of coral rock; the walls of the houses are
usually 2i feet thick, and the roofs are flat. Each
house has a cistern or cisterns of rain water. Th®
ciiv is well paved.
Fr.jVi Vera Cruz to Mexico. About ten mile®
from Vera Cruz is a stream 200 yards wide, cross
ed at a ferry in scows, or hy swimming horses over.
The next stream, about thirty miles from Vera
Cruz, is fordable, and is also spanned hya wooden
bridge called Puente del Key (the King’s bridge)
and also the national bridge. A ear it on the right
i« an eminence of about GO feet, on which is a
fort, completely commanding the approach and
bridge.
lb>tween these bridges and Jalapa, the road
passes near several height". from which the na
tives can annoy invaders on the mad.
City of Jalap* t. — This city stands on very ele
vated ground, ym for many miles the ascent is
quite gradual. From a-p city Vera Cruz is vi*i
ble. ns is also the sea. 90 notes distant. The city
itself is upon a high hill—highes..n the
that the streets incline considerably; - 0 m
that now heeled vehicle can passalong any of ' ‘
except the main street, or road, which has a con
siderable rise and descent. The city is surround
ed hy a wall, and has a strongly built Church
near the western gate, which could be converted
into a citadel. The streets are paved. The hou
ses, as in other Mexican towns, are of stone, with
flat roofs, and iron barred windows. Opposit®
the city, on the left of the road, is a hill from
which the mad might he annoyed and shells thrown
into the town. For the distance of six or seven
miles before reaching the town, the mad is a hand
some and substantial structure of chequered pave
ment, and must have been very costly.
Perote. At abase of a high mount, hearing tho
same name, some distance fmm the road on the
left, is a cluster of houses, with a Church, called
Perote.
Castle of Perote. —Opposite, ou the right of the
mad. and commanding it in every direction, stand®
the castle. It is upon a flat sandy plain, stnng’y
built of stone and encircled bv a d»»*pdry fosse or
ditch. The main entrance is hy going over ache-
V tuz de frize hy a stile, descending some twenty
fi •<* or thirty stone steps to the bottom of the fosse
a! id cro-sing it to the gales, which are on a level
with the bottom.
City of Puebla. —This city is walls ? an 1 fortifi
ed. his built of "tone aril the M-. -Is rn well
paved. Contains about 100,000 habitant*.—
Here water is abundant, hut from the national
bridge to this city no water can he obtained—the
natives substituting pulque as a beverage.
From Jalapa to Puebla there are occasional
heights near the mad. which, if fortified, might
annoy invaders. In fart from Vera Cruz to Pue
bla, this is the case—the travel being alternately
over broad unobstructed mads and narrow passe®,
commanded lw h fights. 'I he road passes through
Puebla. The Pueblanos have a peculiar charac
ter; they are cunning and courageous, ar.fi the
:a >st expert robbers and assassins throughout Mex
ico. where there i- no lac ;of such. Il an ofl-n
--der is brought before an alcaide, ar y v hem else,
and is known or ascertained to be a Pueblano.hie
condemnation is sure.
Cordova. — A smart will and garrisoned town,
through which the road parses. Beyond Puebla
the road is good till it reaches the mountain of
Cordova, about midw y between the former and
the. city of Mexico, where the ascent is very rug
ged and steep, though w ithout defiles. N *ar the
road, at the foot of thh mountain, passes the Rio
Frio, or cold river, w hich has iis rise fi; ;.,e neigh
boring mountain of Popucatapc,!, 17,000 feet
above the lev! of the sea. A work on some of
; the heights of Popocatapell would command tho
i road.
After leaving the mountain of Cordova she road
is good and unobstructed, with plenty of water, t®
the city of Mexico. For si verat miles before
reaching that < fity the read is delightful, passing
between parallel canals aud rows of Lombardy
j poplars.
The l.aAe of TVscmcg.—Tins lake commenceson
the right of the road, near the < :v, into which it®
waters are carried by a canal, the latter serving
also to drain the gutters, Ac. into the lake. The
so-called lake is a large, long and ve.y jr-egular
shaped basin, shallow and contain . v r us
small islands, and covered by myriad . wild
ducks. The depth of■, ter varios with the sea
son) iathe rainy months the bason is filled, and
then assumes the appearance of a large lake.—-
Being the receptacle of all the drainage from the
city it is very filthv. 'Fhe canal from the city pass
es through it, fed by its waters, five or six miles in
a southeast direction to the small fort of Chaleo,
at the extreme margin of the bason in that direc
tion. This canal is used for transporting produce
into the city and for pleasure excursions tn gondo
las. Arc.
City of Mexico.-- Take all other Mer'c-n cities
this has walls and houses < f 1 ne, with oofs,
Ac. It is well paved; a g "er, four Let wide
passes through the centre < • o street, covered
hy broad flagstones, remov. .bleat pleasure.—
i All the gutters are drained into the canal or lake.
The city has many large and strong ’hnrehea and
oilier great buildings, easily converted into for
tresses. If its walls wer repaired and i anted
with cannon, and well gar-smed, it could mak®
a formidable rc-fistance i i be.-: .-rs.
t During ihe festival days, who are very numer
ous, the haciendas for 20 or 30 miles around, send
into the city not less than 10,000 mounted peasan
try of the better class, most expert horsemen.-**
They'arc courageous and skilful in the utcof th*