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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST,
JAM ES GARDN ER, JR.
T JL K JVI S .
Dally, per annum, S 9 00
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If paid in advance,.. 5 00
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If paid in advance 2 50
rrAH new subscriptions must be paid in advance, j
iCT Postage /nust be paid on all CummunicaiK us
and Letters of business.
■■■■
of the New Orleans Picayune.]
SALTILLO, Mexico, Nov. lb, 1346.
• Gentlemen. —We arrived here and took
possession of this place this evening, without
any resistance on the part of the enemy, nor
have we heard of them this side of San Luis
Uotosi. It was about 3 o’clock P. M. when
we entered the public square, aad from thence
to the outskirts of the town the side-walks,
•II the windows, balconies and house tops
were covered with men,women and children,
not less than 15,000, if lam any judge. Some
apparently rejoiced, while many of the women
(and some most beautiful there are too) shed
tears and appeared almost to shudder at the
•igilt of what they have been taught to call
the bad Americans, 1 have understood from
pretty good authority that tfie Governor of
the province was quite stubborn against sur
rendering the town, objecting in tne strong
est manner to it, and representing the war as
■ u unjust and unholy one on the part of the
Uaited Stales, declaring that if he had a force
here he would light us. I have not yet had
an opportunity to look about the town, but
the cathedral is a much liner building, al
though vet unfinished, that the one at Mon
terey. T.ie public plaza and the yard in front
Os tne cathedral is planted wiiii beautiful
trees, each tree being enclosed with a wall
cemented and as while as aiaLa ter. In the
centre ofihe plaza is a fountain and reservoir.
The buildings, with the exception of those
around the public avunre, and a very lew
others, if re ordinary, built of sun-baked’brick.
Our force consisted of the Art. battalion,
tho sth and Bth Infantry, Duncan’s battery,
two squadrons of dragoons and the Phcemx
company, winch had been attached to the
6th. i have written these few lines because
4 am afraid that you have no one to give you
news from this place* and as 1 am now down
With fatigue from a long day’s march, I do
not feel like writing more. I will, if any
' news arrives, write, to you again. -1 forgot
to say that Gen Tayl6r and Gen. Worth are
both along. In haste your friend, ——.
SALTILLO, Mexico* Nov. £3,1346
Gentlemen— Perhaps a tew additional lines
from me at this late dale from tins interes ing
part of the country will be acceptable, and
enable you to select from them some items
that would interest the readers of the Pic.
We have now been in this place one week,
And every:hing moves on so sirtooth and quiet
that but for the odd appearance of the natives,
and their lmgo, 1 should feel as much at
home as if I were in a country town in the
United States; and were it not for an oc
casional tap of the drum, I should almost
forget that lam a soldier. When we arrived
here we had hopes that Bama Anna Would
screw up his courage to a sufficient dogree
to come and try his hand at whipping u«, and
fulfil his promise to the people of Mexico of j
driving us across theßabine or perish in the
attempt; but, alas! the war on his part is more
a war of words, than deeds, and the only
chance for another sel-lo is to push forward
xs we have done before.
I will give you a lew lines descriptive of this
place, which is pleasantly situated on an
inclined plane at the loot of a very steep hill,
of sufficient height to command a fine view
of the town. Some portions ol it are beautiful,
• the I souses constructed with a good deal of
taste, particularly those around the main
plaza, while those in the suburbs, though well
constructed for comfort, have a desolate ap
pearance, being built of sun-baked brick* The
ca liedral, by lar the largest and most magni
ficent one in this part of Mexico, is yet un
finished. It is too rich for any description
of mine to do justice to. Ii is divided into
two apartments, in each of which is an altar
hiade entirely of silver. Gilt, brass and
bronze work, interspersed with images and
ail sorts of ornaments, covers, the entire wail
in the rear of the allats. Beautiful oil paint
ings, s'alues. and rch ctrved ornaments of
every description decorate the builduigs.
There are two cupolas, with nine bells in
each, and the yard in front is decorated with
fine cedar trees, The plaza in front is also
handsomely arranged with fine trees around
It. In the centre is a fountain and reservoir
where those living in the vicinity of the plaza
get their water. There are two smaller
churciies in town, but I have not yet visited
them. Our army is very well provided for in \
as comfortable quarters as the city affords.
On Saturday last, iNov. Hist, a Mexican !
escort came in from Ban Luis Pofosi with !
seven American prisoners, liberated by Santa
Anna, in consideration of Gen. Taylor’s hav
ing liberated the Mexican prisoners. As
come of them have been reported dead I will
give you their names: Henry Pa>k Lyon,
Chas. \V. T ufts and John B. Harmon, taken I
*t China, where they had been left on duty,
who belonged to Capt. McGowan’s company,
Ist regiment Texas Rangers;Eiisha Puitt and
Jas. L. Reed belonging to the Camanche
Rangers under Col. Harney, captured at
Preside de Rio Grande; the other two are
pedlers, one named Finley and the other Gal
«!*pie. 1 had a conversation with Lyon this
evening and have gathered a few items. He
and his three companions were captured by
a party of rancheros a tew hours aiier their
regiment left and were bound and taken into
Monterey. There they remained until the
cannon* ling commenced on the 13. h Septem
ber, when they were sent on foot under
guard to San Luis Potosf, suffering severely
for want of water on the road and the long
distance they were forced to march, bound
together each day. They represent a great
scarcity of water on the route. At San Luis
lliey were placed in the barracks with the
I Ith Mexican Infantry, and very kindly
treated, the Government allowing them 25
cents a day to purchase their provisions, but
; the cohmed of tlie regiment gave them ra
tions and told them to use the money as they
pleased. A Mexican soldier attended to
their wants, with orders that lie should b r ing
or purchase anything they desired. The day
before they left, they were permitted to go
through the city wherever they pleased, with
a guard to conduct them. Santa Anna ar
rived there on the Bth of October, and was
received with a great display of military
parade—the bells were rung long, loud and
eo hard that a great many of them were 1
broken. The enemy were digging an en- j
Hrenchment all around the city. An out ■
bteak had taken place at or near the city of j
• *
Mexico, and seven regiments bad been des
patched hy Santa Anna to quell it, The si
tuation of the Mexican finance, and their
vvant of means to carry on this war, is shown
by the fact that the soldiers, who had up to
tvithin a very short time received 12£ cents
every morning, when these prisoners left
were receiving but cents per day They
also heard that Gen. Arnpudia was in irons in
the city of Mexico, and that Arista had been
released but lias refused to take part in the
present conte.st. They learned that the lad i
Hill, who was taken with the Mier prisoners ;
is iivingjnear San Luis, the protege of Count !
Jaral, the richest man in Mexico. This court ;
lately made a present of 1500 head of horses
to the Mexican army. These are all the items
of interest I could obtain.
Gen. Worth goes out in the morning with
a squadron cf rs igoons on a scouting and
exploring expedition. We are daily expect
ing reinforcements. Capt. Blanchard and
his Louisiana boyS are here in fine health ’
and spirits, eager to meet the enemy once
more. 'Hie division at present occupying
this place is composed of the sth and 8:h In
fantry* Artillery battalion, Duncan’s battery,
Blanchard’s company, and one squadron of
dragoons.
r> ’ ,
Tho alcalde has given notice to Gen.
Worth that he will not be re-ponsible for
any American who goes more than 300 yards
from the main plaza, as there are a set of
villains and murderers whom the authorities
never could control living on the outskirts of
the town. An express arrived here yesterday
from Gen. Wool at Monclova. 1 cannot
hear that they have brought any news, ex
cepting that the sick list was pretty large.—
Your old friend Capt. Arnold is here and
looks better and happier thau I ever saw him
look before. The express leaves early, so I
have not time to write any more. Very res
pectfully, your friend.
' [ From ike N. O. Picayune , Dec. 24th.]
BURNING OF THE CREOLE.
We have already given the particulars of
the burning of the Creole, tiie Mexican
schooner moored close to the walls of San
Juan de Uluajbnt a correspondent lias sent
us some additional incidents which are inter
esting, and which may throw additional lus
tre on the daring enterprise.
When the Jilile party left the Somers at
Sacnticios they conn ted upon the settingof
the moon before the moment of attack; but
as the boat’s crew approached a point where
the proximity to the enemy made it as hazard
ous to pause as proceed,the queen of the
night was still beaming just above a cloud
less horizon. When within three or four
boat-lengths of the Creole, however she sank
behind the distant highlands, but her disap
pearance only served to disclose another
danger in the large revolving beacon light
of the cast e, which, at the distance of Jess
than one hundred yards, threw jis intense
glare directly upon the boat. One of the of
ficers, in describing its appearance as he
gazed upon the apparently innumerable daz
zling panes as they turned one after another
remarked that they ‘Looked 'o him like ten ,
thousand illutn naied wheelbarrows, going
round and round.” Tims they could hardly
hope to escape detection, suoposing it was
feasible to board at any point.
The little party ran upon the larboard
beam of. he Creole, and pressed within about
seventy-five yards of the British mail steam
er Clyde, from which vessel they were re
peatedly hailed. The Clyde, was fortunate
ly to windward, however, and was not at all
incommoded or tire operations
about to be undertaken.
There were three men leaning on the rail
ing of the Creole as they came alongside, to
whom Lieut. Barker, who spoke their lan
guage like a native, represented himself as
sent upon business by a friendly mercantile
\e-sel lying at Saerifictos. This quieted
the Mexicans for a moment, but a ciashingot
the arms of the party, as they clambered up
the vessel's sides, alarmed them again, and
they at once hailed their brother sentinels on
the castle walls. The alarm bell was rung,
there was a rapid passing to and fro on the
battlements* and a display of lights in differ
ent parts of the town; yet the liille party per
severed in their efforts, secured every soul
on burrd prisoners, and a* our readers well
know set the vessel on fire.
A« they cast off from the burning vessel,
and when sull without pistol shot ot the castle
and with U e muzzles ol the huge guns plainly
visible, the party gave three hearty cheers.
These failing to provoke a single gun, the
impatience of the gallant tars vented itself in
curses. It would appear that the Mexicans,
from the incessant ringing of hells, must
have apprehended a general attack, and were f
too intensely engaged in musteringattd flying
about to discover the little boat’s crew. The
whole affair appears afterwards to have an
noyed them immeasurably, while at the same
lime it would go far to show that the guns of
San Juan de Clua offered little protection
unless the garrison have vigilance enouglc-lo
d sro.er an enemy, and presence of mind to
tire upon him alter he is seen.
The suspicions of the Mexican?, as might
be expected, were aroused, and under the first
impulse of exasperation, and reckless of
reason or truth, they are said to have gratuit
ously charged the English with aiding the
Americans by hoisting a light—a falsehood
hardly deserving of contradiction. A light
was hoisted by the Somers, which the alarm
of the enemy must have magnified into two.
The Mexicans have however become very
vigilant since the occurrence, and a few
nights afterwards fired upon what must have
been some prominent rocks of the reef close,
by, mistaking them for boats!
rjT An order has been received at Richmond
from VV ashington, that as soon as three of the
volunteer companies there get ready, for which
they are allowed not more than ten days, they
are to depart for the seat of war.
The Wife. —If you wish to be happy and
have peace in the family, never reprove your
husband in company—even if that reproof be
ever so slight. If he be irritated, speak not
an angry word. Indifference sometimes
produce s unhappy consequences. Always
feel an interest in what your husband under
takes, and if he is perplexed or discouraged,
assist him by your smiles and pleasant w ords.
If the wife is careful how she conducts, and
speaks, and looks, a thousand happy hearths
would cheer and brighten our existence
wiiere now there is nothing but clouds of
gloom, sorrow and discontent. The wife,
above all others, should study to please her
husband and make home aliraclive-
O" A curious fact is thus told in one of our
exchange papers: Take a string that will
reach twice round the neck of a lady—let
her hold the end between her teeth—and
then if the noose will slip over her head to
; the back of the neck, it is a certain indica- j
J lion that she is married, or ought to be.”—
Now don’t strangle yourselves, young ladies,
i in testing this truth*
[From the Charleston Mercury.]
THE MEXICAN CONQUESTS.
The House of Representatives having
adopted a Resolution, requesting the Presi
dent “to communicate -any and all orders rTr
instructions to General Taylor, Gen. Wool,
Gen. Kearney, Captain iSloat, Captain Stock
ton, or any other officer of the government, in
relation to the establishment or organization
of civil government in any portion of the ter
ritory of Mexico which has or may be taken
possession of by the army or navy of the Uni
j ted Stales; also, what forms ot government
j such officers, or either of them, may have es
tablished and organized; and whet tier tiie
President has approved and recognized said
governments,” the President on Tuesday
communicated the following Message.
To ike House of Representatives
of the United Slates :
In compliance with the request contained
in the resolution of the House of Represen
tatives of the 15th inst., I communicate heie
vvith reports lioin I lie fcecrtlary of War and
Secretary of the Navy, with Lae documents
which accompany them.
These documents contain ail the “orders
or instructions” to any military, naval, or
other officer of the government, “in relation
to the establishment or organization of civil
government in any portion of tlie territory of
Mexico, winch has or might be taken posses
sion oi by the army or navy of the United
S.ates.”
These orders and instructions were given
to regulate the exercise of the rights of a
belligerent engaged in acluai war, over such
portions of the territory of our enemy as, by
military conquest, might be “taken posses
sion of,*” anti be occupied by our armed forces
—rights necessarily resulting from a slate of
war, and dearly recognized by the laws of
nations. This was ail the authority which
could be delegated to our military and naval
commanders, and its Exercise was indispen
sable to the secure occupation and posses ion
of territory of the enemy which mignibe con
quered. Tne n gulalions author zed were
1 temporary, and uepenuent on ihe f.ghts ac
quired by conquest. They were authorized
as belligerent rights, and v~ere to be carried
into effect by rn litany or navai officers.—
Tney wore but the amelioration o : martial
law, which modern civilization requires, and
were due as well to the security of the con
quest, as to the inhabitants oi the conquered
territory.
The documents communicated also con
tain the reports of several highly meritorious
officers of our army and navy, who havecon
} qtiered and taken possession of portions of
Lae enemy’s territory.
Among the documents accompanying the
report of the Secretary of War, w ill be found
a -form of government” “established and or
j ganized” by the military commander who
j conquered and occupied with h s forces the
I territory of New Mexico. This document
i w’as received at the War Department in the
j 1 liter part of last month, and (as will he per
j ceived by the report of the Secretary of War)
| was not, for the reason stated by that officer,
brought to my notice until after my annual
message of the Bth inst., was communicated
to Congress,
Ji is declared on its face to Ire a “tempora
ry government of said territory,” but there
are port ions of it which purport to “establish
and organize a permanent territorial govern
ment of the United Stales over the territory,
and to iropart to the inhabitants political
I rights which, under the constitution of the
United States, can be enjoyed permanently
only by ciiizeus of the United States. These
ln\e not been “approved and recognized” by
me. Such organized regulations as have
been established in any of the conquered ter
ritories fur the security of our conquest, for
the preservation ol orcer, for the protection
of the rights of the inhabitants and for de
priving tne enemy of Lite ad vantages of these
territories while the military jxissession ot
them by the forces of the United Stales con
tinue, will be recognized and approved.
it will be apparent, from the reports of the
officers who have been required by th.e suc
cess whiah has crowned their arms to exer
cise Ihe powers of temporary government
over the conquered territories, that if any ex
cess of power lias been exercised, the depar
ture has been the offspring of a patriotic de
sire to give to tiie inhabitants the privileges
anJ immunities so cherished by tiie people
of our o* ii country, and which they believed
calculated to improve their condition and
promote their prosperity. Any such excess
iias resulted in no practical injury, but can
and Will be early corrected in a manner to
alienate as little as possible the good feelings
of the inhabitants ot the conquered territory.
‘ JAMES K. POLK.
W ashing Toss, Dec. 22. 1846.
The documents, consisting of despatches
from the War and Navy Departments, are
somewhat voluminous, and relate in but a
small portion of them to the subject of inqui
ry. We select such passages as are directly
to the point, in his first letter of instruc
tions to Gen. Kearney, under date of June 3,
1846, tiie Secretary of War writes :
“Should you conquer and lake possession
of New Mexico and Upper California, or con
siderable places in either, you will establish
temporary civil governments therein—abol
ishing ail arbitrary restrictions that may ex
ist, so far as it may be done with safety. In
performing this duty, it would be w ise and
prudent to continue in their employment all
such of the exiting officers as are known to
be friendly to the United States, and will lake
the oath of allegiance to them. The duties
at the custom houses ought at once to be re
duced to such a rate as may be barely suffi
cient to maintain the necessary officers with
out yielding any revenue to the government.
You may assure the people of those provinces
that it is the wish and design of the United
States to provide for them a free government
with the least possible delay, similar to that
which exists in our territories. They then
will be called on to exercise the rights of
freemen in electing their own representatives
to the territorial legislature, it is foreseen
that, what relates to the civil government,
will be a difficult and unpleasant part of your
duly, and much must necessarily be left to
your own discretion.
In your whole couductyon will act in such
a manner as best to conciliate the inhabi
tants, and render them friendly to tiie United
Slates.”
On the 3rd of November, Geu. Scott writes
to Gen. Kearney thus:
Your march upon, and conquest of New
Mexico, together with the military disposi
tions made for holding that province, have
won for you, lam authorized to say, the em
phatic approbation of the Executive, by whom
it is nut doubted, your movement upon and
occupation of Upper California, will be exe
cuted with like energy, judgement, and suc
cess.
After giving various instruction* to Gen.
Kearney touching his movements, co-opera
mwmbwmkl unmarMaj——m——m———a—
lion with the navy, appointment of civil offi
cers, &c., in California, Gen. Scott adds :
“As a guide to the civil governor of Upper
: California, in our hands, see the letter of
June the 3d (last) addressed to you by the
Secretary of War. You will not, however,
formally declare the province to be annexed.
Permanent incorporation of the territory
must depend on the government of the Uni
ted States.”
These instructions to Gen. Kearny were
very libera!, and he seems to have followed
them carefully, except in his ‘•annexation”
of New Mexico jo the United Slates. That
was an idea of his own.
The instructions trom the Navy Depart
ment were more cauliou-ly winded. In a
despatch dated June 24, 1845, the Secretary
ot the Navy instructs Corn. Sloaf, in the
event of war with Mexico, to lake possession
of San FrahdsCo, and as far as his force
would allow, to blockade the other Pacific
ports, lie is cautioned so to act as to en
courage friendly feelings among the people
of Californ a towards the United Slates, and
if possible to secure their neutrality during
the war.
Under date of May 15, 1846. the Secretary
writes, communicating the fact of the exist
ence of war, and giving Coin. Stoat various
instructions, the most important of which are
as follows:
You wilt henceforth exorcise all the rights
! that belong to you as commander in chief of
I a belligerent squadron.
j Vou will consider tiie most important pub
lic object to be, to take and to hold possession
of San Francisco; and tins you will do with
out fa 1.
You will also take possession of Mazatlan
and of Monterey, one or both, as your force
will permit.
If*information received here is correct,you
j can c-tablisli friendly relations between your
I squadron and the inhabitants of each of these
three places.
Gavin is is also a good harbor, and is be
lieved to be defenceless. Vou will judge
about attempting it.
When you cannot take and hold possession
i of a town you may establish a blockade, if
j you have the means to do it effectually, and
tiie public interest shall require it.
With the expression ol ilie-e views, much
| is left to your discretion as to the selection
of the points of attack, the ports you will
sdze, tiie ports which you will blockade, as
to the o derofyour successive movements.
. A connexion between California, and even
I Sonora, and the present government of Mexi
co, is supposed scarcely to exist. You will,
i as opportunity offers, conciliate tiie confi-
I dhnee of the people in California, and also in
| {Sonora, towards the government of the Unit
ed {Stales; and you will endeavor to render
their relations with tiie United {States as inti
mate and as friendly as possible.
It is important that you should hold pos
session, alleast, of {San Francisco, even while
you encourge the people to neutrality, seif
government, and friendship.
You can readily conduct yours If in such a
manner as will render your occupation of
j San Francisco and other ports a benefit to the
j inhabitants.
These instructions are repeated on the Bth
; of June, and on the 12ih the Secretary writes
I still more explicitly.
The object of the United States is, under
it- rights as a belligerent nation, to possess
; itself entirely of Upper California.
1 WhniSan Francisco and Monterey are
; secured, you will, if possible, send a small
| vessel of war to take and hold possession of
tie port of San Diego; and it would be wtl
I to ascertain the views of the mbahiian s of
; Pueblo de los Angeles, who, according to in
; formation received here, may be counted
upon as desirous of coming under the juris
| diction of the United Slates. If you can lake
| possession of it, you should do so.
The object of' the United States has r*Ter
; ence to ultimate peace with Mexico; and if,
1 at that peace, the basis of uii possidetis shall
1 be established, the government expects,
through your forces, to be found in actual
possession of Upper California.
Tills will bring with it. the necessity of a
| civil administration. Such a government
should be established under your protection;
and sn selecting persons to hold office, due
respect should be had to the wishes of the
i people of California, as well as to the actual
! p< gfsessors of authority in that province. It
may be proper to require an naiii of allegi
ance to the United Slates trom those who
are eilfn/eted with authority. You will also
; assure tiie people of California of the protec
; lion of the United States,
i The extracts we have made embrace the
i substance of ihe instructions emanating from
j Washington, and it seems to us tney leave
! nothing more to he said on the si up d charge
| of usurpation, brought against the President,
j He has directed our forces to take possession
‘ of certain territories atid to retain them in a
i way least oppressive to the population, while
| tiie war lasts.
Funeral Obsequies of Major Ringgold. —
| The solemn ceremonies connected with the
i interment, in their final resting place in
Green Mount Ceinetry, of the mortal rc
! mains of the gallant Major Ringgold, look
place yesterday in conformity with tiie ar
rangements which have been heretofore an
nounced.
The general aspect of the military array
was truly imposing. The silence in which
the long procession moved, interrupted only
by occasional bursts of funeral from
some of the bands, and by the slow toling of
the church bells, enhanced tiie solemnity
of the scene.
* Along the whole extent of the route tra
versed by the procession the windows on both
sides of the streets were filled with specta
tors. The pavements to tiie curbstones were
thronged also by a gazing crowd wfio watch
ed the pageant with deep interest, preserving
for the most part a profound silence.
It requires only an occasion of this sort, if
any occasion is needed, to show how strong
a hold upon the public mind and heart is pos
sessed by brave men who devote their lives
to theii country —Baltimore American.
An invention ot a very remarkable charac
ter, nothing less than a steam type-setter,
has been brought into successful operation in
New-York—tiie proof of which fact is before
us in an article in the “Sun” of that city,
composed by the machine. The editors of
the “Sun” say that it can., with the aid of
two men and three boys, put up as much
matter as ten compositors can by the present
system. The operator sits before two sets of
keys situated like the keys 9f a piano; his
fount of type is before him, arranged in
rows,each letter or figure is in its own row.
piled up separately; each type lias its own
key, and attached to the key is a lever which
when the key is touched, pushes out one type
into what may be called a railway track,
where there is an endless chain in operation
for conveying the types into a little box,
where they are received and piled up in a
line. By an index before him, the composi
tor sees at once when his line is owmpleted.
He then stops the machine, gives the full line
signal to his assistant, who opens the box
and slides the line into its column of printed
matter. The assistant then adjusts the line,
and, if leaded composition, he adds a lead,
and abont as soon as he has this done, the
compositor has another line ready for him
In fact the types jump into ihe composing
“.-tick” nr “box,” as the new term is, as fast
as the compositor can touch the keys. Every
lime he touches a key he sets a type. Tins
woundeKul machine is called “Clay and
Rosenberg’s Steam Type Setter. —Baltimore
; American.
For the Sent of War — Departure of
Gen. Scott. —The U. S. steamship Ala
bama, Capt. Windie, left last night lor
Brazos Santiago, and i f is believed she
will immediately proceed from thence to
Tampico. Gen. Scott and staff were
passengers on board. Company A., U.
S. Mounted Riflemen, Capt. Loring and
Lieuts. Morris and Paltrier; Company B.
! Capt. Sand and Lt. Gordon; Com
I pany D, Capt. Pope and Lieuts. Ciai
; borne and Hawkins; Company H, Capt.
• Crittenden and Lieut. May; and Com pa
, ny G, Capt. Simonson and Lieuts. Rus
sell and Gibbs, also left in the Alabama;
also destined for Tampico - the whole
under the command of M.ijor Sumner,
Major Burbridge being Compelled to re
main here in consequence of illness.—
Lieuts. Newton, Tipton, Taylor, Lind
say and Ewell, wflh a detachment of
men, will remain here in order to super
intend the shipment of the horses belong
ing to tfie companies, which will be ties
patched at the earliest possible moment.
— N. O. Pic. 24 ih inst.
[From the Xew Orleans Counter, 2 2d inst.]
The people ot me tinned Suites on
| never to forget that the same Daniel Web
ster, who declared in his Philadelphia speech
that General Taylor invaded the territory of
Mexico when lie crossed the Nueces, assert
ed in an official despatch to the American
Minister in the city of Mexico that the terri
tory et ween the Sabine and the Rio Grande,
was part of tiie old {Spanish province ot Texas
and as such was receded and confirmed to
{Spain by the United {Slates, under Lite treaty
of 1819.
Santa Anna recognised the Rio Grande
; as the boundary of Texas, in his treaty with
i the Texan Government, made in the year
: 1836. The Texan Congress, after this trea
i tv with Santa Anna,defined the boundary ac
| cordingly, and extended their judicial dis
tricts up to it. The country up to the river
was represented in the Texan Congress, and
is now represented in Ihe Congress of the
United States. Tiie Texan Government had
a custom house, post offices, post roads, and
a land office in the same territory. It is
really shameful for any American citizen
to pretend that Mexico has any claim to Ihe
lands on this side ot the Rio Grande. Web
ster exhibits so much zeal for the .Mexican
| side of the question that one would almost
: suppose that he was retained as their law
i yer by a fee. The Mexican army under
Arista, came upon this territory, and request
i e l Gene al Taylor to remove from it. Web
| sler says he ought to have complied with tl e
| request; but wnat would Web-ter, and our
j VV big brethren in general, have said, had
General Taylor, in obedience to orders from
tne War Department, done as Arista and
Ampudia wanted him to do ? Nothing would
be bc-.d enough for such recreancy. Our
Whig brethren would have irol the hydro
phobia by excess of anger.
t New York Volunteers. —lt was announced
| on 'Tuesday evening at the meeting in Me
; chanics’ Hall, that the New York Volunteers
i now at Fort Hamilton, had received orders
I to hold themselves in readiness to sail in ten
I days.—JV. Y. Cour. 4* Enq. r 2-ith inst.
| Important to the Ladies. —'The London Ga
zette contains some important information
for the ladies, with regard to Ihe manner of
placing their lips when they desire to look
amiable, dignified, &.c. It suggests that
when a lady would compose her mouth to a
bland and serene character, si c should, just
: before entering the room, say Besom, and
keep the expression into which the mouth
subsides until the desired effect upon the
company is evident. If, on the other hand,
she wishes to assume a distinguished and
somewhat noble bearing, not suggestive of
sweetness, she should say, Brush, the result
of which is infallible. If she would make
her mouth look small and pretty, she must
say Flip, but if tiie mouth be already too
small and need enlarging, she must say, Cab
bage.. Ladies, when having their daguerreo
types taken, may observe these rules with
some advantage.
A BOOT WI TH A FOOT IN IT.
Mr. Spirit. —Reading the ‘Knickerbock
er’s’ article on ‘Boot-Jacks’ and big feet, re
minded me of a little occurrence which took
I place at one of the North River landings,
some little time since. The Albany boat
had just arrived, and the landing was, as
usual, crowded with cabmen, porters, loafers,
&c. When the passengers commenced land
ing, a porter stepped up to a country look
ing chap, saying—
‘Carry your baggage, sir.’
‘No! I rather guess not,’ was the reply.
* Shan't I carry your baggage?.”
‘No ! darn ye !—I han‘t got any baggage.’
The porter looked al him a minute, then
very coolly stooped down and taking hold of
one of his feet, said with an air of astonish
ment—
‘Why, masga, that’s one as your feet—ain’t
j it? D n me, if I did’nt think it was a
| leather trunkV — N. Y. Spirit of the Times.
Fire. —About one o'clock this morning, fire
was discovered in a small wooden building
occupied as a grocery and dwelling, by a Mr
Martin, on the corner of York and President
streets, in front of Oglethorpe-square. It soon
communicated to the adjoining building occu
pied by Mr. H. Knapp. The two houses were
entirely consumed, but the conflagration was
here happily arrested by Lite exertions of the
! firemen, who tore down an adjoining stable,
i and one or two other small buildings.
The properly was owned by Mrs, Marshall,
and was not of very considerable value. Mr.
Martin succeeded in saving a portion of his
effects, and the furniture of Mr. Knapp, was
I all removed from the lower part of the house,
j but that in the second story was mostly burn-
I ed or destroyed. Mr. K. is particularly un-
I fortunate, having been burned out several
j tiqaes beforehand we hope, as be is not in a
-■ - -'BSli-J- . . i ■ gfttegf
eitnation to meet such repeated disasters,
that his loss In tilinstance will be fnlljr
made up to him. —Savannah Republican Dec.
28llr
(I IT A pile of Cotton,containing about eioht v
bales, m front of the Warehouse of Hamif
toit, Hardeman &. Co., nn Abercorn-sireet,
was set on lire on Saturday morning last, be
-1 tween four and five o’clock, either by acci
| den! or design. Jf was fortunately discover
ed in season to prevent its total destruction;
only about nine or ten bales being burnt, or
otherwise destroyed before the fire vvas ex
tinguished. We understand the Colton was
turned out of the Warehouse the previous
day, and had not been taken away by Ilia
purchasers,— ibid.
AUGUSTA. GKO..
WEDNESDAY MORNING. DEC K. 30. 184 C.
[L/’The Northern Mail faded again lu-t
evening from beyond Charleston.
; Melancholy We regret to learn, says the
Savannah Republican, that one of the negro
| houses of Mr. Win. I. Way, in Bryan coun
ty, was destroyed by lire on the evening of
tiie 2%1 inst.; and that four young negro
children perished in the flames. The moth
er hid leit the house but a short time pre
vious, and it is not known how the fire Was
cummunicutod to the building.
Extract oi a. idler rece.veu uy a gentle
man of this city, from an officer of the Rich
mond Blues, dated at Camp Alien (3 mile*
from Monterey) Dec. 2d, 18-16.
Capt. Nelson, who is the bearer of this,
has a furlough for two months, and Lee W.
I h as command. Anna has written a
letter to Gen. Baylor, with his compliments,
&c.., “that he has fifteen millions of dollars,
1 turnished by the Priests, that a Bishop com
mands a division of liis army, consistin'? of
I •
8000 cavalry,sooo infantry, and some 10,000
• ; artillery, and that he intends to prosecute
. | the war with vigor; warns all Americans to
i leave the country, as lie will show no quar
ter, and that he will eat Christmas dinner in
| Monterey.” Genl. Tayh r laughed heartily,
, and said “suppose we meet him half way.”
We have just been notified that the Brig
i ade, of which we form a part, will leave in
1 a few days for Victoria; where vve will then
. f go, is uncertain. Gen. Twiggs’ division,
will form the detachment. We will not Le
; so straightened this trip, for we will have
every convenience, which vve can expect—a
week’s notice, and one wagon for each com*
piny. The men are well supj lied with warm
clothing, shoes, &c. &c.
t The Georgia Regan.m. —i ne Chronicle
! &, Sentinel of yesierday morning, savs:—.
I “We have been permitted to read an extract
I from a priv .le letter from a member of the
| Georgia Regiment, dated at. Monterey on the
I 4ih inst., in which the writer savs ‘the Reg
iment had been ordered to march upon Vic
toria, a town about 170 miles southeast of
Monterey, where it is said, there are 6,f.0()
Mexicans engaged in fortifying the town.*
j They anticipated a warm reception.”
j :
I 'The New Regiment. — \ve learn from the
i New Orleans Courier that, the Regiment of
| Louisiana Volunteers required by the gene
ral government, was complete, and the elec
j tion for field officers was to have taken piac©
■ on the 23d inst.
O’ At the anniversary dinner of the New
England-Society of Louisiana, in New Or
leans, on the 22d inst., flie health of the
Hon. Henry Clay having been proposed by
Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Clay said :
“Mr. President—Very little in the habit
of addressing assemblies of any kind—[a
burst of laughter, in which the gentleman
joined]—l don’t mean to say that I never
was, but that I am not now in the habit of
i.ddressing assemblies. 1 have been sent to
the retirement of private life, in which J ac
quiese with pleasure, as it gives me an op
portunity of recruilingrny health, and for my
o.vn personal improvement. But although
leading a life of retirement, 1 am not alto
gether unobservant of the proceedings rela
ting to the condition, welfare and prospects
of our country; and when I saw around mo
to-night Gen. Brooke and other old friends,
I felt half inclined to ask for some little nook
or corner in the army, in which I might
serve in avenging the wrongs to my country
—[applause.] I have thought that I might
yet be able to capture or to slay a Mexican—
fapplause.] I shall not be able to do so,
however, this year, but. hope that success
will still crown our gallant arms, and the
war terminate in an honorable peace.
[ Picayune , 23 d inst.
O’We learn that Prof. iMorse has invent
ed a new system of marking or printing by
electro-magnetism, more simple than his pre
sent instrument, which it was supposed im
possible to simplify, and has filed a caveat
in the Patent Office. By this process he can
make the characters now used or the letters
ofthe alphabet with an expedition hitherto
unaftained by himself or anv other inventor,
and in a manner which will fill the beholder
with new astonishment.
All the companies who have purchased the
rights secured by the former patents of Prof.
M. in connection with the Electro-Magnetic
Telegraph will of course be entitled to the
use of this improvement gratis. — Y ew York
Telegraph. ««_2.. _
Larg e Cargoes. — *v e last week mentioned
the deary nee at this port, of two large and val
uable cargoes, for Liverpool, we now record a
third, which cleared yesterday: the ship Lou
isian, Capt. Cole, by Messrs. John Eraser &
Co., with 66 bales ISea Island and 3,097 bales
Upland Cotton, valued .$95,411. — Charleston
Courier , Dec. 29.
LITERARV DEPO T,
CHARLESTON. S. C.,
No. Meeting-Street.
7 he subscriber having purchased the late estab
lishment ol Mr. S. A. Holmes, proposes to continue
the business in all its various branches, and de
sires a continuation of that patronage heretofore
extended.
Country orders solicited and promptly attended
10 „ EUGENE B. BELL.
Nov 1 Gm 28