hi !l
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM,?
HALF-YEARLY IN ADVANCE. 5
AND FARMERS' AND EGHANIGS1 QEGISTER.
vir NOT PAID WITHIN THE TEAR,
i $2 50 WILL BE CHARGED.
9 I I -Sk.
Saib VlU J4"P J :.IL " .
f 'fit 1 E t ffv
aa . . , - - : : 1 ; : 7 ; : ; ' ' .
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY JONATHAN ROWv SOMERSET, SOMERSET COUNTY, PA.
tfew Series. TUBSDA1T, JANUARS' 26, 1847, Vol- 5.-No. 12-
TIIE SOMERSET HERALD.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 2G, 1847.
NEW COUNTERFEITS. j
Counterfeit 5's and 10's on the Bank
of Chambersburgh are in circulation.
They read "The Chambersburgh Bank." j
Also 10's on the State Bank of India- ;
lia vignette, an Indian looking at a tram
of cars.
OUR MOUNTAIN BOYS.
"We are gratified to learn that the young
men of our borough and neighborhood
are about raising a company to go to Mex-
ico, in case there should be an other re
quisiiion for Volunteers. A number hare
already enrolled themselves. This is a
praiseworthy move, and wc hope there
will be no holding back. It matters not
now how the war originated or who is
responsible for it; the national honor is
involved in the issue, and every effort of
the Government ought to be exerted to
secure an early and honorable peace. It
is therefore the duty of all to stand by
the country and to aid, in whatever way
they best can, the constituted authorities.
In case our "Frosty Sons of Thunder"
jet an opportunity to fight the Mexicans,
we venture to predict they will "do it up
brown," for they know how to use the
shooting irons and their appendages, and
would walk into a regiment of rancheros
like "tea thousand bricks."
i -v-
THE WAR.
The prospect for a speedy termination
of the war is anything but encouraging.
The Mexicans are evidently determined
to hold out as long as they can, and our
present forces are hardly sufficient to
bring bring them to their senses and to
terms, A great error, it seems to us, has
been committed in invading Mexico with
so small a force, and the Government
ought to lose no time in sending on ample
reinforcements. The ten regiments which
are to be enlisted for the regular array
cannot be raised and got into service short
of six months, if even then, and the gov
ernment's chief reliance must therefore
be, for the present, upon volunteers. By
increasing the pay of these to 10 or 12
dollars per month and securing to each
a section of good land, a force sufficient
to "conquer a peace" could be raised in a
very short time; and the public moneys
could not be more advantageously applied,
nor could a more jrsT disposition ever be
made of the public lands.
NATIONAL FINANCE.
C7For the foltowing synopsis we are
indebted to the Pittsburgh Gazette.
We find some interesting facts in rela
tion to the National Finances, developed
by the Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore American. They slate that the
appropriation bills reported in the House
last Saturday, from the Committee of
Ways and Means amount, in the aggre
gate, to nearly forty millions of dollars;
and it is supposed that thoae which are to
follow will well the amount to fifty-five
or sixty millions.
The amount of the Army bill is $23,-
533,704,25. Of this sum there is for the
pay and subsistence of officers and men; !
transportation of troops; purchase'of hor
ses, mules, fcc; ordnance and ordnance
stores; manufacture of arms, &c; for
the arxy proper, $6,813,373,25; for the
pay, subsistence, ordnance, transportation
and supplies, for the volunteers, $17,
932,331; and to supply deficiencies in
the existing appropriations for the pay,
travelling allowance, transportation and
supplies of volunteers, under the act of
30th May, and joint resolution of 8lh
August, $4,793,000.
The amount of the Navy bill is $S,
P20,204,49, of which $2,500,000 is for
the increase and repairs of vessels; $469,
417 for improvements of Navy Yards;
$275,000 for the Dry Dock at Brooklyn;
and $320,546 for the support of the Ma
rine Corps.
The amount of Indian appropriations
is $1,1791321, of which $124,000 is for
fulfilling the recent treaty with the Chcro
kecs, and $1 10,000 for that with die Pot
towatamies. They also state that the monthly state
ment of the Treasury Department was
only furnished by the Department en
Thursday evening, after the adoplion of
,i i "i - - ,
th 1 lutKuvs eulhng for the statement.
The b,W:e of $2,917,162, in the Trea -
sury on the 31st of December show a
falling off of $1,937,67. The Govern
ment hav e received as a balance of the last
loan $1,539,000, and the receipts into the-
Treasury it is supposed were nearly two
millions of dollars durimr the month ma-
kin? a tolal eipentljture of $5,476,547,07
d,Jrin the monlh of December. The ex- ;
pciuitures will be equal to this sum, it is
thought, in January.
STATE FINANCES.
The following facts we glean from the
State Treasurer's Report.
fi- , VMr ,m " ntA, tn M.59 .
I nit
w
The balance in the Treasury, on the 1st
Nov. 1845 was $334,886.
Total revenue last year,$3,9 13.943.
Expenditures for the same period a
mounted to $3,529,264.
Making the balance in the Treasury,
30th Nov. last, $3S 4,678.
The State Treasurer estimates the rev
enue for the present fiscal year at $4,026
178, and the expenditures at 3,447,058;
leaving a surplus on the 30th November
of $579,000.
The public debt amounts to $40,739,-
J4 4
The receipts from the public improve
ments daring the year amounted to $1,
357.203. The expenditures on the public works
during the year, $732,067.
Balance over expenditures,$625,136.
The Treasurer thinks the February in
terest will be paid.
From the National InlcWgencer. .
At the present moment, the following
letter, received by the mail of yesterday,
cannot foil to be of the deepest interest
to every class of our readers:
TO THE EDITORS.
Santa Anna will not march on Saltillo,
but will make a feint to create such im
pression. Should the Army under General Tay
lor be concentrated in that neighborhood,
Santa Anna, with his whole force, will
rush on Tampico; and, if he accomplishes
the reduction of that place, he will pro
ceed along the coast to the Rio Grande,
and, with an overwhelming force between
Matamoras and Point Isabel, cut off the
supplies to our army.
With some knowledge of the character
of Santa Anna, and the topography of
the country, combined with the recent
news, I have arrived at the above conclu
sion. The subject being one of great impor
tance and interest just now, is the reason
I trouble you with the perusal, and re
quest the publication of this short letter.
Very respesctfully,
' A NAVAL OFFICER,
Annapolis, Jan. 13, 1847.
"Aid and Comfori."
A Whig member of the Illinois Legis
lature, conceiving it to be his duty to
"aid and comfort" the locofocos, particu
larly in their present dilemma, recenUy
introduced the following resolutions into
that body.
JtetohcU by the General Assembly of
the State of Illinois, That we heartily ap
prove of the message of the Hon. James
K. Polk, President of the United Slates,
vetoing the bill passed at the last session
of Congress of the United States, making
' r .1 . r
JPPropruuww r me improvement o
ivivers auu uarours.
Renolc til further. That the course of
the President of the United States in com
promising the line of boundary on the
forty ninth degree, after asserting that our
title up to fifty-four degrees and . forty
minutes was "clear and unquestionable,"
meets the entire approbation of the
General Assembly of the Stale "of Illi
nois." This applause of two of the main acts
of Mr. Polk's administration, operated
like a fire-brand thrown into the midst of
the "faithful;" they immediately adjourn
ed, and at the next meeting, laid them on
the table! Does this look like backin
Mr. Polk!
N. P. Willis says: It was in the
church of St. Nicholas that I firat became
aware of a very sensible German custom
that of concentrating the cough' and
nose blowing during service time. The
clergyman stops at diflcrent periods of
his discourse, steps back from the pulpit
stand, and blows his nose the entire con
gregation imitating his example, and dis
turbing the service with the operation at
no other time.
The Washington Fountain notices a
report that Col. Bornford's bi? run is to
h brought to bear upon the Castle of
Saa Jufa de,Un that the shells arc all
; cast and ready for it, and that it has been
shi , to lUc lln Z
' Vera Cruz.
LAST GATHERING.
Ocean and earth restore
AH that your arras entomb
From every distant shore
Come to the gathering come!
Sages of days gone by
Long mouldering in the tomb .
Haste to the realms on high ' . ,. i
Come to the gathering come!
Warrior with laurel brow
Who fixed a nations doom, j
Come to the judgment now, -
Come to the gathering come! j
Bright was thy dark eyes gleam, I
Fair was thy cheek of bloom;
Again those cL arras shall beam;
Come to the gathering come!
Mourner with tearful eye,
Come to hy spirit home.
Thy peaceful rest on high,
Come to the gathering come!
Loved one of days gone by
Haste from the graves cold gloom
Again we meet on high,
Come to the gathering eome!
Ocean and earth restore,
All that your arms entomb,
Myriads from every shore,
Come to the gathering come!
From the Nat. Intelligencer
THE CRISIS.
"When the present Administration came
into power, the country was eminently
prosperous. WTe had a Tariff which
protected our own labor against the pau
per labor of Europe. All the greaten
terprises of the country were in success
ful operation. Real estate was gradually
advancing in value, and the products of
labor met with a ready sale. . The money-market
was steady, and credit rested
on a solid basis. There was a general
confidence felt and expressed in the .state
of things which existed. All this was
attributable to the wise measures adopted
by tho Whig part)-, which came into
power with the Harrison Administration.
But this fair scene, which cheered the
hearts and enlivened the hopes of this
great people, was doomed 1o a sudden re
verse. The Baliiniore Convention, with
its baleful influence, met, and, assuming
to act for the people, without their in
structions and against their interests, vir
tually elected the present Chief Magis
trate: a citizen who did not himself as
pire to the office, and who, without the
influence of the nomination, could scarce
ly hare received the vote of any county
in the Union. But this usurpation of the
popular rights by the Convention did not
stop here. The same body decreed that
the whole of Oregon was ours; that Tex
as should be annexed; that the Tariff of
1842 should be overthrown; and that the
Subtrcasury should be established.
Never did a body of men in so short a
time entail upon their country a system
of measures so calamitous. And, when
we consider the elements of which that
Convention was composed some of its
members being irresponsible, others self
appointed, and many of those who had a
show of authority receiving it in disre
gard of popular rights and of the princi
ples which they professed to hold sacred
it is amazing with what tame submis
sion a submission that augured unfavor
ably for the cause of free government
the decrees of this body were received.
The rights of the People were not on
ly usurped by imposing upon them a
Chief Magistrate, but the Convention
bound in party fetters this instrument of
its creation, and the. National Legislature.
True to the behests of that body, Mr.
Pols, in assuming his duties, expressed a
determination to carry out to . the letter
its decrees. The Oregon controversy
brought us to the verge of a war with
England, from which we were saved by
the wisdom and firmness of the Senate.
But Texas was annexed, the Tariff was
overthrown, and the Subtrcasury enacted.
And we are now realizing the fatal conse
quences of these measures.
We have had a war of about eight
months with Mexico. Two brilliant vic
tories in the field against superior num
bers, and the capture of a city, strongly
fortified and defended by a force much
greater than ours, have added to the re
nown of our arms. Wre claim a nominal
possession over a great extent of country,
through which General Kearney has
marched, and which Captain Stocktox
has surveyed from his quarter-deck; but
we only hold by a forcible tenure that
which has been subjugated by General
Taylor. And, to maintain this posses
sion, our little army is necessarily divided
and placed in garrisons remote from each
other, liable to the attack of the enemy,
and difficult to be defended., This is the
bright side of the picture. Lei as turn to
that of a darker shade.
The people with "whom ".'wc are at war
arc greatly exasperated, and their discor
dant elements have, in a great degree, be-
-
come united. Their most lavorea ana j
experienced captain, by the permission of
the President of the 'United States, has j
returned from his banishment, and now
leads its arm v. Several thousands of our
brave citizens have fallen victims of this
war, whose graves are on the battle-fields
of the 8th and 9th of May, at Point Isa
bel, Monterey, on the shores of the Rio
Grande, or on the line of their return
homeward: and it is impossible to say
how many now bear within them the
seeds of fatal diseases in the army, at
home, or on their way thither.
The Administration seem to have been
as ignorant of the Mexican character as
they have shown themselves to be of their
own powers and of the great duties which
devolve upon them. They evidently be
lieved that a military array on the Rio
Grande would alarm the Mexican Go
vernment and induce it to avoid a conflict,
by a large cession of territory; and that
this would glorify the Administration, and
give great strength to its party. But, if
this threatening attitude of our army
should fail to intimidate, it was certain
that a collision would take place, which
would afford an occasion for our troops to
sweep over the country, and, in the course
of a few months, to "revel in the halls of
the Montezumas." And then all Mexico
would be annexed, or at least the terms
of peace would be dictated by the Admin
istration. In thus claiming, under their
own measurement, compensation for past
delinquencies, and indemnity for the ex
penses of the war, a rich harvest of glory
was anticipated. Whatever may be said
on the subject, we are satisfied that some
such visions as these floated in the minds
of the President and his Cabinet.
But they have experienced a sad re
verse in their hopes. The death-scene
has broken upon them. It is said that
more men have fallen in this unfortunate
and unnecessary war than fell in the late
war with England: a war which involved
our rights as a nation, and in which we
exhibited a prowess and acquired a mili
tary fame, on the land and on the water,
that astonished the world.
But an eight months' war has not only
proved fatal to many thousands of our ci
tizens, but it has brought our Treasury
to the verge of bankruptcy. The Sub
treasury hangs like an incubus upon the
moneyed action of the country. The
Tariff of 1810 will greatly diminish the
revenue, and vet the friends of the Ad
ministration shrink from a vote for duties
which the Secretary of the Treasury de
clares to be necessary to enable him to
obtain any further loans.
Can the Administration, under the cir
cumstances, ask the Whigs to impose
taxes which have been refused by the
friends of the war? Common decency
would prevent this. The Whigs will, no
doubt, appropriate all the means for the
prosecution of the war which the Admin
istration may ask, and which shall be rea
sonable. But, as the Whig system of fi
nance has been repudiated by the Admin
istration, and as they have imposed upon
the country the Subireasury, it is but just
that they should carry out their system of
finance, which their decided majorities in
both Houses will enable them to do. As
this state of things was brought about by
a series of measures which has been
steadily and zealously opposed by the
Whigs, they arc not answerable for the
consequences.
If the co-operation of the Whigs is de
sired, let the Administration repeal the
Subtrcasury and re-enact the Tariff of
1842 let them undo so much as is in
their power of the mischief which they
have perpetrated and we hazard nothing
in saying that the Whigs will not shrink
from the imposition of any taxes which
the exigencies of the country shall re
quire. But they do not believe that the
credit of the Government can be sustained
whilst that miserable contrivance of a
Subtrcasury remains in force. There is
not a man in the nation, we believe, who
has any adequate knowledge of finance,
that does not concur with them in this be
lief. The futile attempt to identify the posi
tion of the Whigs with that of the Oppo
sition to the late war with England will
not be countenanced by any one who has
a proper regard for his own character.
Such a work must be left to the lowest
political drivellers those who fetch and
carry to order, and who arc only tolerated
because they are useful.
Whether we regard their patriotism,
their intelligence, or their character, the
Whigs constitute an association of men
unsurpassed in the history of any coun
try. They conscientiously believe that,
whilst the present Administration was
brought into power under the forms of
the Constitution, a serious and possibly a
fatal blow was given to the principles
which lie at the foundation of our Go
vernment; and they as sincerely believe
that this Mexican War was commenced
by a gross usurpation of the Executive,
for admit as we have said more than
once before, and which cannot be too
strongly impressed upon the public mind
admit that there was cause of war,
Congress, and Congress only, could de
clare it. Notwithstanding which con
eideraticuv wc believe, and indeed -we
know, that the Whigs, under every dis
couragement, will stand up for their coun
try, and, so far as they can sustain its ,
honor. But the Administration asks loo
much when it calls upon the Whigs to
surrender their discretion, their knowledge
atiu iAiiiivviii mantis ui liuauic, j
those who have shown themselves to be i
ignorant of its first principles.
Very late from the Gulfof Mexico.
The U. S. steam frigate JHstiuippi,
IL A. Adams, commander, arrived at Nor
folk on Wednesday morning, having on
board Com. M. C. Perry. She left
Anton Lizardo on the 29th December,
and touched at Ilavanna for coal and wa
ter." Com. Perry arrived in this city yes
terday, accompanied by Lieut. Contee,
also of the Mississippi, to whom we are
indebted for the following information,
and for Ilavanna papers:
"On the 20th December, Com Perry,
with the Mississippi, Vixen, Bouita, and
Petrel, took possession of Laguna and
destroyed the guns and munitions of war
found in the forts and town. Comman
der Sands, with the Vixen and Petrel,
was left in charge of the place, and the
Bonita was left to assist in holding Fron
tera and the mouth of Tabasco river. Off
Alvarado, the Mississppi captured a Mex
ican schooner, the Amalio, and sent her
to New Orleans for adjudication.
"The Mississippi came home for some
necessary repairs to her machinery. As
soon as these can be completed, she will
return to the Gulf of Mexico, ready to
assist in any operation which may be
contemplated against the enemy.
"Purser A. D. Crosby, of the Missis
sippi, was killed by falling from aloft on
board the Vixen, which vessel he was as
sisting to pilot over the bar at Laguna, on
the occasion of the attack on that place.
From Havana papers of the 7th of
this month we learn that on the 23d of
December was published at Mexico a de
cree of the Constituent Cougress decla
ring Gen. Antonia Lopez de Santa Anna
to be the Provincial President of the Re
public, and of Valentin Gomaz Farias to
be Provincial Vice President of the Re
public. In consequence of the absence
of the President, and in urcoi iLuice wiih
a decree of the Congress, the Vies Presi
dent had assumed the duties of Acting j
President, and taken the oath of office. i
The Government had recognised as A
gent of Great Britain at San Luis de Po
tosi during the war with the United
States, Senor Juan Davies. Gen. Don
Valentin Canalizo had been appointed
Minister of War and Marine of Mexico.
The subjoined paragraph, the only one
of any consequence besides those which
state the above facts, would seem to au
thorize an apprehension that the reported
advance of Santa Anna with a large army
towards Saltillo was in reality a move
ment towards Tampico, were it not that
we have ourselves received letters from
Tampico of as late date as the 23d of
December, when every tiling was quiet;
which could hardly have been the case
had the movement of the body of 5.000
men been in the direction staled in the
following paragraph:
From the Vera Cruz Loeomofer ef the lilh.
"We learn by the express of last night
that a division, consisting of 5,000 men
of all arms, moved from San Luis m the
direction of Tula, with a view to inter
cept the passage of the enemy who will
march their forces by this route in order
to place themselves in communication
with Tampico. Xaf. Int.
The Sub-Treasury.
The New York Tribune says:
"The Sub-Treasurer here begins to see
the Elephant, and finds it impossible to
get through with the receipt and disburse
ment of specie even by working after
night fall. A small lot of silver coin,
$300, was sent Sn at 1 o'clock, and at 3
o'clock was handed back to ihe depositor,
as the gentleman from Schoharie would
neither count nor receive it without coun
ting. Great inconvenience is occasioned
to those who have sums to pay in by the
rennirement of the Treasurer, that thev
must rome and see the coin counted. A
great loss of time occurs in this way."
The journal of Commerce says that
the Sub-Treasury, so fir as it hears, is
not much besides an objeet of contempt,
and that the government itself i3 the chief
sufferer by it; and letters from Washing
ton state that the Government will soon
resort to the issue of Treasury Notes to
a large amount, and some as low as 610.
This, be it remembered, is the anti
bank hard money administration!
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
A member of the Iowa Legislature was
highly indignant at the Speaker of the
House, when he announced him a mem
ber of the commulee on "Federal Rela
tions." He considered it a rank biting in
sult. "Look here, Mr. Speaker," said he,
"none of vour tricks upon travellers.--You
needn't think that, because I am a
new member, you can run your rigs upon
me. I am not as green as you suppose.
Go to thunder with your federal relations!
I han'nt one of them in the world and
wouldn't own hiin il I had."
OFFICIAL.
TOX THS WASBISGTOST C5IOX Or WSBJTKSDAT.
The "Humors" from the Rio
Grande.
The despatches received from Major
General Taylor, by last night's mail, are
frow Monterey of the I4th December, at
which date there were no tidings of tho
movements of Santa Anna upon the ad
vance post at Saltillo. The General was
to have left on the 15th for ictoria; but
if the accounts be true that we see pub
lished in the newspapers, he must have
returned to Monterey before he had pro
ceeded a half a day on his march. The
force at Siltillo, under Gen. Worth, is
about 1,700, which was to have been re
inforced, according to previous advices
from General Taylor, by two regiments of
volunteers, which would make an aggre
gate of about 2,000 men. The force at
Monterey under Major General Butler,
inclunding the division which marched
on the 13th and 14 th December under
Generals Twiggs and Quitman, which no
doubt was recalled and rapidly marched
in the direction of Saltillo, should the
news of the advance of Santa Anna turn
out to be true, would amount to about
3,400, which, with Gen. Worth's com
mand, would make a force of about 6.000.
We have seen a letter from an officer at
Brazos Santiago, of the 23th of Decem
ber, which expresses the opinion that M3
sufficient force was doubdess collected at
Saltillo to meet the emergency; and if
Santa Anna's movement was any thin-
more than a JtlnU he has unquestionably
been repulsed."
A letter from Major General Scott.
now commanding all the land forces in
Mexico, dated December 28th, from Bra
sos Santiago, states that he should leave
the next day, via Matamoras and Camar
go, in search of official news by which he
should be governed accordingly. Refer
ring to the reports of the movement of
the enemy, he states that, in the mean
time, events may take him to Monterey,
and that if Santa Anna be in the offensive
he must be repulsed," tc.
One of the letters we have seen from
the Rio Grande of so recent date as De
cember 23 (the latest) expressly states;
"We are here without accurate informa
tion, and the Ueneral-m-chief, now com
manding all the forces in Mexico, has de
termined to move rapidly forward with
the view of ascertaining facts upon which
he can rely. We should have been off
to-day, but for the difficulty ol landing
our saddle horses from the steamer yes
terday." The force under Gen. Wool at Parra3
is about 2,400, which is in excellent or
der. Capt. Washington.s company of
flying artillery, more than 100 strong, has
a battery of eight pieces, and is represen
ted to be one of the most efficient and
well appointed companies which belong
to the army. It probably is the best, as
it is the strongest. Whatever may be
the truth of the rumors afloat, it will be
seen that, with the junction of Wool's
division, which should be counted upon.
General Taylor, upon this emergency,
will probably be at the head of an army
of more than seven thousand, and we have
no fears of the result.
From South America.
Advices from Rio de Janeiro to the
16th November have been received at
New Y'ork, including accounts from
Montevideo to the 1st of November.
General Rivera and President Oribe
had set their forces in motion, and it was
expected that they would soon meet and
have a battle. Governor Rosas had pro
hibited communication with the revoked
province of Entre Rios, but the report of
the alliance of that province with Corri
entes still wanted confirmation.
A horrible shipwreck had taken place
on the coast of Brazil, near Bahia, of the
Swedish ship Brenza, by which some
thirty lives were lost, and a lanje amount
of property destroyed: many of the crew
were actually starved to death.
North Carolina.
We learn that the Resolution appropri
ating Ten Thousand Dollars for the
equipment of the North Carolina Regi
ment of Volunteerss now enrolling for the
Mexican war, which passed the Senate of
that State, (with a preamble declaring the
war to have been begun by the act of the
Executive of the United States,) has also
passed the House of Commons The
appropriation has heretofore been made.
We trust that the amount of this appro
priation, and of all like appropriations
by the State Governments, will in due
time be reimbursed to them by the Gea
eral Government.
A farmer once hired a Ycrmonter to
assist him in drawing logs. The Yankee,
when there was a log to lift, generally
coctrived to get the smallest rnd, fur
which the farmer chastised him, and told
him always to take the butt end. Dinner
came, and with it a sugar loaf Indian
pudding. Jonathan sliced off a generous
portion'of the largest par?, giving the. fir
mer a wink, exclaimed:
"dticays the butt tmf.
A beautiful buitrrjl), wa scrn in ?,cw
' ark, vjw Jersey, on the 2d iust.