in
wism
IF NOT rID WITHIN THE YEA.
$i go wii.i. be CHAKCiED.
TVTO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.?
AtJD FARHERS' AMD MEGHAtilCS' REGISTER.
HALF-YEAKLi in ADVArsut;. 3
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY JONATHAN ROW, SOMERSET, SOMERSET COUNTY, PA.
New Series.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1347,
Vol. S.No. 13-
sr?,mn
It
THE SOMERSET HERALD.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1847.
THE TEEMING WEST.
We received a lew days since, a letter
from a friend in Adams county, 111., in
which the writer describes that part of the
"West as being beautiful and fertile in the
extreme. On an area of three and a half
miles square, he says, there was raised General Taylor, because we could not
the last season, about 30,000 bushels of conceiTe any motives, even of party poli
wheat and a like quantity of corn, besides CV( for sucn hostility against a citizen who
heavy crops of oats and grass. One far- nas unquestionably rendered distinguish
racr alone had 2,000 bushels of wheat, ej service to his country, and entrenched
and another had 1,600 bushels. All this himself thereby safely in the public es
is the product of prairie land, just brought teem. But it cannot be doubted, consid
under cultivation. ering the recency of the fact of the publi-
Quincy, the seat of justice for Adams cation of the Letter of Gen. Taylor, that
county, is on the east bank of the Missis- J tne "General Order" published in our
aippi, on a bluff, 150 miles above St. Lou-! ! columns to-day has direct reference to
is, and 40 below the Mississippi Rapids. tnat 0fflCer.
The town is handsomely built, with a ijow many hundreds of unofficial Let
large public square in the centre, inclosed, ters from officers of the Army, of every
and planted with trees. An extensive bu- j j to lhat of Gen Tatlor have
, . .i - i . r
siness is camea on at mis piace, as may ,
be inferred from the fact, mentioned by
our correspondent, that .at one flouring
mill alone, there were manufactured in 4
months, commencing last Augus, 14,000
barrels of flour, and that not unfrequently
from 4,000 to 6,000 bushels of wheat are
sold at the several mills and trading hou
ses in and near the town in a single day.
Truly, the West is a great country.
UNITED STATES STOCK IN" THE
CUES. & OHIO CANAL.
The following we copy from the Cum
berland Civilian of the 26th ulL
On Thursday last, in the House of Re
presentatives, the Hon. Andrew Stewart
of Pa., gave notice that at an early day
he would ask leave to introduce a bill for
the conditional transfer of the stock held
by the United "States in the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Company on terms to se
cure the early completion of that work
to Cumberland.
We trust that this important measure
will receive the approbation of Congress,
and speedily become a law. Mr. Stewart
deserves, and will receive, the thanks of
the friends of the Canal, for this evidence
of interest in the success of that noble
improvement.
IOWA SENATORS.
. The St. Louis Republican of the 16th
ultimo says:
The Legislature of Iowa failed to meet
in joint session on the 5th instant, to elect
Senators in Congress. The election stood
adjourned to that day, but the Locofoco
members of the Senate, fearing the result,
refused to meet the House in joint ses
sion, and it is now probable that no elec
tion will take place at the present session.
If this should be the result, then the State
will be without Senators for two years to
come, because the next session of the Le
gislature will not be held until November,
184S, and the Governor cannot make tem
porary appointments, as, the office never
having been filled, no vacancies can be
said to have taken place.
ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.
The Sangamo Journal says, the Canal
report has not yet been made, but that,
since the re-commencement of the work,
SG04,000 have been expended upon it,
and that the estimate for its completion is
a trifle more than $707,000. The bond
holders will, therefore, be able to finish
the work for about $1,300,000, which is
less by about $300,000 than the original
estimate. It is believed that the work will
be completed by next September.
THE CENTRAL RAILROAD.
A few nights sincp, says the Philadel
phia Inquirer, a committee of gentlemen
volunteered to obtain subscriptions of 1500
shares of stock to the Central Railroad,
that number being still necessary to se
cure the charter. The committee report
ed on Saturday night, and announced
with no little satisfaction, that they had
obtained subscriptions to 2,227 shares.
The result is indeed most creditable, and
while we thank the committee on behalf
of our citizens, we also venture to con
gratulate the community at large. This
great work may now be regarded as fairly
commenced.
The Legislature will, no doubt, now
afford every facility to this company to
enable them to prosecute this great Penn
iylvania work, and insure its completion
i the eiriiev practicable day, by the
prompt passage of such additional laws, or
amendments to the original act, as may
be required. Har. Int.
THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
ARMY.
We are among those who hare been
slow to believe, though it has been fre
quently charged, that animosity was cher-
ished b lhe Administration towards
. nublished all over the country with-
in the last year, without calling forth any
rebuke from the Executive! So far from
it, have not many of such letters been
published, without a lisp, of disapproba
tion, in the newspaper in this city which
is the recognised organ of the Govern
ment; published not only without any
expression of dissatisfaction, but, on the
contrary, with high commendations? As
late as in that paper of yesterday morn
ing we find precisely such a Letter from
"an officer of Gen. Wool's command."
We do not say that the Regulation which
has been thus waked up from a sleep of
more than twenty years which had been
in fact disused so long as to become obso
lete may not be in itself, as a general
rule, a proper one. But we do say that
it has not been heretofore considered as
an order to be strictly observed; in proof
of which many instances can be remem
bered, in which it has not been regarded,
nor has the departure from it been visited
with any reproof, much less with such a
public rebuke as that convejred in the re
vival and republication, obviously with
that intent, of the Regulation of 1825.
The effect, besides, of the promul
gation of the order at the present particu
lar moment, is that of ex post facto le
gislation; a proceeding directly against the
spirit of liberty, and so recognised by the
organic law of the Republic. Nat. Int.
ARMY GENERAL ORDER.
Gexeral Ordebs
T War DtriirrxEST,
' C Aij. Gf.xeral's Office,
J Washington, Jan. 28,1347
No. 3.
The following Regulation has been re
ceived from the War Department:
War Department, Washing
. ton, January 28, 1847.
The President of the United States di
rects that paragraph 630 of the General
Regulations for the Army, established on
the 1st of March, 1825, and not included
among those published January 25, 1841,
be now republished, and that its obser
vance as a part of the General Regula
tions be strictly enjoined upon the Army.
By order of the President,
W. L. MARCY,
Secretary of War.
. The following is the paragraph of the
General Regulations for the Army estab
lished on the 1st of March, 1825, refer
red to above:
"650. Private letters or reports rela
tive to military marches and operations
are frequently mischievous in design, and
always disgraceful to the army. They
are therefore strictly forbidden; and any
officer found guilty of making such re
port for publication, without special per
mission, oi of placing the writing beyond
his control, so that it finds its way to the
press within one month after the termina
tion of the campaign to which it relates,
shall be dismissed from the service."
By order: W. G. FREEMAN,
Assistant Adjutant General.
FIRES IN OHIO.
On the night of the 23d ulL, twelve or
fitteen houses were destroyed by fire at
Chilicothe. They were mostly small
frames, occupied as stores and mechanic
shops, and composed the block known as
Hollow's Row, which had been standing
for many years.
At Ripley, Ohio, on the 21st ulL, a fire
broke out in the iron foundry of Beatty &
iiurt, wmeh was destroyed, together with
the mercantile house of McMiller & Rey
nolds and other buildings
VESSELS FOR EUROPE.
Vessels for Europe were never in
greater demand in Philadelphia than
at this time. Freights have advanced
enormously since the arrival of the stea-
ncr.
NO MORE!
Flow on, sad stream, unto the se3.
Thou flowest on as ever;
But the heart most dear, no more is here.
Forever and forever. . - ;
No more ! I hear it in the pines,
Through which the night winds roar.
These stars will shine in eyes of thine
No more, O, never more.
Sigh on! sad autumn wind sigh on! .
She lies m the grass beneath,- 1 r
I make my moan by her grave alone,
For the violets have here breath,.
O, lonely night! O, wandering moon!
Hast thou no word for me?
O, love and sorrow! O, day and morrow!
Must ye forever be?
FROM MEXICO.
LETTER FROM GEN. TAYLOR.
We lay before our readers the follow
ing letter, which tells its own story too
well to need any commment. It is but
just, however, to its heroic writer, whose
courage and judgment are equalled only
by his honesty and modesty, to state lhat
it was written to a near friend and relative,
now resident in this citv, endeared to him
by very many years of personal intimacy,
to whom he unbosoms all his purposes,
opinions and feelings, without the least
reserve. This friend would not have
taken the liberty of making public a
communication of this nature did not the
recent manifestations of the envious ma
lignity of the Administration and its ser
vants and friends towards the man who
alone has saved them and their country
from the consequences of their rashness,
ignorance and incapacity, make it neces
sary and just that the object of their base
detraction should, at this critical moment
be heard in his own defence, by the
whole people, in his own simple and hon
est language. ,
We have more of this sort to commu
nicate, and shall soon be able to show
that, in his defence against his own secret
personal enemies and selfish detractors,
as well as against the armed enemies, of
his country, the old hero of the Rio
Grande is ever "Roccm and Ready." -New
York Express.
Hd. Qrs. Army or Occcfatios, or IsO
tasiox, Monterej, Mexico, Nov. 9. '46.$
My dear
Your very kind and acceptable letter
of the 31st of August, 3 reach
ed me only a short time since, for which
I beg leave to tender to you my sincere
thanks. A few confidential remarks on
certain public transactions are here omit
ted. After considerable apparent delay on
the part of the Qr. Master's Department,
in getting steamboats into the Rio Grande
adapted to its navigation, I succeeded to
wards the latter part of August, in throw
ing forward to Camargo, (a town situated
on the San Juan river, three miles from
its junction with the Rio Grande, on the
west side, nearly 500 miles from Brazos
from this place,) a considerable depot of
-.i ' . ,,i r..-
piuvisiuus, uiuiiaiitc, dinuiiiiiwu auu iui-
age, and then, having brought together an
important portion of my command. I de
termined on moving on this place. Ac
cordingly, after collecting 1700 pack
mules, with their attendants and conduc
tors, in the enemy's country, (the princi
pal means of transportation for our pro
visions, baggage, &c.,) I left on the 5th
of September, to join my advance, which
had preceded mo a few days to Serralvo,
! a small village 75 miles on the route,
1 which I did on the 9th, and, after waiting
j there a few days for some of the corps to
j get up, moved on and reached here on
J the 19ih, with 6250 men, 2700 regulars,
j the balance volunteers. For what look
; place afterwards, I must refer you to my
several reporU particularly to my detailed
one of the 9ih ult. I do not believe, the
authorities at Washington are at all satis
fied with my conduct in regard to the
terms of the capitulation entered into
with the Msxican commander, which
you no doubt have seen, as they have
been made public through the official or
gan, and copied into various other news
papers. I have this moment received an
answer to my despatch announcing the
surrender of Monterey, (and the ciicu in
stances attending the same,) from the
Secretary ol War, stating that "it was re-
grelted by the President that it was not
deemed advisable to insist on the terms I
had proposed in my first communication
to the Mexican commander, in regard tc
' giving up the city," adding that "the cir
cumstances which dictated, no doubl jus-
tified the change. . Although the terms
of capitulation may be considered too lib-
eral on our part by the President and his
advisers, as well as by many others at a
distance, particularly by those who do
not understand the position which we oc
cupied, (otherwise they might come to a
different conclusion in reirard to the mat
ter,) yet, on due reflection, I see nothing ;
to induce me to regret the course 1 pur- I
gygj
- The proposition on part of Gen. Am- !
pudia, which had much to do in deter-
mining mv nrwo in thp matter, was ba-
,1,. . i mv,mmont '
vf-rnment ;
h, nnncA tn hie t cpkIp thfi existing ;
difficulties by negotiation, (which I knew
was
ti.a oc .-'.tii.it, i-r.rt-;nT ihp rp-
suit.) which was then under considera- j
tion bv the nroner authorities, and which !
he TCen Ampudia"! had no doubt would j
result favorably, as the whole of his peo
ple were in favor of peace. If so, I con
sidered the further effusion of blood not
only unnecessary, but improper. Their
force was also considerably larger than
ours: and from the size and position of
the place, we could not completely invest
it; so that the greater portion of their
troops, if not the whole, had they been
disposed to do so, could, any night, have
abandoned the city, at once entered the
mountain .passes, and effected their re
treat, do what we could! Had we been
put to the alternative of taking the place
by storm, (which there is no doubt we
should have succeeded in doing,) we
should in all probability, have lost fifty
or one hundred men in killed, besides the
wounded, which I wished to avoid, as
there appeared to be a prospect of peace,
even if a distant one. 1 also wished to
avoid the destruction of women and chil
dren, which must have been very great,
had the storming process been resorted to.
Besides, they had a very large and strong
fortification, a short distance from the
city, which, if carried with the bayonet,
must have been taken at a great sacrifice
of life; and, with our limited train of hea
vy or battering artillery, it would have re
quired twenty or twenty-five days to take
it by regular approaches.
That they should have surrendered a
place nearly as strong as Quebec, well
fortified under the direction of skilful en
gineers, their works garnished with forty-two
pieces of artillery, abundantly
supplied with ammunition garrisoned by
7000 regular and 2000 irregular troops,
in addition to some thousand citizens ca
pable of, (and no doubt actually) bearing
arms, and aiding in its defence, to an
opposing force of half their number, scan
tily supplied with provisions, and with a
light train of artillery is among the un
accountable occurrences of the times.
I am decidedly opposed to carrying the
war beyond Saltillo in this direction,
which place has been entirely abandoned
by the Mexican forces, all of whom have
been concentrated at San Luis Potosi; and
I shall lose no time in taking possession
of the former, as soon as the cessation
of hostilities referred to expires, which
I have notified the Mexican authorites
will be the case on the 13th insU, by di
rection of the President of the United
States.
If we are (in the language of Mr. Polk
and General Scott) under the necessity of
'conquering a peace," and that by taking
the capital of the country, we must go
to Vera Cruz, take that place, and then
march on the city ol Mexico. To do so
in any other direction. I consider out of
the question. But, admitting that we
conquer a peace by doing so, say, at
the end of the next twelve months will
the amount of blood and treasure, which
must be expended in doing so, be com-
I pensated by the same? I think not, es-
j Peci?uy 11
be given up.
it the country we subdue is to
1W .1 I A
given up, ana l imanne mere are oui
few individuals in our country who think
of annexing Mexico to the United Slates.
I do not intend to carry on my opera
tions (as previously stated) beyond Saltil
lo, deeming it next to impracticable to do
so. It then becomes a question as to
what is best to be done. It seems to me
that the most judicious course to be pur
sued on our part would be to take posses
sion at once of the line we would accept
by negotiation, extending from the Gulf
of Mexico to the Pacific, and occupy the
same, or keep what we already have pos
session of; and that, with Tampico,
(which I hope to take in the course of the
next month, or as soon as I can get the
means of transportation,) will give us all
on this side of the Siena Madre, and, as
soon as I occupy Saltillo, will include six
or seven States or Provinces, thus holding
Tampico, Victoria, Monterey, Saltillo,
Monclova, Chihuahua, (which I presume
General Wool has possession of by this
time,) Santa Fe anil the California, and
say to Mexico, "Drive us from the coun
try" throwing on her the responsibility
and expense of carrying on offensive war;
at the same time closely blockading all
her ports on the Pacific and the Gulf. A
course of this kind, if persevered in for &
short time, would soon bring her to her
proper senses, and compel her to sue for
peace, provided there is a Government in
the country sufficiently stable for us to
treat with, which I fear will hardly be
the case for many years to come. W ith
out larjre reinforcements of volunteers
I from the United States say ten or fifteen
I thousand, (those previously sent out ha
ving already been greatly reduced by
sickness and other casualties) I do not
believe it would be advisable o march be
yond Saltillo. which is more than two
hundred miles beyond our. depot? on the.
Rio Grande a very long line on which
to keep up supplies (over a land route, in
a country like this) lor a large force, and
certain to be attended with an expense
which will be frightful to contemplate
when closely looked into,
From Saltillo to San Luis PoUm, the
nexi pia.ee ui nuyurui
next Dlace of importance on the road to
the citv of Mexico is three
iree hundred miles;
. t i . i I
one hundred ana 'oriyj,amy aceu
where no suppi
procured for men or horses. Uavei.
formed the War Department that 20,000
efficient men would be necessary to en-
sure success if we move on that place, (a
city containing a population of G0,000,
where the enemy could bring together and
sustain, besides the citizens, an army of
50,000,) a force which, I apprehend, will
hardly be collected by us with the train
necessary to feed it, as well as to trans
port various other supplies, particularly
ordnance and munitions of war.
In regard to the armistice, which would
have expired by limitation in a few days,
we lost nothing by it, as we could not
move even now, had the enemy continued
to occupy Saltillo; for, strange to say, the
first wagon which has reached me since
the declaration of war was on the 2d in
stant, the same day on which I received
from Washington an acknowledgment of
my despatch announcing the taking of
Monterey; and then I received only one
hundred and thirty-five; so that 1 have
been, since May last, completely crip
pled, and am still so, for want of trans
portation. After raking and scraping the
country for miles around Camargo, col
lecting every pack-mule and other means
of transportation, I could bring here only
80,000 rations, (fifteen days supply,; j
with a moderate supply of ordnance, am
munition, &c, to do which all the corps
had to leave behind a portion of their
camp equippage necessary for their com
fort; and, in some instances among the
volunteers, their personal baggage. I
moved in such a way, and with such lim
ited means that, had I not succeeded, I
should no doubt have been severely repri
manded, if nothing worse. I did so to
sustain the Administration.
Of the two regiments of mounted men
from Tennessee and Kentucky, who left
their respective Stales to join me in June,
the latter has just reached Camargo; the
former had not got to Matamoras at the
latest dates from there. Admitting that
they will be as long in returning as in
getting here, (to say nothing of the time
necessary to recruit their horses,) and
were to be discharged in lime to reach
their homes, they could serve in Mexico
but a very short lime.
The foreiroinsr remarks are not made
with the view of finding fault with any
one, but to point out the difficulties with
which I have had to contend.
Monterey, the capital of New Leon, is
situated on the San Juan river, where it
comes out of the mountains the city
(which contains a population of about
twelve thousand) being in part surround
ed by them at the head of a large and
beautiful valley, The houses are of stone
in the Moorish style, with flat roofs, I
which, with their strongly enclosed yards
gardens in high stone walls, all looped for j
musketry, make them each a fortress
within itself. It is the most important
piace in Northern Mexico, (or on the
cast side of Sierra Madre,) commanding
the only pass or road for carnages from
this s-ide, between it and the Uull ol
Mexico, to the table-lands of the Sierra,
by or through which the city of Mexico
can be reached.
I much fear I shall have exhausted
your patience before you get half through
this lon and uninteresting letter, ll so.
you can only commit it to the flames, and
think no more about it, as 1 write in great
haste, besides being interrupted every five
minutes; so that you must make great al
lowances for blots, interlineations, and
blunders, as well as want of connexion in
many parts of the same.
Be so good as to present me most kind
ly to your excellent lady, and accept my
sincere wishes for your continued health,
prosperity, and fame.
I remain, truly and sincerely,
- your friend,
Z.TAYLOR.
NEXT PRESIDENCY.
On the 8th of January, the Democrats
in the Missouri Legislature held a mee
ting in the capitol at Jefforaon city, and
adopted resolutions recommending a na
tional convention, to be held in Baltimore
on the first Mondav in May 1818, to no
minate President and Vice President of
the United States. Hon, Thomas Hart
Benton was recommended bv the meeting
to the democracy of the nation, as a pro
per candidate for the next Presidency.
A Whig meeting in Missouri has nom
inated the Hon. John J. Crittenden for
President. Pa. Int.
The Monmouth Intelligencer announ
ces the death, at the resdence of his
daughter, at Point Pleasant, in that coun
ty, on Friday the 15th ultimo, of John
Chamberlain, in his 105th year. He was
a revolutionary pensioner, and raised ele
ven children, whose offspring amount to
175 -children, grand, Great, and graat
grand. "
FROM THE SEAT OF WAK.
CorraponJcntt of lhe A?w Orleans Delia.
Mat amor s, January 9, 1847.
General Scott returned here on tho
6th instant from Camargo. He told mo
that every thinj was quiet above, and no
probability of any hostile collision at pre
sent. He said for the next ten or fifteen
anvs he shorn
Id be at the Brazos Santiago,
.
ace. He was asked in my
hearing to what point he would go when
he should leave here; he replied to the
point circumstances should make it ne
cessary at the time. No one is author
ized to say on what point he will move,
or when he will go.
The various regiments in depot along
the river for months past are under orders
to march as soon as the new troops com
ing out shall arrive to relieve them.
Generals Taylor and Patterson are
marching on Victoria, and must soon be
there, if not already arrived. The engi
neers, with the picneers and their escort,
had at the last accounts nearlv reached
Victoria, on the route General Taylor is
marching, not having met the least oppo
sition. There is no positive information
from the column of General Patterson
since he left San Fernando. There is no
doubt of his advancing in safety.
It will be gratifying to the friends of
General Scott to learn that he is very
well received by the iroops. His com
manding and military appearance, com
bined with the suavity of his manners,
has dispelled the prejudices and opinions
of many who had never seen him. Gen.
Taylor that sturdy old soldier is much
gratified to learn of the arrival of the
General-in-chicf of our armies. He has
fame enough to prevent any fears of a ri
val, and is gallant and generous enough to
be willing to share opportunities for dis
tinction with a brother officer as brave
and as generous as himself. There will
be no rivalry between Generals Scott
and Taylor but upon one point, and that
will be, who can best serve the country.
My information from Saltillo is to iht?
29th ultimo, and from Monterey two days
later. A correspondent, speaking of the
message of the President of Mexico,
says "it breathes war, but with becoming
diffidence." The best-informed inhabi
tants at Saltillo and Monterey are of opin
ion the Congress will accept the proposi
tion of our President to appoint ministers
to negotiate, and say they are for a peace.
Here the message excites no sensation, so
far as can be yet seen.
General Butler commands at Saltillo,
and Was the brigades of Wool, Worth,
and Lane, besides the artillery and dra
goon corps in that neighborhood. There
i3 no apprehension of any attack. The
main body of the Mexican army was still
at San Luis. General Marshall has the
chief military command about Monterey,
whilst Colonel Garland continues to go
vern the city.
General Taylor, it is said, arrived at
Linares on the 30th ultimo. If so, he
has reached Victoria before this time.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT.
PLAN OF OPERATIONS AGAINST
MEXICO.
The editor of the Spanish paper in
New Orleans, who was recently appoint
ed one of Gen. Scott's aids, but whose
commission was subsequently revoked,
gives the subjoined as the new plan of
operations against Mexico, under Gen.
Scott, and we notice that letters from
Washington state that it may be relied on
as correct:
Gen. Taylor, instead of moving upon
San Luis Potosi, will repair to Saltillo,
where hs will remain for a short period. ,
Gen. Scott, after having made some ar
rangements on the Rio Grande, will has
ten to Tampico, where he will assume the
command of 7,000 volunteers recently
called out and ordered to assemble at that
point. From Tampico Gen. Scott will
march towards Vera Cruz, and Gen.
Taylor will make a simultaneous move
ment towards Tampico with all the troops
I e can muster, after leaving suffi-i vnt force
to garrison Saltillo, Monterey, Victoria,
kc. and in union with Gen. Wnr h's di
vision, will join Gen. Scott, who will
have at his command the new military
arm of rocketeers and howirzeers.
At the proper moment, fifteen or six
teen vessels of the American Squadron,
with a force of from 230 to 300 guns of
all size? and calibres," will appear off San
Juan d'Ulloa, and begin the attack upon
the castle. According lo the new pbn of
operations, the land forces will rendevous
at the mouth of the river Antigua which
empties into th? Gulf a short distance to
the North of Vera Cruz and ascend the
same to where the main road to Jalap-i
crosses it. If this pbm be speedily put
into execution, there can ba no doubt but
that Vera Cruz and the cas le will a
speedily fall into the power of the Aruri
c.m forces; but if any faith be put in S.-n-la
Anna's declarations, it is plain, he vrill
be able to cut off the advjncc of General
Taylor from Snltillo.
The suit of Mrs. Gen. G .inesin which
she obtained a verdict of 317,000 000
in the district of Louisiana, i hori!y to
come before- the Sprcnu Court
Units .1 Siat-, vn va ;