t'cunstouni ASSES) IPtEnSEaIESJSIISIIi) - t! id mother lay! A -mil' her lips were wreathing— A smile of hope and love— As tlio' she still were breathing, j " Theft- 's light for us above jHisrcilaurouis. San Antonio, Texas* San Antonio is a city with a mayor, common council, and all officers necessary lor our peace and prosperity, It has a population of G.OOl), a •' mingled mass of good and ill together." It is a heteroge neous collection of nations, but principally tomposed of Mexican, American, German mid Frensh. This city is situated in a beautiful and fertile valley on the Natl An- , Itonio river, about five miles from its head. A number of springs coming from the ground in the same vicinity, unite and form a large and rapid stream of clear limestone water, which winds its course through the eastern part of the city. A little arroyo. from springs two miles above the town, passes through the west. From these streams ditches have been dug that carry water through all parts of the city : from them gardens are irrigated, and water taken for all purposes. Along the river are bathing houses, in which we can enjoy the refreshing bano, a great luxury ; ' in a pure, cool stream. 1 his old custom is rigidly adhered to among the Mexican j population ; also, their lazy after dinner siesta, helps them to pass ayvay the long warm day. V\ c have a pure dry air, a daily Gulf breeze, cool and pleasant nights, but a scorching sun through the day. This valley was settled by the Span iards in 1692, the same year that Phila delphia, Pa., was founded. It ranks | among the oldest settlements of our coun try. Cathedrals and missions are stand ing in our midst that are a century and a quarter old. Some of them are still in use, but many are marked by the gnawing , 44 tooth ot time," and their old grey walls stand as monuments of the last century, mementoes of generations that have no other mark of their existence. 'I hese missions are situated along the San Anto nio river, four or five miles apart. They were built by the Jesuits for the purpose of converting and civilizing the Indians. They are huge stone buildings, with carved | fronts, and decorated with statuary. Al though now in ruins, we can still get an idea of the taste with which they were built, regardless of expense and labor, i But their founders have long since passed away, and the races for which they were fouuded have been driven back, and their j places resumed by that curious American j people. It is actually here that restless, enterprising, money-making race are seen in all their characteristic go-aheaditiveness —here, where once the Jesuit quietly preached to the savage, the din and bustle of a little town gives note that industry and enterprise have prevailed in places ( ! that once knew nought but the wild abo rigines. When the Jesuit lust planted his foot here, the American naiton had no ex j istence. Then it was tfie easy, quiet ! working priest, striving to extend the do minions of his Order. Now it is the bustling cry, "Hurra! Go ahead! Our watchword is Progression !" Before the i onward march of the Anglo Saxon, the Jesuit gives up his sacred altars, and the red man forsakes his hunting ground ; nothing impedes its progress. That people that were once a mere handful on the hanks of i the Elbe, appear to have been selected by ! God to civilize the world. Here, at the same time that the old monasteries of the past ages are crumbling to dust, the pres : ent is rearing " palaces of justice" anu temples of the Most High. There is no place in the I'nited Stales that has passed through as many adversi ties as lias the city of San Antonio, and for as long a time as it has been a place of i war and bloodshed. It has been taken and retaken by ihe Spanish, Mexican, In | dian and American, in all ninety times. Eleven times between the Americans and Mexicans. It is a sacred place in the re collection of the young Republic—here some of her youngest supporters fell. The old Texan with pride will point out i the sacred spots, and with feeling, yes, with tears, relate the incidents connected with them, lie shows you the Alamo where their bravest and greatest men died —where thev were slaughtered like beasts. There scenes transpired that made the rough, stern, hardened Texas backwoods man lay down his rifle and for a moment forget the perils of his country, and sit down to weep over the cruel death of Travis and his companions. Here died the eccentric Davy Crocket, whose name, in my youth, was a household word; Bowie, whose knives are notorious, was wickedly butchered on a sick bed. In the Alamo 180 men were garrisoned. They were overpowered bv Santa Anna, with 5000 Mexicans, and all kiiled except Crocket's servant and a woman. These men were martyrs, they breathed out their lives for the cause of liberty. Contem plating these things, the firm republican again grasped his rille with renewed vigor, and swore revenge—that he would he free —that no rare of beings with so little hu manity should rule over him. With a united effort they did burst asunder ihe bands, threw off the Mexican yoke, and freedom was the result. The little band of revolutionists succeeded ; it became in dependent. and now serure under the pro ! tection of the mother Republic, its fuund : ers are reaping an abundant reward. San Antonio is certainly a great place. It is the New Orleans of Texas. The central point of Western trade. The head quarters of the Bth department of the I . S. Army. Also the head quarters of all the high handed villainy, of tiie gambling, robbing and horse thieving part of the community. But it is improving in this respect, the fathers of tiie eitv are passing wholesome ordinances, checking vice, and breaking up the Pandemoniums of wick edness ; many sporting gentlemen have cu-sed the place for becoming too civilized and left with disgust, and respectable and substantial citizens from the old States are taking their places. For two months past the District Court has been in session; it sent seven representatives from this county to the State penitentiary, at Huntsville. It also ground through a great quantity of old knotty land trials. Laws are now be coming as strictly enforced in this wild country as in the older States. With a mild and healthy climate, a fertile soil, with an intelligent and law abiding people, this region holds out many inducements to those seeking a new country. The citizens are pulling down the old Mexican prison house and jurats, and in their places putting up large and tasty houses for permanent homes and conven i ient stores. Our Mexican population are composed of all classes from the Castillian I down to the pion and ranchero ; they are generally a passive sort of creatures in comparison to the Americans. Some of them are men of wealth and live independ ent; otiicrs are grand rascals and live as they can. But the leading men in cvrv department of business, lawful or unlawful, i are the real old yankees themselves.— True Delta. The Wonder Working Hand of Hungary. On the -ith of July, Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria, inspected the ' won der-working' hand of St. Stephens, which is in the chapel of the castle of Buda. A singular story is connected with this relic... In 1081, that is 200 years after the dif ferent Hungarian races had been united under one ruler (the Duke Arpad,) Pope Gregory canonizad the first king, Stephen, and his remains were to be removed from ! the vaults of the Cathedral of Suihlweis senburg. When the stone coffin was opened, in presence of the then reigning king, Ladislaus, it was discovered that the skeleton had no right hand. A terrible noise was made about the missing mem ber, and a very valuable ring which was on one of its fingers, but no tidings were heard of either of them until some years after, when a certain Abbot Mercuries, who had formerly been treasurer at the cathedral, communicated to the Monarch a 1 FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST , 18*7*2. romantic story of somethiug having been committed to his safe keeping by a beauti ful youth ' dressed all in white ;' further, that on examining what it was, he found it to be the hand of the saint, ring and all being in perfect order, that is, well pre served. The worthy historian, Fessler, himself an ecclesiastic, says, ' Ladislaus ! saw through Mercurius, but left God to deal with him.' At the time of the Re formation, the Relic was taken by the Doniiniceans to Regusa, and in 1771, the Empress Maria Theresa had it deposited with vast ceremony on the spot where her descendant has recently seen it. The Surrender of Cornwall!*. ; BY LIEUT. CHUB. Many years ago it y.asa custom in the State of Maine, in most of the towns to celebrate the memorable event of ihe sur . rendei of Cornvvallis, by going through a mock performance representing that im portant tact in our country's history, ihe little town of Waterford, situated upon the bauks of the broad and majestic 'Crooked River,' resolved not to be be hind in so great an afl'air. Accordingly a meeting was called to the old town-house on the hill, to make the necessary arrange ments. Deacon Moses Jones, as lie was called, was chosen to enact the character of Washington, and 'Squire' Bijer Wood ihe character of Cornvvallis. The under officers, soldiers, On. and while at the city of Wash ington his furlough was extended to the year 18(19. and he was thus absent from his com? mand one pay-day or muster. Perhaps the in en that were not paid were on detached service themselves, as it was quite common at that time to send soldiers with boats a long voyage for military stores. It was nothing uncommon therefore that a part of a company would be absent on a pay-day. 1 know of many circumstances of the kind, and was with fine hundred and twenty men absent from a muster and pay-day, 100 miles front my regiment, which we joined only one day after pay-day and did not draw pay for six months, so that the one hundred and twenty soldiers and officers might have preferred charges against the paymaster for withhold ing their pay as the Lieutenant did Captain • Scott in the year 1809. Captain Scott was acquitted on the Lieutenant's charge, but was convicted on a charge of insubordination to wards a commanding officer, but restored to duty shortly after, 1 have known soldiers to be nineteen months without pay. They were not with their regi ments and could not be mustered. At the court martial for the trial of Capt. Scott in 1809, but two soldiers appeared as witnesses against him, so I presume that they were all j that had pay due them. One of them had sold his pay for two dollars and fifty cents. It w:ys quite common at that time for a sol dier to sell a month's pay for two dollars : in some instances fiftv cents had bought a month's pay, So that if Captain Scott held back the pay of a few men. it was for a good purpose, as the court martial decided that the money was not kept back with the intention of de frauding his men. - Politicians will put a dif ferent construction on things for political pur poses, but it is hardly worth their while to go back as far as the reign of the Ceesars to hunt up charges against General Scott. Mr. Editor, J would ask what officer has done more for the discipline and perfection of the American army than Gen. Scott ? I make no remarks on other officers, but would mere ly ask what military tactics have governed our army for many vears back but those of Gen. Winfiekl Scott? In my humble opin ion, the American army would not have come off with such glory and honor in Mexico had it not been for the practical discipline taught to the army long since trom Gen. Scott s mil itary works, published during the war of ! 1812, or shortly after, and his late military tactics that cannot be surpassed by any offi cer of the present day. As it is an old military phrase, 44 honor to whom honor is due," let us ever remember the battle of Queenstown anil the capture of Fort George, when Lieut. Col. Scott and 1 Lieut. Col. McFeely landed the advanced col umn under a heavy fire from the British, and captured that fort before the second column, ; under the e>-e of Gen. Dearborn, could make a landing. Remember tl capture of Fort Eie, the battle of Chippewa, where, to the immortal honor of our arms. 1200 Ameri cans, many of them raw recruits, under the guidance of the intrepid Seoit. and gal'ant Leavenworth, McNeil, Jessup and Towson, defeated, in a fair field fight, 1700 British ; troops, consisting of the Royal Scots, the New Series—Vol. 6—No. 42. Prince Regent's and the King's Own, led on and encouraged by the heroic example of Hen. Iliall, who, the British say. was "an ar my himself." Remember, also, the battle of Lundy's Lane, or the battle of the Cataract, : leaving our Indian wars out of the question. J Then take a view of Vera Cruz, the march to j Cerro Gordo, its capture and the succession of brilliant victories achieved by our troops un der Gen. A\ infield Scott. And how the Gen eral done up the matter at the city of Mcxi ; co we all know. And alter all this we find Gen. Scott charged with cowardice, in a patter styled the t Pennsylranian, and accused of withholding : two months pay from Lis company so far back as 1809, when Gen. Seott was a mere ; boy, and when, I might safely sav, scarcely an editor now in the State of Pennsylvania was in his mother's womb. I know the writ er was nut, and that he would rather rat until i he would burst than fyht a battle for his coun try at any time .' Is not such a villification of the character of a veteran soldier disgraceful. AN* OLD SOLDIER. Carlisle, July, 18."j2. Speech of Hon. A. Stewart. At a largo and enthusiastic Whig rarifiea ti ■ meeting held at I niontown, Pennsylva nia on the 2-3 th ultimo, the Hon. Andrew Stewart has ing been called upon to address the assemblage, made a few remarks, which , we find reported in the Democrat, in the course referring to the Whig and Democratic candidates for the Presidency, he said: " lie knew both candidates well. In his opinion the Whigs had the strongest candi date and the Democrats the weakest they ever had. Mr. Pierce was an excellent and j gmiable little man—too amiable for the great I office to which he had aspired; he had not the nerve, he feared, to sustain its high rcspon sibilites—the firmness to say ' X'o, sir,' to the courteous and wily office seekers who would surround him. Scott had filled many of fices of the highest responsibility, civil and military, be had never failed in any —he was always successful; and success, after all, was the best test of ability. He knew him inti mately : and, in his opinion, a better, a bra ver. a more patriotic heart, God never put into the bosom of man. [lmmense cheering. 1 He was no crafty politician—he was too frank and honest for that; he knew nothing of the tricks of th<- trade, anu was too honest to practice them if he did. " The Whigs have had many glorious can didates, but Si-uit was the " noblest Roman of them all." He was the Hero of more wars and of more battles than any of them ? lie had done, what no other candidate for tho Presidency, Whig or Democrat, had overdone, not excepting the immortal Washington him self—he had sealed his victories with his blood. [Long and loud cheers.] The people owe him a debt of gratitude; and, like hon est men, they will pay it at the polls. There are thousands of Democrats who will vote, for General Seott—[Voices : ' Yes, and I am one of them:' 'And I am another,' —and why? Because you know him, and perhaps, served under him : you have shared his dangers and his glories. In battle he was at your head, and in sickuess at your bedside : always and everywhere you found him a father and a friend ; he never deserted you. and you never can desert him ; 1m al wavs led von to victory, and he will do it again. " Xo true soldier would desert his General; if any do. let tliem go, you are better without them. [A voice: 'That's true.'] That's the voice of an Irishman. General Scott was right when he said of the thousands of Irish men he had commanded, he ' never knew one to turn his hack on his friends or his enemies and no true Irishman would ever turn itis hack on General Scott." Scott's Foreign Policy. It is an honorable fact that our best Gen erals—such as Washington, Jackson, Har rison and Taylor—most dreaded, and took most pains to avoid, as far as possible, all bloodshed. Gen. Scott's view have been long on record, written by him for an Album, as follows : " PEACE AND WAR. —If war BE the natural state of Savage tribes, peace is the first want of even* civilized community. War no doubt is, under any circumstances, a great calamity : vet submission to outrage would often be a greater calamity. Ot the two parties to any war, one, at least, must be in the wrong—not unijrequently both. An er ror in such an issue is, on the part of chief magistrates, ministers of State, and legis lators having a voice in the question, a crime of the greatest magnitude. The slaying of an individual by an individual is, in com parative guilt, but a drop of blood. Hence the highest moral obligation to treat national i cffferences with temper, justice, and fairness; ' always to see that the cause of war is not only just but sufficient ; to be sure that we do not covet our neighbors' lands, ' nor any j thing that is histhat we arc as ready to ! give as to demand explanation, apology, in j demnitv, in short we should especially re member, ' all things whatsoever ye would i that men should do to you, do you even so |to them.' This divine precept is of universal | obligation ; it is as applicable to rulers, in ; their transactions with other nations, as to ; private individuals in their daily intercourse with each other. Power is intrusted-by ' the Author of peace and lover of concord,' to do good and to avoid evil. Such, clearly, is the revealed will of God. WI.VFELD SCOTT." . " Washington, April 25, 1844. ' ONE OK SCOTT'S OLD SOLDIERS.—A gentle man who belonged to General (then Captain) Scott's Company in 1808, was in our office on yesterday. He went with Scott to Louisiana, and denies most peremptorily that any of his pay was kept back, lie is a good democrat, but says he will vote for Gen. Scott, "as sure ly as he lives to see the election day."—i'c . lersburj Inklligtncer.