JJ3FFERS0NIAN REPUBLICAN
Thursday, April 22, 1847.
Terms, $2,00 in advancer $2,25 half yearly; and $2,50 if not
paid before Ihe end of 'the vear.
Democratic Whig Nominations.
FOR GOVERNOR.
" JAMES IRVIN,
. OF CENTRE COUXTV.
FOR CANAL COMMISSIONER,
t JOSEPH W. PATTON,
OF CUMBERLAND COUNTV.
Wanted at this Office,
An apprentice to the. Printing business. A lad
of about 15 or lGj'ears of ago, having a rea
sonable English Education, and of good char
acter and industrious habits, will find a situa
tion by making early application.
Gov. Slmnk has signed the death warrant for
the execution of James Briggs, convicted of mur
der in Schuylkill county. His execution will
take place on the 13th of August next, between
10 and 3 o'clock. "
Gen. Irvin in the West.
Extract of a letter from the Hon. Thomas
M. T. McKennan, of Washington, Pa., to a
friend in Reading:
" I am pleased with the nomination of Gen.
Irvin, who will rcceivo the cordial support of
the Whig party in the West. I know him well,
lie is a man of strong good sense and incor
ruptible integrity if wo can succeed in elect
ing him and I believe we can, he will be an
honor to the Whig party and to the State.'
WHIG TRIUMPHS.
At the election in the City of New York on
Tuesday of last week, the Whigs elected their
candidate for Mayor, and a majority of both
branches of the Common Council, by consider
able majorities. The following is the vole for
MSyor :
4For Brady, Whig, 21,730
Brownell, Locofoco, .20,259
Majority for Brady, 1,471
The Locos succeeded in carrying the Alms
House Commissioner. A letter writer says
' the. Locos are completely astounded at the
result, and cannot realize thai their strong hold
has slipped from them. It has however gone
from them, and it will be the fault of the whigs,
if they gel il soon again."
In Brooklyn, Stryker, the Whig candidate
for Mayor, is elected by a large majority, car
rying all the wards but the 5th, which gave
350 for his opponent, and the 8th and 9th,
which gave small majorities against him. The
"Whigs have 13 of the 18 Aldermen, and the
Supervisors are all Whig.
The Election in Williamsburg .resulted in
the choice of the entire Whig Ticket in -the
First District by -an average majority of 150;
in the Second the Locofocos have a majority
of 56, and in the Third the Whigs have a ma
m ority of 70.
In Albany, the Whigs havo elected their
Mayor, by a majority of 2700. The Board of
AldeTmen, are nearly all Whigs. Verily New
York is following in the footsteps of Pennsyl
vania. Steubenville, Ohio, elected the whole Whig
ticket, except one councilman, by majorities
ranging from 15 to 61. This is an uncommon
result in thai heretofore Locofoco town.
These Whigs are, a terrible set of boys
while their Generals Are thrashing the Mexi
cans, wherever they can find them ihe rank
-and file al home are vanquishing Locofocoism
in every section of the country.
New Orleans, which has been almost hope
lessly Loco-Foco for some time past, was thor
oughly renovated at her Charter Election on
tne 5th inst. The total vote sums up Whig
5.627; Loco 4,372: WJiig majority 1,255.
!Each of the Three Municipalities is now Whig.
The vote was very large, and rausi have been
affected by local considerations.
NEWARK. N: J. The charter election
took place on the 12th inst., and resulted gen
erally in the choice of the regularly nominated
Whig ticket. The only opposition was in the
shape of Union tickets, rising out of local ques
tions, irrespective of general politics. Beach
Yandprpool was re-elected Mayor, and eleven
Whig Aldermen ; last year there wero twelve.
AUGUSTA, Geo. Mr. Ford (Whig) was
on the 12th inst. re-elected Mayor of the city
of Augusta, in Georgia, by a majority of up
wards ofonc'hundred votes. As in New York,
he. was supported by some of the Democrats in
preferctfice to the nominee of their pwn party.
Indiana County. A large and enthusiastic
meeting of the friends of IRVIN and PATTON
was held at Indiana, on the 22d ult. The Ball
is rolling on 1 Lei Locofocoism stand from
under. n
Ejocofoco Testimony.
The following paragraph we copy from the
Brookville Jeffersonian, a locofoco paper:
"Gen. Irvin is, we admit, a strong man, and
one who possesses a good moral charcter and bu
siness habits -a man whom .we know .nothing
against and therefore will say nothing."
How honorably this is spoken, although true to
the very letter.
Mexican Whigs.
" Mexican Whigs," shout ihe Locofocos !
While such gallant Whigs as Taylor, Worth,
Wool, Gaines, May, Cochran, Clay, Crittenden,
Hardin, and scores of other equally brave Whigs
have been acquiring imperishable honors on the
bloody fields of Mexicp, and sacrificing their lives
upon the altar of their country, James K. Polk,
the Locofoco President of the United States was
engaged in a dark and disgraceful intrigue with
Santa Anna; and by means of a private pass restored
lhat blood-thirsty villain to Mexico to stir up the
Mexican troops and lead them lo baltle against
our liule Army. While the gallant Whig Gener
al TAYLOR, and the chivalrous Whig soldiers
under his command, have won unfading laurels by
their deeds of noble daring in defending the proud
symbol of our Union, James K. Polk, the Locofo
co President of the United States has been guilty
of conduct that will damn him to an immortality
of infamy. The name of tho HERO OF BUENA
VISTA will shine bright on the historic page, and
his memoiy be cherished in the hearts of a grate
ful people, long after " James K. Polk of Tennes
see" shall have gone
' Down to the vile dust from hence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored and unsung."
Harrisburg Intelligencer.
A naive confession is made by the Executive
organ (the "Union") of Saturday night last, in the
following brief paragraph :
" Should this be the case, then we may specu
late on peace, and the fact of Santa Anna being
permitted to slijy into Mexico will not prove the
great blunddr in diplomacy which the Federal par
ty have been so clamorous in charging upon the
administration."
Premising that, so far from an unreasonable
clamor having been raised about the President's
contriving Santa Anna's return to Mexico, never
was a high public functionary so tenderly dealt
with, so indulgently spared, as the president has
been in reference to this matter is it not plain
that the Administration and its Editor, who now
confess "the diplomacy' are ready, in the event of
a pacification with Mexico, to claim the entire
credit of it for that "diplomacy," in consequence J
of which the Army as well as the Navy, and all
the powers of this Government, have been made
instrumental in overthrowing the existing Govern
ment of Mexico for the purpose of placing Santa
Anna again at the head of the Mexican nation ?
Upon which we have, for ourselves, to remark, by
way of retort of the Executive organ's aspersions
upon this press, that, if it had afforded the thou
sandth part as much "aid and comfort" to the en
emy that our Administration has done by this most
extraordinary piece of diplomacy, followed up, as
it was, by the invasion of Mexico on the grounds
proclaimed in its own Manifesto to the People of
that country, we could not have mustered effron
tery enough to hold up our heads in the presence
of an abused people, whose blood and treasuie
have been lavishly poured out on the arid soil of
Mexico for the achievement f objects so unwor
thy of the national arms and the national charac
ter. National Intelligencer.
A Traitorous Remark.
Lasi Thursday, while the flag of the United
States was hanging in its place in this Borough,
the editor of a locofoco paper, in passing by,
called it " The Mexican Flag." This is per
fectly consistent with his course in general, as
well as being; consistent for an editor whose
paper supports the administration of a Presi
dent who holds private correspondence with a
foreign enemy ; and who gives thai enemy a
passport to reach his own country in safety,
with a staff of accomplished officers, to take the
command of a hostile army in opposition to the
brave Whigs, who are gallantly battling in their
country's service. This same unprincipled ed
itor calls those Whigs, and all others who sup
port the federal government, "federal Mexi
cans ;" and now, as if to consummate his infa
my, he raises that hand which has so often
written the scurrilous libel, points it at the
" star-spangled banner," and calls it " ihe Mex
ican flag." That flag is the prido of every true
American heart, and eternal shame should cov
er the " traitor knave" who dares to call it an .
i
opprobrious name. Bucks Co. Jntclligcncer.
Lieut. Crittenden says that when the Mexi
can balls were shot through the coat of old
" Rough and Ready,' he very quietly remarked
lhat he thought the government ought to give him
a new one !
Hoe & Co., New York, have invented and
put into successful .operation at the office of the
Philadelphia Ledger, a power press which
achieves the wonderful result of working 12,
000 bheets an hour.
The Union of the Purse and the
Sword Consummated.
The boldest stretch of Executive power has just
ben promulgated. The President has waited for
Congress to adjourn, and for the excitement of the
first flush of a brilliant triumph of our arms to
spread over the country, and has seized the favor
able moment for a new extension of his preroga
tive. He is not satisfied wih the amount of mon
ey which the representatives of the people by act
of Congress placed in his hands for war purposes,
but has taken a new mode in the history of our
country, if not of the world, to take within his ex
clusive control the entire revenues of the Repub
lic of Mexico. To this end he has issued his de
cree requiring the establishment of a tariff of du
ties for Mexico, and forbids ihe amount collected
to be placed in the Treasuty, but it is to be held
by him for war purposes in the War and Navy
Departments, lie says " the collection and dis
bursement of the duties will be made under the or
ders of the Secretary of War and the Secretary of
the Navy." And Mr. Walker, in his plan, pro
duced pursuant to the President's order, says that
the officers of the army and navy will "collect and
keep these moneys, and account for them, not to
the Treasurv, but to the Secretary of War or of
the Navy respectively." By his decree, then, he
has enacted a revenue system for an entire em
pire; he constitutes his military and naval officers
his collectors; he keeps the money "not in the
Treasury" of the the United States, but in his own
hands, and disburses it without any direction of
Congress or any appropriation act!
Congress, at its recent session, appropriated
over forty millions of dollars for the Mexican war,
and placed that amount at tho President's dispo
sal. The President now announces that by au
thority of his prerogative as commander-in-chief
of the army and navy by virtue of hi3 rights as
"conqueror" he intends to raise millions more,
as many as the entire revenues of Mexico will af
ford, and dispose of it as his uncontrolled will may
suggest. He will not place it in the Treasury;
for our constitution would prevent its being drawn
from thence except by authority of law. The
ninth article of the constitution provides that "no
mcney shall be drawn from the Treasury but in
conscqunce of appropriations by law ;" and, there
fore, in order that he may use it without the re
straint of law, he directs that these new revenues
shall not be placed in the Treasury, but shall be
disbursed by his own authority exercised over his
War Departments. He declares martial law over
all this portion of the money which our conquests
may gain for us I He constitutes his military
subordinates a new corps of subtreasurers, whose
only checks and bolts and bars are his will !
If such assumption of power is sustained, what
need have we of Congress to make appropriations;
and what control exists any where over the Pres
ident of our Republic? He needs no vote of Con
gress authorizing him to borrow money or to use
money. He helps himself to the whole revenue
of a nation, uses it as he sees fit, and snaps his
finger at the restraints of the laws regulating the
Treasury, and at all constitutional control over his
war measures or purposes.
There is no doubt of our right, as a belligerent
nation, to appropriate to our use whatever of an
enemy's property may, in the fortunes of war, be
captured. Vessels, whether national or private,
public stores, munitions of war, and treasure, are
all liable to be seized. But they become at once
part of the national property, and when condemned,
sold, and turned into cash, they, like every other
dollar of the people's money, should go into the
national Treasury, and be subjected to the laws
and restraints which have been enacted to protect
it from abuse. The President, by no assumption j
of prerogative, by no claim as conqueror, has the
right to control one dollar, or to expend one dol-1
lar, except according to a law which Congress
may have passed.
Neither is there any question that an invading
army may levy contributions for its immediate
subsistence upon the surrounding country. It is
a custom of barbarous origin, and but rarely re
sorted lo. But the right exists. This, however,
is a far different thing from the creation of a grand
system of revenue for a nation, and the collection
of its entire revenues by a digested system of
rules and by a corps of revenue officers. Reven
ues belong to the Treasury, and should there be
placed, so that the laws and the constitution may
control their use.
This new scheme of the President, however,
jumps at once over all restraint, either by any law
of Congress, or by the constitution. Il claims for
him, as " Conqueror," the right to decree a tariff.
It disdains to ask the aid of Congress, either to
establish it or to authorize tho President to do it.
Holding the sword, he proprvses to conquer a new
purse, to be filled by a tariff of 'his own imperial'
enactment, and io bo used as the prerogative of a
conqueror may direct I Springfield Republican.
Novel Fishing. In crossing the Three
Bridge Branch a few days since we were much
amused by the performance of a dog, apparent
ly of the water species, who was as eagerly in
tent on catching fish as the most enthusiastic
follower of old lzaak Walton could possibly be.
The stream was low and the dog stood in the
centre ; and, as the fish came down, as quick
as thought bis-nose was down and up came a
" sunny ," which he carried sobeily ashore,
much to the delight of two little nogro children
who wero anxiously watching his proceedings.
We had heard of this before, hut we acknowl
edge, lhat to witness it was new ib.tH.
Cenierville Times.
- From the Miners' Journal.
Gen. Irvin Tea and Coffee The Ta
riff of 1812.
As some of the Locofoco papers continue to
assert that Gen. Irvin, the democratic Whig
candidate for Governor, voted for laying a "duty
on Tea and Coffee, while in Congress, the Hon.
George N. Eckert, addressed a letter to the
Hon. Joseph R. Ingnrsoll, of Philadelphia, who
servedln Congress with Gen. Irvin al the pe
riod alluded to, propounding sere.-al queries
with regard to the course of Gen. Irvin, the an
swer to which, with the consent of the writer,
has been handed to us for publication. This
letter flatly contradicts the charge, and those
who reiterate it hereafter do it with a knowl
edge that they are uttering a base slander against
an honest citizen and a pure patriot :
Philadelphia, March 27, 1847.
Your favor of 24th March is received. If
Gen. Irrin stood in no other relation to the
country than that of a private man who had for
merly taken part in its counsels and served it
faithfully, there could be no hesitation on my
part in replying to your
r enquiries respecting
d Ins course of public
him. Having witnesse
conduct at a critical and interesting moment, it
has given me pleasure on many occasions to
hear testimony to his merit. He is now a can
didate for a place which will require in the dis
charge of its high duties, qualities of no ordina
ry character. He is therefore entitled to a
cheerful expression of opinion, as well as a
prompt statement of facts, concerning him.
You will not fail to recollect the concilium of
ihe country in the summer of 1812. A disas
trous course of policy had, especially during
the administration of Mr. Van iiuren, involved
the finances in embarrassment and confusion,
which threatened to be ruinous. Its revenue
altogether inadequate to the support of the Go
vernment was received from Commerce; and
internal prosperity was blighted by the prostra
tion of the manufacturing interest. The treas
ury was empty, and credit was lost. Loans
could not be negotiated al home or abroad. The
prospect was on every side gloomy. Bold, in
dependence, and wise legislation alone could
save the nation from permanent disgrace. Its
Bankruptcy was already achieved. It is not
necessary to trace minutely the difficult and re
sponsible steps that were taken. Much differ
ence of opinion existed on the part of the Whig
majority in Congress. Measures were at length
adopted, the wisdom ol which has been proved
by the results which almost immediately fol
lowed and, although in some degree marred by
recent executive and Legislative errors, have
not ceased to operate. In all that was done
General Irvin bore an active, intelligent, manly
and efficient part. His views, as the event has
proved, were just from the beginning. During
the whole course of proceeding, while some
times great uncertainty rested upon the issue,
he never doubted, hesitated or withheld his ef
forts. A familiar acquaintance with the inter
ests of his native state enabled him to bring a
large contribution of materials to the cause
which was eminently hers.- He labored faith
fully. Pennsylvania will deeply and lastingly
enjoy the benefit of his exertions. I do not
recollect that his judgment or action was differ
ent upon any of the incidental questions which
led to the final passage of the Tariff Bill, from
that of the bare majority by which it was a
dopted. When it was ascertained that no Bill could
pass which provided for a continuance of the
distribution of the proceeds of the public lands
among the States, much difficulty arose. The
effect of the proposed Tariff would necessarily
be to raise the duties above twenty per cent.
In that case, by a proviso in ihe distribution act
of 1841 the proceeds of land sales, must inure
to the general government, unless special leg
islation should dispense with the proviso. As
this special legislation appeared to be imprac
ticable by itself, il was thought by many if
equivalent revenue could be obtained by a duty
on tea and coffee, the revenue arising from pub
lic lands might possibly be permitted to remain
with the States. Gen. Irvin was not of this
opinion. Pie opposed a duty on tea and coffee,
and it was struck out hy a vote of 118 to 70.
The ayes and noes were taken on the 16th of
July, and the name of " James Irvin" is record
ed in the majority. The Tariff Bill was finally
passed without any fax on these articles, Gen.
Irvin voting of course for the Bill which made
them free.
It js scarcely necessary for me to say more
in reply to your enquiries. My intercourse
with Gen. Irvin in public life was uninterrupt
ed. I always regarded him as possessed of a
sound, strong, and discriminating intellect, an
amiable temper, and entire integrity of princi
ple and conduct. His course as a statesman
was wise and honorable. His deportment as a
aentleman was correct and uniformly courteous.
1 have always understood that he enjoys amongst
his neighbors arramiable reputation for benev
olence and liberality. His hand is said to be
open to the promptings of a kind and generous
spirit. Witti qualities such as he ia known to
nnssPs IhPi-fl ran lull- ,lKt n. t .1,
.y of the concerns of the government of Penn-
sylvania, so far as he may have the administra -
r,i i ...:..!,. i.,. .
uuii ui iiiviii. ii iinmii uc trrv uos-sioie to se -
loci a cniei magistrate m more Brilliant accom
plishments, but it would be difficult to find.one
of mnro solid and substantial merit, of greater
simplicity of manners, or vigor of understand
ing, than the individual who has been nomina
ted by iho late Convention at Harrisburg.
atft with great respect
Your obi. servant.
J. 11. INGEltSOLL.
Is it not biugulatly strange that such a charge
co;eJrom the supporters of Polk, whoite
r
- " -
Administration, not only recommended a tax on
Tea and Coffee, but used its whole power to
carry it through Congress at its late session
only failing through the determined opposition
of Mr. Wentworih, of Mi nois, (since denounced
by the party for his course,) and a few western
members who united with the Whigs, and vo
ted the projeel down. By making such a f3se
charge against Gen Irvin, do they not pro.
nounce their own condemnation ?
Vera Cruz.
The Picayune has the annexed account of
the" surrender of Vera Cruz, furnished by Mr.
Hale, one of its regular correspondents :
" This (the 29th of March) has been a proud
day for the American army. The garrisons of
Vera Cruz and of the much-lalked-of and dread
ed castle of San Juan d'Ulua have vacated their
quarters and retired' into the interior, and th
stars and stripes float gracefully where thi
morning was to be seen the green, white, and
red of the enemjv Tho spoi selected for the
ceremony of laying down arms was a plain, ex
tending back from the city walls, in the direr-
tjon Df Malibran. Our army was drawn up jn
,wo lme5, facing inward, and occupying a mi0
in extent, ben. Worth appeared on the field
in full uniform, to direct the arrangements anil
receive the conquered- troops. The mornin
was very clear and pleasant, and our annv was
in admirable condition, A detachment of tai
lors and marines added much to the effect. At
ten o'clock precisely the well-known sound
(heard under similar circumstances at Monte
rey) of bugle, fife, and drum, played as Mexi
cans only can play them, and as nobody else
ought to do it, was heard in the direction of ihe
great gate, and the Mexican army soon began to
appear, the column passing between our lines.
Women and children accompanied the tnmp,
bearing heavy burdens. Their army hal'ed be
tween our lines, stacked-their arms, laid down
their colors and equipments, and then marched
off, our troops (those detailed for the purpose
from Worth's division) marched Into the city at
the same time with colors flying and ihe band
playing national airs. Capt. Anderson's com
pany (3d Artillery) and Captain KendrickV (of
the 2d) entered the castle, and Lieutenant Van
Vliei's company (of the 3d Artillery) took pos
session of Fort Santiago, run up the American
flag, and fired a national salute. The effect of
our shells upon the city was now seen, and
proved to have been deplorable. Hardly a
house had escaped, and a large portion of i hem
were ruined. The shells had fallen through
jthe roofs and exploded inside, tearing every
thing into pieces, bursting through the parti
tions and blowing out the windows. The
killed and wounded among the soldiery wa
very slight, bui the citizens suffered severely.
It is said that between six and seven hundred
men, women, and children were killed and
wounded more than three hundred being killed
" There were one hundred and six pieces of
artillery in position around the city, and a
many more dismounted, many of the latter use
less. The enemy latd down about four thous
and stand of arms, and one thousand more wer
found in the city, saying nothing of the sword,
lances, and very large stores of shell, solid shot
and powder.
The great castle is garrisoned by the follow
ing companies: Capt. Anderson's, Capt. Tay
lor's, and Lieut. Van Vliet'.s, of the 3d Artille
ry, under the command of Col. Benton. It hat
one hundred and sixty guns mounted, several
of them 68-ponndera. It is a regular bastion
work, with a demi-lane and covered way on thy
sea side. t A vast quantity of ammunition w.n
found in the work.
" Santiago Fort, that spiteful little phce
which played so warmly upon our entrench
ments, is a beautiful work, with nine guns in
barbetle, most of them fine English pieces. In
fact most of their best ordnance is of English
manufacture, though they have some fine pieces
made in the United States.
" Gen. Scott ordered ten thousand rations to
be issued lo the suffering poor of Vera Cruz,
and il was an affecting scene to witness the
crowd of half famished creatures as they gath
ered limidly around to receive their respectire
shares. These rations will, as Mexicans usu
ally eat, last five thousand people al least four
days, but it is probable that not more than one
thousand will partake of the provisions. The
city and caalle were exhausted of provisi(Mtf.
vIt ts a characteristic of Mexicans that they nev
er lay in stores, but live from hand to uiottth.
Of the destruction of the city by the fbom
bardment Mr. Kendall writes as follows :
" Hardly a building south of the Plaza Grande
but is either burnt, torn in pieces, or much in
jured, and the streets are filled with rubbish and"
fragments. The National Palace, which is on
the Plaza and near the outer range of outim-'
tars, had five shells bursted within K wiBof
which killed a woman and two children lying
asleop in the kitchen. The Cathedral, on a
i -i ti i .....lii
uuuusue riub m inn iiazn wsi arv some
iajured, but the churches .south' of it, and near
er our mortars, suffered thsmoak 1. wtiie tin
i i j -
. : 1 .L:t L I ...... Ii.it
A lel,er " ""8e 1' must nave obci.
e?uS n duHn?, ,he botm," for !;c
, of shfel1 are 8,1 ar,0U
'our former consul. Mr. tlarcous. was. struct
I iiuino I ina nl Iho ehallo ihrnnn I 111
! . - . ... . t .u
roof, lodged at tho- faol of a bed which, a ge"
tleman had just left, and completely demolished
every thing in the room, and the furniture wa
of the most costly description. One of the in
mates describes the expjpstoaas tremendous"
trie house shook in all its parts as wtthaaeattu
quaiieana nis nrst impression was mat
thing in it had" been rented into, fragments.
Months, probably years, will elapse before
i . . t. .... v
found it," 1