pC her sisier Slates. The turnpike from Phila-
dclphia to Lancaster, was the first undertaken
in the Union, and was completed in 1794, at a
tost of $465,000. Subsequently, the whole
Mirfacc of the State was traversed by these
loads. Hut the day of turnpikes has passed
awayf and the famous Conestoga wagons, with
their noble six-horse teams, whoso bells sound--jed
along lite mountain defiles, and warned the
traveller of their approach, arc to be reckoned
among the wonders of Pennsylvania as it was.
The bridges of the State, have been account
ed one of itstfemarkable features. The Schuyl
kill " Permanent bridge," erected in 1798, at an
expense of $300,000, was the first great work
of this kind attempted in this country. Th
first Fair-Mount Bridge, with its span of 348 1-2
feel outrivalling the famous bridge of Shauff-
hausen, and the Wire bridge erected in 1817
at the Falls of Schuylkill which served to sug
gest the idea to European builders, were an
honor to Philadelphia. The bridges in the in
rcrior, by their number, and their substantial,
and even bold character, have Hone honor to the
State.
. For the introduction of Canals, as well as
turnpikes to the public atten'ion, the country is
indebted to Pennsylvania. Even William Penn
heeras to have meditated on the project, of con
necting the Susquehanna with the Schuylkill ;
:uid in 1762, David Rittcnhouse and Dr. Wil
liam Smith surveyed a canal route for the pur
pose. At an early day, these gentlemen had
in view the connecting of the Lakes and the
Ohio River with the Delaware, by a route of
nearly six hundred miles! The survey, under
the authority of the Legislature of Pennsylva
nia, was accomplished in 1769. In 1791 a
company was incorporated for connecting the
Schuylkill with the Delaware, via Norristown.
At the head of the latter was Robt. Morris, the
celebrated financier. These companies under
took the work, and proceeded far with it, when
having expended $140,000, they were embar
rassed, and suspended operations; a number of
the leading individuals having become bank
rupt in this Herculean effort. These begin
nings, however, resulted at length in the com
pletion of the Union Canal. The first tunnels
- excavated in the Union, were in Pennsylvania.
The first survey for the Chesapeake and Dela
ware Canal was made in 1769, by order of the
American Philosophical Society ; and as early
as 1804, $100,000 were expended in the exe-
;cuiion of the work.
..When the period of Railroads arrived, Penn
sylvania was again the pioneer. The Railroad
. at Mauch Chunk, constructed with Philadel
phia Capital, was the first in the Union ; or, at
leasi, was anticipated only by a short tram-road
at Quincy, Mass. From that period to the pres
1 ent, Philadelphia has been second to no city in
the Union, in expenditures for constructing
these wonderful annihilators of lime and space.
Somerset County.
At a meeting of the Whigs of Somerset coun
. ty, on the 10th inst., the following among other
.resolutions were adopted with great unanimity:
- Resolved, That although Gen. James Irvin,
was not the first choice of the Whigs of this
county, yet believing him to be a true Whig,
honest and capable, a sincere frienrJ of protec
tion to home industry, and all other measures
-best calculated to promote the interests of the
American people, we hereby pledge him our
cordiahand undiiided support for the office of
Governor.
Resolved, That we will warmly support Jo
'seph W. Pattorr, rhe Whig candidate for Canal
.Commissioner. Encouraged by the election of
.a Whig last fall, we are the more desirous of
electing another, thus obtaining a majority in
the Board, when we trust an eud will be put to
all the foul corruptions and piundcrings upon
our Public Works which have well nigh beg-
'gared the Slate.
. Re&olved, That language fails us to express
our feelings in regard to the brilliant achieve
ments of Gen. Zachary Taylor, the hero of
Palo Alto, Resaca de la Paima, Monterey and
'Buena Vista, who in spite of the base machi
nations of our Locofoco rulers in- Washington,
jhas covered himself with glory in every battle
with his foreign foes, and should he be the can
didate of the whole Whig party of the nation
we predict for him an equally glorious victory
.over his and his country's domestic enemies
in 1.848.
Qn Wednesday evening, a stout, bouncing
.young woman was knocked down and run over
lva horse and waron. at the crossing of Han-
, i ur ,
t)f r and Warren bis. J he carriage passed;
over her neck and shoulder, when the bysfan-
tiers, expecting to see her killed, were astonish
- ed lo see her jump up and spring upon the
'pavement, exclaiming at the same time, " Dod
rot your picture, you didn't hurt me, old feller,
-an Koiwr I" The driver of the vehicle was very
imuch frightened at the accident. Ttcnlon Dai
tfy News.
Thb prospects of the fruit crop'arc, says the
Gincinnati Commercial rather "promising, not--vviithstandmgthe
frost EaVueen aalittle severe.
4 MantttMtaMttaaTxsamizjjxtanrmt umiiiuTnrrn ..itT"icct
JEFFERSONIAN REPUBLICAN
Thursday, ITIay 90, 1847.
Terms, $2,00 in advance : $2,25 half yearly ; and, $2,50 if not
puiu uclore the end of the year.
lieauocratic Whig Nominations.
FOR GOVERNOR,
JAMES IRVIN,
OF CENTRE COUNTY.
FOR CANAL COMMISSIONER,
JOSEPH W. PATTON,
OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
A new Post Office has been established at
Soxville, Monroo co., Pa., and Perry Sox has
been appointed the Postmaster.
We have received the first No. of the " Carlton
Deinocrat" published at Mauch Chunk, by Enos
Tolas. The Democrat will support the Locofoco
party. We wisli our friend Tolan success in eve
ry thing but politics.
The Next Congress.
The New York Tribune says that the mem
bers elect to ihe next Congress stand 88 Whigs
to 60 Locofocos. In the Stales yel to elect, it
sets down the probable result Whigs 32 ; Lo
cos 41. According to ibis count the next
House will stand Whigs 119 Locos 108.
The Senate, with the Calhouuitcs against it,
will also be anti-administration. Considering
that Mr. Polk had a majority of about seventy
in ihe last House, we sjiould think this result
indicates pretty strongly what the people think
of his miserable administration.
General Irvin.
Gen. Irvin, it seems, cannot please the loco
focos. Some of them say he's rich, and grinds
the poor yet no sooner does he give fifty bar
rels of meal for the relief of ihe suffering poor
of Ireland, than these self-same men fall to
abusing him for attempting to make political
capital.
Others say he's an aristocrat, and revels on
the sweat of his hands 3ret no sooner is it
shown that many in his employ have earned
a handsome competence, than these fault-finders
open anew their smut-machines, reiterate
the statements, and will probably swear to them
so often between this and election time that the
poor 6Quls will at last believe it themselves
which they do not now.
A third' class allege that he is an " ironmas
ter !" as if there was something objectionable
in that. Well if he is, Gen. Irvin is acknow
ledged to be an honest one. Can the braw
lers, who do the dirty work of the party, lay
their hands on their hearts and say that they
have at no rime supported an iron-master for
office one, too, who was perhaps honest enough
for thorn, but not too much so T
We could allude to oilier objections madefy
the supporters of the "retired city merchant,"
and the retired lawyer and life office holder
but in truth they are too trivial, too weak, too
impotent to do Gen. Irvin any harm. If they
can bring no othei objections against him than
the above, ihey might as well hang up their
fiddles, for the greater their abuse the more
votes he will gel. Mark that. Lewistown
Gazette. .
Joscpli W. Patton.
The Sunbury American, a locofoco paper
pays the following well-merited compliment to
our gentlemanly and talented Whig commission
er :
" Mr. Power, the new incumbent, has made
a favor able impression upon all parties. He is
fully aware of the position he occupies before
the people, and the circumstances under which
he was elected by so large a majority. He is
also a pratical man and a good officer, and is
determined not to disappoint tho expectation
ofhis friends."
The Whigs have been equally fortunate in
the selection of another candidate for Canal
Commissioner, Mr. JOS. W. PATTON of
Cumberland county. The nomination is admit
ted, by all who know Mr. Patton, to bo a most
excellent one, and meets with general favor
from the people in every section of the State.
Mr. Pation is just the man to unite with Gen.
J
Power in the management of the pobltc works,
so as to make them most useful tothe people,
and most productive of revenue to the Treasury.
The extravagance which has heretofore char
acterized the management of the public im
provements by the Locofocos demands a change
tho interests of the State demand it our
oppressed tax-burthened people demand it and
POWER and PtVTTON are just the men to. been seized by the authorities of Mexico, ad
effect it. The Whig party present Joseph W. dressed by a great personage to Senor Retort,
nation to the people as the Khl'OK.M OAI-j
DIDATE, and if the tax-payers understand :
their own inteie', I Ley vtfll go for hiinei masse,
FARTHER NEWS FRO.TI MEXICO!
Jalapa and Perote taken ! Sa?ita Anna at Ori
zaba with 6,000 men ! Mexican Army dis
persed ! Col. Childs Governor of Jalapa.
Gen. Shields not dead.
Advices from New Orleans are to the pth
ins'. We copy from the Commercial Times
of that city.
uy me arrival Here, last evening, oi uie
steamship New-Orleans, Capt. Wright, which
left Vera Cruz on the 29th tilt, we have received
a mass of letters and papers from our friends
and correspondents in that city.
Gen. Scott was vigorously pressing the ene
my, affording the defeated Mexicans no respite.
Jalapa and Perote have been occupied, and the
report was curreut when the New-Orleans set
sail that Gen. Scott was on the point of making
a demonstration on Puebla itself.
Santa Anna, when last heard from, was in ho
forlorn a condition that it was expected he
would give himself up to the American Gover
nor of Vera Cruz, preferring to trust himself to
the generosity of an open foe to exposing him
self to the tender mercies of his own country
men who now denounce him as their betrafer.
The Mexican Army, after heavy losses of
killed and wounded, among which last Gen.
Oiriaco Vasquez, and other chiefs and officers
of less note, who fell on the field of battle, has
has broken up altogether, not an officer or sol
dier remaining with their standard.
Gen. Santa Anna, who commanded in chief,
was the first, according to some, and the last,
according to others, to leave the field, accom
panied by only 25 Dragoons, taking tho by
ways, and a party is even found to assert that
they saw him in one of the villages of the Si
erra, in search of horses to remount his escort.
The fact of this General not having fallen
back on Jalapa, has left room for the supposi
tion that his flight is prompted by the fear of
being sacrificed for treason imputed lo him.
and which has no other foundaiion than the ad
verse results experienced by the Mexican arms
in every encounter with the Americans.
Gen. Canalizo, in his retreat on Puebla, dis
mantled the Fort of Perote, carrying off all the
ordnance ho could, and spiking such as he had
to leave behind. He set at liberty all the crim
inals confined there, including the assassins of
Falconi and his brother-in-law, who, some of
our readers will remember, have been cruelly
murdered in this city.
In consequence of this, the American troops
advanced in triumph from Corro Gordo to Ja
lapa, where the corporation and civil authori
ties went to meet them, and took possession of
the city, where they behaved therasely.es m the
same quiet and orderly manner as in Vera Cruz.
(jen. Worth left yesterday for Perote. 1 he
Pass, nine miles from here, occupied by ihe
enemy, has been abandoned, and was taken
possession of by an advance last evening"?
Col. Childs is the Military Governor of Jalapa.
Gen. Patterson has recovered his health in
a great degree.
Gen. Shields, I heard lo-day, was in a doubt
ful state.
Last night Gen. Wonh slept within 5 miles
of Perote, and, no doubt, entered the town to
day. Perote has been abandoned by the Mex
icans, after spiking all their largo guns, and will
be taken possession of without opposition.
General Quitman's brigade reached this place
this evening from Yera Cruz, his troops in good
health.
Tho people in this place are following their
usual occupation, and do not at all seem dis
pleased at our presence.
Jalapa, April 23 8 a. m.
An express has just arrived from General
Worth. He entered Perote yesterday morning
about 1 1 o'clock, and found a Mexican Colonel,
who was charged with the surrender of the
place and all the arms and munitions of war
generally. None of the large guns wore spiked,
and were found in excellent order. Ampudia,
with about three thousand disorganized Lan
cers, moved out just far enough to avoid a con
flict, and then proceeded on.
Santa Anna had not passed through Perote,
and must now be in the mountains on this side
of that place. We understand that information
was received yesterday that Gen. Worth had
thrown his outpost toward Puebla .and would
march immediately in that direction himself.
It is now certain that Santa Anna is at Ori
zaba, a little village at the foot of the mountain
of that name, with about one thousand troops.
He was seen at that place on Sunday morn
ing last and was heard to express his desire of
remaining there till he could muster a sufficient
force to make another stand. He will not dare
to return to the City of Mexico is the universal
opinion, until some success should crown his
efforts to redeem his thousand promises to the
deluded people and the clergy, ihe latter being
now his only backers.
It is said that those who now cling to his
drooping standard are brought from Oajuca
principally, and that not more than two or three
hundred of them have any arms,, those too be
ing in a very bad condition.
We learn that he pretends he can yet re
pulse the invaders of the soil, if he can rouse
the Rancheros and form them into Guerilla
parties to annoy small bodies of our citizens
and soldiers, whom they may have the temeri
ty to attack.
The following is from the Mexican Chronical
of the 28th, by a person just arrived from Ori
zaba. He knows that Gen. Santa Anna had
arrived there with about 200 Dragoons and im
mediately commenced recruiting, having now
under his command about six thousand men ;
including the fugitives from Cerro Gordo.
He also assures us that a correspondence ha?
offering a ceriaiu sum if hp would hiinj about
an oariy peace and to place all the requisite
means at his, disposal,
In Puebla Gen. Inclin is commanding;
They are fortifying the town for resistance. -
The Navy are happy, and arrangements are
in course of completion lor the expedition to
the southward, and a start will soon be made
after the ports along ihe Southern coasts are
secured.
A grand expedition is to be fitted out for the
Pacific, not by way of Cape Horn, but by in
ternal navigation. It has a real-existence, and
the movement is seriously contemplated of its
object, I am also ignorant.
It is to be composed' entirely of sailors and
marines, two thousand in all. Is it not Quix
otic ? I am pretty confident that it will be
abandoned when all the difficulties come to be
weighed, although it may at this moment be re
solved upon.
The correspondent of the Times says :
I send you the first two numbers of a paper
issued in this city, the Mexican Chronicle, from
which I take the liberty to clip the following
morccau.
Gen. Morales measures tho veracity of the
American officers by the Mexican standard,
hence his mistake; I car; hardly consider him
capable of a direct falsehood, but this document
would seem to justify such a charge.
Juan Morales, General of Brigade of the Mexi
can Republic, to the Nation and its Allies.
It having come to my knowledge that some
chiefs and officers of the invading armv of ihe
United States, which have operated against
Vera Cruz, said that General Scott had previ
ously advised me that the families could leave,
to avoid the evils attendant upon a bombard
ment, and that consequently those which have
happened are chargeable upon me ; in order
that neither now nor at (any future lime any ac
cusation of injustice'may stigmatize the defence
of Vera Cruz, I declare that it is false that any
such advice was given ; that the only commu
nication I have derived from General Scott
tended to summon rne in general terms to sur
render ; lhat even the neutrals were prevented
from leaving the place ; that if tho Mexican
families could have left, the enemy would not
have occupied the place without first burying
its defenders in the ruins.
JUAN MORALES.
Jalapa, April 24, 1847.
Gen. Scott is said to have dispatched a mes
senger to Mexico or to the point occupied by
the Legislative junta. This is the old song,
and the olive branch.
Vera Cruz, April 29, 1847.
An express is in this morning (April 29th,
1847,) bringing intelligence of the continued
advance of Gen. Worth and somo disconnected
rumors from the City of Mexico. The citizens
are throwing up walls of sand, I fancy, around
the place, and expect the soldiers to defend
them. How far their expectations will be re
alized, we may judge by the past.
1 he public voice is openly heard m opposi
tion to the late Mexican demagogue, Santa An
na. " Coward," " Down with the traitor!" are
the cries that are now heard in the Capitol.
I am very happy to learn by this express
that General Shields is not dead ; he is impro
ving. The steamship is expected to move ev
ery moment.
Important froisa Flcxico.
Upon the receipt of the news of the defeat at
Sierra Gorda, the Mexican Congress held an
extraordinary session, at which a decree was
passed, dictating to all Mexicans the importance
of carrying on the war, and defending the na
tionality of the Republic. It also prohibits the
Executive from making peace with the United
States, or concluding negotiation witrfforeign
powers disposing of any part of ihe territories.
The decree pronounces all to be traitors,
whether private persons or public functionaries,
who make any treaty with ihe United States,
and declares such treaty to be null and void.
A permanent committee is to be installed,
should Congress find it impossible to continue
its sessions. On this committee is to devolve
tho whole duties of the Government counsel,
and appoint in case of vacancy, temporary Ex
ecutive. Gen Salas had issued a proclamation decla
ring that he was empowered to raise a guerrilla
corps, and calls on all good Mexicans to join
his standard.
It was rumored that Gen. Taylor had arrived
at San Luis, but not that he had taken the city.
A Naval Victory'
On the 19th April the Squadron under Com.
Perry captured the town of Tuspan, after a se
vere resistance by the Mexican troops. The
Americans had four men killed and fourleen
wounded. The place was rendered defence
less and then abandoned.
The. N. O. Picayune has received an account
of the killed and wounded at Cerro Gordo.
Thero was no officer of tho Regulars killed
14 were wounded, 39 privates were killed and
196 wounded. One volunteer officer was kill
ed and seven wounded, three privates were
killed and 48 wounded. Total, 43 killed, 205
wounded. Letters received, express confi
dence that Gen. Shields will recover.
The oldest fruit tree on ibis continent is now
in full bloom ; " the Siuyvesant pear tree," in
the upper part of the city of New York, brought
from Holland in 1017, planted near New Am
sieulam, anfl npw.twu hundred years old,
iiOCO jloco Aia au i;i232ort."
PoWs Pass to Santa Anna.
" The Commander of our naval forces in the
Gulf is hereby instructed not to obstruct
the passage of Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa
Anna and suite to Mexico should he desire to
return thither.
May 15, '46. JAMES K. POLK.
Polk's admission of having granted the Pass.
When orders were issued to the commander
of our Naval forces in ihe Gulf, on the 15ij,
day of May last, only two days after ihe exis
tence of the war had been recognized by Con
gress, to place the coast of Mexico under block
ade, HE WAS DIRECTED NOT TO OBSTRUCT TI1C
passage of Santa "Anna to Mexico, should
he return. PoWs Annual Message to Con
gress, Dec. 7, 1846.
It remairfs tobe seen whether- his return
may not yet prove favorable to a pacific adjust
ment of existing difficulties.
What has been seen,
Battle of Monterey-, Sept. 21, 22,23,--three
days, hard fighting Loss oj Americans
in killed and wounded 0OO
Battle of Buena Vista, Feb. 22 & 23d,
Santa Anna commanding in person a force
of twenty- thousand men! Loss of the A
mericans in killed and wounded seven hun
dred !
This is what we call " aid and comfort" with;
a vengeance. Dan. Dem.
It is recorded by the letter writers at the
Camp, that Santa Anna's second in command
at Sierra Gorda was a man ' as black as the ace
of spades.'
Revolving Sliuttle-Sox.
Mr. Harrison Fitts, of, Ontario, Wayne coun
ty, New York, has invented a Revolving Shuttle-Box,
for weaving Gingham, Plaids, Checks,
Carpets, Shawls, or' any kind of weaving that
requires more than one color in the filling, ic
promises to be of great advantage to our hand
and power loom manufacturers.
What is a Quarter r The quarter of wheat
or corn cited in accounts of the English mar
kets, is generally estimated at eight bushels.
The exact measure is eight bushels and forty
eight one-hundredths of a bushel, or about eight
bushels and a half. The quarter is a term used
originally to express the fourth part of a load ;
grain or corn having been formerly, and ia now
frequently estimated by the load.
iscovery of a SmsKiInr lSa.cc oi
People.
The Christian Observer of Calcutta gives a.
notice of a singular race of pejiple called iiu
Calhies who inhabit a Dart of Guzerat. They
are worshippers of the sun as are the adoring
Parsees.
" These people are supposed by some to bi
the ancient Cathie, who in the time of Alexan
der's invasion occupied a portion of the Pun
jaub, near the confluence of the five rivers.
Among the Cathies ther& arc no distinctions of
caste. Besides priests tiiey have an official
class of persons called barb?, who possess au
thority almost equal lo that of the Druids.
They become security for ihe payment of debts,
the conduct of individuals who have misbe
haved, and the appearance of persons in pend
ing actions, either civil or criminal. On the
same terms they conduct travellers and cara
vans through districts infested with robbers, or
in a state of war. If a troop of predatory horse
appear, the barb commands them to retire, and
brandishing his dagger, takes a solemn oath,
thai if they plunder the person under his pro
tection, he will stab himself to the heart, and
bring upon their heads the guilt of shedding his
blood.
" Such is the veneration in which he is held
,jts a person of celestial origin, and such is the
horror at being the cause ofhis death, that the
threat in almost every instance- deiers them
from making the meditated attack; and the par
ty is allowed to pass on unmolested. Tho
religion of the people consists of little else than,
an adoration of the sun. They invoke this ob
ject of iheir worship before commencing any
great undertaking, and if a plundering expedi
tion is successful, a poitionofthe monoy stolpti
is consecrated lo tho service of religion. Th
only functions of the priests are m ceh-briv
marriages and funeral solemnities. They hu
but one sacred building a temple sitin'cl
near Thaum, dedicated to ihe Sun aad con
taining an image of that luminary. The size
of the Calhies is above the average, often ex
ceeding six feet. The women are tall and of
ten handsome ; generally speaking, modeht and
faithful lo iheir lords. The Cathies have no
restrictions of any sort regarding food or drink."
A resolution has been passed by ihe Legis
lature of Louisiana, authorizing tho Governor
to present a sword to Gen. Scott for the m'
rics at Vera CrusTand'Cefrp Gordo,.