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* From the N. O. Picayune, May 20. | Gen. Scott's Proclamation. * Head-Quarters of 11112 Army, ) ! Jalapa, May 11, 1847. $ j *T'he General-in-Chief of the Armies of the J Unittd Stales of America to the Mexican j Nation: i mexicans ?ttm iu., : . a mv iwwvub u ? tuic u1 111u i war, and the measures adopted in conse- ! quence by your government, make it my ; duty to address you?-to nIiow you truths of which you arc ignorant, because thev have been criminally concealed from you. I do 1 not ask you to trust mv word?, (though lie i who has never falsified them litis a right to : confidence,) but'to judge of these truths by facts within the view and knowledge of you all. "Whatever may have been the origin of j this war, which my country saw itself forced j to undertake by irremediable circumstances, which I learn are unknown to luC gjiuuiur part of the Mexican nation, we regard it as 1 a necessity; such is it always to both bel- ! liferents, and reason and justice, if not for- ! gotten on both sides, arc in dispute, each bo ! lieving them its own. You have proof ofj this truth as well as ourselves, for in Mexico, j us in the United States, there have existed and do exist two opposite parties,desiring? the one pcaee, the other war. But Govern merits have sacred duties, from which they j r.annnt rlnnnri nml ; ?. J > > VI VllVil ? I1V.CV u 1IUVO nil- , pose, lor national reasons, a silence and a reserve sometimes displeasing to the majori- : ty of those who, fro in views purely pergonal or individual, make opposition. To this a Government cannot pay any regard, ex- i pecting the nation to phice in it the conli- i dence merited by a magistracy of their own ! election. Reasons of high policy and of continen- ; tal American interest precipitated events in spite of the circumspection of the Cabinet of Washington, which, ardently desiring to ! terminate its differences with .Mexico, snared no resource, compatible with hoiior, and | dignity, to arrive at so desirable an end , j and when it was indulging the most flatte- j ring hopes of accomplishing its aim by frank explanation and reasonings, address- j cd to the judgment and prudence of the virtuous and patriotic Government of D. J. ! i Herrera, the misfortune least looked for | dispelled this pleasant hope, and at thesume , time blocked up every avenue which could ; lead to an honorable settlement between the ! two nations. The new Government clis- j carded the national interest*, as well as > . those of continental America, and elected in preference foreign influeneers the most , opposed to those interests anil the most fatal ; to the future of Mexican liberty and of the ! republican system, which the United States ; hold it a duty to preserve and protect. Duty, honor, and dignity itscl! impose upon us the necessity of not losing a season of which | the monarchial party was taking violent ; advantage, for not a moment was to be lost. and we acted with the promptness and di cision necessary in a ease so -urgent, to avoid thereby a complication of interests, which might render our relations more diffi- ;1 cult and involved. ; Again, in the course of civil war the Government of Paredes was overthrown. We i could not but hope this would prove a fortu- ; nate event, and that whatever other Ad- j ministration mi?ht represent the Govern ment, it would be less deluded, as well as i \ . ? i lliuit; paiuuuc uuu pruuum, 11 ll looueu to ' the common good, weighing probabilues, its ! own strength and resources, and especially ; the genera] opinion as to the inevitable re- j suits of a national war. We were decieved, as perhaps you, Mexican, were also de- j ceived in judging of the true intentions of Gen. Santa Anna, whom you recalled, and J whom our Government permitted to return. : From this condition of things the Mexi- i can nation has seen what lrive been the ! results?results lamented by all, and by us ! sincerely; for we appreciate as is due the i valor and noble determination of the unfor- | tunates who go to battle ill-led, worse go- j verned and almost invariably out-raged by ! deceit or nerfidv. We have witnessed?and wc cannot be taxed with partiality for lamenting?with I astonishment that the heroic deportment of ' the garrison of Vera Cruz, in its valiant de- ! fence, was aspersed by the general who had ' just been defeated and put to shameful flight ! by a force far inferior to that which he com- J manded at Buena V.sta; that this genera), ! rewarding the insurgents and promoters ofcivil war in Mexico, heaped outrage on I those who had sintrularlv distinguish ! / o I themselves by a resistance beyond what couldbeexpected, and of admirabledecision. j Finally, the bloody event of Cerro Gordo i has shown the Mexican nation what it may , reasonably expect if it longer continues I blind to the true situation in which it has ; been placed by some generals, whom it has j most distinguished and in whom it has most confided. rrk- t. 1 1J J x uu uaiucot xirai i wuuiu uu llioveu 10 grief in contemplating the battle-fields of Mexico a moment after the last struggle. Those generals whom the. nation has, with out service rendered, paid for so many years, with some honorable exceptions, have in the day of need betrayed it by their bad example or unskillfulness. On that ! field, amongst the dead and dying, pic seen nppwpf of military hpnor, for they are reduced to the sad fate of the soldier?the .. wmejni e.very occasion,, irom IJalo Alto to Cerro.Gordo-r^the.dcad to remain unburied and the wounded abandoned to the clemency aiM charity of.tho conqueror. Soldiers go'J&'fight- expecting, such a recompense, , >deserve to W classed amongst the best in tbe worl^ince l\vzy are 6tijnulated by no hopeofephe^eralrglory, of regret, of rei^mbrftnce, or oyefipi a .grave. . >VV: ? ': t'l ; ' 5.' ' f Again, Mexicans of honorable pride, con- i [ template the Jot of peaceful and laborious citizens in all classes of your society. The j possessions of the church menaced and held out as an incitement to revolution and an- 1 urchy ; the fortune of the ricli proprietors | pointed out for plunder to the ill-disposed; j the merchant and the artisan, the laborer and the manufacturer, burdened with contributions, excises, monopolies, taxes upon consumption; surrounded with restrictions and charged with odious internal customs; the man of letters and the statesman, the j man of liberal knowledge who dares to j spealr, persecuted without trial by some fac- . lion or by the rulers who abuse their power; i criminals unpunished and set at liberty as were those of Perote?is this then, Mexi- i cans, the liberty which you enjoy? 1 will not believe that the Mexicans of | the present day H*e wanting in courage to confess errors which do not dishonor them, and to adont a svstem of true lihertv. nf ; peace and union with their brethren and neighbors of the North; neither wil! 1 be- | lievo that they are ignorant of the falsity of the calumnies of the press, intended to ex- j cite to hostillity. No! public sentiment is nut to be created or animated by falsehood, j We have nut profaned your temples, nor [ abused your women, nor seized your proper- ; ty, as they would have you believe. We say this with pride, and we confirm it by ; your own bishops and by the clergy of Tampico, Tuspan, INlatamoras. Mcnlerey, ! "Vera Cruz arid Jalapn. and by all the ae thcrities. civil and religious, and the inhabi- j tants of every town that we have occupied. | We adore the same God. and a large portion of our army, as well as of the population of the TTiiitrd States, are Catholics like yourselves. We punish crime wherever we find it. and reward merit and virtue. The army of the United States respccts, and will always respect, private property of every description and the property of the Mexican church. Woe to him who does not where we are ! ??!cxii*atis ! the pnst cannot now be remedied, but the future may be provided for.? Repeatedly have J shown yuu that the Go i - rT~:..?i o.?. > <.1 iinit;iii, uuu prujiiu ui lhw vjnuru oii-uea desire peace, desire your sincere friendship. Abandon then, rancorous prejudices?, cca^t to be the sport of individual ambition, and conduct yourselves like a great American nation; leave off at once colonial habits, : and learn to be truly free, truly republican, j and soon you will become prosperous and : happy, for you possess all the elements to be ; so. Remember that you arc Americans, and j that your happiness is not to come from ' Europe. I desire, in conclusion to declare, and . with equal frankness, that, if necessary, an j army of 100.000 could promptly be brought, 1 and that the United States would not tnrmi- > natetheir differences with Mexico (if corn- ! peJIed to do so by force of arms) in any | manner uncertain, precarious,or less dishonoring to yourselves. 1 should insult the intelligent of this country if I hadany doubt of their acquaintance with this truth. The order to form guerrilla parties to at- ' tack us, I assure you, can produce nothing but evil to your country, and no evil to our i army which will know how to protect itself j and how to proceed against them; and if, 1 so far from conciliating, you succeed in irri tating, you will impose upon us the hard ' task of retaliation, and then you cannot <j blame us for the consequences which will j fall upon yourselves. I am marching with my army upon Pu- i ebla and Mexico?1 do not conceal it? ! from those capitals L shall again address you. , I desire peace, friendship, and union?it is , for you to select whether you prefer war ; i under any circumstances, be assured I shall I not fail rny word. j W1NDFIELD SCOTT. J Vindication of the Indiana Regiment.? ; The New Orlemis Delta, of the 12th ultimo i publishes a letter from Colonel Lane, refu- j ting the charges relative to the alleged mis- j conduct of one of the Indiana regiments, at j the battle of Buena Vista, confirming the j statement heretofore made by Gen. Lane, ! who commanded the brigade. The first ! Indiana regiment was posted on the Rio [ Grande, the second was on the extreme left ,L _ i* r 1 -.? i i ? t oi ine line 01 name. ana tue tmra on tne extreme right. The latter, Colonel Lane's regiment never hesitated for a single instant, and at the termination of the battle, bi- ' vouacked with the most advanced portion : of the army. The Colonel declares that | none fought better. They were brought into j action at a moment when the day seemed extremely critical, and were victorious in j every engagement. In his opinion they | twice saved the fortunes of the day. He also vindicatesthe firstand second regiments from the same chal ges. CaDt. Lincoln wasnnt Willed whilft rallvinrr the Indianians. but when in the act of de- j livering orders from General Wool, in front j of the second Illinois volunteers. Death of a Robber.?We find in the j Barre Patriot the following account of the 1 last sickness and des?th at Battleboro, Vt., of a celebrated English robber, who figured under the name of Thunderbolt: "He had been a resident of that place for a number of years, and enioved much cele brity as a physician.?During his last illness he refused to be undressed ; and when near his end he hired two men to bury him in his clothes, just as he died ; a contract which was not fulfilled oh their part in consequence of the neighbors, who were desirous of giving his remains a more decent and befitting burial. On removing his clothes previous to his being laid out, the cause of this excenlric desire of his was ma nifast?the withered leg and cork heel, the shot marks, and the scar which witnessed a | previous attempt nt suicide?precisely as : laid down in Lightfoot's description of him I ?marked him as the Thunderbolt who had ! gained such notorety in England and this ! country, as one of the most daring and succsssful highwaymen that ever graced the | annals of crime. On his persort were also fntiml n dirk and nislol. and Hmnnrr hi"? ?>f fects arms of all descriptions, together with watches, diamonds Jewelry, &c. &c. to an enormeus value packed away in sawdust. He always went dressed in three suits of clothes, to make his figure more portly, and to prevent recognition, and his withered leg was found wound with clothes to make it nonpar of the s;zn of the oihrr. S ~^Tn n <? ft. ABBEVILLE C. II., S. C. Jiii?4* 2 IN 17. I'oftoij Iflarkot. Charleston, May 20th from 9 1-^ to 12 Hamburg, May 29th, 9 to 11 l-'J cts. i'drLicut. Rouerts arrived at this place on Monday last, and \vn are gratified to find that his health is improving. ICfr^We have received the first number of a paper published in Charleston S. C. cailed the Charleston Herald, edited by J C. DeGaffarelly. Terms 8 l,CC per annum. We wish the Herald success. IVIid>?liipiiia.ii Kodffcrs. The N. Y. Herald says, that instructions have, in fact, been issued to Commodore Perry, directing him, in the event of Mid shiprnan Kodgers being hanged as a spy, as was threatened, in defiance of all law, to hang La Vega to the yard arm of one of his frigates, within full view of the city of Vera Cruz. Fi-diu Tlie Army. We have no important news this week to lay before our readers from the army. It is said Gen. Scott will not proceed further than Puebla, but take up Summer quarters in that city until reinforced ; he discharged seven regiments at Jalapa, twelve months man itrlinco Inv rv\ r\f onrinno V\n/1 ltlW.Il ?? liv/ou IV1I11 Ul OUI Vl^ uau UApilUUj which has so weakened his army that he will not proceed until reinforcements nr. rive. Gen. Taylor was at Monterey at the latest dates, and it was thought from the unusual activity that prevailed in all the departments,that he designed to advance upon San Luis Potosi. f t The Palmetto Kcginidut. t~ J ---Ml xii uuuuici jiuinuii ui iu-uiiy a piipcr, will be found an extract of a letter from one of our volunteers, for the use of which we are indebted to a friend. AVe regret to learn from this, that many of our friends in the army are Upon the sick list. In another letter from the same volunteer, we are infoimed, that there were six of the Palmetto regiment in the castle of Perote, who had been taken prisoners. Watson and Riley were wrecked near Alvarado, taken prison ers and inarched off to the castlc of Perote^ Upon the approach of Gen. Worth, the Mexicans evacuated the city, and took with them a part of the prisonersj and in the confusion, Watson and a man by the name of Bailf.y, made their escape?Riley was taken to the city of Mexico and is imprisoned there now. The Regiment according to the latest intelligence had left Jalapa for a'ueDia, wncre n is thought the chances lor a fight are pretty fair. The guerilla system of warfare is beginning to operate and several Americans have been most cruelly butchered. '[*** (for the banner.) Mr. Editor -.?Would it not be desireablg to remind thr. Post Master at Abbeville C. H. through the medium of the Banner, that the mail due at Due West Corner to-day was crowded with packages, not directed to this office. As a specimen of Post Masier punctuality, was found in the mail bag to-day, the following packages one for Lodi, one for Calhoun's Mills, for Cherokee Heights, and for Greenwood, orie for Willingtonj one for Lowndsville, and one for Ridgeville. What can be the cause of all this ? Wonder if the Post Master can explain ! Mr. Editor?I send you an extract from a letter which I received from one of the Abbeville Volunteers. If you think it will interest your readers we solicit a place for it in the Banner, How long will it be before we shall be I delivered from the dreadful scourge of war? ' Notwithstanding the "glory won" and the deeds of daring performed by the victors, it must be sickening to the heart of a philanthronist to contemnlate the field of carnap-o. x ? 7 the groatts of the Wounded and dying, the mangled forms of the dead left to be devoured by birds of prey ahd prowling wolves. We rejoice iii the triumph of our arm?, but wedeprecate that thirst for military " glory," that spirit of conquest,of which no one can predict the consequences, which this protracted war has engendered ir. the public mind. Cokcsbury. May 24th 1847. C. Jalapa, April 28, 1847 ; " Since I Inst wrote I have be n on a long ; and tiresome march, rendered more so bv J : the sight of dead bodies scattered on each side of the road for miles. I suppose that i you will have heard of the battle of Ccrro ! Gordo long before this letter wiJl reach you. ! 1 was not in the battle, but we were making i every effort to get to the battle-ground in time, but our efforts were all in vain ; for Gen. Scott was too eager for victory to wait for us. Oerro Gordo, you know, is the battle-ground where the Mexicans gianed i their indepedence. It is one of the strongest tortitied passes in the World. The can nons of'the Mexicans were planted so as to corninnnd the whole pass for miles, and j when 1 saw the positions the enemy had I was perfectly astonished that they evergave I them up. It seems to me that they migiit have contended successfully against the whole of our forces concentrated here. I ! shall not attempt to give you a description of the battle, for I was not in it; and I ha ve heard So many different accounts of it that j | I do not know which to toil for the truth, j l f on j-vnncn ^--.-II 1 * wuj/j>v/ov.j uvn u v^i j i li ill yuU Will 11 tlVC cl full description in the news-papers. I have j j often thought and read of battles, but I had I ! no idea of the description and scenes of hor-* j j ror until i saw the battle-ground of Cerro j | Gordo,a few days after the fight I werltnnon I | one hill, and I saw forty or fifty dead Mex- j ieans in one pile. I never saw a more j i horrid sight in my life. Some of the men j had their heads nearly shot off. and were i " ' j otherwise dreadfully mangled, and the ; j countenances of all showed that they died in j j the utmost pain. The road from Cen'd : Gordo ti> Jalapa is almost crowded with ; dead men and horses which render our j march very disagreeable indeed. The road ! | from Vera Cruz to Jalapa is paved with i rock nearly all the way; and there are several of the finest bridges I ever saw. It is tv/* ?: tvt-.: i i wui lu tuuiiujj iu mcAiuu iu ace iiie i>uuuuui I Bridgek Jalapa is the most beautiful town that 1 have s^ert iti Mexico. It is neat and clean, and the inhabitants approach nearer to civilization than any I have seen. It is situated something like Greenville, only nearer the mountains. Orizaba with its | snow cohered top can be seen very plainly I from the city. The nights are very cold, J and the days are pleasant. 1 have no doubt I but that this part of Mexico is as healthy ; as any part of Abbeville. Gen. WortiI | has taken Perote without firing a gun. We i will leave here in a verv few d;ivs fnr Pornu? -J ? --J i on our wav to the citv of Mexico;" ! " W.L.H. ! Y*- Jalap a, May 6, 1847. 41 We have been here$ about twelve days, | enjoying the cool breezes from the moun' tains; luxuriating on fruits and vegetables I of all descriptions ; drinking the pure cold | water, as it gushes from the base of the ! mountain, perhaps the greatest luxury of , all, as it is the first water we have tasted since leaving Mobile, that was at all palatable. Notwithstanding this is a delightful climate, and healthy withal, fifteen of our company are in the hospital at this place) viz: J. Botts, W. Botts, N. Anderson, J. Hill, E. B. Wilson, H. Alexander, R. R? | Houston, J. S. Lamb, Gillespie, Morrow, Bluford, Wilkinson and Cheatham. Those who had the measles at Vera Cruz, recovered easily. But since we have arrived at Jalapa, it has rained nearly every day, and being poorly supplied with tents, many have taken cold, and consequently their lungs have become diseased. There are still five of our company, in Vera Cruz, viz: J. S. Anderson, L. Watson, NorrelI, Sterling, and Alnxnndpr Wn?c,-?r. *r*A I Alexander are expected to die. My health is good, and I think there is a general improvement, in the health of those who have escaped measles, since we left -Vera Cruz." " The Mexicans chaTge Santa Anna, with selling the victory of Cerro Gordo to the United Suites. One thing^is certain, if he sold it) he left in two great haste to take with him the price1 of it.n \s "Since Lieut. Roberts resigned, there has been a regular promotion in the company. Orderly sergeant Stewart, is Taised t6 a Lieutenancy by brevet. I have the orderly's berth, and the remaining officers, have been regularly raised one frrado. " i{ Since ajriving here, we have lived like lords. With a small amount of cash, we can get along finely, and be altogether inde- V pendent of Uncle Sam. We have an abun- \ dance of Irish potatoes, tomatoes, squashes, j beans, onions, ciabbages, green corn, English peas,&c. &c., to eay nothing of pine apj pie deserts, black-berry pies) rice puddings, j lemonade, and ice creams. Truth, Error, Pride, etc. Mr. :"Editor:?By your permission, lor ( i . " ! (lie amusement o; reflection of your readers \ : we will throw out a few hints upoii matters \ i in general, and upon some things in partic- \ 1 ular. \ It is a common but very dangerous error, to y i predicate correctness of the opinions of men from their honesty, or long faccdncss. : The difference between opinions, and mere ! statement of facts is a material difference, and should be kept constantly in view by all inquirers after Truth. In the latter, a good , , rhnrnptnr ii'nwo1?4 ?A I .........vvv,! II Iiiuim.i uui lltlli:] j HUl I1QI HO | in the former?when a man of good ehiirac! ter tells me ;i thing ir; so, I am justified by i lii.s character iu believing it; but yet wlieu ! this same mail gives me his opimon of cerI tain matters founded upon certain data ! equally accessible to me, his character can ; be no warrant for the correctness c'f his 1 nnimon * mid fri tnL-n 1 % ~ mimii<ii -/i - -'I ? V?. WMiW Ilia ItllUII IV/1 ^ / U/ftHKi without e.\?mining into the data myself, makes me its slave, or his dupe. It is not ini tended, by this, to lessen the roiltidcnce thdt ought to be placed in the opinions of tcitn tific or professional men, upon scientific or professional subjects. The opinions of such men upon such subjects are, in certain cases, obliged to be taken upon credit.?^ But yet when tho.se in mi are interested in the opinions they give?and their opinions 1 i- A ? * j/ri'l?uiiucniic,?as is onen tne case, as ttieir interest inclined them, they stand as other men in this regard, and in siirili CUses, the difference between such men, strips even their opinions of that respect and coiltidenco td which, otherwise, and very properly, they would be! entitled. We conclude, therefore, from all this,that it is a safe general rule, to take the opinions of no man, or set df ilien, for granted. This rule applies, with peculiar force, to men in office. With such men, "To the law and to the testimony," should be the watchwavd ; " fur, whatsoever coineth of more than these cometh of evil." But infallibility, in either men or measures, will hardly be contended for, at this day, how. ever much the conduct of some men w< uld lead us to suppose, that they believe certain men never errNor, is this rule inapplicable to men ofevct*V itimi 111 T/w truth ! > m-nM' " - ?? ~.V?J thing, is, or at least should lj<*> the aim of U3 all. And in order that we may search out the truth ourselves, each man of us is endowed with certain capacities which can only be fully developed by efforts of this character. So that?even if we could find the truth second-handedly, it would bo low and grovelling in us?it would not be giving full scope to our powers, to do so. Of this same error, that is, taking things as they appear, and not as they really are, or lacking on to the individual ihc conac quence of circumstances, is tint put on superiority, or pharisaical high-headedness, which we sometimes see in people of quite humble origin, and whose natural endowincnts arc often inferior to those of the persons in regard to whom this offensive character is assumed. There is a great truth that seems to be entirely overlooked by a y large part of mankind?and that truth is this:?That Virtue, in the broad sciibc of the word, is the only true distinction between men, and the only- troe foun^fj^g^j^jPg^ or that I have been more highly favoAHtij^^. nature than my neighbor? Certaiul^^^^HHfcj&U The only proper feeling that can ?u;a ofotn nf fliinnra icr a fp nl \/l VU1Q OM4WU VI W IWMIIg ; s'xbilHy?any thin& but a feeling of elation. Wo conclude, therefore, tfl in whom this unreasonable and outfl ^ . --"tW' . B pretension manifests itself are to ^ for their want ef sense, or niHD using to advantage the little thlifilM ^ We could point out characters, be