University of South Carolina Libraries
servitude. IT this he admissible, there is no limitation to the right, and the principle, if carried out, would authorise Congress to reserve to itself all the powers of legislation for the new States, or solo letter it with restrictions, as to Ic&ve to them the mere shawow. The impracticability of enforcing such a vestrietion in opposition lo the interest and wishes ol the citizens, is a stronir. if not a conclusive aigitinrnt against ilic soundness i mm:I correctness of t!io principle. If Indiana, or any other oft he States on which the ivs!iicti< n has heon imposed, determined to throw it elf and introduce slavery, by what means wouM the Government enforce it? An army would I'.nd nothing to war against, j and u law in violation to the constitutional ! rights ol the people and opposed to their ; wi.die.i and interest, would lie, and must , necessarily prove wholly inoperative. The question is one of interest to us mainly as it atlects tl*e balance of power in th;> (.Soverninent of the United States, that ; 1-1. _i i- ii?.. is even now agumsi ami uiu siuveiioiuing j States owe it to themselves and to posterity j to rois! its incicase by any possible means, ! ;:s :sn open, undisguised and uuconstitution- i al oppression on the States hereafter to be | admitted into the Union, and as destructive \ oi'that balance of political power so necessa- i ry in a country like this to the healthful j opt rations of the government. The Missouri Question agitated this | I nion throughout its whole extent, and it : was hoped that the principle on which it j was compromised had put it to rest forever, j lint tlie non-slave-holding States as if impa- ! limit for the strife, and eager for the contest j regardless of their constitutional obligations : and the compromise solemnly entered into, ! a^ain revive it in the form of the VVilmot i Proviso. Out it has again been quieted by I the rejection of the proviso by tlie Senate of j the United State*. It furnishes prcgneril i evidence, however, that they will never j suller any occasion to escape which will j a fibril an opportunity of lighting up this ; iirc-brancl. The interests and sympathies of the slave-holding States are in uni on, and they require nothing but firmness, concert ofi measures, and unity of action, to command j respect for their rights. It requires no ; Stiirit ol* nrnnhnru fi? foretrl flint snnnor nr ! Inter we sh.til have to meet and finally do- j cide this question, and we ought to prepare i (or it. I earnestly recommend to your conside- I ration the principles of the resolutions of the ! i legislature of Virginia, as a correct cxposi- j lion of our rights, and as pointing out the 1 proper principle of action. Connected with this subject, is another . niMeep interest to the slave-holding' States, ! particularly the border States?but the evil j is frit throughout them all. I mean the protection given to our fugitive slaves in some places, as in Pennsylvania, under the ' color ol law, and almost every where in the . non-slave-holding States by a thoughtless, reckless fanaticism, which wields a power j greater even than the law?and is extended j also to those that have been seduced or ! ..4^1..^ r..~ 1 .1. - > - t -t r '< muiim nuill lis, illlU Hi IHU si'isuccr UI1U IUICI. | I am not aware of any means by which \vc i can protect the individual rights of our citi- ! zens against the lawless combination of the j citizens of another State, but our Statues j makes it a fel<my to inveigle, steal and car- ! rv away any slave from his owner, and if j one offend against these laws and fly to j another Slate, we have under the Constilu- j tiun of the United Stales, right to demand of j the Kxccutive of the State in which he has ; taken refuge, his arrest and delivery. The i riiilit has been denied in snmn inatnn/??= I and in others the culprits have been even j more securely proctectcd by the power to j which I have before referred. The laws are impotent and direct force is prohibited by the Constitution. Is there no remedy? it may l)e ineffectual, but I submit to your consideration, whether a liberal increase of the contingent fun I to be disbursed by the Executive in such a way as he thinks lit to bring these offenders to justice, would riot be advisable. I transmit, herewith, at the request of the legislature of .Missouri, certain Resolutions of that body, by which their Senators and Representatives in Congress am rpnnnstrvl # O 1 " to use their best exertions to procure a mociification of the laws and regulations of the Army, by which the officers and soldiers may be put on a footing of equality. 1 submit also herewith, a communication from Count Schoisuel, the Consul of France for South Carolina, &c., on the subject of the claims of the Legionaries of Luxemburg against the State, for services rendered during the war of the Revolution, which has for its object, with a view to the settlement of that long standing claim, the payment of tllf* ir.An Otr # /\ i C1 ha??/*U ^ ^ ? * kliu IIUIK.J IV/ tllb X ICIIkil VJIUVCnilIIUIll, Oil its guaranty against all future claims from the Legionaries and their heirs, and I recommend it to your special consideration. I shall have occasion at a future day, to bring to your notice several matters of a local nature. The most important of which relates to the ltail Roads which have been projected in the State?there are also other matters, the facts connected with which have not been put in my possession. MEXICO. The war with Mexico is of deep and exciting interest to every portion of the United Stales, und South Carolina participates largely in it. In commencement, the ostensible object was to repel the intrusion of the Mexican army into the territory acquired by the admission of Texas into the it - ? o: .1 __ _.i union, oincu men, oiuercauses nave been relied on as a justification for pushing the war into the heart of the Mexican country, f.he most prominent of which was the neg I lect of Mexico to pay a sum of money slip1 ulated for l?y treaty ; ami that, under some circumstances, would, according to the laws of nations, have been a justifiable cause of war, as when having the mean:* a State pertinaciously refused to pay an acknowledged demand, but in the condition 1 that Mexico then was. torn to nieces bv do 1 J nicotic dissension and strife, subject to fre| (juont revolutions, the people- oi'tlie t inted States would never have co sen ted to have ; made that alone the. cause of war against a ; sister Republic. We must then look buck to the intrusion upon our territory as a jusI tidcation. If an enemy assail us, we are ju.stiiied I?y the laws ol nature, and ol nations, not only to repel it, but so to disarm him, or to put him into a condition from which we might reasonably suppose he would cease to annoy us. Texas, standing alune, had driven Mexico out of the (ield, and actual war between them bad long ceased, and utter the lessons which she had been so severely taught at Itcsaea de la Pal ma, l,aAl.n .....I U t.n...ll.- i.? i \j iiu, tiini i?i Miii I ii w i tl ^ ^ it *-nn iKii u i > uu supposed that she would have been eager again to try her strength with the arms of the United States, and the honor and interest of the country would have been vindicated, by arresting the war then, at least until, in her folly and madness, she should renew the contest. To ''conquer a peace," the war has been carried into the heart of the country at an immense cost of blond and treasure. Her armies have been swept before us like grass before the reaper's scythe. Iter seaports, many of her cities, and her great capital are in our posI .1 V _ \17 session, aim yei mere is no peaec. >y e have tendered to her overtures intended an pacific, which have been indignantly rejected, and the nation driven to desperation is as one man armed against us. When ami how is this peace to be conquered? II by the conquest and permanent occupation of the country, it is worthy of the gravo and solemn consideration of the people of the United States whether the fee simple is worth in dollars and cents, the cost of the conquest. Suppose it conquered, the diversity in our language and religion would be an inseparable obstacle to their cordial amalgatiou with us, and until their remembrance of what they at least will assume to be the wrongs we have done them, shall have passed away, a large army will be necessary to keep them in subjection.? Apart from those difficulties!, what benefit arc we to derive from the conquest? A communication between our North-Western possessions and the Pacific Ocean is certainly very desirable, hut beyond this, we have already territory enough to satisfy the demands ol our population for many generations to conic?none is hardly desirable, as we arc already cavilling amongst ourselves about the spoils of the anticipated victory which may lead to a contest more disastrous than the war itself. It becomes then a question of serious import and _ . ! * _ _ 1 . I _ A. _ great uencacy, 10 uciermme wnai course, in this juncture, the Government of the U. States ought to pursue. It ought not, and I trust will not, do any act calculated to comprotnit its interest, honor, or dignity? but its object and end, in the prosecution of this war, if there be any other than the attainment of honorable peace, is yet shut up iu the closet, and I trust I shall not be deemed impertinent in making some suggestions in relation to it. The enemy has already been severely chastised for her aggressions upon us, our arms have met with no reverses, but have triumphed in many a bloody Held, always against fearful odds ! . L iir _ /? i in nuinoers. we are in possession ot uer seaports, and I venture to suggest, as worthy of consideration, whether we should incur any odium, and whether we should not consult our interest and dignity by withdrawing our army from the interior of the country, and throwing around a line of circumvellation which would cut her oft" fro in all communication with the rest of the world?is not as well calculated to produce what ought to be the desired result, as laying waste the country with the sword, and at a less expense of blood and treasure. I have ventured these rernaks, in the be1 * f . I. . ? ? *ll .1 jiji mat you win receive mem as corning from one having no feelings or aspiration inconsistent with the interest and glory of the American people, and with the knowledge that you have no immediate power over the subject, or that you would feel any disposition improperly to interfere with the legitimate powers of the General Government in the prosecution of the war, but that your voice-is entitled to be heard and must cammand respect, if you think proper to give it utterance. I cannot dismiss the subject of this war without some notice of our own Palmetto Regiment?made up of some of the best Ll i i _i? ! - _ v . r .I. ... uiouu una ciioieesi spirits 01 me otaie.? They have won for themselves, our common country, and their native State, a measure of renown unsurpassed by any army in any age or country. A bright pnge is reserved for thein in the history of this war, and when the battles of Contreras, Churubusco, and Chapultepec shall be reviewed by after ages, they will be found to compare with the most brilliant achievements of ancient or modern limes. The small remnentthat remains of this gallant Regiment is melancholy proof ot their courage and devotion. The pplendor of its triumphs is reflected back on the State, and she will not forget that it imposes obligations if U ! aU p b o Annn/vl im 'Pli a atti rl a m n rt .1 wni^ii oiio Luuiiui luiu^ui x no WJUUW3 aiiu children of the fallen ought not to be thrown ofTto depend on the cautious and measured charity of the General Government. Let them bo our peculiar care. Nursed and sustained by those bound to them by the j tics of kindred ami common sympathy, tlioy ! . will l?e exempted from the chills and blight- : ing inlluenco of dependence on strangers, j 1 can summon to the aid of this suggestion i no greater or more imposing influence than '.lie sentiment expressed by Bridadier Gene- ! ral Shields, in a letter to mc, announcing j ! .1- I'-.II ,.rI.,,..,,,,!,,,! I>i,?r,n i\i I IIIU IU1I UI IUV IUUIVMH v? wwiwi.vk - ? | Dutler at the battle of Chut ubusco, and ap- i plying the principal to tin; families of all : | who have fallen in this contest. In speak- : : ing of him, lie remarks. " permit me, Sir, : j to suy ia conclusion, that I trust the gallant < ! State, upon which his death has shed such I lustre, will supply the place of guardian and protector to his widowed family." : DAVID JOHNSON. Columbia, Nov. til), Is 17. T11E BAN IYER. j ! ABBEVILLE C. II., S. C.: "\Vc?lncmday, Doo. s, 1N I7. Tlie Ciallaiit I>oad. We learn from an authentic source that : i the remains ol Uol. LJutler, iits. Moragne, ! Stewart and Adams, are on their way home j and may he expected soon. We trust lhat j the friends of Lts. Moragne and Stewart j ; will give notiee at what time the remains j | will reach the District, so suitable honors j can bu paid them. Lt. XV. . .llora^su'. I The friends of Lt. W. C. Moragne will j | be gratified to learn from a letter received | in this place by the last mail from New Or- j leans, thaUhe is fast recovering his health < j and will soourrrrivc in the District. ft-Vom Mexico. We have by the last mail received several letters from friends in Mexico, but as ' i i the subject matter lias been antiepated by ! publication of the same in our own and ] other papers, we shall only give a few ex tracts of them in our next. The letters . which will be lbund in another column of . this paper, have been Icindiy furnish -d us, one by Dr. J. 1*. Barrett, which is from Captain Marshall, and the other by General llodges, from his son, who was left in | the hospital at Puebla, both will be read j 1 with interest by those who have friends in J uiu army. ! The friends of Captain Samuel McGowan will be pleased also to learn that he was I in good health at the latest dates. Fi'oiu CeiuisibiK. By a letter from a friend in Columbia, we learn that on the 4th inst both EIouscs went into an election for Chancellor, to fill I . I | the vacancy occasioned by the death of ! Chancellor Harper. There were three balj lotings, and no Candidate having received a j majority, no choice was made. The followI ling is the result: | Dargan, 47 57 09 ! Meniminger, ----- 38 4(5 48 j Wardlaw, - - - - - 27 21 18 Dcssausure, 28 22 17 Patterson, 18 (3 0. Nothing of much importance has been done yet in the Legislature and there seeins to be a disposition not to do much this session. VVe intended to give a synopsis of the proceedings np to the latest dates, but deeming the letters from our friends inMexico of greater interest, we have given them to the exclusion of other mattersf .Lcttcrs from our Volunteers. National Palace, Mexico., > 26th October, 1847. $ My Dear Sir:?While in Puebla I wrote you a letter in which I attempted to give you a description of the country from Vera Cruz to thai place, a? well a.? my opinion of i the people we are at war with, physically j and morally, but I fear you will not receive i that letter, as all communication had in a great measure ceased with the coast. I now write to you from the National Palace of Mexico, with one of the windows of mv room onenincr unon the far famed Bota ic Garden of Mexico, which by the by is nothing but a humbug, for there is nothing in it, but what I have seen before, with the exception of a tree, which the Mexicans say was planted by Montezuma himself, and that there is none other in the world like it. The Americans now about 8,000 strong are actually revelling in the Halls of the Montezumas?<-It would require adozen pages for me to tell you by what means the American Army is now in quiet possession ofihe capital, to tell you how much ourlittle army has suffered since we entered the Valley of Mexico, to tell you how much, (I can say without vanity) our own Regiment has I poured out upon the altars of their country | yea ! lor the honor and glory of our beloved State ; life's last drop of blood?but I'll of this you will huvc long since seen in the ( public Journals, more eloquently and accurately described, than my t'eble pen can do. I must however be allowed to .say some- ! ? ..i?. .1 i i... ?i.? i>..i. tlJJUUl llli: JUT I IV J I 111 *11 I'J IIIV/ M. (II melto Regiment, as well as the part my Company performed with that Regiment. lit;fore proceeding lo give you an account of the last battles that has boon fought in the Valley of Mexico and the part performed by our regiment; 1 feel it my duty, though painful as it is,?to inform you that Kdward Watson is no mure. I had him decently buried by the side of Lt. Stewart, who died oh the 28th of last month, after a protracted illness of six weeks. He died of the same disease?thus has fallen two as gallant spirits as 1 had in mv Camnunv. In turning from this mournful subject, I will not curry you back to the battles of Coutreras and Churubuseo, but will speuk of the battles of Chapultepec and the Garit;). On the 10th September a VoluntecrSlonning-l'arty was called for, from our Regiment to consist ol's^ven men. This p.irty was nothing but a forlorn hope, whose duty was to go ahead, pl.iut ladders. scale lortilications, and drive the enemy hom the cannon. It seemed from this duty, that nothing but inevitable death awaited each man. The Regiment was assembled, and the call made, and Richard Watson shouldered his musket, and was the first man to tender his services,?Elderd Simpkins was the next, J as. A. Norwood of my Company was the next, John Patrick also of my Company was the fourth, and here there was a pause lor some minutes until Stanford of Columbia came out. Here the volunteering' stopped for Some time, until finally a man firm Company Iv came out, and the others had to be detailed. I felt proud that my Company furnished three out of seven, and more especially when I saw who they were. This party was put under the command of Capt. Reynolds of the marines with some thirty others. On the morning of the glorious yet bloody 13th we were aroused by the cull ' to arms." You could see written on every man's countenance a fixed determination, that seemed to say "Victory or dentil for every tnnn knew what had to be done, and thai nothing but unflinching courage could accomplish the object. The order for the march was given at S o'clock A. M and wo took the road that lead from Tacubaya to the city? this road ran by the pass of Chapultepec and here it branched, the right to the Ganta Belen and the left by St. Cosme within one hundred yards of the pass ofChapultepec was a masked battery, which had to be rvirrir?rl lur tl?o ctnrininn- nnrlir ?iiiinnrlr><I ln? I - j o i ji?i'r1? J j the Light Battalion and Rifles. When j within three hundred yards of this battery the enemy opened a dreadful (ire of grape and cannister upon us both from this fort and the Castle upon Chapultcpec, saying nothinjxabout the balls from ten thousand musi kets, all of which fell amongst us like a i shower of hail. Here it was that Serjeant I _ ? I Mattison was shot dead by my side, and ! with him fell one of the most eflieient and gallant non-commissioned officers in the Regiment. We received orders in a few minutes to talce a wall at the foot ofChapuItepec, in rear of which was stationed some three thousand Mexicans pouring into our ranks a dreadful lire. We no sooner received the order than ^vith a shout, we charged across a plain that was intersected with some half dozen ditches with from three to five feet water?this however was no impediment, we would plunge into them and then scramble out on the other side, and so on until we reached the wall. A great many of our regiment was killed and wounded in this charge, for so thick fell the grape and cannister, that death seemed to await each man; nothing hut the vigorous charge we made saved us; for when we arrived near the wall the enemy began to give way and by the time we effected a breach and commenced charging through,the Mexicans were retreating in the wildest confusion.? We thon commenced charging up the hill, driving the enemy before us, who, we evidently saw were panic stricken, whilst Gen. Pillow's Division carne in on the opposite side, i he yoliigeuM were the first to enter and our Regiment, tha second as well as our flag was the ^cond to float from the ancient Halls of the Montezuma?. In the mean time the storming party with the Ught battalion rushed on and in five minutes took the masked battery. Here it was that Richard was shot down while gallantly rushing on with his comrades, and continued to nre upou the enemy until the 11 " "" u foil was taken I am told by tbo ulltocr who commanded him. that he sii'imllv dis , ? 0 J tinguished himself for his coolness and seltpossession, during the hotest part of the battle. IIore also fell Jno. Patrick while mounting a ladder to scale the fort?a gal*hint death he died upon the ramparts of the enemy. Norwood and Simpkins, who were jn the thickest, bore themselves gallantly throughout the whole struggle, and came off unhurt?the remaining lour bein?? kib o r? h -1 and wounded. % After remaining in the Cnfs'.le about half an hour, we marched down to the base of the hill where Gen. (Viitmdn, lead halted the other portion of his division, to rest while he would make a disposition of all ' his forces for the intended attack upon the ! / :. . i.. .i.i: - ? I viuin.i. in ujis uisposmun, we expecieu : to liill back to our proper position, which | was the centre of the Division; but no ; it ; seemed that we were destined to be put aj gain in a position to win fresh laurels, but ! at great expense ofblood and life, i We were placed in front of the whole division, with four Companies of Rifles with us. We proceeded on towards the Ciarita protecting ourselves as much as possible (Vuin the fire ol the enemy, by the arches of the nqtiaducl, which by the by was no protection at all. -When within enc hundred ! yards of the Garita, the order was given to charge and as usual, we charged with a yell, under a fire, that mowed us down like hay, and when we arrived at the breastworks some few devils Uept shouting until ; we commenced scaling the works, and then it would have done you goo.l to see us iii our turn give them our lire. It appeared (or ten minutes that not a ball was lost, as I they fell like sheep. The Palmetto Banner was the first to be planted on the ene. inics works, and I am proud to saw was the i first American Flay that was planted within the city, and Company E has the honor of being the first Company that formed under thai Flag in the charge upon the Garitii. From this point the enemy retreated to the citadel, which was si'Uated about three ; hundred yards, and here they concentrated i all their heavy artillery, and the best troops I they could comnand?as soon as we comi pletely possessed ourselves of thegarita, tho j enemy opened upon us wilh their stUillery, j and musketry, pref'cring long taw, to hold j ing men* ure until tney can see me wtutc oi j fhe enemies eye. Our Regiment was. orj dered forward to drive the enemy from tho j arches of the aqueduct, while executing this ' movement, the enem,- redoubled their fi,i;o j of grape and canister which was very dei structive?Here we suffered more than int I any previous engagement Lieutenant ' John B. Moragne fell close by me with a ; musket ball through his breast, and as. soon j as he struck the ground a cannon ball tore j off his head?I have lost much in his death, j for he was not only a gallant but efficient ! officer, never swearving once from duty. j Hem a'.so fell William It. Devlin with a ball through his head, he was one of my best soldier's, and has suffered more to.serve his country than any maiv would have don.e under the circumstance. Here also fell j some as gallant spirits as ever were in the i Edgefield company.?Sergeant IJlockcr fell whilegallantly leading his company,the canr j non ball that killed him, killed three others,. This company has suffered much in the 1 battles, and deserve well the name of the "96'' Hoys, I regret exceedingly that Capt. j Brooks could not have survived the wound ' he received at Churubusco, he there wot* for himself imperishable honors for his coolness and gallantry during the hotest of the engagement. We continued to hold this O O position until Captain Drum ceased firing, on account of his fuses having given out ! General Q,uitman saw if we remained in this position, we would be destroyed, and . ordered us to (all b ick an 1 occupy the enemies works?while falling back Major i Gladden received a wound in his thigh, ! which disabled him, the command of the Rei iriment fell uDon mv shoulders, I was at ono ? * tf f time ordered by General Quitman to occupy some arches ; again towards the closo of evening I was ordered to defend tho breast works, we remained in this position until night stopped the firing on both sides. During this engagement the Pennsylvania Marines and New Yorkers never to my knowledge crossed the Qarita, and not more than one in twenty were injured. The night was occupied in throwing up ^ breast works, and mounting cannon, and when day light came, we expected the enemy to open upon us with their artillery, but instead of this, profound silence reigned at the citadel, not a soul was to be Seen. In a few moments a white flag was seen to issuo from the citadel supported by a couplo of