The Abbeville banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, June 02, 1847, Image 2
*
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