The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, April 13, 1842, Image 2
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
To the Senate arul Ilouse of
Representatives ofthe United Sides:
Notwithstanding the urgency with which I
have on more than o:ie occasion, i'clt it my duty
to press upon Congrers the necessity of providing
the Government with the means of discharging
its debts, and maintaining inviolate the
public faith, the incrcjs.ag e ubarrassments of I
the Treasury, impose upon ir.o the indispensable
obligation of again inviting^ your most rori- J
ou> attention to the condition o' the Hi: a'it en ? i
Fortunately for myoi**, i-i hrb -'.v-thls ini-j
portant subject t>? your view, if" a delihorn'oj
and co npre':e:i-:vo cximinal-io 1 of it in aui i = '
bearings, and I trap' I if ay n Id, for n final r>.I-1
justmonf of i , to fhc common 'idvrnfr.-o of thej
whole Ibion, 1 ton permitted lotfnpr.nch it'
with freedom a . i candor. As few of the br.r-J
dens for which 'provision ir, row required to be
made, have been brou jiit upon.the cnun-rv di- '
ring my short administration of its atFiir.-', I have
Neither motive ner wish to in.the t)io:n .a matter
* of crimination against any of my predecessors.
I am disposed to regard, as I am hound to treaty
thcrnasfac's which cannot now he undone, and:
as deeply interesting to us all, and equally im-j
posing upon al! the most sobmn duties. An!
the only use I would make of the errors of the
pas'r, i--, by a careful examination of their causes
and character, to avoid, if possible, the repetition
of them in future. The condition of
the country indeed, is such as may well arrest!
the can diet of parties. The conviction seems j
at length to have made its way to the minds of!
all, that the disproportion between the public,
rcsponsibiiitics, and the means provided for
meeting them, is no casual nor transient evil.? 11
It is on the contrary, one which for some years
to come, notwithstanding a resort to all reason- J <
abb retrenchments* and the constant progress (
-f :n ,,/>nnUhi,n find nrri.dnp.tivf> i ]
Ul IliC OUU-Kl y 111 |;U|JU1UI|VI1 uuv* . v> i
power, must continue to increase under ex- ]
isting laws, unless we consent fo give up or iui- <
pair all our defences in war and peace. But this j ]
is a thought which, I am persuaded, no patriotic j j
mind would for a moment entertain. Without;]
affecting an alarm which I do not feel in regard! j
to our foreign relations, it may be safely affirm- <
ed that they are in a state too critical and in- j
volve too many momentous issues to permit us ' j
to neglect in the least, much less to abandon it
entirely, those moans of asserting our rights, c
without which negotation is without dignity and 16
peace without security. . i
In the Report of the Secretary of the Trca- c
sury, submitted to Congress at the commence- t
ment of the present session, it is estimated that, a
after exhausting all the probable resources of v
the year, there will remain a deficit of about ji
?14,000,000. With a view partly to a perma- t
ment system of revenue, and partly to iinmcdi- h
ate relief from actual embarrassment, that officer: c
recommended, together with a plan for establish-1 d
ing a Government Exchequer, some expedients ! fi
of a more temporary character, viz the issuing 11<
of Treasury notes, and the extension of the time j u
for which "the loan authorized to be negotiated j h
by the act of the last session should be taken., d
Congress aecfoJIng!y-provided for r.n :c~:;cotid
Treasury notes to the amount of ?5,000,000 but i ir
subject to the condition that they should not be< v.
paid away below par. | d.
No "measure connected with the last ofthe'ai
two objects above mentioned was introduced un-j vi
til recently into the House of Representatives.! e
Should the loan bill now pending before that bo-' a
dy pass into a law for its present amount, there! si
would still remain a deficit of 8500,000. It re-' li
quires 110 argument to show that such a condi-! li
tion of the Treasury is incompatible not only' rr
-with a high state of public credit, but with any j ti
thing approaching to efficiency in the conduct of I ti
public affairs".. It must be obvious, even to the lo
most inexperienced minds, that to eav nothing oi
of any particular exigency, actual or imminent, b
there should be at all times in the Treasury of a w
great nation, with a view to contingencies of j 11
ordinary occurrence, a surplus at least equal in w
amount to the above deficiency, serious as it. ti
would be in itself, will, 1 am compelled to say, < r;
rather be increased than diminished, without ju
the adoption of.measures adequate to correct the' t<
evil at once. The stagnation of trade and busi- s;
ness, in some degree incident to the derange- j a:
ment of the national finances, and the state of b
the revenue laws, holds out but little prosper!! g
th*? nrdlnarv course of things lor j p
6ome ti.ne'ocorns. Id
Ua-h-s ic!i ci- . as'ance?, I ?.m deeply im- j T
presso 1 \vi "i l'v? y of wceiing ttu?" crisis j:!
with a vigor vi.l daci.-o \ -\ !; ch it. I nooiv .ve'y i s'
(deminds a: the har.da of a!! en'rusted with ihila
conduct of public aTiirs. Too gravity of ihejg
evil calls, for.a ro.a3.iy proro'-lo-e i so it. Nojs
plight palUr.u.es cr occasion:.! expo ! outs will
give the country the rebel it needs. .Sac.h 'J
measure?, on the contrary, 111 l':2 on*1, as a
is manifest to all, too sure;.; multiply its cm- e
barrassments. Relying, an [ a?:i hound to do, t
on the Representatives of a people TSP'lere'l a
lusfrious among nations by having paid O-1^ ds i!
whole public debt, I shall not shrink from i?. ?. b
responsibility .imposed upon me by the Consti- l.c
tution of- pointing out ?i:ch measures as will inj h
my opinion ensure adequaie relief, i am the j a
more encouraged to recommend the course! I:
which necessity exacts, by the confidence which !
I have in its complete success. The resources] a
of the country, in every thing that constitutes ii
the wealth and strength of nations, are soabun- a
dant?the spirit of a 'most industrious, cnlerpri- c
sing, and intelligent people is so energetic and li
elastic, that the Government will be without x
the shadow of excuse for its delinquency, if the <J
.difficulties which npjfc embarrass it be not speo- v
dily and effectually removed. c
, From present ir.dicasion?, it is hardly doubt- t
ful t'iat Congress \viII find it necessary to lay
zc additional duties otjirimporie, in order to meet <
the ordinary current expenses of the Govern- \
ment. In tiie exercise of a sound discrimina- s
tion, hayigg incidental protection to mauufactu- r
ring industry, it seems equally probable that !
duties on some articles of importation will have t
to bo advanced above 2'J per cent, m periorm- ?
ingr this important work of revising the larilF oll<
duties, which in the present emergency would 11
seem to be indispensable, I cannot too strongly j?
recommend tho cultivation of a spirit of mutual )
harmony and co; cession, to wliieh the Govern- \
jneptvjiteelf owes its origin, and without the i
c^ptrnucd exercise of which, jarring and discord
.^Kpiild universally prevail.
additional reason for the increase of duties
in some instances beyond the rate of 20 1
percent, willcxiir.in fulfilling the recommendations
already mada^jRd now repeated, of
making adequate appropriations for the defences
of the country. . .
By ike express provision of the act distributing
the proceeds of the sales of the public lands
amongth-Spates,, its operations is ipso facto to
cease so"%oon as the rate of the duties shall exceed
the limits proscribed in the act.
In recommending the adoption of measures
for distributing the proceeds of tne sales of the
public lands among the States at the comraohco
s- .
' -* ??.?< J ... ?TOUW-'fJ' ,u?v:jr
? ?? -7-*r,
mentor the last session of Congress, rucIi dis-1
-tribntion was argued by arguments and consid-!
erations which appeared to mo then, and appear
to mc now, of great weight, and was placed on
llio condition that it should uot render necessary
any departure from the act of 1333. It is with
sincere regret that J now perceive the necessity
of departing from that act; because I am well
aware that expectations justly entertained by
C ?t? 0.. ? :!l. s.-i.- !?<A I K..
t'Uisu? ui liiy ot:i;ua win uu wj ?* -w*
occasion which shall withhold from thorn the
proceed? of the lands?. Cut lite condition was
nl.vlnly expressed in t.'-e message, ami was inserted
in terms equally plain in the lav.* itself';
r. :.l amidst the embarrassments which surround
:!;o country o 1 ; ]! side?, and beset fco'.h the
Generai ?. i <!:e State G.wernmchls, it appears
to tne lief the object f;rst and highest in in:-,
portanre is to c.'?b!.:h the credit of this Government,
and ?;> place it-on,?'durr.l)1c foundations,
and liius ai7oi-.i the most effectual support to the
credit of the States, equal at least to what it
would receive from a direct distribution of the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands.
When the distribution law was passed there
was reason to anticipate that there soon would
he a real surplus to distribute. On that assumption
it was, in my opinion, a wise, a ju3t, and a
beneficent measure. Cut to continue it in force
while there is no such surplus to distribute, and
when it is manifestly necessary not only to increase
the duties, but at the same time to borrow
money in order to liquidate the public debt j
and disembarrass the public Treasury, would!
Cause it to be regarded as an unwise alienation |
of the best security of the public creditor, which i
would with difficulty bo excused, and could not j
be justified.
Causes of ordinary character have recently j
depressed American credit in the stock market J,
af the world to a degree quite unprecedented.. I
[ need scarcely mention the condition of the:
banking institutions of some of the States, the Ij
cast amount of'foreign debt contracted during a i
ieriod of wild speculation by corporations and 11
individuals, and, above all, the doctrine of re- I
puliation of contracts solemnly entered into by 1
Stales, which, although as yet applied only un- l
ler circumstances of a peculiar character, and 1
generally rebuked with severity by the moral l
?ense of the community, is yet so very licen- t
ous, and in a Government depending wholly (
in opinion, so very alarming, that the imprcs- i
;ion made by it to our disadvantage as a people, 1
s any thing but surprising. Under such cir- t
lumrtances, it is imperatively due from us to t
he people whom wc represent, that, when we :
jo into I he money market to contract a loan, .
vc should lender such securities as to cause the /
nonev lenders an well at home as abroad lo fee! !
hat the most propitious opportunity is aubrded a
im of investing profitably and judiciously his i:
apital. A Government which has paid off the I ii
ebts of two wars, waged with the most power- C
ill nation of modern times, should not be brought
3 the necessity of chaffing for terms in the n:o- u
ey market. Under such circums'anccs as I g
avc adverted to, our object should be to pro-'d
uce wuh the capitalist a feeling of entire confi- j't;
efjeefbya tender cf thatrortof securer v,\. c!,!'.
i all time past has been esteemed sufficient, and ii
hich for the small amount of our proposed in- f
? - ' 1- 1 - ..
2i)fC'l!!e?s vvi! 1 unaesuaTinyiy uc rcgnruou as . ci
mply adequate. While a pledge of ail the re- !;
spues amount to no more tHnn is applied in \v
very instance when the Government contracts ci
debt, and although it ought in ordinary circum- , o'
lances to be entirely satisfactory, yet in times E
ke these the capitalist would feel better satis- : pi
ed with the pledge of a specific fund, ample in ; v.
lagnitude to the payment ol his interest and ul- ai
mate reimbursement of bis principal. Such is j fc
le character of the land fund. The most 'vigi jit
mt money-dealer will readily perceive that not; E
aly will bis interest be secure on such a pledge,' tl
at that a debt of $18,000,000 or $20,000,000 d
otild, by the surplus of sales over and above 1 w
ie payment, of t.!ic interest, be extinguished o
ithin any reasonable time fixed for its rctlemp- u
on. To relieve Mi? Treasury from its onibartssments,
and to aid in meeting its requisitions s!
ntil time is allowed for any new tariff" of duties ' ti
> become available, it would seem to be neces- \\
try to fund a debt approaching to ?18,009;000; b
ad" in order to place the negotiation of the Joan si
syond the reasonable doubt, I submit to Con- l!
ress whether the proceeds of the sales of the o
iihiic. hod* should not be pledged for the pay- ft
e:it of the interns4, and the Socre'ary cf the j L'reasury
be author.zed, out of :he surplus of j
10 proceeds of such sater, to purchase liio 'c
lock, wiic.'i it cat) be procurer! ??? such terms j C
s will render it LoneHcial i.i that way'in e.\t:::- ; o
ui.-h the debt and prevent ihe acciiuuintion of! s
uch surplus while i's distribution is g;i.>pond':d. i o
No one can doubt that were the re.hral, a
Veasury now a< prospers us as il was ten years [ a
oo, and its fheal operations conducted !iy an : h
fiiciei'.t ajrcucy of its owe, co-extcusivo with c
he Union, t.'ie embarrassments of the fcha'os,} h
.lid corporations in them, would produce, even s
f they continued as they are, (were that possi- , I
do,) effects far less disastrous than those now |.
xperienced. It is tlie disorder here, at the t
ca.'t and centre of the system, that paralyzes t
r.d dcr..''-TCs every part of it. Who does not 1
now the" 'jfrmanen: importance, not to the. t
'cdcral Geverr.n:?"1 alone, but io every State. s
nd everv individual :vi:ii;n its jurisdiction, even . i
a their most indepciK.'.ent and isolated iridividu1
pursuit, in the prescrVtT-OU of a sound state I
>f public opinion and a judicious administration !'
lerc.' The sympathy is instantaneous and uni- J
ersal. To attempt to remedy the evil ol the i
lerantred credit and currency of the States, I
vhile the disease is allowed to rage in the vitals ;
if this Government, would be a hopeless under- j i
akiiig1- 1
It is the full conviction of this truth which j i
imboldens me most earnestly to recommend ton
roar early and serious consideration the mea-11
>ures now submitted to your better judgment, <
is well as those to which your attention has <
jcen already invited. The first great want of ;
he country, that without answering which at i
ill attempts at bettering the present condition i
sf things will prove fruitless, in a complete res- i
toration of the credit and finances of the I-'eder- 1
si Government. The source and foundation of /
ill credit is in the confidence which the Govern- j
mcnt inspires; and just in proportion as thnti!
confidence shall be shaken or diminished, wiil j'
be the distrust among all classes of the comrnu- !
nity, and the derangement and demoralization.1
ia every branch of business and all the interests 1!
of the country. Keep up the standard of good j
faith and punctuality in the operations of the],
ft'morn 1 Government, and all partial irregular!-j
ties and disorders will be rectified by the mfhi.
once of its examp'e; but suficr that standard to
be debased or disturbed and it is impossible to
foresee to what a decree of degradation and contusion
ali financial interest, public and private,
may sink. In such a country as this, the Representatives
of the peoplo have only to will it,
and tho public credit will be as high as 'it ever
was.
My own views of the'mcasures calculated to
* *
1 e * ? ?
effect this great and desirable object, I have thus
frankly expressed to Congress, under circumstances
which give to the entire subject a pecu- .
liar and solemn interest. The Executive can
do no more. It the credit of the country be exposed
to question; if the public defences be broken
down or weakened; if the whole administration
of the public affairs be embarrassed for
want of the necessary means for conducting
thcin with vigor and effect, I trust that this department
of the Government will be found to
hr.vn done .all u-fia in i'-a nnwnr to avert such
evils, and will be acquitted of all just blame on
account of them. v. JOHN TYLER.
Washington, March 25, IB 12.
From the Alexandria Index.
Tii'S MEXICAN WAR.
This long expected event has taken place;
and now the blood-hound, Santa Anna, the ally
of England, biyouacks in the fair valley of the j
Rio Grande. I (
Wo hoar a voice frotn the beautiful hamlets, j
of Texas, calling upon us, by all the ties which i
bind us to our neighbors, our friends, and rela-' i
tives, tocomeacross theSabine and strike a blow ,
for Liberty. Oh for a voice, like an angel's I
trumps!, to arouse the noble spirits in the great j'
valley of the Mississippi to put on the harness of; 1
war, and to urge them over the prairies, with;;
drums beating and colore flying, to meet the cruel';
and cowardly foe.
Mexico in arms! and for what? To destroy i
the last spark of Liberty upon earth?to forge 1
felLers for the free arms of the West, and to i >.
shackle the human mind?and this, toe, in the1,
19th century. And who is her leader? The 1.
miserable tyrant, Santa Anna?a blood-hound in ;
the shambles, but a cur dog in the fight. Whok!
gave him his life? The President of the United <
States! Who lied for his life? Santa Anna! j j
The cnicard icas afraid In receive a visit even ;
from ourselves, and two other friends who called j
lo see him?as three school boys would visit a
menagerie?to see what kind of an animal it was !
Lhat murdered the brave Fanning and his little i i
band ofinunortals. Wc had on cloaks, and he ; f
"eared assassination, and this, too, in Madame
Ulrich's boarding-house, within sixty paces of
he Stale Department, in the City of Washingon.
While wo deprecate the letter written by
jeneral Hamilton to the Mexican President?as I
inworthy of himself or of Texas?we ncverthe- i
ess are glad that it was written, for it has made j
he tyrant send a bragadocia defiance to the Unic;l
Stn'es of America, dictated artar written, as 0
re bdi-'cc, hi/ the British Minister at the Court of j i:
Mexico. Our claims upon Mexico are to be re- \ t
iudiatcil by the liberal President of that liepub-11(
ic, and England is to be paid bv a crusade | u
gainst liberty?a crusade against the peculiar | y
institutions of the youth; and England thereby j C
5 to obtain dominion over .Mexico, and her, C
iueen i? to be the Q,ucen of Palenque. t(
Wo. are informed, from good authority, that, .
pon the request of the British resident the En- 11
iishmen, who accompanied the Santa Te Expo- c
ition, were released and fed; but that our Minis- c
v. when he made a formal demand, was not <]
"te.icI to, ani! til person was subjected ic tha
isn't of a ragged corps of body-guards, who, like
'a.'staiTs army, had but cr.c pair of breeches bo-!lT
,veon thorn. Our country has become the, is
mghing-siock of Mexicans. Clod of Heaven, 1 v
lien will wcn lo 's cea-o? We have now to re-'
imnioud a policy repudiated by our fathers, and . '
bjected to by Washington. When France and j d
Ingland were at war, in our infant stale, the e
osilion of a neutral was perhaps tiie best that 0
o could occupy: but now we have gro.vn old i
ud strong, wo have-thc moans of living and do- j
:tiding ourselves within ourown boundaries, and *is
now a duty intrtlmbenf ujw>?- prevent *tl
iuglaud's QueSn from a foot hold upon or near ' 0I
lis rontinent. She must be routed out of Cana- j u
a; .she must leave the musquitocs and the log-- i
ood groves of Honduras; she must be beaten out i S1
Mexico, and her cross must never wave in tri- ai
inp'i over tije Moro ofthe liavanno. j (j
The time for settlement is at hand. The mon-!
or- who has drank the blood and tears of ma-1
o:;s, and paid her armies and her pensioned fools ?
*ith gold from die alters and from the charity j T
o.vcs of the Eastern world, must soon meet the i tc
tripling David by hi3 father's sheep-fold; and ?
jen, like Goliah ofGath, who defied the armies [
t Israel, she will fall a loathsome carcase?a j c(
?nst for the Eagles upm the mountain side, or ; S
ytke brooks of freedom. jci
Wc understand that the Home Squadron will o,
arry the gallant Commodore Stewart to Vera ,
'rj/. to treat with Mexico, as the United States s<
::c o treated with the Moors of Barbary, with in- fr
tructions first to command Santa Anna to free C)
ur citizens, pay the money and keep the peace; j
n I second, to give him one hundred broad-sides '
s an itUiiitfitiun. Lot this be done speedily; and a:
i-tcr.o huriHred thousand men arm themselves,;
;;d with UO days-provisions, enter Texas by the ft
dints at Natchitoches. The Squadron could tc
end its tenders up the Sunncinta and replenish e
heir Commissaries there. Three months war, tl
iroscctMed with vigor, would plant the Eagle of h
ho Republic upon the palace of Montezuma, and w
lien Palenque, thou city of the dead, upon whose \ V
lousetops the trees of ages are standing waving w
heir branches in unison with the cry of the un- h
eon spirit bird, thy giant chambers, where a b
inttallion might bivouack with ease, will know u
mother and a bettor people; and thy courts will n
jecome the halls of legislation for a sovereign , a
State of our blessed Union. ;U
God save the Republic of Texas. tl
GO IT LITTLE 'UN. P
A chap about eight years old lately stepped h
nto one of our oyster houses, chewing his quid r
ike an old tar, and squirting his tobacco juice b
11 every direction. Htruttinjr up to a table t.
vhere a frontleman was indulging in a dish of |ii
soiled eggs, he said, 'stranger, I'Jl take a Jittle i
)f that salt.' 'What do you want with it!' en-1 c
juired the gentleman. 'To eat with one of e
^ ou r eggs.' Well, iny little chap, who's your ji
father!' 'My father! why he is the greatest man [ t<
n the country: he can wiiip all the bullies, and v
mamma can lick him just as slick as that,' said ii
:he chap, who suiting the action to the word, d
julphed down the gentleman's glass of beer.? b
His mamma knew iic was out. No danger of v
!iis starving in a free country. This is the boy t
who slopped at oiir olfice door and called out to t
Zcke: 'Alister, can't you give me a drink of
water! .1 am so hungry, 1 dont just know where a
[ shall sleep to-night!'"?Rasp. 1
Probably this is the same boy who called at a 1
bar room in this place, and said to the landlord, '
".Mister can vou give me a glass of water! I j r
like beer, am very fond of cider,?but rum!? J
0 Daddy!" -v ;
J _ i
Industry is not only tlie instrument of !
improvement, but the foundation of pleas- ,
lire. He who is a stranger to it, may possess,
but can't enjoy; for it is labor only
which gives relish "to pleasure.
- ..
"WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL If. 1813.
'^.Municipal Election.?At an held on Monday
the 4th ir&t. tno following gentlemen were
elected officers of the town for the present year.
John Workman, Intendant.
Wm. J. Gerald, Aaron Burr, C. H. Davis
and James DunlAp, Wardens. .
President's Message.?We publish this
morning the message of the President recommending
an increase of the tariff, and a repeal of
the distribution law. This is the most important
document ot tlie session, and recommending as'
it does, the repeal of an act which is regarded by
the whigs as the most vital measure of whig pnli- j
cv and almost the only fruit of the revolution]
which put them into power, will be read with interest
by all. It is well known that the national
treasury is in a destitute condition, and that the
government is in debt fourteen millions without]
any resources to look to from the present revenue
system to meet its present liabilities. Then
let the distribution law be repealed; it is foolish
for the government to attempt to grant annuities |
to others, when it has to resort to borrowing to1
sustain itself. There is no doubt but it will be
necessary to increase the tarifT?but this should
be done without recognizing the principle of protecting
particular interests at the expense of all
athers, and without raising more revenue than
s necessary for an economical administration of j
the government.
Gen. Waddt Thompson, our Minister to Mcx- J
co, sailed from New Orleans for Mexico, on the
10th ult. in the revenue cutter Woodbusy.
LATER FROM TEXAS.
By the arrival at New Orleans, of the Steam j
>acket New York from Galveston, papers to the :
!Sth ult. were received. The most important'!
ntellirrcticc bv this arrival, is the Proclamation I
if President Houston, blockading the eastern
iorts of Mexico, and a reference to his order to j
he army to cross the Rio Grande. In relation |
0 this order, a correspondent of the N. O. Bee j
ays: "we have 3,000 troops in arms west of the i
Colorado, who have orders to push for the Rio i
Jrandc, to capture and destroy all their towns,,
3 make for Matamoras, and, if prudeht,-to assail
From the ardour which pervades the whole j
ountrv, there i3 no doubt but the Texians will i
ontinuo the war until a recognition of their in- j
ependence is achieved.
There is no news of the Mexican invading ar-1
jy, but it is the general impression that Mexico
> still making extensive preparations for the inasion
of the country. The Texians arc active
1 making preparations to meet them, and arc
ctermined that the war shall go on whether the
r.emy make any further hostile demonstrations
r not.
A Mexican sloop had been captured at Corpus
Ihristi, by six Frenchmen who had recently seled
in that part of the country. The sloop had
ti board upwards of three hundred muskets, j
line ammunition and provisions, and $3,000 in ,
oecie, for the use of a division of the Mexican
rniy which they had expected to fall in with at
tat place.
General Houston has written a long letter to
anta Anna, in reply to the aspersions on the
rexians, contained in his letter to Gen. Hamil?n,
to which he annexes a letter frotnhis
xcellency, dated Orazimbo, Nov.5,1830, which
impletely falsifies the declarations contained in
anta Anna's letter to Col. Bee, that he had giva
no pledge whatever to the Texian government
f his disposition in favor of its independence and
jparation from Mexico. We annex extracts
oiti botli letters. After contrasting the acts of i
aormity committed by Santa Anna with the !
leniency experienced by him from the Texian i
jthority, President Houston remarks:
You tauntingly invito "Texas to cover her-1
;lf anew with the Mexican flag." You cer-;
tinly intend this as mockery; you denied us the I
njoymcnt of laws, under which we came to 1
le country; her flag was never raised in our be-1
ali-?nor has it been seen in Texas, unless J
hen displayed in an attempt at our subjugation, j
Vre know your lenity, we know your mercy, j
re are ready again to test your power, i ou j
ave threatened to plant your banner on the |
anks of the Sabine?is this done to intimidate .
s? Or do you deem it the most successful I
iode of conquest! If the latler, it may do to I
muse the people surrounding you; if to alarm j
s, it may do to amuse those conversant with j
lie history of your last campaign, if to iutimi-1
ate us, the threat is idle. We have desired
eace. You have annoyed our frontier. You
ave harrassed our citizens. You have incarccated
our traders, after your commissioners had
cen kindly received and your citizens allowed
lie privileges of commerce in Texas, without
lolestation.
You continue aggression. You will not acord
us peace. We icill have it. You threatcnd
to conquer Texas?we will-war with Mexico,
four pretentions with ours you have referred
o the social world and to the God of battles?
;e refer our cause to the same tribunals. The
ssue involves the fate of nations?destiny must
etermine?its course is only known to the trimnal
of Ileaven. If experience of the past
trill authorise speculations of the future,
be attitude of Mexico is more "problematical"
han that of Texas. ffC;
In the war which will be conducted by Tex
is against Mexico, our incentives will not be a
ove of conquest?it will be to disarm tyrany of
ts power. We will make no war upon Mexi:ans
orjtheir reliigon?our efforts shall be made
n behalf of the liberties of the people, and diecled
against the authorities of the country,
itld against your principles, Sir. We will extit
the cond t.on cf the people to representative
Tcedom?they shall choose their own rulers?
:hey shall possess their property in peace, and
it shall not be taken from them to support an
armed soldiery for the purpose of oppression.?
With these principles we will march across the
Rio Grande: and Sir, believe me, ere the banner
of Mexico shall triumphantly float on the
: - " '
banks of the Sabine, the Texian standard of the
Lone Star, borne by the Anglo-Saxon race,
'shall display its bright folds in liberty's triumph
oft the Isthmus of Barien.
With the most appropriate consideration,
I have the honor to present my salutations,
SAAl. HOUSTON.
Extract from Santa Anna's letter to President
a Houston:
.' "Convinced as I am, that Texas never will
* i .1 n I 1> r ir: .
iBUiiuc itevn vgam,. wiin uie liepuDiic or jnexico,
I feei desirous that my country should derive
alMhe advantages she can yet obtain, and avoid
the sacrifices she would undoubtedly sustain by
a rash attempt to recover a country from which?-'/
she has derived no real henetits, but, on the contrary,
very-heavy burthens. It is thus that the
Texian question is now reduced to this simple' *
| point of consideration.
"The settlement of the boundary line (los
j limites) between the.Unified States and Mexico,
which, as you well know, has,been pending for
i several years, and which, by being properly argued
and discussed over at Washington, could
j he easily fixed eithef by the River Nueces, the'
| Rio Grande, or some other point of demarcation,i
thus avoiding much unpleasant strife,-which, ire
the end, might retard the subject matter in question,
or disturb the amicable relations of two
friendly nations."
A PROCLAMATION <OF BLOCKADE.
By the President of ihe Republic of Texas.
To all whom these presents shall come?
Know ye, that I, Sam Houston, President of the
t Republic of Texas, and Commander-in-Chief of
1 the Army and Navy?By virtue of my authority
I and the power vested in me by law, and for the
| purpose of more effectually prosecut:ng the war
| in which Texas is now engaged with Mexico?do
I hereby order, decree, and proclaim, that all the'
I ports of theJRepublic of Mexico, on its Eastern
j coast irom Tobasco, in the state of Tobasco, to
Matamoras, in the 6tate of Tamaulipas, including
those ports, and comprising /the mouth of the
Rio Grande del Norte, and the Brazos Santiago,
and also all the inlets, estuaries and passes on
| the said eastern coast .of Mexico?are, from and
after the dale of this proclamation, in a state of
actual and absolute blockade, by the armed vessels
of this nation.
And for the'purposc of carrying tliis order, decree,
andproclhmation into complete effect, an *
anncd naval force new is, and will be continued
to be kept at or near the said ports, inlets and .
passes of the eastern coasts of, Mexicp entirely
sufficient to enforce this decree.
For any breach or effort at breach of this blockade,
the offending vessel and cargo will be liable
to confiscation, and the officers and marines of
such vessel will be subject to the penalties attached
to a breach of blockade.
This decree shall take effect as to vessels
sailing from New Orleans, within three days after
its publication in that city, ' and within five-*
days as to any neutral port within the Gulf of
Mexico?within twenty days as to any port in
the United States, north of the Gulf of Mexico?
and in forty-five days, as to vessels from any port
in Europe.
In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed- '
my hand and the great seal of this Re
public, at the city of Houston, this 20th
[L. S.] day of March, in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and fortytwo,
and of the Independence of the Re-i
pubiic the seventh.
(Signed) r SAM>HOUSTON.
By the President, '
Anson Jones, Sec'y. of State.
North Carolina?A convention oftixe-^rfergBof
this State assembled at Raleigh, on the 4th''
inst. for the purpose of nominating a candidateior"
Governor. The Hon. J. hi. Morehead, (present
Governor,) was nominated without a dissenting"
voice. Henry Clay was in like manner nominated
for the Presidency. *
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ii. Tile Cabinet?In relation- to the rumor that
there is to be a dissolution of the Cabinet, theMrdisonian
says:?"In times-like these, the Cab-inet
should not only be united on all important
measures before the country, or that may be
brought before it by the Executive, but it is necessary
that the people should know it It affords
us pleasure, therefore, to be able to state by - .'
authority, that there is not, and has not been any
foundation for such rumors."
Temperance.?A Washington Temperance
Society, numbering one hundred and forty-five
members has been formed in Charlotte, N. C.
IT". At a Convention of Planters recently held
at Alobile, Ala. it was agreed that the best way
to benefit the cotton growers was to lay duties onall
imported manufactures, in order to secure ahome
market.
BIT"Henry Clay, of Kentucky and a United
States Bank are nominated, for the Presidency,by
the Republican Whig Democrat
"The correspondent of -the United States Gazette,
under date, Washington City, March
*-28, says:
"The rumor is very prevalent this evening,
that the President has has ordered a squadron
fn Mpyirn- todemand fhn lihortv of tho Amepl.
can citizens, prisoners, at twenty-four hour's
notice, or incase of refusal, our AI nister is to; '
demand his pasports, and repair to the squadron,
there to await further orders. An officer of the
army also left here yesterday, with orders for the
6th regimect of Infantry, and five companies .j
2d Drhgcons, to repair forthwith to the Sabine
river, to prevent any interference on the part of
the American citizens with the affairs of Texas."
Encke's Comet.?A correspondent of the
United States Gazette has furnished some calculations
of the mo'ions' of Encke's comet, according
to which it is now approaching the earth
at the rate of' two millions of miles a day, and
its distance from us will be reduced one naif iff
- If la nACfikld tket if ntOir VtA
jct."?7s lUUii ti IIJUJIIM. il id j;uoaiuiu iubv iv titaj uw
seen this week or next, with a good telescope.
: #aleigk Star.
Temperance in our Colleges.?It must be a
source ot' heartfelt gratification to the public,
and especially to every parent, to learn that the
total abstinence pledge has been adopted by a
large number of the students of the University
of North Carolina. We hope the time is not
far distant when every young man at the Hill
Will be attached to their interesting Society, A
Temperance Society has also been formed in
the University of Virginia, by a large number
of the students of that institution.?lb.
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