The National Register.
London, England, 1821-10-01 00:00:00

AMERICAN PAPERS.

(Prom the Yakima latelligeneer, Aug. 30.)
New ORLEANS, AunusT 3 —We have conversed
w:th several gentlemen just returned from an excur-
sion along the coast of the province of Texas, as far
as the hay of Matagorda.
The Independents are in some force at Galveston,
tinder the command of Major finger. Besides se-
veral parties scouring the country, "there were about
25 men at Fort Bolivar, which is in a good state
of defence, having some pieces of very heavy eanc
non mounted. The independents there were in cor-
respondence with the people of St. Antonio, and
other towns in the Provineias Infernos. The latest
accounts from the interior give assurances that the
cause of independence would be supported by the
whole of the population.
A Mexican armed cruiser was lying at Galveston.
She is a large schooner mounting nine guns; had
lately been sery successful against the Spaniards,
aad was full of colonial produce.
Smuggling in those parts is carried on with it high
hand. A negro trader, with about 200 slaves on
board, lately landed her cargo at a small river this
side of Galveston. Dry goods and West India pro-
duce are often introduced by means of the different
b iyons. _

The Carrancrau Indians were apparently in con-
siderable force ; near 2tao fires were counted along
the coast. Our informants having landed on an
island in the Bay of Matagorda, discovered marks
of the cruelty of these cutnilwls. A post driven
into the ground appeared burnt all around, and on
one side hung part of a man's aria naked to the
wood. Not far off a wreck was seen, which being
all of cedar, was probably Spanish.
Whilst noticing the affairs of Texas, we cannot
well avoid remarking, that if political motives some
years ago induced the President to seize on Amelia
Island, the same reasons, but in tenfold greater
force, call for the occupation of Texas. A great
number of our citizens are gone and going there.—
The conntry has no regular system of laws. Bands
of armed men speaking our language hover over
the frontier.
The sea coast is the most favourable that can well

be imagined for smuggling. Numbers are fimnd
now a-days above the dull pursuits of civil life, and
nothing but the strong arm of power and the most
energetic measures, in similar circumstances, ensure
the observance of the laws of nations and those of
the United States. If common report is not a most
bare-faced liar, smuggling appears likely to grow to
as great a head as in Spain itself. We have been
told, and that repeatedly, by men who have visited
those parts, that the country on the Red River, the
Opelousas, and the Attakapas, are full of African
negroes and fine Indian and European goods, smug-
gled in. The Government of the United States
should know t:ie truth, and check the evil ere it at-
tains greater enormity. Were we permitted to
advise, we should recommend the occupation of
Texas: the establishment of three or four compa-
nies of mounted riflemen on that frontier, and the
presence of four or five light cruisers, under diligent
officers, in the Gulf of Mexico.
What a picture does the account from the coast
of Texas give us of the condition of that country !
Bands of outlaws in anus, tribes of cannibal radians,
gangs of daring smugglers, with hordes of miserable
African slaves ! There is no question but such evils
demand the interposition, in some shape of our go-
vernment, to defend the American territory from
the contaminating influence of such a congregation
of fatuity, fanaticism, and crime. For this purpose
we are entirely ofopinion that a port of the recom-
mendation of the Louisiana Gazelle ought to be fid-
lowed, and that our police vessels by sea, and a de-
tachment of troops by land, ought to be employed
for the punishment of those who laugh to scorn
national law and private morals, and for the preven-
tion of similar offences for the future. We have MP

doubt that the attention of govcritment will be at
once directed to this object.
With respect to our occupying the Spanish ter-
ritory adjoining our limits, without the consent

of Spain, as recommended by the New Orleans
papcw, that is another question, dividing itself into
two—the first of right, the second of necessity. It
is hardly advi.eable, having just settled our old dis-
putes with to begin already to prepare ma-
terials for new ones—not to speak of the consider-
ations of public law ii:vulvul in this matter. If we
MC to take possession of every territory adj•iining us
/whenever it becomes a harbour tier smugglers and
fugitives from instieo, there would be no end of our
occupation of territory, till we got the whole Con-
tinent to oursel% es, the north pole at one extremity,
awl the Atlantic and Pacific oceans washing the
shores all round besides Oa this principle, we
should long ago have occupied" the Canadas un
the north, and the Nest India Islands on the south.
No, no, this will not do. Seize what we might we
should vet leave tionlet fling ungrosped, It is incon-
venient to have territory to u.