The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-10-11

By the following it will be seen that the reports
in the papers of Gov. Shannon being robbed is
confirmed:
IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO.
! By the Fortuna at this port. says the N o.
plcayune Of the 10Th inst, we have intelligence
of late date from Mexico, She sailed on the Slh
| inst. from Vera Cruz. We have had some con-
versation with passenger who came by her, from
which, and other sources, we derive the following
information.
The town of Matamoras has been destroyed by
hurricane. 1t occurred on the night of the 4th
u,t.. and was more tremendous in its effects than
the hurricanes of '35 aud '37. More than two
thirds of the houses of the city were prostrated,
and the remainder were more or less injured As
TO the extent of the loss of life, we are not accu
rateIv informed. The correspondent OF El Censor
ds Yera Cruz estimates the whole loss at above
two hundred souls. The direst destruction'
boweyer. so far as we can learn, was at the TWO
roo,,bs of the Rio Grande, some thirty miles
below the city OF Matamoras. Here scarcely any
were saved In writing of MatamCras the eu''ois
have nothing to mitigate the extent OF It's rum
They describe it as a beautiful city; abounding IN
l,uxurious babitaons, and provided not only win
the necessares OF life, but many OF its most refined
Iluxuries In moment as it were, every thihS
was laid waste We cannot do better than to
copy frcm Ell Di1iO del Go0s@no' being the
renort Of the first Acalde to the general govern
ment:
"Except the houses of Don Pedro Jese de la
GAIA, of Donna Juana Perea and the 2ew church,
there is not building which is not much dau'ageu
or which is not heap Of ruins. The following
persons have pershed in the crash: An infant son
of Don Mariana Aguado, an artillery soldier; and
three women are badly wounded but still survive
"Among those buildings are the artillery bar
racks and the hospital juna, containing nearly 100
I sick the wall Of the prison and half OF the grave
yard. To tell every thing in ole woId-the
greater part of the population are compelled to
live in shantees built among the ruins OF their
houses. leave your excellency to imagine the
miserable condition of all sorts Of produce grow
ing in the fields.
"The sick were carried to-day to the barracks oi
the sappers, the park to the church, which has
lost one tower and half of another, the cannon to
the lower story of the consistoria houses-prlson'
ers of all kinds have been well guarded and moi
one has escaped" i.
Our new minister 10 Mexico, ex Governor
Shannon, Of Ohio, has reached his destination
bnt, we are sorry to say minus his ready money
and anything he may have had about his person
On his route between Vera Cruz and the capital
I the stage, in which he was passenger was way
lain. and the minister robbed Of whatever he ha'
about him. A fine commentary this upon I'M
efficiency of government about to send thou
sands of men into the field against Texas.
The intelligence is confirmed that Gen. Ampu
dia, the man who Mr.. Cheves says in his eloquen
letter has put himself beyond the pale Of civiliza
tion is to command the force destined to ac
ag ainst Texas. He has been at the capital, wher
we almost hoped ne would not dare venture afte
the atrocities of Tabasco and left for his command
IIThs is a mistake, Ampuda is not to command
One Of the pleasant features of the news W
received yesterday from Mexico was the releas
of the following individuals confined at Perote
Capt. William Rion, Col w. F. Wilson, the ia
nous and efficient old Sheriff Of Galveston Island
mt Wallace J. Armstrong, and Thomas Tatem, Th
n same day that the news of the release Of thes
ne prisoners was commune ated to them, the priso
to was visited by the Hon, Mr.. Shannon, then on h
ed way to Mexico Of course, he was most warm
do welcomed. He inquired particularly into ii
n circumstances of each of the prisoners, and int
ut the general mode OF treatment which they recei
all ed. Most sincerely do we hope that through h
ne Intervention, the Mexican government may
III induced to extend its clemency to the remainir
pr isoners there.
1t may appear rather singular while Mr. Shame
was humanely acquainting himself with the sta
Of the prisoners at Perote, he received from 4
governor Of the castle an order for his protecti
IE on tho road to Puebla. As it turned out, {
JL escort failed near Puebla. and the robbery to
The place which we have mentioned above.
ate The treatment received by the perote prison'