The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-08-23
From the Pieayuae Of the lst. inst.
NEWS FROM MEXICO.

2lst Of July. Among her passengers
was Theodore A. Maltby, one Of the
Texan Mier prisoners. He was badly
wounded in the head at that desperate
and sanguinary fight, and after lying
many months in Mexican hospitals has
finally reached his native land in safety.
A letter received by a commercial
house in this city, dated on the Goth
ult, states that a new tariff will shortly
60 into operation, much lower than the
old one.
By this arrival we received no pa
pers, but verbally we learn that there
are but 5 or GOO badly fed troops in
the neigbbolhood Of Matamoros-dis-
contented fellows, who would run away
at once if they knew where to CO.
Their commander, General Garcia, re-
ceived an older a short time since to
build fort IN the neighborhood which
would afford protection to the city,
He picked out soft spot, where the
digging was easy, and set his men at
work; but it is stated that vessel can
approach within three hundred yards
without being seen, and throw bombs
into the lortifcation until doomsday
without the least risk. This thing of
selecting a site for fortress becaus,
it happens to be easy digging, we be-
iieve to be new wrinkle in military
science.
One gentleman, who has recently
travelled by land, from the city of Mex
leo to Matamoros, informs US, that the
inhabitants in many parts, as well as
the public journals, talk openly, and
with the usual bombast and fantaron-
ade, Of invading Texas and the United
States at once. The undertaking is
looked upon as one of the easiest and
simplest things imaginable-to to advance
and vanquish. clean as they go, even
as far as Washington City, is deemed
mere holiday work. 1t would be advI-
sable to bring able engineers ;long with
them, as many of the rivers between
the Rio Grande aad the Potomac are
difficult to cross. to sly nothing OF
other obstacles. The facts are, that
the Mexicans look for great assistance
from Great Britain IN war with the
United States, and perhaps with some
show OF reason; but even without this
expectation, they would still indulge in
this vaporing gascInadc.
Our informant states that Gen. Par
edes was at San Luis Potnsi when he
came through, and had in the neigh
borhood Of 5000 troops with him.
These were toleraby well uniformed,
and the horses of the cavalry were in
fair condition. After arriving at Mon
terey, our informant heard that ParedeS
was on his march towards that place.
He has always been intemperlte,
though brave officer, and is said to be
now more addicted to liquor than ever.
Gen. Arista, who is in bad health, is
still at Monterey, and has about 5000
half-starved soldiers with him. They
are mostly cavalry, but their horses
are represented as mere skeletons, not
having had any other food than grass
for some time, and that being indifler-
ent in the neighborhood. Arista can
hardly obtain money enough from the
Government to purchase provisions for
himself and officers, to such straits is
he driven, while the poor soldiers are
obliged to pick up ascanty subsistence
as best they can. Two anecdotes
have been told US. which show the
wretched condition of the Mexican
treasury and the extreme poverty OF
the officers of the army. One of the
latter lately sold his only blanket to an
American for half lis value, the pur-
chaser not wanting it, but giving him
the money as he stated he was abso-
lutely in want OF the necessaries Of
life. Another officer asked u gentle
man for The loan Of ten dollars, and
being questioned as to what security
he could give, offered his wife, "a young
AMI pretty woman of some sixteen
years! He had nothing else TO offer,
and positively told the gentleman she
might remain with him until the debt
was paid! Difficult as it would appear
to be, we fully believe these stories,
and these are the people who talk of
overruning the United States. Sixty
thousand such troops, with sixty thous-
and Banks of England to back them,
could never reach the Mississippi, and
yet, with half that number, they talk
Of taking possession Of Washington.
Arisla is in constant receipt Of intel
ligence from Texas, having an agent
who is continually passing backwards
and forwards. We have long known it
to be daring scheme with this gener-
al to effect union between Texas and