American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-08


a ray of light broke in upon him, and he began
to understand that he had been completely Ia
ken in. lfany doubts still fingered about his
obtuse intellect, they were etfectually removed
by the remarks of the crowd.
"Well, " said he, after pNusing awhile as it
! to bring his mind to focus upon the extent OF
/ his wrongs-"well! its a d--n mean trick,
any how, to serve Teller. Here I've had three
niggers two days katchin' snaix, takin' site
pains to get 'em without bruise or a scratch
run the risk Of bein bit by the blasted piSen
thmgs-paid three dollars to come down on
the id old boat; deck passage, at that, and
the danger Of Dustin up thrown in-paid thir-
ty-seven-and-a-halfCe cents freight on the barrel
lost three days work myself and wore my
legs almost off trampln' over your lister shells
and sand-got your nasty Aeas all over me Il
btin'-and halnt sold nary Snakei It's low
life trick, any way you can fix it, and that's
what a Teller gifts by havin' any dealn's with
your steamboat clerks and your town peo-
ple-the oldlieniSt SET in all creation! III chop
every snaix head off, and take 'em back home,
for they shouldn't crawl in no such dod rotted
place as this isl" And the "green 'un" was
downright savage. To appease his wrath,
however, 'the boys" treated to the best the
town afforded; made up subscription to pay
/ his pdeSdSC OuCh hOCi III VIC CuOtihi anu plO-
missed never to buy snake from any body but
! him, because he produced the real pizen breed.
Having put his threat of beheadiHg the ser
/ penis into execution, he left our city in the re-
turn boat. with his barrel of dead vpers, in
much better humor than could have been ex-
pected-declarng however, most roundly to
the last, that "he'd never believe a id
steamboat clerk agn' as long as he lived, and
that he had made ms first and last trip TO .9paLa-
chtCoLa.
From the New Orleans Pcayune1
| CHIvALRY. There are occasionally incidents
in the progress of battle which cast over the
/ grim visage of war light that might have
been shed from the wings of mercy The bu-
siness Of opposing armies is to Stay; the march
ofconquest is tracked with gore; the roar of ar
tllery is the knell of many deaths; but human
/ ity at times consecrates the enterprises of
slaughter; roses spring up out ofsoil enriched
with human blood; and tho voice of humanity
is heard above the thunder that rumbes over
the stricken of men, The fercest passions
and the nOblest emotions slgnaliZe the same
! plain. The most ennoblng courtesies follow
the deadliest strife, the greatest amenities the
darngest acts of valor.
! The Mexican war has already furnished in
stances Of the generosity which makes courage
an attribute divine. The left hand has assuag
ed the wound which the right has inflicted
! The captive has been protected by the brother
of him who was slain. Victor and vanqush-
ed have mingled requiems over them that fell
foemen. Religion hath reared affairs where
the brunt of battle baCkened the earth. The
incense of prayer has assembled with the smoke
of fields yet reeking with recent scath. If
war has its horrors it has its humanites also.
The grave is not all dark in which they
sleep who fall in the cause of nations. They
close their eyes with the image OF their coun-
try before them, and immortality rests upon
| the mound which covers their bones. To those
they leave behind, the consultations Of patriot
ism soothe the loss of friend, brother, husband
or son. 1t is the less grievous of the ways in
which men are taken hence. The enthusiasm
of duty dulls the sting of death and cheats it
of its terror. A whole people pour the heal
ing of gratitude into the wounds of such as are
bereaved.
But we have departed from the object we
had in view. 1t was to commemorate a single
act, which illustrates the generous character
Of man whose qualities as a soldier are gra-
ven upon the fields OF victory. 1t is Of Gen
Taylor we would speak. The battle Of the 9th
inst. was holly and obstinately fought. The
victory which closed the day cost the army
many brave men and accomplished officers
The loss of the enemy was yet greater IN both.
) Amongst the prisoners taken upon the field was
Gen. La Vega. He remained at his post after
the rout of his command. He yielded his
sword to his foes only when he had no longer
a sword of his own to respect it. That he
should have met the consideration due pris-
| oner of war, is cause neither Of praise nor as
, constituent There being no officer of equal
rank for whom he could be exchanged, he was
) detained prisoner. AS his remaining in the
American camp must necessarily be attended
with chagrin and pain, he was sent to this city
and allowed to go at large upon the patrol OF a
soldier. He is now here. General Taylor
| has every reason to know that his countrymen
| would extend to brave man, captured at his
9 post, every attention which an admiration OF
courage might dictate; but he knew also that
4 the captive of stricken field is without the
4 means of relieving himself from the annoyance
? of pecuniary want in a hostile country. lie
! gave Gen. La Vega letter Of credit upon his
f merchants in this city. He could not brook
Q the thought that General who had engaged
Z, him in the field Of chivalry should be pnched
: by want amongst strangers, and he generously
; opened his purse to the only field officer of the
, enemy who stood to his arms as long as there
I was a soldier to assist him.
t 1t is conduct like this that teaches US that
d the Moloch of war is not wholly devil. Clio
ry is not always arrayed in garments of Grim
!, son. The displays Of chivalry are not confn
: ed to the consuming sword As much as We
G are proud of the achievements of Gen. Taylor
- in battle, we are equally of his noble bearing
" towards a lellow-soldier in misfortune. Wills,
0 the American army is led by such an officer
Of its arms will not be sullied in the hour of peril
h nor its character assaied when the day is won
is The country is safe in such hands. The wis
II dom which directs her legons will temper the
'r courage OF her soldiers by examples of com
Or mandlng generosity. A war conducted upol
le the precepts of an exalted civilization will