Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-08

would excle seIvile war among US. The tim.
Der Of our forests IS carried 10 New England, with
which to build a marine iotranspor our produce
Even The oysters of our creeks and rivers and The
pine woods which line their shores, are borne in
bottoms no, our own, to cur sister States. This
unioward condition OF our navigation Interests *
source OF deep modification. Cannot those IN
teres's be improved ? Much can BE- done by n.
dividual association. The dawn Of better lay
trust, is al hand Bnt legislation may has,tn
the day when we shall be Tree from dependence
upon other States for the means Of Transporting
our large productions 10 The markets oflhe world.
To secure This important element Of wealth. in
dependence, and safety, recommends moderate
bounty upon he tonnage of all vessels over 200
tons burthen, built within our limit. BY mechap.
les resident therein, and a moderate bounty per
ton per annum on all vessels OF like dimension
which shall be built, owned and manned by our
citizens.
The subject Of a Convention Tor the revision ..
the Stale Constitution, continues 10 be one Of al.
sorbing interest in portions CT our State The
abuses OF The tight OF suffrage, and he powers 0!
the county courts. would alone justify this m,s.
sure. But regarding other and scarcely less i'm.
poran reforms 10 be indispensable, | earnestly
recommend The passage OF a law submitting The
question OF Convention 10 The people al their ne1,
annual election.
II is my duly 10 remind you OF the necessity Of
providing, BY law, for The erection OF suitable
building for the preservation OF the standard
weights and measures furnished by The United
States under an act OF Congress, Tor The use Of
Virginia.
Some time during The year citation was serv-
ed upon me, as the representative Of the Com.
monweah, requiring her 10 appear on this day
al the Supreme Court OF the United States, at the
instance of one James Phalen, 10 shew cause why
judgment pronounced against him BY the Gene
raj Court should moi be corrected This proceed
ing presents the question, whether the law OF Wiz.
ginia suppressng lotteries, is in violation Of the
Constitution OF the United States. have taken
no steps in The premises.
herewith communicate for your information,
letter from Harvard College Library. Deem
ing its suggestions valuable, and lis requests ALTO
geher reasonable and proper, recommend the
! passage OF resolution 10 effect its objects
During the pas, year Texas became mem.
Der OF our Federal Union. Pending The neso-
tiaiion which led To this suspicious result
Mexico protested against il in the most formal
manner, notifying our Government that she
would regard il as cause Of war. Upon The pas
sage OF our resolutions Tor annexation, The Mes-
can Minister, General Almonte, under the 81
ders OF his Government abruptly terminated h's
diplomatic relations, and left the country. Heidi
not wait for Texas 10 adopt The measures called
the Union The consular agents OF Mexico were
also Withdrawn. War 10 The Sabine was an
nounced And snch were her various maniles-
atons OF active hostility, that Texas called upon
| the United States for protection. This power
| having taken The steps which justified our inter
venlon, our troops advanced iniolhe country and
quarlered al Corpus Christi, Yves, Of The Nueccs.
/ This post was then held by a body Of Texan
Rangers, and had been for months, and were or
drred there for the protection vi Texas against
the nroads OF The Camanches. II was Texan
settlement Texas had always claimed the Rio
| Grande as her Western boundary. Santa Anna
had admitted il. Our most distinguished statesmen
| had maintained il. Congress had extended The lava
| Of The United States over the whole country upio
this limit and then and moi until then did our Troop.
march upon The Rio Grande. When they reach.
ed this boundary, and encamped opposite Mala.
moras, General Taylor gave TO the Mexican &c.
neral every assurance of a peaceful purpose. For
some lime no belligerent act was done Tie
Mexcans So thoroughly satisfied was our lille
army that the peace OF The Two countries would
not be disturbed, that The gallant Worth gave up
his command upon point OF rank, and rendered
MS commission 10 his Government Up 10 hi,
moment no belligerent ACT had been committed ty
either party But The hostile intentions oi Mex.
co were not long 10 remain concealed. Colonel
Cross, under The confidence OF our peaceful eia
lions having left our encampmenl, was ba>ely
murdered. Porter and small party mel >lm
lar fate. Other acts Of aggression occurred; an
finally Mexico abandoned her disguise, marched
her troops across The Rio Grande, and com.
menced The war. The gallant defence OF Fou
Brown, made immortal by The death Of hero,
and the battles Of Palo Alto and Resaca de la
Palma, were The consequence. These deeds Of
arms are destined 10 make sliltering page in
4 ID e hau HAD m limo
rcan heart with gladness and with confidence, bur
unmingled with disposition TO trample upon our
| beaten and wanion foe. Peace was again offered
BY us, and again rejected by Mexico without an
| effort al negotiation. And nothing is now ieii 10
W. bu, ineloriou.ly TO abandon those fields which
we have so gloriously won; or, BY a change III
our plan Of operations originally designed, sup.
| pose merely 10 secure satisfactory frontier, 10
conquer a peace by penetrating 10 the heat Of
| Mexico.
| II mus, be highly gratifying 10 every Ameri
can that Gen. Taylor was instructed by his Co.
vernnent carefully TO avoid, il possible, all col
| lision with The troops Of Mexico. And il is no
! less gratifying TO know that this order was strict
| y obeyed The peace of The world was not bro
ken by us. Mexico had committed outrage upon
outrage upon us, through series Of years; rely
| ing upon her numerical superiority, and conf
dent Of an easy victory, She made a bold and dar-
| II was in view OF these facts that the Congress
Of the United States, on the 18th May, 1886 BY
an acl, passed with despatch and unanimiy I'M
known in our legislation, declared thai, "where-
| as, by The act OF the Republic OF Mexico state
| OF war exists between that Government and The
! United States" and 10 prosecute" said war au-
thorized The President ITO call Tor and accent the
services OF any number OF volunteers not ey-
ceeding fifty thousand" Under This authority
was called upon by the War Department, under
date of - May lasi TO hold in readiness three Ie.
| gimenis Of volunteers To PM myself in condition
| promptly 10 answer call for immediate service,
!, by my proclamation, announced TO my TEL
low ciixens nv readiness 10 receive a tender
OF the services of thirty companies Of volunteers
| This announcement was responded 10 in highly
gratifying manner. More Than The complement
CURED promptly enrolled, and rendered lhcir SCI.
vices for twelve months campaign. These
troops were not called into The fed but under
date Of the 10Th November last, by virtue oil the
authority OF the ACT of the 18th May, requls-
ion was made upon me for one regiment Of 70
uneers, oi ten companies, Tor immediate service,
| and 10 serve for The war. promptly issued my
proclamation, announcing this new ca II upon our
Slae-declaied the enrolment under my former
proclamation null and void, and made a call for
! the regiment required 10 conformity with he new
conditions of the War Department. II is a
source to me of pride and satisfaction TO be able
10 inform you that this new call has been respond
ed TO, as lar as have d. finite information from
the Stale, with spirit and alacfily and that The
cone est among us will not lie who is to be excused,
but who is be permitted 10 rally under the banner
Of their Stale and Country.
In the performance of the duties which these
calls imposed upon me, ! have felt great dilh-
Guilty from the want oi clear and explicit le.
gisaton providing Tor such emergencies. Bus
deemins il wholly Inconsistent With the pride,
character and patriotism Of the Stale 10 omit 10
respond 10 The calls which have been made upon
me, from any doubt oil my powers took The mea.
sures have stated, and also authorized the vo.-
unteers TO elect their company officers. ! have
mol made The appointment OF field officers, al
though il is important hat il should lie done With
out delay, mol deeming il absolutely indispensable,
and regarding i. as more respectful TO leave The
whole matter 10 your consideration. Indeed, !
have strong doubts il this case is al all provided
for by law; and have consequently no! felt my