The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-11-12

INTERESTING SCENES IN THE FAR WEST
GEN. kEAPNEY AND THE ARMY OF TnE
WEST.
Extracts from The Journal IF lieutenant
i:m"rN "fMc Corps Of I0pographicuL
ENGINEERS, no1r at Sdatu Fe.
Ang"&t il3M.-Twclvc o'clock las,
nigh, the r"ionrl (Gcn. Krarnry) was
.awakrd up, and informed that six hundred
men had collected at The pass rlhc Vcuns.
two ulilrs distant, and were to oppose his
march. In The morning, orders were uiv.
;n I" prepare TO meet The enemy. Al Sc
ven The army moved, and Just rs We made
the road leading through The town, Major
Swords, q! The 3h, ;'n;! .?r. Daj,at inincd
rs i:om Fort l.cavcnwurth, and presented
t"luncl kcarny with his commission as
hriHadicr general in The army Of the Uni
ted States. AZ eiyh, o'clock precisely,
The general in The public square, where ho
was met hy The a!raIIc aud people, many
"r whom we're on horseback, (iur these
people live Oh lorschack.) The general
pointed [" The top Of one Of their houses,
which arc all "i one story high, am, fla,
r""icd; and suggested 20 The alcaldc, tha.
II he would =" /" !ha, place, he and his
S'nti would "llow. and from that point,
where all could hear and see him, he
would say 10 them what lie had to speak.
lhlS was wise prccau,inn. !ic was
thus enabled In speak so that all could hear
AMI see, nn'l we We're unccd out Of The
reach of difficulty, ofwhcl, there might
have been some danger, as we were prcs.
scd closely ina dense mass of people, the
di.n">i,;nn nt ,rune OF mh;,!. uc Then
knew. IA
The colonel, now Brigadicr General
kearny, then addressed The multitude
nearly as follows:
"Mr. Alrahr and people Of New Mexico:
have come anongst you by tho orders Of
my government, I" take possession Of your
country, ard cN.cnl over it the laws Of ,hc
United States. We cOnsiIc. il, and have
done so for some time, part Of The Terri.
t,ry Of the United Slu,cs. We come i :
mrng-l you as friends, moi as enemies: wc
come I" YOU as protectors, not rs conquc-
r"rS; we come amongst you for your bcnc.
lit. NOT I,r your I'M Jury.
'll"ncrl"rlh abS"lvc you, from all al
leg lance to the Mexican government, and
from nliubrdicncc 10 General Ar,nio lie
is II" longer your governor, great scnsa.
E"n, am your governor.
~ shall not expect YOU to take IN arms,
and follow me, to iigh, your own people,
who may bc III arms against me; but now
tell You that those who remain pcaccably
ii. horne, attending to their crops and herds
shall be protected by me in their property,
thcr persons, and their religion, and MOI a
i,crper or All onion shall be disturbed or
taken by my troops. without ay, or with
out he consent "f The owner. But listen!
he who is found in arms agains. nc, will
hang.
"From the Mexican government YOU
har" nr,': received -" protection. The
hpnci'''s y" - .,ns",", come down frou,
NE In"":.lai's and curIy off your shce
and your women whoever they please.
My government will correct all this. They
will keep of The Indians, pro jcct in your
persons and property, and | repeat again,
VIII protect you IL your religion. know
YOU are all good Catholics, aud that some
80 ''"r priests have told you all sorts Of
s ) that We would polulc your women,
am. brand them upon the cheek as you do
your mules upon the hip. il is false. My
government respects your religion as much
us the Protestant religion, and allows each
man to worship his Creator as his hear,
wa Gun - "'n'' i''l laws pToltCt We Va
tholic as well Us The Protestant, the weak
as well as the strong, the poor as well as
The rich. | am not IL Catholic myself;
was not brought up in that faith; but il,
least onc-'lird Of my army arc Catholics
And respect good Catholic as much as
u good Protestant. There goes my army!
You sec b"t II small part Of il. There nrc
many more behind. Resistance is us sclcss
MIR. AIcadr, and You two captains o
militia, the laws Of my country require tia
all men who hold Office under il, siulltnk
the oath of allegiance. do not wish ln
the present, unsl things &c, settled. to dis
lurb your mode Of government. II 80.
arc prepared IT, take the oath Of allcriaNc.