The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-06
From this Albany Argus.
THE PRESS AND THE REPUBLIC OF RIO
GRANDE
Yours, very truly,
CoRREsPoNDENT.

GRANDE.
We are indebted to General Worth, now at Mat
amoras, for the first number of the "Republc Of
Rio Grande, and Friend of the People," issued
at Matamoras and published weekly or oftener,
"as circumstances may require" 1t is a small
sheet, after the fashion of the journals of that
gion, but its aims are large and elevated These
are no less that to vindicate the presence of the
American army at Maamoras, TO point to the true
causes Of the Wharf.-The wretchedness and folly
of the government of Mexico"-to cultivate friend
ly relations between the people Of that part of
Mexico and the citizens of the American Union
and lead, by Just views of our institutions TO the
assertion Of their own right to the elevation and adj
vantages Of free government. This is the tenor Of
an eloquent address, in English and Spanish, "to
the people of Tamauipas, Coahuila, New Leon, and
Chihuahua" which occupies much of the first
number. "The Republic of Rio Grande," is in
tended obviously the title Of an independent free
government, rather than the title Of newspaper.
We copy the following items and extracts from this
number, as indicative of the tone and spirit of the
paper, not less than the prevalent feeling there;
"The editor has not room for much either of
preface apology for his present enterprise. To
chronicle camp anecdotes and ribad jess, or fill his
little sheet with odd advertisements for pecuniary
profit, would be an uncongenlal task. He had a
higher aim, which speaks for itself in his leading
article Of to-day's paper. The avocation is new to
him, and was prompted only by desire to promote
the mutual interests of the two countries, now so
needlessly warning in unequal combat. His first OBJ
legations are due to his native land, but he would
also contribute if he could, to shield neighborng
and undoubtedly the most intelligent portion of the
Mexican people, from the devastations of war of
which their territory is made the theatre, and Of
which they must be the Victims if they oppose, and
the beneiciaries, if they unite, with a race which
seems destined by Providence to shed over this con-
tinent the light of higher civilization and purer
morality-a that bases freedom upon knowl-
edge-that breaks down the barrier of rank and
privilege and eevates the whole mass Of its people
in the moral and physical scale, with the lever of
I'M versal Intelligence.
at is a spectacle in the worlds long history,
to a nation forced into war by continued aggres-
slons, by repeated and systematic spolatlon upon
the property and rights of her citizens, and in con-
emptuous disregard of all national courtesy; every
species of insult publicly hraped upon her minis
ers; and at the same time the actual hostities pre-
coded by the brutal murder Of peaceable families
their wives and daughters first violated before their
eyes, and then bu,chered in one common pe--t is
rare we repeat, to find examples in history, where
provocaions atrocious have slumbered unavenged
in the vlctor's memory. Where s the campaign
recorded in which rapine did not follow raplne with
willing hand and deadly Wilt Yet the American
army has paid this lofty tribute to its country's
character Even in the hour of battle in the deadly
conflict and the clash Of steel, not one vndlctive
blow given--not an enemy was struck after he
ceased to resist; while, on the other side, the only
two corpses that fell into the hands Of the Mexicans,
we're stripped and mutilated with savage ferocity'
Since the occupation of Matamoras, the munich
pal authorities Of the city have been in the peaceful
exercise of their functions, nor has a citizen been
molested in person or property by the American
force: The printing press from which this sheet
appears, being claimed private property by
citizen, is respected as such by the commanding
general, although it was used for government pur-
poses under Arsta and Ampuda. 1t is rented by
its present editor from its Mexican proprietor, and
the payment guaranteed TO his own satisfaction.
"Let these facts convince the people Of this valley
that we are not the lawless robbers which their base
rulers have described us to be. Let them inquire
of their own neighbors, who daily come among us
to sell their produce, and who receive the market
for our onward march, and remember, in the words
of great Spanish captain of her chivelric days
Fear we not the brave and generous soldier is only
70 be dreaded in the field Of ba ttle.lN