Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-07-22
IS n A u ~ IN % Ns-
THURSDAY, JULY %. ls47.

HIS company. Ills report oI tnat morning TOD
melancholy tale--twenty nine on the sick list and
but two officers, non commissioned officers
and thirtyone men fit for duty In speaking
OF this fact he says ct is deeply painful to
me to look upon my thnned ranks When we
arrived in Mexico, not yet four months ago, we
mustered eighty strong-now we are the nero
skeleton Of u company. But few of our number as
yet have died, but many have become disabled BY
sickness, and either have been or will be discharged
As to our sickness here, | do not know how to &C
count for it. The climate is pretty much, like our
own, and the water excellent" He refrains from
mentioning the names of the sick, thinking it pro
bable that many Of them will recover in short
time,) to avoid giving undue alarm or uneasiness
to their friends
In postscript to the letter above referred to,
dated at SaltllO, June 20, to which place he had
been unexpectedly ordered with his company, in
consequence of representation from the American
Governor that greater force was needed there, he
states that the health of his men had somewhat im
proved, aud that three officers seven non -commis
stoned officers and thirty eight were reported
fit for duty, and the remainder of the SICK with
few exceptions were getting ket,cr
Speaking Of Saullo he says
''Snce ! have been here | have visited the
Church or Cathedral, Of which l spoke in a for
mer letter, and found it to be quite as magnificent
inside as .itssexterlor gave me reason to expect.
There are twentyone pieces of statuary in it, and
numerous paintings, representing tho Apostles,
Saints, and Scripture scenes. The Church is a
bout l 50 feet long by sixty wide, and is built in
q q IN off hp Frnn ic
tower, on the other steepe, and the space be-
tween them a series of columns, on which rests an
arch, all richly carved and highly ornanented
over The rear of the building is stupendous DOME
under which is the altar. This end Of the Church
Is filled up with statuary and paintings, placed in
inches formed by columns and nterocking arches
The walls at each end of the proecti.n which
forms the cross also cmbellished in similar
manner The sides of the main bndng are like
wise embelished with pictures, and the front is oc-
cnped with gallery for the choir and the organ
he cost of the edifice and its ornaments is said TO
have been million and a half dollars. There are
four other Churches in the place which, though
much smaller, understand are very elegant build
lngs.
Sallllo lies in a small but beautiful valley bro
ken by range of hills IN the west side, which jut
upon and completely command the town. 1t is
compactly built throughout, and the houses are for
the most part, in the best Spanish style. The in
haoants are not at all friendly TO us, and with few
exceptions are snlkY, suen and stubborn, doing ell
In their power TO thwart and battle all efforts of the
American Governor, even for the good order of the
place. Their own authorities still act in matters
OF police and IN controversies among themselves;
but where Americans are concerned, they are not
allowed to interfere. Still they often do so, and in
some cases not very creditaby TO screen their own
people. heard OF an instance yesterday. One of
our citizens had horse led off and secreted which
he had left in the care of Mexican boy while he
stepped III house 10 transact some business. Hepro-
we'd by several persons that horse answering the
description of his had been led into certain yard,
and thus the case was believed to be fairly made
out against the occupant Of the tenement. And SO
1t doubtless was, but he happened to be man of
some Influence, and in order TO screen him, con-
fesSIon was manufactured for vile culprt in their
city prison that he was the thief. This was COM
municaed to the American Governor Col. Cur,s,)
"hereupon he demanded the surrender of the cu-
prlt for punishment The poor fellow, however,
was dlslncned TO 90 that length TO serve his
friends, and would not stand To his confession
folied In this, the next scheme was to suborn wit
nesses to prove that the horse at different
places along the street above the suspected house,
and iinaliy the occupant got his peones TO swear
That the door OF the house had not been open during
the day, that OF them had been seated just in
side of 1t at work, another close by in sight, and
the third that the door was locked all the time and
he had the key. So the case now stands, and
what IS to become OF it, it is impossible TO say.
Saitillo is finely wateTed from spring which
rises In the hills above the town, and there is a
beautiful basin and playing fountain in the plaza.
The cry of the watchmen at night is singular,
and to one not acquainted with it, little annoying
AT every hour, thrilling sound is given out ON a
whistle, which is followed by sort of dog howl,
ur,lt hat vol no,
imagined.
Cock fights are regularly held every Sunday
afternoon, in which Priests and People all partic-
pate. One OF the Priests had serious difficulty
with an American the other Sunday about bet
Both 1t seemed had bet upon the saIpe chicken"
In the first part Of his letter ne mentions that
report, wearing the semblancc at least of probabi-
ty and truth, had reached them, that a Mexican
force of fourteen thousand had been collected at San
Luis Potos, with view to operations in that quar-
ter, and that Gen. Urea had re-crossed the noun
tains below them with force of four or FIVE thou
sand.
o. The crops throughout the country have turn
ed out well this season. in most instances they
have been more than the usual average when they
have fallen short, the deficiency in quantity has
been compensated by the superiority in quality.
o. The steamer Britannia arrived at Boston on
Saturday last, with dates otho 9TH instant There
has been still further depression in the produce
market. Flour was selling at 81 to 34s. per bbl.--
This news will have lis effect upon our markets.
Mr.. Polk (Says the Providence Journal) is report
cd to have said that no disabilities imposed upon
Thomas w. Dor by an Algernc Legislature could
diminish, in any degree, his respect for that distn
guished person. This is very handsome of MIR.
Polk, and The least that the Governor can do
IN return Is to assure the President that no pass