Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-30
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
DISPATCHES FROM MAJOR DOWNING.
Cry OF Mexico, UNITED STATES,

tanning my leller ulat i wrote OH Tie Fodu 10 TIC
war. The letters wrote afterwards, the guerrillas
and robbers are so thick, think it's ten chances 10
one if you got 'em. Some OF Gineral SCOTS let
tiers is missing just in the same way. Now we've
got the city of Mexico annexed, | think the Post
master General ought TO have more regular line
of stages running here, letters may go safe.
wish you would touch the Presidentand Mr. john
son up little about this maistage business they
may keep all the coachmakers al work. and see that
the farmers raise horses as fast as they can, for
don't think they have any idea how long the roads
is this way, nor how fast we are gaming south. II
we keep on annexn rs fast as we have done year
or two past, it wouldn't take much more than half
dozen years to get clear down TO tother end of
South America, clear 10 Cape Horn, which would
be very good stopping place; for then, if our Co
vernment got into bad shedding in North America,
and found themselves in dilemma that hadn't no
horn to suit 'em, they would have a horn in South
America that they might hold on 10.
hope there amt no truth in the story that was
buzz'd about here in the army, day or two ago,
that Mr.. Polk had an idea, when we get through
annexin down this way, of trying his hand at 1t
over in Europe and Africa, and round there. And,
to prevent any quarrellng beforehand about il on
this side of the water, he's agoing agree to run
the Missouri compromise line over there, and cut
Europe up into free States and Africa into slave
States. Now think he had better keep still about
that till we get this South America business all
done, and well tied up. II isn't well Tor body to
have too much business on his hands at once.
There's noknowing what little fiurrles we may get
into vet and there's always danger II you have too
much sail spread in squall. However, | haven't
time to talk about this now.
You will get the accounts of the battles in Cine
raj SCOTS letters so needn't say great deal about
them But it's been a hard uphill work all the
way from Vera Cruz here and don't think my
old friend Gineral Jackson himself would have
worked through all the difficulties and done the bu
siness up better than Gineral Scott has. But the
killed and the wounded, the dead and the DYING
scattered all along the way for three hundred miles,
it's hear-aching thought. | don't love TO think
about il. 1t is too bad that we didn't have more
men, so 10 march straight through without fight
ing instead of having jest enough to encourage the
enemy to bring out their largest armies and fight
their hardest battles.
One Of the hardest brushes we had, after | got
here, was the attack on Chaputepec | had been
into the city trying TO bring Santa Anna to terms
but, when found it was no use, | come out and
told Gineral Scott there was no way but TO fight II
out, and, although | was only the Presidents pr- I
vate ambassador, didn't like to stand and look on
when he so weak-handed and if he would tell
me where 10 take hold would give him lift. The
Ginera said lie expected there would be hard pull
placed where he would be likely to have the hea-
West brunt Of it, might be doing the country
great service if would jine in with Ginera Pillow
as my experience under Gneral Jackson and in
sight into military affairs would no doubt be very
useful to that valiant officer So | took hold for
that day as one Of Gineral Pillows aids.
When come TO march up and see how strong I
the enemys works was, saws |, Gineral Pillow il is
as much all lives is worth 90 right straight
IL, 49, Ill
their guns; | think we ought TO fortfy little. |
Suppose we dig ditch round here in front of the
enemy works. At that the Gineral's eyes flash
ed, and he swore right out. Says he, No, d-n |
the bitches, I've no opinion Of 'em; they are no. |
thing but a bother, and never ought TO be used. I
The best way Is to 90 right into the enemy pell /
NELL" So, on we went, and Pillow fit like tiger
till he got wounded, and then the rest of US that
wasn't shot down had to finish the work up the /
best way could.
The long and the short Of il is we fit our way
into the city of Mexico and annexed ii. Santa
Anna cleared out the night afore with what troops
he had left, and is securing about the country to get
some more places ready for us 10 annex. When
he gets another place all ready for the ceremony,
and gets it well fortified and has an army of twenty
or thirty thousand men in the forts and behind the \
breastworks we shall march down upon 'em with .
five or six thousand men and 90 through the furry /
Alter they have shot down about half Of US the rest
of US will climb in, over the mouths Of their can
mons, and annex that place; and 50 on. one after
another.
1t is pretty hard work annexin in this way but
that is the only way it can be done. 1t will be ne
cessary for the President to keep hurryng on his
men this way TO keep ranks full, for we We got
great deal Of ground to 90 over yet. What we We
annexed IN Mexico, SO far, is n, but mere crcun-
stance to what we've got TO do.
Some thisk the business isn't .proftable but
it's only because they haven't cphered into it fur
enough to understand it. Upon an average, we gc,
at least ten to one for outlay, any way you can
figure it up-I mean in the matter of people. Take
for instance the city Of Mexico. 1t cost us only
two or three thousand men to annex il, after we got
into the neighborhood Of it and we get at least
hundred and fifty thousand people in that city, and
some put it down as high as two hundred thousand.
Some find fault with the guatity Of the people we
get IN this country, jest if that had any thing to do
with the merits Of The case. They ought to re-
member that in a Government like ours, where the
people i used for voting, and where every nose
counts one, it is the number that we are 10 stan
about in annexin, and not the quality, by means.
SO that IN the matter Of people we are doing
grand business. And as TO the money it is no
matter what II costs us, for money grows in the
ground IN Mexico, and can always be had for
digging.
There's A thousand thinrs - The country that I