Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-12-17
Second Dispatches from
M Al OR ID o w N / N @ .
Headquarters, Merieo, new addition
IN fle U,;Scfy lCyofee nrf Or 1914

OF Oo'nef auOut Rettlng our uespachcs
through TO Vera Cruz, or else you'd hear
from me ofiener. do think the President
10 too backward about clearing out this road
from here 10 Vera Cruz and keeping il open,
and introducing the improvements into the
country that we stand so much in need Of
here. lie and Mr. Richie pretend to have
constitutional scruples about il, and say the
constitution don't allow Of internal improve
menis, and Mr. Richie says the resolutions
Of '9S are dead agin it too and, besides,
Mr. Richie says these internal improve
ments is a Federal doctrine, and he'd always
90 agin 'em for that il noihin else. But It's
strange to me the President has nj never
found out yet that where there's will there's
way, constitution or no constitution. All
he's got 10 do is 10 call all these roads round
here in Mexico military roads," and then
he'd have the constitution on his side, for
every body knows the constitution allows
him TO make military roads. ] know the
the President is very delicate about ringing
on the constitution, SO i don't blame him
so much for holding back about the in
ternal improvements here in Mexico, though
don't think there's any other part of the
United States where they are needed more.
But there's no need of splitting hairs about
the roads; military roads is MT internal i'm
provements, and he's right to make mill
tary roads as much as he pleases. And as
them is Jest the kind of roads we want here,
and shall want for fifty years, (for our ar
mics will have TO keep marching about the
country for fifty years before they u be able
10 tame these Mexicans and turn 'em into
Amcrcans,) il is confounded strange to the
that the President is SO behind hand about
this business. What's the use Of our going
on aud annexin away down south here, il he
don't back us up and hold on TO the slack
And there's no way TO hold on TO il but to
keep these military roads open 80 our ar
mics can go back aud forth and bring us in
vIrsuars ana powder AMI shot and money.
Here we've been, weeks and weeks since
we annexed the city of Mexico, waiting and
holding on for the Presiden, to send US
more men and more money, and tell us what
10 do next. This backwardness of The
President since we got into the city Of Mex
leo seems the more strange 10 me, consd.
ering. For, when he was fixin me off TO
some out here and see if could make
settlement with Santa Anna, tried to per.
cuade him 10 let the armies hold sill while
was making tn bargain. ] told him he
never could bring man TO reason or TO
trade when he was knocking of him down
all the time. But could mt make him
seem 10 understand il. He stood TO it his
way was the best--ihe sword in one hand
and peace in tother, all the way along--a
word and blow. and the blow always FIRST
"Why, Major Downing" says he, 'if you
want TO reason man into peace, that's
another thing; but if you want to conquer
peace. my way is the only way. That's
the way | begun this war, and that's the way
i mean TO carry il out"
allow sol" says chow did you begin
the war in that way I"
"Why," says he, "Slidell was the word,
and Taylor was the blow; and not only my
friends, but even my enemies. admit that
the blow come FIRST"
The President said that was the rule he
had gone bylall the way along, and he meant
TO stick oil; and not hearing any thing
from him SO long Pm afraid he's got no
ton that peace is conquered. But that
would be bad mistake, il he has got such
notion for il is Mt conquered; IFS only
scattered. It's good deal as twas with
Bill Johnson, when he and was boys, and
he undertook to conquer hornets nest,
expeclin 10 gel lots Of honey. He took
club and marched bravely up to il and hit
it an awful dig, and knocked it into a thou
sand finders.
"There, blast ye." says Bill, ~ guess
you're done tu now" and he begun TO look
round for the honey But he soon found
twas MT conquered; twas only scattered
And presently they begun TO fly at him and
sting him on all sides. One hi him dab
on his arm, and another on his leg, and
another in his face. AT last Bill found he
should soon be done III himself if he staij
there, SO he cut aud run.
"Hullo," says |, "Bill, where's your hon
eyr
''Dnrn il iall,' says he, "if haint got no
honey. / knocked their house TO pieces
I've got that 10 comfort me-"
wish youwould try TO convince the Pres
ident that It's only scattered here; lie nj
conquered, and he must give US the means
60 keep moving, or we shall get badly stung
bme-by. IL he only backs US up well. IN
pledge myself that wen carry out the cam.
paign marked out in my last dispatches,
which would bring as clear down 10 Cape
Horn in four or FIVE years; aud Pm very
anxious to get there, il strikes me that would
be such a good horn to hold on 10 in all d.
lemmas. even il al the rest Of the country
went by the board. dreamt 'totler night
shat We had got through annexin all North
and South tAmerica; and then thought our
whole country was turned into monsirous
great ship of war. aRd Cape Horn was the
bowsprii, aud MrPolk the captain. And
the captain was walking the deck with his