The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-04

life. They tied me for few moments-then
| released me, when the Colonel embraced me,
| aud asked my pardon for the indignity. They
released the officers who were ON foot, and also
tied, that night; but kept the soldiers tied for
two days longer. That the lives Of my COM
mand were saved by my presence Of mind and
frank confession, honestly believe; admit, 10
use the language Of my friend Col C-bs,
that IL 9" was not scared, | stood in great bodi-
| IN apprehension" But 10 be serious: whatever
fears of death l might have had, am proud to
say, never outweighed my sense Of truth and
justice. Whatever then my enemies shall deduct
from my courage, they must place TO the credit
| Of my superior moral power; and become IN
consciously my loftiest eulogists. Our long and
painful march to San Luis Potosi and thence to
Mexico; our imprisonment and final release are
well known. II is hut just TO the Mexicans, to
say that in allowing our soldiers eighteen cents
a day--they gave them the same that they give
their own soldiers, who do not require half as
much food as our own men; whilst our being
strangers prevented US from buying much
food, With the same money. The hardships of
the route through the desert were shared by
their own soldiers. In u word, there many
instances Of Spanish generosity during our cap
tivity; and our hardships were not unreasona-
Bile, when We remember that their own men
were STARRING, in the defence of their homes and
their religion.
That Santa Anna was sincerely courteous
and full az fair promises as he was going on so
drive Taylor over the Sabine seems natural;
that he should have broken all his engagements
with us, afterwards, can only be accounted for
upon the suppostion that he wished TO hold us
as hostages for his safety, in case he fell into our
hands. The Governor Of Mexico, at Toluca, is
entitled TO our lasting gratitude for sending rs
TO Gen. Scott, on parole: the man who could
thus trust others, is himself, of necessity, Of
great and noble soul.
In giving public expressions of thanks to
Gen. Worth. for his solicitnde in our behalf, we
did not intend TO reflect upon other officers,
ONE of whom, did display the same remen-
brance of Us. SO far as | was concerned, 1 did
not blame zen. Scott for any derelction of duty.
| ID wss not TO he supposed that the General-in-
chief had mach time 10 think Of the release Of
few hundred men. His failure 10 mention
Santa Annals breach of the ninth article, how
ever, was TO US a sore mortihcation. Although
his efforts for our liberation were such, per-
haps as are usual In such cases, IL seemed 10 US,
who were continually threatened with assassin
alton, that we were neglected; and IL was some
| consolation % our pride to know, that TO our
selves only, we owed our own liberation at last
have thus yentured here among you, my
neighbors and friends, TO indulge In mention Of
these personal adventures; because. while on
the one hand ] am unwilling To receive credit
for more than | deserve, on the other have
done too little In the military way 10 submit to
unjust Distraction. And justice 10 my noble
companions in arms leads me 20 declare that
they who died in the swamps aud deserts Of
Texas, in the iGathsome prisons of Mexico,
and in the discharge Of the everyday duties Of
the camp, deserve the same place in the memory
Il. a.
nobly laid down their lives on the field Of bat
tie.
II is no doubt expected Of me TO give some
ideas Of Mexico and the present war. Mexico
extends from about latitude 10 north, to IL deg
from the Gulf of Mexico TO the Pacific; and
was Ina extent, before the loss Of Texas, about
as large AZ the u. States. IL embraces all the
climates Of the world, and rises i'm temperature,
from the tropical plains Of Vera Cruz and Aca-
pulco 10 The regions Of perpetua, snow. The
Rocky Mountains which separate us from Ore
gon eItend through all Mexico, and her whole
surface is Composed Of table lands and moup-
tains, which rise in steps from the Gulf AMI the
Rio Granle, 10 the highest level, and then de-
scend in regular gradations once more TO the ps
ci.ic. She has no navigable streams, and The
mountains and arid plains compose, ! should
imagine, aes en- eighths of the whole territory.
Ii is now three hundred years since the Spanish
conquest and her population has long since
reached sliai barrier, where nature imposes ster-
nal obstacles 10 further progress, where the
whole products Of the earth, are economically
consumed by the people No doubt, better
modes Of agriculture would increase her popu-
laiion. bat at present, TO use the language Of
Nautilus, she has reached the point Of suhsist-
enee. Ii is true that the remote provinces OF
California and New Mexico, and those border
| ing upon the Rio Grade, aud subject to Indian
| invasion, contain some uncultivated lands; but
the proposition as above stated applies to the
mass Of Mexico For in the greater portion Of
the whole republic, women and children may be
seen picking up grains Of corn In the highways,
and the rinds Of fruit thrown i'm the streets are
| Immediately seized and consumed. 80 soon as
You cross the Rio Grande YOU feel yourselves in
a foreign land. Mexico hiss no forests. IL is true
that along the streams and ON mountain-tops
there are trees but you are struck with this great
| Characteristic, that the land is bare OF trees,
| The numerous varieties Of the Cactus OF all
sizes, inlermiged With Palmetto, stunted or long
grass, cover the whole land. You among a
| people Of q novel color. and strange language.
| The very birds and beasts, and dogs, seem diff
ferent. The partridge, the lark, the crow, the
black bird, differ in size and plumage, and sing
differently from OURS The buildings are OF
! Moorish and Spanish style. The Goat and the
Sheep feed together The bricks are Of clay and
straw, sun-dried. The women 60 with earthern
vessels 10 tire well. just as Rachael was sent Of
/ old in the time of the Patrarchs of Judea. The
roofs of the houses are fiat and places Of recre-
alton, and the people wear sandals az in the
| East, in oIden time. Wheat, Indian-corn, aad
herds of cattle, sheep and goats, the Banana
and red-peppeE. and garlic aud onions, are the
principal sources Of subsistence. The products
Of the mines are the principal articles OF foreign
exchange, added to woods, besides taliow and
i cochineal. ...I ...
| The extreme dryness of Mexico makes irriga-
ton necessary in most OF the country, and tht
scarcity Of water, and the habits Of the people
collect the inhabitants into cities or villages
The land itself. is owned by few large proprie'
tors, not the least of whom are the priests
4 The groe, of the people are ssrfs with bu
few more rights than American slaves. II !:
true that the children of serfs, are not Of neces
sity also serfs, but debt brings slavery, and the
wages allowed by law almost always perpetuatt
il. Here then is the secret Of the success Of ou'
arms I conversed freely with the tenantry ant
soldier, in all Mexico, and where they are no
filled with religious enthusiasm against us, the,
, saw they care not who rules them. American Of
. Mexican masters. II all the Mexican soldier
. were free hoIders and freemen, not one Of al
: the American army could escape from her Dor
ders. The soldiers caught up in the Haci
epdas and the streets Of the towns, by fore
confined in some prison or convent, there drilled
clothed, armed, and then sent on TO the regula
|. army. Such men avow their resolution to de
sert, or run, on the first occasion. or near on
thousand soldiers sent from Toluca, to the al
? Of Santa Anna at Mexico, not one hundred stoo
the battle. ....- r..a.
J The whole people do not exceed eight mil
Q lions, of these about two millions are white an
e mixed hoods, the remainder are native Indians