Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-17
number il

the Rio Grande the line, the forward moyc-
meat might as well he made as il might iaeil-
iiate negotiations But, so far from adrRsiiig
or recommending the President 10 exercise
such power, he expressly says IN the same
letter thai he should not DO SO without positive
orders. particularly under his instructions OF
lhe Sih OF July But sir, alleF Gen. Taylor
had been there few weeks longer, and had
become better acquainted with the stale Of
things, he changed his oplaion ms to the TEN
dency of forward movement Of The army 10
facilitate negotiations And On the 7ih OF No
vemher. he wrote that while negotiations were
pending the position At Corpus 'hnsi was the
best one 10 b. occupied. This IS his language
's1he communication from the Secretary OF
War. dated 0ct l6, was received and ac-
knowles ged onthe lstand "a inst ipuVose-
~ deferred adeiailei fepli 10 the various points
embraced IN that communication uatil could
receive an answer 10 mine o. Oct 4. which
covered Cat least ia part) tie same ground
The Intelligence from Mexico, however, tends
10 modify in some degree the views expressed
in that communications The position now
occupied by the troops uay perhaps be the
best while negoiianans are pending, or al any
rate until a disposition shall be manifested By
Mexico 10 prolIaci them unreasonable
Aud now, who from all this can say that
Gen. Taylor ever breaihed one syllable 10 MIR.
Pok by way of advice 10 him 10 exercise the
extraordinary power--ihai power does not be-
long 10 hiln--of determining what shall be the
tilimatam Of an unsettled boundary. That is
the point: show that he advised the President
no longer 10 consider The boundary line De-
tween TEXAS and Mexico an open question,
where Congress had left it, but TO Nuke tie
/ Rio Grande the line by his own executive e.
diet, and 10 defend il with The arms Of the
country without ever consulting Congress on
the subject; aud then, and never I'LL ihen
may he be brought in to share some Of the
/ blame in this mater But, sir. this never can
be done. And the attempt 10 cast the censure
Of this movement upon the head oil thai gal
liant old chel is an act Of the grossest injustice.
and is bun part and parcel Of that spirit OF
opposition and persecution with which he has
been pursued by this Administration almost
ever since The commencement Of this war II
is akin TO thai spirit which kept him ''erp
pled' IN the summer Of 1876. on the RIO
| Grande, whoutthe necessary means oftans-
portalion; and then found fault with his
lconduct a, Montery, where the victory he
achieved, considering the circumstances in
which he was placed, was almost a miracle in
itself. II comes from the same spirit that
sought 10 supplant him ofhis command By the
appointment Of lieutenant general. That
Esprit that stripped him OF the main body OF
his forces aud left him with small handful
of men, about five thousand only, and about
five hundred of these regulars. the rest all vol
uneers, exposed on the frontier 10 an at,ack
by Santa Anna, that knight ofthe cock pit"
as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr BEpIS
GER) might perhaps style him. with twenty
thousand Of the chosen soldiers OF Mexico
Why this was done know not. But leave
ii for the country 10 determine whether il was
not an act Of great injustice TO him and his
men 10 be placed thus, as it were, Sin the fore
front OF battle" when the odds against him
were SO great that retreat, if no, defeat, seemed
inevitable.
But. sir, the same grea, spirit which marks
his every ac, did not fail him on that occasion.
The resources Of keen foresight and good
Judgement proved him moi only equal but SUI
perlor 10 the perls Of that crisis. The ever
memorable night ofthe 22d of Feb, Mr. Speak
er, must have been one OF the most intense
suspense TO that small Spartan band of deyot-
ed spirits who spent its slcepless watches rest
ing on their arms. Contemplate them for
moment, anxiously waiting the coming dawn,
when life and fame and every thing dear to
each were to be determined by the fate o. one
days bloody action What emotions Of APP
prelenson must have moved in the breast of
the most dauniless when the music and exult-
/ ing shouts o. anticipated victory ever and anon
arose from the immense hosis encamped in
hostile array against them, But the presid-
ing genius of our country was there that
guardian angel which. one hundred and IF
teen years before. ruled the destiny of empires
al the birth Of Washington, was over aud a.
round that army, guarding the fortunes OF her
most iavorile son; and the next day dawned
but 10 witness one oiihe greatest achievements
ever won by the yaor Of arns--a victory, in
the language OF q resolution on YOUR table, is
unsurpassed in the military annals of the
world. II is true il cost US dearly MANY
gallant hearts poured out their life blood on
tina, eventiu day. Some Of them, known to
members of this House, may be permitted 10
name. There was Yell, frank. bold and
generous a Mckee, one of keniucky's most
ardent, accomplished. and chvarous sons
Clay, with heart as pure, stern, nilexibIe,
and patriotic as the great sire from whom he
sprung; and a Hardin, Mr. Speaker. well
known 10 you and 10 me and many Of those a
round me, and OF whom take this occasion
20 say never knew a tfuer, hrmer, and nobler
man. These men all fell in sustaining the
flag Of their country against the fearful odds
brought against them on the field of Buena
Vista. Ant. II was here that gallant old off
Ger, who bore our flag on that occasion, not
wlths,anding he was left with such a handful
OF men, gained such undyng honors for HIM
sell and his country. But no thanks 10 the
Administration for II. BY them he was strip
ped OF his men and crippled IN his means and
what he did was the more glorious as il was
done IN spite Of their neglect. But another
act which deserves the Indignant rebuke of
the whole country remains 10 be mentioned.
reler 10 The reprlnand he received for writing
the well known letter 10 Gen Gaines. and the
revival Of the old order No ESQ, which Tad
been obsolete for wears, aud By which he was
Threatened with dismissal from service for the
repetition OF similar offence.
rsEw MEXICO.
! A body ofnien have met at Santa Fe who style
\ themselves the Legislature Of New Mexico They