The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-04-08

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We find the following letter, containing
late and important intelligence from Lower
California, in the N. Y. Commercial Adver-
tiser:
MAZATLAN, California, Feb. 1, 184S.
his important place is now strongly gar
rIsoned by about 500 seamen from the indie
pendence and Congress frigates, while the
ships lie mored in the harbor to protect the
garrison and maintain the defence ofthe city.
outside, within twenty miles, are 800 MeXi-
can troops, and they effectualy destroy all
trade with the interior. Skirmishes are talk
ing place occasionally, and hitherto the result
OF those skrmishes has been in our favor.
The CALIFORNIA; are far from being Gin qui-
ct possession" ofihe United States, and Low
or California is now in state of actual
hostilities. while Col. Stevenson is daily
expecting an attack in Upper California. In
deed, our letter writer's. Generals, commo-
dores and colonies, who have gone home,
strangely misrepresent matters, and if las
they all say, 'they conquered the country"
they will some of them have 10 come and
do 1t over, for the Calfornans do not stay
conquered. A launch arrived today from
st. Josepl's and La Paz, reporting that eight
mcn-among them two officers-had been
surrounded at ST. Josephs by $50 mount
ed CALIFORNIA; and taken prisoners.
This was done in sight ofthe little band of
about eighty men garrisoned at St. Josep's
under Lieut. Haywood, of the Independence
frigate SO that the lieutenant can only de-
fend himself and does not feel safe TO veu-
ture his little band among five times his num-
her who now surround him. Lieut.. Haywood
is n brave officer, and is really in bad fix,
and the actions of his superiors are strange
and unaccountable. He has no vessel to flee
him from The commodore. Col Burton is
at La Paz, in a similar situation, defending
himself but thinks it not prudent to risk an
engagement, although he has the means of
retreat having the Cayane sloop of war at an
Choir near him. Now this is the "quiet possess
sions" of California so much spoken of. The
truth is, the volunteers cannot be depended
upon, and even If they were good there are
not enough of them to do anything; think
it quite probable that in case of attack they
would go to the enemy. They submit to no
discipline and are disorderly and refractory
Ofcourse there are among them some ex-
ceptions, but the majority of them are only a
plague to their officers and not TO be depen-
ded on The country should be given up,
or sufficient force sent to protect and sls-
tain the Government at present everything is
unstable, and in a few days the whole coun- !
try may be in possession of the MeKieans, |
from Monterey 70 Cape ST. Lucut, Governor
Mason and all.
San Francisco is the only safe place. and
The safetyof that is to be attributed to the
absence of the volunteers, there being but
twenty there and the population about equal
ly divided between emigrants and Californi- |
ans. As you go south this is not the case,
and in Lower California there are ten natives
10 one of another country. Having been
through the length and breadth of the land, I
write from observation and not from hearsay.
The policy -four Government at home seems
strange, and it would appear that they have
been made to believe that the Californians are
very friendly. 4
You may depend upon it they are only
friendly while is ii their interest to be so. They
sny they made treaty of peace with the
United States, and do not consider it very
handsome treatment to be placed on the
same footing with Mexicans, who are at
open war. Then agnin the United States,
through their officers, have taken for the use
Of the army, horses, saddles and cattle, for
which they have not paid, and that, they say,
yoes rather ahead of their former masters, the
officers sent from Mexico. Indeed the con-
iuct of our army here can never reflect much
credit upon orr country; under the old plea
If" When in Rome," &c they say they only
all into the customs of rhe country. whereas
hey continue the fandangoes often three
tights ip succession, and do as Rome never