The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-04-22

For in the greater portion of the whole Re-
public, women and children may be seen
picking up grains of corn in the highways,
and the rinds of fruit thrown in the streets
are Immediately seized and consumed.
SO soon as you cross the Rio Grande, you
feel yourselves in foreign land, Mexico
has no forests. II is true that along the streams
and on mountain tops there are trees, but you
nre struck with this great characteristic, that
the land is bare of trees. the numerous va
rieties of the Cactus of all sizes, mtermixed
with the Palmetto, stunted or long grass,cov
err the whole land. You are among peo-
pie OF a novel color ard strange language.
The very birds, and beasts, and dogs, seem
different The partridge, the lark, the crow,
the black bird, differ in size and plumage,
and sing differently from ours. The build
ings are of Moorish and Spanish style. The
goat and the sheep feed together The bricks
are of clay and straw, sun dried. The wo-
men go with earthen vessels TO the WELL Just
as Rachael was sent of old in the time of the
Patriarchs of Judea, The roofs oflhe hou-
SEES are flat and places Of recreation, and the
people wear sandals as in the East, in oden
time.
Wheat, Indian Corn, and herds ofcattle,
sheep and goats, the banana and red pepper,
and garlic and onions, are the principal sourc-
es of subsistence. The products of the mines
are The principal articles of foreign exchange
added 10 woods, tallow and cochneal. The
extreme dryness of Mexico makes irrigation
necessary in most parts of the country, and
the scarcity Of water and the habits of the
people collect the inhabitants into cities or
villages The land itself is owned by u few
large proprierors, not the least of whom are
the priests. The great mass of the people
IRE serfs, with but few more rights than the
AtnP slave ttua fhnt ia childran
of serfs are not of necessity also serfs, but
debt brings slavery, and the wages allowed by
law almost always perpetuate it, Here then is
The secret o. The success o. our arms. i convers-
eh freely with the tenantry aud soldiers in all
MeXico,S where they are not filled with relg
ious enthusiasm against us, they care not who
rules them, American or NJ eXican masters.
If all the Mexican soldiers were freeholders,
and freemen, not one of oil the American ar
my could escape from her borders. The sold
iers arc caught up in the haciendas and the
streets Of towns, by force confined in some
prison or convent, there drilled, clothed, arm
ed and then sent on 10 the regular army
Such men avow their resolution to desert, or
run on the first OCCASION. Ofnear one thou
sand soldiers sent from Toluca, TO the aid of
Santa Anna, at Mexico, not one hundred stood
the battle. .. r
The whole people donot exceed eight mil
lions and of these about two millions are
while and mixed Hoods, the remainder are
native Indians. never in all Mexico, with
the exception of foreigners in the Capital,
saw u single white man at work. Wherever
there is slavery, there is labor dishonorable-
il is more crediluble to rob Than 10 work.
Yet Mexico SURPRISES the slave States of a.
merica in manufactures! AS Rome was over
run by Barbarians so is Mexico by the A.
mericans; the slaves will not fight, the mas
tiers are TOO few TO defend the country. Big
otry in Religion has dehased the mind--ihe
corruptions of the Church have destroyed the
morals of the people; the expressions Of the
masters have exhausted the lands. Mexico
is decreasing in population and resources
Since her independence, her revenues are
FILLING off, her villages are deeaying, her pub
lie works are falling to ruin. She has lived
by the sword, she mus: perish by the sword.
The time for her TO die has comeL-Yet like
South Carolina, she talks large. She whip
ped Srain, Spnin whipped France, France
whipped the woodland consequently Mex.
leo is the mistress ofthe world Yet fifty
thousand Americans conquer eight millions
ofsouls! The clergy plumber the people, the
army now begin to plumber the clergy, while
independent robbers begin 10 pluder the Gov
eminent, the clergy, and the people. Such
fearful retribution ofNature's violated laws!
Seeing Texas, that it was n lovely land, we
coveted our neighbours goods; seeing the
weakness of Mexico, we took it by force.