The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-08

JUDGE MEEhEHs
We are informed, though we do not vouch
for the information, that a telegraphc des-
patch has been received in town, announc-
ing the death, by drowning, Of this gentle
man, who was recently appointed to be one
Of the new Judges for the, Territory Of
Minnesota. II is stated that the Judge was
crossing . swollen creek in Kentucky, on
horseback, on his way to Cincinnati, when
he was carried under by the current.
PALO ALTO.
This day, three years ago, was one full
Of terrible anxiety to the men Of that little
army, which found itself marching from
Point Isabel to Fort Brown. 10 front Of
tsem was a foe, whose numbers were appal-
ling to the stoutest heart, and yet they NOV
ed onward with step as firm and as steady,
a. though no danger awaited No one knew
on whom the lot had fallen, for life or for
death. II miaht be death for all, a fate that
the natisn's fears had almost predicted The
most sanguine could not hope for more than
barren victory and sweeping loss Of life.
Throughout the whole Union, in every cab
in and hamlet, the people felt as though an
army Of brave soldiers were in danger Of
utter sacrifice. The struggle came, and the
sun saw the slaughter Of many brave spirits
that day. It sat upon a field Of battle, and
the American arms reposed uponit in victory
The battle Of Palo Alto was battle Of
heroes. 1t was trial Of force between the
many and the few. Daring feats Of arms
were accomplished by our men and our off
cers Military skill pervaded the lines Of
T both armies, but in ours it triumphed. II
supplied the lack Of numbers. The enemy
was no mean enemy. He gave US enough
to do and no more than enough to do, but
we did all that the circumstances demanded.
Our soldiers We'd with each other in the con-
Hict Of honorable emulation They felt, that
the eye Of the nation was upon them. They
courted dangerand found death and victory.
Every heart was in accord. ePll sleep in
Fort Brown this night''-was the watch-
/. word. Perfect confidence in their illustrious
leader, animated their action. They knew
and they felt, that they were marching un-
der him to victory No other idea actuated
them. The clash Of arms was terrible, but
our onward ranks proved resstless. IL
There is sublimity in the attitude Of our
army and in the determination Of its glorious
old Chief, on the day he sat out from Point
Isabel, that will never be realized until the
present generation shall have passed away,
until preiudces shall have been buried in the
gulf Of time, until some historian shall arise
capable Of doing justice to the theme,
There stood on the shore Of the sea a gallant
little band commanded by Q man, whose
standard had never been lowered by defeat.
There he wrote in his tent to his superior, a
thousand miles away, that he should sleep in
Fort Brown that night, and that, in what
ever force the enemy should come, he would
fight him. There came rapidly down to-
wards the sea, fierce, wild host, trebling
the numbers Of the little band upon its shore,
confident Of victory and marching in the
pride Of its strength. What do we see
We see that little band and its invincible
captain, execute his promise to the letter.
We see them boldly and fearlessly marching
to the point Of their destination, and, in two
desperately fought pitched battles, overcom-
ing the hosts opposed to them, and sleeping
in Fort Brown the succeeding night. The
annals OF warfare do not afford an example
Of two such brilliant victories, under such
advantageous circumstances. WELLINe-
ros has said, al Palo Alto and Resaca de
Ia Palma stand by themselves in the history
ofthe military art. The military mind ne
ceasarily views these two battles with a
different eye, from that Of the ordinary OBJ
server, Tor the simple reason that it looks
through the medium Of military knowledge,
It sees virtues and excellencies, where the
civil mind can see none. Hence, the opin-
ion Of WELLrNcToN is worth hundred
opinions Of civilians. The result Of these
battles, every body saw and felt at the time.
Itwasthe prelude to the destruction Of Mexi-
can military prowess, which was completed
at Baena Vista.
This day, three years ago! What :
theme! How crowded in a brief space, are
events, which, in the usual course Of things
il would take a century to evolve! The
morning sun Of the 9Th Of May, eighteen
hundred and foriy-six, rose upon battle
whose victor was straightway to march tt
the Chief Magistracy Of his country Foul
fiery ordeals were in reserve for him He
passed through them all, terrible, soul-tryna
az they were, and 10 J! the Presidency Of .
mighty people is his reward. Perhaps there
is no instance in human affairs, inwhch one
az Gnd,a creafnres has SO snddenlv riser