American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-11-17
From tho Philadelphia Pennsylvanian.
The Valley OF the Sierra Madrs.

by ONE WHO HAS BERN THERE.
The recent revolutionary movements in the
valley of the Sierra Madre give an interest to
that section Of country, to the American peo-
pie, which it did not before possess. The late
successful outbreak there indicates that, ere
long, that region will be detached from the Re-
public Of Mexico, and formed into q separate
government. l purpose, therefore, to give a
short account of this valley, in order that the
public may have better knowledge of the dis
trict of country where these interesting events
are taking place.
The valley of the Sierra Madre embraces a
part of the eastern and northern section of
Mexico, and borders on the gulf Of the same
name. 1t lies between 23o and 28o of north
latitude, and is bounded as follows: North by
the Rio Grande, which separates it from the
State Of Texas; East by the Gulf of Mexico and
Rio Grande; South by the States of Vera Cruz,
Queretaro, and Guanajuato; and North by Ia
catecas, Durango, and Coahuila. The natural
boundaries Of this region are very strongly
marked, and seem to indicate an adaptation for
a separate republic. N ..##
There is water boundary on the North and
East, and on the West chain of high and
rugged mountains run in a south eastern direc-
ton, and are passable for carriages only at one
point--near the city Of Monterey, where there
called La Rinconada Nature seems to have
rent this bold chain asunder at some past time,
in order to form passage from the valley to
the upper country. There is only q single
wagon road, more than forty miles in length,
bounded on each side by high mountains, and
in many places the pass is less than fifty yards
in width. At the eastern end of this pass s
situated the city of Monterey and whoever
holds this point has the key to the valley, since
there is no other practicable route all the way
down to the Gulf coast. In addition to the
passage for wheel-carriages at Monterey, there
is another point at which these mountains can
be crossed, by pack-mules, and that is at the
Tula Pass, about halfway between the former
city and Tampico. This western ridge appears
like great barrier formed by nature to sepa-
rate the low country from the people beyond,
and is o strong bulwark Of defence in that
direction. On the south, the Panuco, small
river which empties into the Gulf of Mexico at
Tampico, separates this valley from the State
of Vera Cruz. 1t takes its rise to the west OF
San Louis Potos, aud, with some clearing out, |
might be made navigabe for steamboats, for
some distance. ,,....l
The valley of the Sierra Madre comprises |
three Of the Mexican States, viz Tamaulipas |
Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, with an area |
of seveuty-fve thousand square miles. Tamau-
lipas forms the eastern section, and extends |
along the Gulf coast several hundred miles, in
dented with numerous small bays and inlets, |
none of which afford good harbors. The largest
town Of this State is Matamoros, situated on
the Rio Grande, about forty miles above its
mouth by land, and much further to follow the
windings Of the river. IL is nominally place
Of about ten thousand inhabitants and regu-
lnrly laid out, but at present has gone some
what to decay. 1t is ono of the two ports Of
entry embraced in the contemplated republic, |
and has some commerce. In former times this |
place was great fayorite with the government |
Of Mexico, and large sums Of money were ex-
pended to beautify and adorn it. Besides Mat
amoros, there are few other towns in Tamau-
lipas of lesser note-namely, Victoria, in the |
western part, near the mountains, and one OF
the most beautiful places in the country; Mier,
Camargo, and Reynosa, on the Rio Grande, and
San Fernando, San Nicholas, Sofa La Marina,
and other smaller places in the interior.
Nuevo Leon occupies the northwest corner,
with Monterey for its capital; besides which,
there are Montemorelles, Linares, Cadareta,
Cerralvo, China, and Santander--all inconsid-
erable places. The situation of Monterey, which
has become so widely known since its capture
by the American army in the month Of Septem-
Der, 1847, is romantic and beautiful in the eI-