The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-11-04

leit the 1ntquu0tU oxAcn0nn To winch my country
men we're daily subjected, and the despotic out.
RACES constantly praciiced upon them by the min
ions Of power. In the name Of freedom. have
raised the standard of liberation, and hundreds OF
my aggrieved countrymen have rushed TO Its sup, |
port. Oppressed and borne down by the organized
military despotsm Of the Central Government,
knew that my countrymen, brave and devoted as
they were, could not in the fret hour OF the strug
gle, single.hande and alone. cone with such an
enemy. s,Fs.s
With the appreciation and consent of my fellow
ci,izens, invited number Of Americans residing
along this frontier, well acquainted with our hab.
it's feelings and interests, to participate with us in
the glorious effort to vindicate our rights True 10
the instinct Of their nation, they yielded ready
assent to the call and have been from the begin
ming Of this contest, among the bravest and most
determined OF the gallant party which have had
the honor to lead: have presented myself before
the city of Maiamoras upon the invitation OF many
Of the most influential and respectable citizens OF
this jurisdiction, and instead OF finding myself and
my troops received with open arms as Liberators,
we were met with famparls brisling with bayo.
nets and cannon and with the stern frown Of mill
tary defiance. found that myrmidons OF the
Central Government had ffauduenily declared the
city in q state OF siege, while was in Camargo
with my forces, had ventured on the crime Of high
treason by annuliing the revenue laws OF Mexico
and reducing the rates of import duties to as low II
not lower scale than those demanded by the peo
pie who first moved in this great work OF reiorma-
to throw citizens off their guard and to enable
few foreign monoposts to enter the lists OF SNUG
glers by overwhelming Matamoras with goods
which were either contraband or on winch the iuii
legal duties were never paid. Under this pretend
ed system, established by Gen. Avalos, awards oil
half million of dollars worth of goods Were lille
gally introduced into that city, and it'll with the
partial duties levied upon these goods that the en-
einy opposed TO me, feeds, recruits and sustains
himself The owners of these goods, also, ana
/ Il, tod hu hair
famed the luminosity of the people of Matamoras,
and led them rashly and bindly, 70 resist us who
| were their best friends, who came to share with
them the blessings of equality, Justice and liberty
| When l perceived this to be the condition OF
| things, ] resolved to meet the crisis IN manner
becoming my duty, my position and the expecta-
ton of those who had confded the standard OF re-
form to my hands. | demanded peaceful sur
render Of the city-I sought to avoid boodshed,
but found had no alternative, except to abandon
the cause, carry it through, with the night arm
Of freemen. Several sharp encounters have en-
sued-my men have not disgraced their colors, and
4 we resolved to conquer the military despots In
Matamoros or to perish in the attempt
| Such, sir, have been the events that produced
the present condition OF affairs in the city OF Mata
moros, and such is the position occupy in the face
of the civilized world.
l know not in what point Of view my conduct,
and that of the brave men associated with me may
be regarded by the present Federal Government OF
the United States but if these were the times Of
Otis, and of Henry, of Putnam, Warren and Wash
ington, | might well hope to escape censure from
those men whose example have followed, and
whose names have, by association with the same
cause, been rendered immortal
have the satisfaction of believing that the grea,
mass of the American people still revere the men,
ory of their Revolutionary ancestors, and pray
good speed to the cause of freedom, in which they
gained the .laurels that will never fade on theil
brow. The Americans who acting with me
will not shame either their country or their name
they are fighting in just and as righteou,
as that which has inscribed on the same roll with
: that of Warrington, those other Names noble a
his allies, Lafayette, Kosciusko and Pulaski.
hope regenerated Mexico will be grateful in he
present hour of need the people OF the Unite
States have been to those gallant foreigners who
in the dark hour of their tribnlaton, came to thei
rescue. The causes set forth in the Declaration
Independence, by the Colonies Of America, in 177e
b were not more potent and aggressive upon III
! rights Of man than those which stimulated tn
: | people of Northern Mexico, to take up arms i
o their own defence. The keen-sghted patriots c
our sister Republic, in the language of Mr.. Burke
u breeze" while the people Of Mexico have felt i,
practical application from the mailed hand and iro
y heel of corrupt power.
. You have been pleased to state, sir, that III
!, forces under my command ate said to be auack'n
!, and destroying by fire property of peaceful Amer
y the flag and fired upon and wounded the Consul {
! the United States. know not who may hav
been your informant, but take leave to assure 20
!. that it would be dffc 1T question 10 determir
> which predominated-his ignorance, his mallc,
or his presumption your credulity. 1t is utter
~ false that the forces under my command have a
y tackled or destroyed private properly by fire, or
= any other manner. The fire thai occurred
70 Matamoros, on Friday, was not kindled by n
y | orders, by any of my men. The torch was a.
u, / Mi od NJ he tho wi
!, the time in the direction of my head quarters, ar
the place of deposit for my ammunition, it serious
CO endangered the safety of both. and as a lar,
amou,t of goods were consumed, portion
~ which had not found their way to that place throul
a the regular ordeal of the Cusom-house, my intere
II | emitting my adherence of such a mode of warfaf
e, | would have restrained me from this incendia
y, course. 1t was the work of the enemy, and
10 their heads be the responsibility. The imputati
lu that either l. or the men under my command, ha
re- desecrated the American flag, would excite my
~ dlgnation If it were not beneath my contempt
~ love and honor that flag, for it is The harbiDger
IN liberty to the world; and have many men und
" my command who have fought and bled in u
IN the President of the United States, to offer tn
or hearts blood in shielding it from dishonor. Y
charge, sir, is unworthy of you it is unmerit
It's by those against whom you make it. despise
authors pity their dupes.
Cd So far relates to the allegation, that the Anne
no. TO give you any positive assurance. This mucl
can emphatically state, that his flag and his offic
-. residence were scrupplously respected. II
NV. abandoned these and mixed with the throng in
"s streets, or herded with the enemy, assisted
III porters in securing the bales of goods under
fire of our guns, and was thus wounded, it "
I'VE his own fault, and he has no right to compla
en' The practice of nations, in regard to the perso
ow immunity of Consus, is well known-they hs
ON no higher or better protection, when city is
vas seiged assaulted, than other persons. WI
the General Scott, during the late war, battered do
our the houses Of some of the Consus, in the city
Vera Cruz, and wounded and injured the
Gus mates of their families, neither they, their COVE
to ments, or the world, censured that distinguish
be- chieftan. 1t was the fate of war, and if tn
e Consuls did not fOresee the danger that avail
lion them, it is difficult to see why Gen. Scott sho
per have suspended his operations to have given til
am a lesson in military engineering The Consu
the Matamoros may profit by this hint.
you So far as respects your statement, that nj
zed been engaged in violating the laws and territor!
itch the United States, beg leave TO assure you
,nly you have been grossly deceived have been
Of gagged in neither, and when consider the extra
ave binary efforts that you and other officers of
aed Government of the United States co-operai
a,ai wi h you, have made restrain such Violate
n in cannot help believing you have been hastily
| TO put credit in what a few moments sober ref
o,r tion would convince you was a groundless imp
'"' ton. have seen steamers of the United ST
plying, with cannon on their decks, up and dc
the river with The avOwed purpose to arrest