Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-06-08

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she said, and smiled.
I have never seen a smile like ELI.
abeth's.
Ep,locvE. Is
IT'S - Ster Spangled Banner; Q, Ions
may it wave.
Der TIE land OF the free, and the home
OF the brave.
Francis Scott Key.
On the night that Miss Elizabeth
Churchill gave me her hand n her
heart forever-for which l have not
yet ceased TO thank God-there began
the guns OF Palo Alto. Later. there
came the fields Of Monterey, Buena
Vista, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cheru.
busco, Molino del Rey-at last the
guns sounded at the gate OF the old
City Of Mexico itself. Some of that
fighting l myself saw: but much OF
the time l was employed in that man.
ner of special work which had en-.
gagged me for the last few years. It
was through Mr.. Calhoun's agency
that l reached q certain importance
In these matters; and SO ! a chosen
as the commissioner to negotiate q
peace with Mexico.
This honor later proved to be .
dangerous and questionable one. Gen.
Scott wanted no interference Of this
kind, especially since he knew Mr..
Calhoun's influence in my choice. He
thwarted all my attempts to reach the
headquarters OF the enemy, and did
everything he could to secure a peace
OF his own. at the mouth Of the ear
non. l could offer no terms better
than Mr.. Buchanan, then our sec.
rotary Of state. had prepared for me
and these were rejected by the Mexf-
can government at last. l was or
dered by Mr.. Polk to state that we
had no better terms to offer; and as
for myself. l vas told to return to
Washington. At that time l could not
make my way out through the lines,
nor, in truth, did I much care to do so.
A certain event not written in his.
tory Influenced me to remain for q
time at the little village Of Guadalupe
AAA0aASO. 4AC4S, III 8uOIl. j E0CS1VSO
word from a lady whom / had for.
merly known, none less than Sonora
Yturr1o, once a member Of the Mexi.
can legation at Washington. True to
her record, she had again reached In.
fuential position In her country. using
methods of her own. She told me
now to pay no attention to what had
been reported by Mexico. In fact. !
was approached again by the Mexican
commissioners. introduced by her!
What was done then is history. We
signed then and there the peace of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, In accordance
with the terms originally given me
by our secretary of state. So, after
all, Calhoun's kindness to q woman in
distress was not lost; and so. after
all. he unwittingly helped In the end.
ing of the war he never wished be.
gun.
Meantime, ! had been recalled ia
Washington, but did not know the
nature of that recall. When at last !
arrived there l found myself disgraced
and discredited. My actions were re.
pudiated by the administration. l my.
self was dismissed from the service
without pay-sad enough blow for q
young mar who had been married less
than a year
Mr.. Folks jealousy of John Calhoun
was not the only cause of this. Cal
Ihoun's prophecy was right. Yet, none
the less. after his usual fashion, be
was not AYERS to receiving such credit
as he could. He put the responsibility
Of the treaty upon the senate! It was
debated holly there for some weeks
and at last, much to his surprise and
my qualification. it was ratified!
The north. which had opposed this
Mexican war-that same war which
later led inevitably to the Civil Wal
now found itself unable to say
much against the great additions
to u domain which the treaty had
secured. We paid fifteen millions, II
addition to our territorial indemnity
claim, and we got a realm whose
wealth could not be computed. Sc
much. it must be owned. did fortune
do for that singular favorite, MI. Polk
And, curiously enough. the smoke had
hardly cleared from Palo Alto FIELD
before Abraham Lincoln, a youns
member in the house OF congress, wai
introducing q resolution which arket
the marking Of the spot where tina,
outrage was committed" Perhaps II
vas an outrage. Many still hold II
so. But let us reflect what would have
been Lincoln's life had matters no,
gone just an they did.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
The handle OF a new electric torch