tors arose from their seats, and the parents of the fortunate man obtained an exemption from all taxes. He who had saved, the whole Army or the camp, obtained, by the decree of the Senate and the people, the Crown of Grass, When the younger Decius, the Consul who fell heroically in the War of the Samnites, obtained this honor, he offered to the gods a hundred oxen." We are too sparing in this way. A brave seaman, who signalized himself on board the Ocean Monarch, has, it is true, obtained special marks of public approbation, but what gold could equal, to a true American, such lasting honors as the civic crown and crown of grass, or their equivalents? POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. Postmaster-General, CAVE JOHNSON, Ten., $6,000. | picion is audibly expressed by all classes, from Chief Clerk, William H. Dundas, Va., $2,000. Clerks 3 at $1,600 each; 13 at $1,400; 19 at $1,200; 8 at $1,000; also 8 other persons. Of $167,045, paid in 1846-7, to clerks, &c. &c., (including P. O. Auditor's office,) $59,861 were for the above clerks, &c., and $3,058 for contingencies. Special Agents, &c., J. Holbrook, $1,700; L. G. Alexander, $1,790; D. Toler, $1,821; W. Tanner, $1,511; S. R. Hobbie, $1,185, (besides his salary.) Congress voted, July 10, 1848, for the Post Office service of 1848-9, $2,495,700; for transporting the mails within the Union to and from foreign ports, $455,000; compensation of Postmasters, $1,075,000; advertising, $35,000; mail bags, $25,000; blanks, $18,000; clerks in offices of Postmasters, $230,000, miscellaneous, $113,000. They also voted, Aug. 3, other $874,600, to defray the transportation of the U. S. Mail between New-York and Liverpool, New-York and New-Orleans, Havana and Chagres; and between Panama and Astoria, via San Diego, San Francisco, and Monterey. the President of the United States, downward, that in many instances public documents are injuriously withheld from their owners, and even private correspondence concealed, and personal confidence violated. What better remedy could be found for such complaints than to enable the qualified electors of every city, village and hamlet in the Union, to choose as their Postmaster the man in whom, from thorough personal knowledge, they had the highest degree of confidence, at the same time empowering the Postmaster-General to take proper sureties for fulfilment of the duties, as at present, and to remove incumbents for cause ?Such a change would lessen the dangerous influence of the federal executive, and the corruption that may be practised through a cordon of interested, selfish officials, whose tenure of power is sometimes limited solely by the extent of their subservience to the electioneering schemes of unprincipled party chiefs. We would fain hope that some member will urge the adoption of the principle involved, upon Congress, and press the question to an early vote. We intend no personal censure on any individual Postmaster by these remarks. The Postmaster-general's remarks relative to "an organized corps" of politicians, in our 16,000 post-offices, we will try to find room for. CHEAP POSTAGE. The latest annual report from the PostmasterGeneral shows, that there were, in July, 1847, mail routes of 153,818 miles in extent, by land and water, and the statutes of last session have added many thousands of miles additional, in Texas, &c. There are 3,659 mail contractors employed, also 186 route and local agents and mail messengers, 15,146 Postmasters, and thousands of clerks in offices, mail carriers, and persons occasionally The only reason known to us for giving the employed, in printing, advertising, &c. &c. The Federal Government the sole control of the expense of carrying the mails in 1846-7 was near-mails, post offices, and newspaper and letter carly two and a-half millions of dollars. Of letters rying, throughout the Union, is, to associate sopassing through the mails at 5 cents each, there ciety for a common beneficial purpose, where its were 36,152,556; at 10 cents, 12,851,532; at 6 cents, agents can perform the service required better, 427,800; at 2 cents, 850,980; dropped 865,308; free quicker, safer, and cheaper, than any individual, (supposed) 5,000.000; dead letters, say 1,800,000.- private company, or single State could. If the The revenue of the department, for 1846-7, was community guarantee to every public servant or $3,945,893; the expenditure $3,979,571. If there is agent employed in, or by, the Post Office Departany detailed, intelligible statement of the revenue ment, a fair and moderate recompense for his or and charges, the compiler has not heard of it.- her services, out of the proceeds of the postage Of $311,299 charged to the United States for offi- rates collected, what more is wanted than that cial postages, $195,234 are in the Post Office De- these rates should be equitably proportioned, and partment. high enough to meet the cost of the establishment, when prudently administered? To exact higher ELECTION OF POSTMASTERS BY THE PEOPLE. rates is either to encourage a profligate expendiIn times past, when a state officer displeased ture, or to raise a revenue, or rather trying to the people, he was often placed in a non-elective raise it, by increasing the difficulties of communioffice by the party he acted with, or transferred cation between one place and another, restricting to a post office or other appointment in the gift the vast INLAND really free trade of the Union, of the Federal authorities'; men whom well-in- burdening the letters of friendship, affection, formed public opinion had proscribed, were thus business, innocent pleasure, and often, very often, provided for, and enabled to act efficiently for of the poorer classes in the Far West with their years against the popular will. The evil is less-friends in the old settlements, by a tax, calculated, ened in this State, because more offices are made as far as its operation extends, to work as inelective. Why should Whigs not push forward juriously to the public as steamboats, the teleand carry out their long talked-of reform of giv- graph, and locomotives, have worked for its ing to the people the election of every Postmas- good. Cheap postage benefits commerce, agriter throughout the Union? culture, home manufactures; helps to uphold anIf the people in their localities are capable of cient friendships; brings the distant places of a choosing their Presidents, Governors. Senators, vast empire like ours closer together; gives new Congressmen, Sheriffs, Surrogates, Judges, and power to opinion, additional wings to useful Registrars of property, why not also their Post-knowledge; cheers the new settler in his wildermasters? Very often, indeed, persons are select-ness; aids powerfully in the education of the ed at Washington in whom a majority of their fellow-citizens have no confidence; the Post Office is not seldom made the rendezvous for the politicians of the party in power, and the sus whole people. One of the surest props of Government by the million, in the best sense of the term, is a well organized and efficient, yet économical Post Office Department. The easier it is to obtain tidings of what all public functionaries | square inches, when sent from the offices of publipossessed of delegated powers are doing, the cation, 1 cent per sheet, to any place not over 100 more promptly can public opinion act upon and miles distant, or to any place in the State where influence their conduct, for the general welfare in published. If sent over 100 miles, and out of the an elective Government. State, 1 cents. [Letter and newspaper postages need not be pre-paid, except in such cases as we have noted.] Circulars, pamphlets and newspapers should be so folded as that the Postmaster can see what they are. If enveloped, they should be left open at the end. Postmasters are allowed $50 out of every $100 of newspaper and pamphlet postage they collect. They are no longer allowed to frank money-letters to editors from subscribers; they give receipts for money-the subscriber mails the receipt in a letter, which the Postmaster, where the editor lives, pays him the money for. No packet can be mailed which weighs more matter; private expresses, for the conveyance of letters on post-routes, are prohibited. Exchanges of newspapers between editors pass free. A reduction of the rates of postage, to 2 cents for paid and 4 cents for unpaid letters of half an ounce in weight, might not for several years meet the annual expenditure, but it would eventually do so; and in the meantime the advantages to the American people which cheap inland postage would secure, are incalculable. When the 5 and 10 cent postage rates were adopted, very audible fears were expressed that the revenue would be materially injured, and efforts made by Mr. Cave Johnson, and the party about to resign power, to raise the rates once more. They failed, and now admit that the revenue meets the expenditure.-than 2 pounds. Bound books are not mailable So it would, probably, in a few years, at 2 cents unpaid or 4 cents paid. POST OFFICE REVENUE-MAIL CARRIAGE. The Northern States defray by far the greater proportion of the cost of transporting the public mails. During the year 1846-7, it cost $256,464 to transport the mails through New-England; the revenue raised from postages was $443,648; the expense of mail transportation in New-York' and Pennsylvania, was only $384,719; the revenue raised from postages in these two States, $746,933. In Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas and Georgia, on the other hand, $770,044 were paid for mail transportation, while only $311,569 were raised as revenue at all the Post Offices in these five States. Alabama raises under $50,000 revenue, while over $136,000 are paid to convey the mails through it, and the new State of Texas raises but $8,246 in part of $24,102 expended. Wisconsin pays $56,703 of postage, while its mail conveyance costs but $15,043; Iowa, even, is within $500 of meeting all charges. The United States Senators from South Carolina and other Southern States, were the chief opponents of cheap postage, when the 5 and 10 cent rates were adopted; yet the South, where education is discouraged, and hundreds of thousands of the white people are unable to read and write, throws the heavy burden of mail carriage upon the North and East. RATES OF INLAND POSTAGE. A letter, not exceeding half an ounce in weight, (avoirdupois,) sent not exceeding 300 miles, five cents-sent over 300 miles, ten cents, every oz. and any excess over every oz. the same rates of postage; and when advertised thrice in one newspaper, two cents per letter additional. Each drop letter, not to be mailed, two cents. All handbills or circulars, printed or lithographed, not exceeding one sheet, three cents each, and to be pre-paid. Members of Congress may frank letters not weighing over 2 ounces. The rates on oz. letters conveyed between places in Oregon and California and places on the Atlantic, is 40 cents each; and between one Posttown and another in California, 12 cents. RATES OF FOREIGN POSTAGE. Letters, per half-ounce, to Bremen, paid or unpaid, mailed at N.Y., 24c.; within 300 miles of N.Y., 29c.; over 300 miles, 34c. per U.S. Mail Packets. If to Prussia, 12 cents additional; to Hamburg, 6c. do. If to Austria, 18; Bavaria, 22; Switzerland, 21; Egypt, 37; each additional, per i oz. letter. To Denmark, 22; Sweden, 39; St. Petersburg, Russia, 24; each additional, per oz. The postages payable on oz. letters by the British West India Mail Steamers, are, if for any British West India Island, 25 cents; for Martinique, Havana, Porto Rico, St. Thomas, or other island not British, 50 cents; for Chagres, Panama, Valparaiso, or any port on the Pacific, 75 cents; all fetters for Havana, per steamers, are 25 cents. TREATY WITH GREAT BRITAIN.-Postage of a half-ounce letter, mailed at any Post-Office in the United States to any part of England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, 24 cents-which may be paid by the sender, or by the person to whom it is directed. It will be forwarded though not prepaid. Heavier letters in proportion. Letters may be mailed in Britain or Ireland for the U. S. on same terms, except that on any weight over 1 ounce and under 2 ounces, four rates are charged.Newspapers pay 4 cents each-2 when mailed here, and 2 when received in Britain. On British journals the same rate. Letters to Brit. N. America are charged a rate equal to the U. S. and Colonial rates combined-prepayment, after the details are arranged, is to be optional. Periodicals under 1 Each newspaper, not over 1,900 sq. in. when not lb. and other pamphlets under lb. each, pay one mailed by the publishers, 3 cents, and to be pre-cent per ounce in the U. S., whether received paid. [This regulation unjustly exacts THREE from or to be sent to Britain or Ireland, beside an cents postage in advance on every newspaper additional charge in Britain. Merchants' printed bought from newsmen, or directed by individuals circulars, if printed as extra newspapers, will to their friends, if only sent from Albany to Troy, paynewspaper postage here and in Britain." or Schenectady, while papers mailed at NewYork by the editors pass 500 miles, to Buffalo or beyond, for ONE cent, and only payable when taken out. The great principle of our Government is the diffusion of knowledge and the enforcement of equity; therefore this proviso should be modified. It bears unequally on the poorer [EXPLANATION.-The name of each Post Office is placed classes of our citizens, whom it is our true inter-first, as Augusta:' then the amount of the Postmaster's est to cherish, raise up and instruct.] Any pamphlet or magazine, periodical, or other printed matter, transmittable by mail, having no written communication on it, of one ounce or less, Maine.-Augusta, 993-1,969; Bath, 1,001-2,061; or for a newspaper exceeding 1,900 sq. in. of sur- Freeport, 251-252; Houlton, 405-300; Machias, face, 2 cents-for each additional ounce, or more 316-387; *Portland, 2,000-3,001; Robbinston, 578 than half an ounce, 1 cent; newspapers of 1,900-139.-Vermont.-Vergennes, 413-693. COMPENSATION TO POSTMASTERS. The following statement will show the sums paid over, at the offices named, to the U.S. as net Postmaster for his trouble, during the year endand the compensation retained by each ing June 30, 1847: revenue, net compensation in Dollars, thus: 993;' and lastly, the net year's revenue, paid over to the U. S., thus: 1969. Clerk hire is allowed at the offices marked with a (*) star] New-Hampshire.-Charleston, 235-225; Concord, nearly; Philadelphia, 30 clerks $17,500 nearly; 1,088-2,442; Manchester, 1,276-3,520. Pittsburg $3,800; Portland $3,980; Richmond $3,Massachusetts.-*Boston, (Nath. Green,) 827-630; St. Louis $5,606; Washington, 21 clerks, at 77,803.-(Blue-Book, 1847, p. 39;) Danvers, 406-$144 to $1,725 each-$19,300; Wheeling $3,700, 579; Dedham, 431-657; Fall River, 1,278-2,793; and others which we have omitted. Falmouth, 237-239; Fitchburg, 697-1,357; The Blue-Book does not show the gross reveGreenfield, 562-813; *Lowell, 1,437-9,660; Lynn, nue at each office, nor the allowances, and for 826-1,790; New-Bedford, 1,787-6,279; New what objects. When it pretends to state the comburyport, 1,127-3,166; Pittsfield, 1,010-1,980; pensation it very often deceives. Who will beSalem, 1,160 4,128; Springfield, 1,785-4,821; Wor-lieve that the P. M. of Boston, collects, perhaps, cester, 1,893-5,893. Rhode Island.-*Providence, 1,772-14,311; Newport, 1,568-3,141. Connecticut. Hartford, 1,914-8,082; Litchfield, 432-528; N. London, 1,116--2,259; *New-Haven, 1,297-8896; Norwich, 1,184-3,461; Suffield, 298-310. New-York. Albany, 1,709-13,829; Auburn, 1,378-3,891; Bath, 599-818; Brooklyn, 1,834-6,690; Brownville, 306-287; Canandaigua, 1,034-2,079; Catskill, 688-970; Delhi, 421-461; Geneva, 1,460 -3,259; Hudson, 1,086-1,895; Lewiston (frontier,) 1,097-160; Lockport, 1,246-2,937; Newburg, 1, 087-2,068; * Buffalo, 2,000-9,877; *New-York, 2,000-207,590; Oswego, 1,491-3,930; Poughkeepsie, 1,411-2,959; *Rochester, 1,071-11,989; Saratoga Springs, 1,019-1,722; Syracuse, 1,720-5,017; *Troy, 913-9,304; Utica, 1,035-6,127; Watertown, I, 031-2,002; Williamsburgh, 200--470. $100,000 of revenue for $827, while $1,568 are paid at Newport for remitting $3,141, and $3,678 at Springfield and Worcester for remitting $7,786 ? The gross revenue at New-York is understood to be nearly $300,000 a-year. What becomes of the difference between that sum, and the $240,000 placed in the Blue-Book? Who supposes that Mr. Morris's income is only $2,000, or Mr. Green's just $827? In Chicago, a large commercial city, $6,822 are retained for salaries. What is the amount actually collected there, including the dues for boxes, (charged at New-York $4 each ?) We have heard the box-rent revenue calculated at $100,000 to $250,000. What part of the $15,000 thus paid in at New-York, finds its way into the public chest, and where does one cent of it appear on the public accounts? The incomes, in many cases, seem very inconsistent with each other, Pennsylvania.-Bristol, 329-325; *Harrisburg, and often with the service performed. Give the 1,243-7,767; Carlisle, 1,033-1,789; Easton, 1,141 people the election of their Postmasters, and that 2,400; Erie, 1,842-no revenue; Lancaster, 1,305 service will be done cheaper and better Why -3,348; Montrose, 344-310; *Philadelphia, 2,000 should a man who draws customers to his store, -104,384; *Pittsburg, 2,000-19,096; Reading, retain $1,000 out of $2,200 collected, or in propor1,215-3,041. tion, while his neighbor transacts tenfold the busiMaryland.-Baltimore, 2,000-51,817; Cumber-ness for the same money? Why should P. Ms. land, 1,070-2,572. who collect $5 or $10 a-year for the public, reDistrict of Columbia-Georgetown, 1,352-2,594; ceive free and frank their own letters? *Washington, 2,000-176,788. Marselius, a clerk in the New-York office, reVirginia.-*Wheeling, 2,000-28; Alexandria, ceiving $58 per month, was convicted many 1,491-2,951; Boydtown, 276-229; Fredericks- months since, on the clearest evidence, of stealing burgh, 1,156-1983; Lynchburg, 1,531-2,801; letters. We have not heard that he was punished *Norfolk, 1,557-5,875; *Petersburg, 1,349-4,021; perhaps legal quibbles stand in the way. Had *Richmond, 1,306-17,117; Winchester, 1,084-1,979. he not been found out, honest, faithful clerks North Carolina.-Fayetteville, 1,009-1,549; Mul- would have been blamed for his knavery. *In the berry, 1-1; Poorford, ; Prosperity, 3-34; rates paid to clerks, as wages, we can see no sysRaleigh, 1,493-1,065; Wilmington, 1,586-3,763. tem-merely the caprice of some controlling S. Carolina-Columbia, 1,736-3,640; Charles-functionary. Distributing offices require extra ton, 1,550-25,405; New-Prospect, 1-1; Rice's clerks. We have thus distinguished them (†). Mills, 3 qrs, 68 cts.- 83 cts.; Saxby, 28 cts.-37 cts. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Georgia. Savannah, 1,420-10,313; *Columbus, post-offices, family concerns, yielding from 7 cents 1,976-2,131; Macon, 1,899--4,375; †Augusta. to $1 per quarter, and conferring the franking Alabama.-Huntsville, 1,486-592; Montgom- privilege. Why continue to incur the expense of ery, 1,935-1,162; *Mobile, 1,248-15,726. delays, mail-openings, extended routes, circulars, Louisiana.-Baton Rouge, 704-990; *†New-Or-reports, accounts, audits, &c., at places where leans, 2,000--53,351. there is no mail.business done? Better it were to Kentucky.-Maysville, 1,883-121; *Lexington, give the Union that great boon, a two cents paid 1,318-4782; *+Louisville, 1,995-10,895; Frankfort, and four cents unpaid rate of postage, abolish 1,131-2,359-Michigan.-*Detroit, 2,000-3,417. what is useless, introduce a simple system with Ohio.-*Cincinnati, 1,825-33,718; *Columbus, real accountability to the public, instead of the ap1,532-3,517; *Cleveland, 1,171-7,809; Dayton, 1,-pearance of it, proportion the compensation 403-3,346: Toledo, 1,930-176; Zanesville, 1,452-equally to the real service done, and forbid those 2,902; Chilicothe, 1,266-2,088. Illinois-Chicago, 1,723-1,760; Springfield, 1,170-1,994; Avoca, 1-1}. Missouri.-Jefferson City, 443-463; *St. Louis, 1,846-19,139. who are entrusted with mail correspondence to busy themselves in electioneering contests. The undue increase of post-office patronage, enjoyed by the Federal Executive, in 1840 and 1848, failed to strengthen the administrations of Van Buren and Polk. One man has an office with too much emolument; ten office-seekers join the opposition in the hope of getting that office. If patronage without principle would have elected Cass, or kept Van Buren in favor, they had the full benefit of it, especially the former. Universal education, the union of example and precept, in sight of the rising generation, this is the cornerstone of elective institutions. What Whig Congressman is ready to introduce a bill to give the choice of our Postmasters to the people in their towns, cities and other localities? Our opponents talked of reform; may Whigs in office prove to be the true democrats. POSTMASTERS AND CLERKS' COMPENSATION. Beside the above compensations to Postmasters for their individual services, 600 to 700 clerks are paid to assist them, salaries of $120 to $2000 each, as follows: Albany office, to 17 clerks $8,093; Augusta $3,711; Baltimore, to 17 clerks $9,800; Boston, 41 clerks, at $400 to $1,200-$16,100; Buffalo, 17 clerks, at $200 to $1,248-$7,700; Charleston, 1 at $1,800-7, $3,390; Chicago $5,099; Cincinnati $6,778; Columbus, Ohio, $4,917; Detroit $4,480; Harrisburg $2,200; Louisville $5,000; Mobile $3,900; New-Orleans $11,000: New-York, M. Monson $2,000, J. Benedict $1,500, W. B. Taylor $1,700; 57 others, at $600, $1,200, and under, $25,000 * We desire to direct public attention to the embezzlement case of Richard Keys, Baltimore. 44 THE WAR WITH MEXICO. Narrative of Events Concluded from Whig Almanac for 1847, p. 38. On the 29th of May, Gen. Butler announced to the Army that Mexico was to be immediately evacuated; next day Gen. Herrera was elected President, by the vote of eleven States to five. OUR Narrative of Events, last year, left tions of the successful negotiation, and the Gen. Scott, the Commander-in-Chief, and latter was ordered to remain in Mexico as his gallant Army, in possession of the City the resident Minister from this Republic. of Mexico; Santa Anna retiring toward Puebla with the remains of his forces; Peña-y-Peña, whom he had left in possession of the supreme power, vainly endeavoring to assemble the Mexican Congress; Gen. Taylor encamped at Walnut Santa Anna's troops gradually dispersSprings, near Monterey, a portion of his ed; and he escaped to Kingston, Jamaica, troops having been withdrawn by order where, on the 5th of May, he fixed his of the President; and California in pos- residence. Gen. Paredes opposed the session of our Military authorities, among peace, and the cession of Texas, Califorwhom a dispute had arisen whether Gen. nia and New-Mexico; and on the 20th of Kearney or Col. Frémont was the rightful June raised the standard of revolt, aided Governor. The Mexican ports in the by the celebrated Padre Jarauta. On the Gulf, and also on the Ocean, with few ex-18th of July, he was defeated at Guanaceptions, were in our possession. Gen. juato, by Bustamente, and totally routed. Wool had joined Taylor some time before The Padre was taken prisoner and immethe battle of Buena Vista. diately shot. Paredes escaped. "The Commander of our Naval Forces in the Gulf, is directed not to obstruct the passage of to return thither." Santa Anna and suite to Mexico, should he desire Gen. Scott, whose prudence, military In his Message of Jan. 12, 1848, Mr. experience and bravery, at the head of the Polk mentioned that "Paredes had evadarmy, had achieved many brilliant victo-ed the vigilance of our combined forces by ries, was rewarded by a letter of recall land and sea, and made his way back to from Mr. Marcy, Secretary of War, and Mexico from the exile into which he had Gen. Butler took his place. been driven." On the 15th of May, 1846, On the 22d of Feb. 1848, the President the President thus provided for the return laid before the Senate of the United of Santa Anna : States a Treaty of Peace, which had been negotiated by Mr. Nicholas P. Trist of Va. with Commissioners appointed by Mexico, whose Government was fully aware, on the 2d of that month, when the Treaty of the name of Jacinto Pat, had obtained In Yucatan, the Indians, under a chief was signed, that Mr. Trist had been pre-signal successes over the whites, but were viously recalled. Mr. Polk spoke of "the effectually repulsed in July, 1848; the magnanimous forbearance exhibited to- Mexican authorities, in the previous ward Mexico," advised the ratification month, having advanced $30,000 and 2,000 of the compact, with some modifications, muskets, with munitions of war, in aid of and communicated a copy of his instructions to Mr. Slidell of the 10th of Nov. the Yucatanese. 1845. Mr. Polk was then of the opinion, out Mexico, the United States forces evacTranquillity being established throughthat "it would be difficult to raise a point uated Vera Cruz on the 1st of August. of honor between the United States and Texas is estimated as containing 325,so feeble and distracted a power as Mexi520 square co;" and expressed a desire that Mr.fornia, 448,691 sq. miles; New Mexico, miles of 640 acres each; CaliSlidell would endeavor to obtain the Rio 77,387 sq. miles. The Commissioner of the Grande as a boundary, from its mouth to Land Office computes the extent of counits source, and thence North to 42° North latitude-and authorized him to offer the Mexicans twenty-five millions of dollars, if they would also consent to cede Upper California. The Treaty negotiated by Mr. Trist was modified and agreed to by the Senate; and, as thus amended, passed the Senate of Mexico, at Queretaro, on the 25th of May thereafter. Messrs. A. H. Sevier, a Senator from Arkansas, and Nathan Clifford, the Attorney-General, were accredited as Commissioners to exchange ratifica try added to the Union West of the Rio of our Republic, 3,311,110 square miles. Grande, at 526,078 sq. ms. making the area The area of the Federal States in 1840, was 1,337,000 square miles. On the justice of our quarrel with MexiCo, we gave to our readers last year the reasonings of Henry Clay and Thomas the condition of the Mexicans: Corwin. Mr. C. M. Clay thus describes tion necessary in most parts of the country, and "The extreme dryness of Mexico makes irrigathe scarcity of water and the habits of the people collect the inhabitants into cities or villages. The Finally, we annexed of her territories land itself is owned by a few large proprietors, not to ours a country equal, in extent, to the the least of whom are the priests. The great mass of the people are serfs, with but few more rights South of Europe. What was the disthan American slaves. It is true that the children memberment of Poland by despotic of serfs are not of necessity also serfs, but debt Monarchs, when compared with the spo brings Slavery, and the wages allowed by law al- liation of Mexico, by a free Republic? most always perpetuate it. Here then is the secret of the success of our arms. I conversed freely Our brave warriors got glory or a grave, with the tenantry and soldiers in all Mexico, and and the struggle for the mastery has alwhere they are not filled with religious enthusiasm ready begun between those among us who against us, they care not who rules them, Ameri- would extend African bondage over recan or Mexican masters. If all the Mexican soldiers were freeholders and freemen, not one of all gions yet untrodden by Man, and the friends the American Army could escape from her bor- of principles which the wise and good of ders. The soldiers are caught up in the haciendas and the streets of the towns, by force confined in every land revere and cherish. Good may some prison or convent, there drilled, clothed, come out of evil if the influences of Negro armed, and then sent to the regular army. Such Slavery and Land Monopoly can be kept men avow their resolution to desert, or run, on the far removed from our recent acquisitions. first occasion. Of near one thousand soldiers sent from Toluca, to the aid of Santa Anna at Mexico, BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF not one hundred stood the battle. AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS & Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement, between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, was concluded and signedat the city of Gaudalupe Hidalgo on the second day of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, which Treaty, as amended by the Senate of the United States, is word for word as follows: In the name of Almighty God: "The whole people do not exceed eight millions, and of these about two millions are white and of mixed bloods; the remainder are native Indians: I never, in all Mexico, with the exception of foreigners in the Capital, saw a single white man at work. Wherever there is Slavery, there is labor dishonorable-it is more creditable to rob than to work. Yet Mexico surpasses the Slave States of America in manufactures. As Rome was overrun by the Barbarians, so is Mexico by the Americans; the Slaves will not fight, the mas- The United States of America and the United ters are too few to defend the country. Bigotry Mexican States, animated by a sincere desire to in Religion has debased the mind-the corruptions put an end to the calamities of the war which unof the Church have destroyed the morals of the happily exists between the two Republics, and to people; the oppressions of the masters have ex-establish upon a solid basis relations of peace and hausted the lands Mexico is decreasing in popu- friendship, which shall confer reciprocal benefits lation and resources. Since her independence, upon the citizens of both, and assure the concord, her revenues are falling off, her villages are de- harmony, and mutual confidence wherein the two caying, her Public Works falling to ruin." people should live, as good neighbors, have for Among the results of the War with tentiaries-that is to say, the President of the that purpose appointed their respective PlenipoMexico may be mentioned an increase of United States has appointed Nicholas P. Trist, a the Public Territory, and of the quantity citizen of the United States, and the President of of Public Lands placed at the mercy of the Mexican Republic has appointed Don Luis Gonzaga Cuevas, Don Bernardo Couto, and Don speculators; also of the Federal Debt and Miguel Atristain, citizens of the said Republic, the Pension List. The expenses of the who, after a reciprocal communication of their State are augmented, and the great prin-respective full powers, have, under the protection ciple contended for in 1776 by our fathers, and embodied in their Declaration of Independence, that the right to self-government is inalienable, is subverted, or rather exchanged for the international code of William of Normandy, George III. and their successors. It will not be asserted that the people of New-Mexico are annexed to this Union of their free choice, nor that Mexico parted with half her territory till defeated and conquered, after many of our bravest citizens had perished in the struggle with a feeble people and an unfriendly climate. of Almighty God, the author of peace, arranged, Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement, agreed upon, and signed the following between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic: ART. I. There shall be firm and universal peace between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, and between their respective without exception of places or persons. countries, territories, cities, towns and people, ART. II. Immediately upon the signature of between a Commissioner or Commissioners apthis Treaty, a Convention shall be entered into pointed by the General-in-Chief of the forces of the United States, and such as may be appointed by the Mexican Government, to the end that a place, and that, in the places occupied by the said provisional suspension of hostilities shall take forces, constitutional order may be reestablished, as regards the political, administrative, and judithe circumstances of military occupation. cial branches, so far as this shall be permitted by Mexico was our sister Republic; she had adopted our form of Government, and sought our alliance. We were strong and powerful; she was weak, and badly governed. We might have given her friendly counsel, but preferred to foment Civil ART. III. Immediately upon the ratification of War in Texas, and aided in establishing the present Treaty by the Government of the Slavery in its worst form, throughout commanders of their land and naval forces, reUnited States, orders shall be transmitted to the realms in which she had abolished it. quiring the latter (provided this Treaty shall then |