Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 12, No. 8, Ed. 1, Monday, February 22, 1847 Page: 1 of 4

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From the Commercial Review of the South and West.
COTTON AND THE COTTON PLANTERS.
By R. Abbes', Esq., ofMississippi.
So far as agricultural experiment has accompanied
the researches of man into the productivo capabilities
of tho'dlflereut portions of the earth, it seems to bo
bellied, that in the United States of America there is
a small parcel of ground destined to supply the world
with Cotton. Great efforts have been made to ex-
tend its cultivation into different countries, but hitherto
the same parallel of latitude soil somewhatsimllar,
have been appealed to in vain.,. A small sickly pfoduc-
.tion, with-frcqnent total failures of crops, and for the
most part a weak and almost useless fibrehas been tho
reward of enterprise and industry in attempting to cul-
tivate cotton beynad the little strip of land composing
.S. Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and a very small portidu of
Tennessee.
The fact that this small portion of land has mainly
to supply tho world with cotton, is at present not very
important, for it does not require the whole of all the
avalablo land in it; to do it with case. But when wo
reflect that as yet, cotton is just beginning to be used
a little: that half tho world has scarcely heard of it
even as an article of clothing, and that there are yet
largo channels of consumption in which it must super-
sede some of the various kinds of hemp, flax, bark, wool
and silk, in tho fabrication of cloth for various purposes, .
the mind reels and hesitates in attempting to anticipate
the demand for cotton in even twenty or fifty years
from this time. Before long six hundred millions of
people aro to bo clothed chiefly in cotton, which alone
will require seven or eight millions of bales. Alike
quantity will bs required to supply all other household,
.agricultural, mchcanical and commercial purposes;
and moreover, ihe navies and merchant tessilsofthc
world are to be clothed mainly with cotton. Who then
can anticipate or who dare to write, statistically, in
regard to the wants of the world in this respect, when
cotton shall havo gone into general use l
And what else have wo recently seen and heard ?
Science tells us that htreafter gunpowder, for all ex
plosive purposes, is to be entirely superseded by cotton .
.If this bo so, (and if well attested facts can be relied
upon there seems to be no good reason to doubt it) a
very large, and surely a very novel channel of consump-
tion is to bo opened very soon.
There are two great facts that seem to be apparent:
First tho consumption of cotton in tho world "is to in-
crease greatly for fifty years to come and secondly, this
.increase is to be in the Un'ted states, r or it seems, as
before observed, that cotton can only be raised profitab-
lv or advantageouslv here. Whv this is so, is foreign
to our present purposes, but that there is in this question
. some, strange facts, is very apparent. In the wilds of
Mexico, beyond tho Del Norte, cotton is1 indigenous, or
-is supposed so to be; and yet it cannot be cultivated
ithero to advantage. It is known to grow in parts of
'that country hundreds of miles from any habitation, and
yet it requires to be transplanted to the Gulf of Mexico,
ia order to be cultivated advantagously. The time is
-coming then, and may not bo a generation off,' when"
every acre ol cotton land will be looked upon with m-
iterest, and when the cotton region will be a region of
jueaurij weaitn ana prosperity. - ootion planters nave
jJlmghter prospect before them than any other agricul--jtUKstiy
Growers of food may be better paid now, in
some ' instances ; bat the principal articles of food will
grow any where while clothing, the other great ar-
ticle ofhuman consumption, will grow nowhere else
.bdtSere. ,
Whether we regard the cultivation of cottoa then, as
it exists at present, or in its prospective appearances, it
is the most important branch of agicultore in the world;
and yet we may venture to believe that it is prosecuted
with less economy and enterprise than any other con-
siderable branch of business in our country. There is
a slovenliness about it,(almost universally seen that b
.really unacounlable, since it is admitted that cotton
.planters are among the most intelligent and well in-
formed of our citizens. "Why it is that agriculture is so
far behind the enterprise f the age wo live m, cannot
bo told nor aro we able'lo tell why cotton erowin? is
-so far in tho rear of the very blow march of tho other
branches of agriculture around us. But.that it is so, is
bat too apparent. If it was not too bad taste, I would
just allude here, by way of parenthesis, to my negro
man Jonn. tie is tho best fellow to srork in the world.
.but never knowj or cares what he isdoiu"-, or Aoio he
is doing it: to do enough of it. is Ins solo aim. It
hoped the refined and intelligent planter will pardon
tnis unseemly, p.ece ot pleasantry.
Thecultivation of cotton, as a branch of productive in
dustry, ought to take tho lead in agriculture. But instead
of this, it big lazily behind every thing ebc. Tho fact.
that unlike other articles it cannot be raised in different
climates or latitudes, shows tho similarity that would
i be observed, were tho best plans generally adopted.
.it is a fact, too, that mere is a much greater diversity
.. in the profits arisin? from cotton plantations than from
-other agricultural investments j for while somo yield
l&rjfr profits. oCnersido not pav expenses. And it is
also true that the cotton we sell at-the lowest range of
.prices, co3ts ns nearly as much as that winch sells at
twice the money.. "Another reason why cotton growing
ought to take tlie lead in agriculture, is that with us, it is
.more of an exclusive business than .the product of any
one article U with tho fanner of the Wet or North.
And moreover, it is supposed, that .without disparage-
unennoanypumay do assuraea mat cotton growers,
as a class, are more intelligent and better informed than
tne massof fanners generally. We do not sav thev
-are more mtelligontarmer, or better informed in their
"business that is the very thing complained of.
As a proximato cause to these disadvantages under
iwhich tho country labors, one or.two things may bo
hinted at There is among the cotton planters.no dis-
semination or concentration of professional knowledge
or pratice. No means are in use ino money is expeud-
ed to, conduct an interchange of opinions. The views.
.theoriejjind experience of one man, be they everso
oounu ana.valuablo, are ol no j.ubiic utility whatever,
and consequently, in many instances, of but limited
benefit to himself! Every farmer lives in an agricul-
tural world of his own. Ho is monarch of all he sur-
veys, but holds no communion with the rest of tho world.
His fence is his Chinese wall, and his grandfather
ghost is his emperor. Tho man goes abroad often
enough, but tho farmer never. Jt is thought by roapy
that at ,. this time it would bo greatly to the advan-
tage of tho, planter if the .amount of tho crop could
be known. Well, most certainly the number of
bajM could ns well b$ counted on the first of No-
yfimberas Jnly. At the middle of March next every
iPJaSwjgught to know farecisely the nnmbcr of acres of
yrottorifycom. &c., to Uo pkmted tho nextyear, with a
thonsand .other i cms of profitable information. Look at
.commerce, with his tjionsand coliorts, lib million of
couriers end his annyof printers! a merchant scarcely
thinks until every othfcr merchant catches the sound
anti .profits by it. Tfverv mercantile operation is in-
VHaenccd Jjnoro or lea?, by every other.similar one, all
ovorthe country. Merchants act advisedly farmers
in the dark. How many agricultural newspapers aro
there in the country ' Two or three seven-by-nines,
starving for patronage ! When and whero do. agricul-
turists assemble for consultation? Who legislates for
agriculture? Who pleads her cause or sustains her in-
terests? Aro we not content with tho notion that agri-
culture, liko a town in the country I onco heard of, b
finished ?
Again it might bo stated , that farmors aro opposed
to innovation. There is almost an organized opposition
to change or reform in any particular. A slight modi-
fication in a plough or a hoc, once in a great while
might possibly bo tolerated ; but any kind of chango in
plan or arrangement any doing of a thing different this
year from what it was last, or from what " every body
always done it, " is " theorising, " tho highest crime
known to the laws forbidding innovation.
Considering then, the many positive and negativo
disadvantages under which the cotton grower labors, is
it not strange that a spirit of enterprise and economy is
not cherished and prosecuted more than it b ? Allow
then, Mr. Editor, to be pointed out, some of what aro
conceived to bs the most glaring and easily remedied
errors under which our business labors, and which may
probably result in port from some of tho abovo named
disadvantages. -
In rslatiou to the ground we plant there is much
room for reformation. To wear out land, or to make it
grow poorer by cultivation, b unquestionably bad farm-
ing. We know that agricultural chembtry b too young
to enablo us to apply science properly in this respect ;
yet wo all know that the propagation of particular
plants requires tho Jisq of particular properties in the
soil j- and as these properties becomo exhausted, unless
they be restored the land becomespoor. Now, obvious-
ly, the proper course is to restore to the land as much as
practicable of the same thing we take away. That
portion of the product we send to market wo cannot
restoro in kind, but surely wo can and ought to restore
all tho rest Tho best vegetable manure certainly b
that which the laud produced, especially if the samo
crop b to be rabed tho next year. But instead of that
we see many persons refnso even to let the land have
.the cotton stalks back again, but actually burn them up!
The seed, too, b in many instances as unjustly with-
held, or if restored -at all, it is after the rains of a winter
or two have destroyed the most of its fructifying quality.
That which, wo necessarily remove from the soil, and
cannot therefore restore in kind, wo can easily restore
in some other way. In fact if we afford the opportuni-
ty Nature will do it lierself. Land has a resuscitating
and invigorating tendency, or in other words Nature b
constantly endeavoring to bring back impoverished land
to its original state of richness. This supply of that of
which the land has been robbed is derived chiefly from
tho atmosphoro ; and if the land bo placed in favorablo
circumstances it will soon obtain a sufficient supply.
To thb end land should ho suffered, as farmers say, to
rest a year or two. But it b not enough in order to
rest land that j-ou merely .cease to cultivate it ; because
its rest may bo greatly disturbed. It cannot reposo
much with its bosom exposed to a summer's sun. Nor
will its slumber be healthful or invigorating with tho
samo crop of weeds or gra3s growing on it which here-
tofore, from year to year, hayo been cultivated, or suf-
fered to grow in the poccss of cultivation. The way
is to give the land a coating of something, the growth
of which requires chiefly other properties of the soil
than those already exhausted, and with such verduro
as it can support easiest, it will acquire, upon its surface
that degree of humidity necessary to a favorable supply
of atmospheric food. Chembtry, were we sufficiently
acquainted with it, would immediately point out tho
proper article for thb purpose in every particular in-
stance. But in our lack of knowledge here, wo must
depend upon experiment After cotton we usually
sow rye, or after corn, oats.
But the great difficulty in all this 13, that most planters
plant all their open land everyyoar. Wo lack twenty-
livc per cent, of having enough land open, and plant
twenty-five per cent, too much of tho land we havo
open. What is called over-cropping is a very common.
fault with the cottoa planters, and results in great dis-
advantages ; a less quantity of land cultivated better,
will produce agreateramountof cotton. And moreover,
the same number of bales of cotton, on a less nuinber
of acres of laud, requires less labor in picking. And
the picking of cotton being moro than one-third of the
whole labor requisite to produce it, thb b a very im-
portant consideration. It b a very uncommon thing
to see a cotton crop cultivated well, throughout tho
season. Nine-tenths of tho cotton crops suffer for tho
plough and hoe during three-fourths of the growing-
season. How much room for reform is hero.
One of the greatest dbadvantages under which thc-
cotton planter labors, bin regard to the seed we plant.
The popular notion b that seed runs out very rapidly,
or in a few years, and that a fresh supply of "Gulf seed"
b necessary to take a now start from. Again, wo
hear that changing seed among different plantations,
or to and from different kinds of soil, b of great advan-
tage ; and again that seed, twa or more yoars old b far
preferable, for that then the poorest seed will not ger-
minate. To expose these egregious whims and set forth
what b deemed the correct reasoning upon the subject,
it b not necessary for us to speak of any particular
variety of cotton grown in thb country, but to stato
principles equally applicable to all.
What is Gulf seed? 'Tho writer has had an exten
sive agricultural correspondence for the last year or two,
chiefly on the subject of cottonseed, and in many letters
from planters all over the cotton region, "gulf seed'' is
spoken of in contradistinction to the seed of the. com-
mon cotton of tho country, and is considered far superior.
Tho former b worih fifty cents to a dollar a bushel,
and .the latter as much less than nothing' as the valuo
of the labor requisite to haul it away ! There arc so-
veral varieties of cotton in thb country first, tho great
mass, which may be called tho common Mexican.
Then thero are several other kinds, varying slightly
from thb, which have acquired each a separate appel-
lation among planters in the respective neighborhoods
in whieff they aro grown. Then thero a the Masto-
don, varying materially from all tho above. .But thero
b no "gulf cotton" or "gulf seed" different from
that which every man has on his plantation The name
b in almost every man's mouth, but it has no repre-
sentative. But how camo about tho idea so exten-
sively of gulf seed ? In thb wise :
In the euily history of cotton growing in Mississippi,
a few iutelligeutnd thrifty planters settled in Jefferson
county, near whero Rodney now stands: which place
was formerly called " Petit Gulf, " from an eddy in tho
river just above the landing place. These planters wero
among the first who cultivated the Mexican cotton,
now chiefly rabed and which wo all know superseded
the old black seed, about thirty years ago, or a little up-
wards. And they understood and practiced the correct
theory of saving coltou seed, better than most of their
neighbors. Now farmers, were coming into the country,
and the Hunts, Magrnders, Freelands and a few others
were ready to supply them with better seed than could
be procured elsewhere, because it was saved belter, and
.being shipped at the Petit Gulf it after awhile acquired
the name of " Gulf seed. " For many years better seed
could be procured from the "Gulf" than elsewhere, for
tho same reason just stated; and subsequently fiom
other parts of tho country, hundreds of miles distant,
seed was sent to Rodney 111 order that it might thereby
becomo " Gulf seed," and which was no doubt really
as good as the best 'Thus it b that thousands of planters,
havo paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, to a few
other planters who could ee and think, for cotton seed
of the very same kind they had themselves in the most
profuse abuudaucc. And if tho purchased seed was
any better .than their own, and no doubt it was, it was
only because it was saved better. Of tho common
Mexican seed it maybe truly said that thpro may hz as
good seed raised on any plantation, from tho seed now
on it, however much it way be run put, as can b rabed
on any other plantation, however recently it may havo
been supplied with fresh " gulf seed," or however near
it may be situated to Rodney. The extreme north or
south ought perhap?, tobe excluded from thb remark.
And we are perm.ps.110w called upon the explain
how it is that such great advantage b derived from tomo
particular mode ol .saving seed ; or what is tho samo
thing, explain how some seed sometimes runs out or
depreciates, while other decs not Ad it may hero
perhaps bo admis3.ble, as it will answer our puqioso a?
well as anyway, to insert a small paper heretofore pub-
Ibhed by the writer on this subject
I have been frequently -,kcd in relation to tho Masto-
don Cotton. " Will it degenerate ? This b consi-
dered an important question by many persons, and not
a few, I should think, consider that the future success of"
thbeotton depends mainly upon thispoint It isKtr.m
that a great error in regard to thb matter has becoiMo.
j5opopn!ar. A farmer in the .Sooth, in my opinion
ought to know better than to .ask any such question..
It is prccbely as philosophical -as it would be in relation
to a horse, 101W hr become poor? With plenty of hav-
and oats and good care. 1 should say he would not
But in the nbsenco of these, I think thero would hn
danger that ho would. Tho cotton seed notion of
" running out " b entitled to.tiie same kind of an ans
HOUSTOJW MONDAY,
wer, and upon tho samo philosophical reasons. We
frequently hear a farmer say, " My cotton seed has run
out." Yes, sir, and if you havo been as careless in
relation to your pasture fence, your cattle and sheep
havo " run out " also.
Tho truth b, there b a very great error abroad amonc
farmers on thb subject, and if its correction can become
goneral, immense good will result from it Othenv'isc,
a few will, as they havo heretofore done, rsalizo great
profits off of the mass, because of tho ignoranco or lack
of enterpriso of the latter.
There b certainly no peculiarity in this respect that
can attach to tho Mastodon cottou that is not common
to all cotton. To the question, then, " Will it degen-
erate ?" I reply, it most certainly will. Not only will
it becomo mixed up with other cotton so as to lose its
identity, but it will itself depreciate or run out so as to
be of little or no value. And on the other hand, I say,
it most certainly will not, but will retain, permanently,
at least as high a maximum point as it has ever arrived
at And I think it likely that it may bo considerably
improved. In eareful hands it will not depreciates in
careless hands it certainly will.
What is degeneration, or " runningout " in cotton
seed? And what b tho causo of it? Theso aro the
only questions that need to bo answered, and certainly,
it seems to me, they aro very simple. It is the pro-
duction and continued reproduction from the smaller
and less perfectly grown seeds. And how is it to be
prevented? Ute the large and full matured seed ex-
clusively, to produce from.
Another important advantage of putting cotton in
iron hoops, and in shipment size bales, is tho fact that
it is always ready for shipment It not unfrequeutly
happens now, that much delay b experienced in Now
Orleans, and at the otlior ports, in consequence of tho
cotton not being in a condition to transport Parcels
frequently are known to remain fn port for weeks at a
time not for tho want of freight not because the cot-
ton is not thero to ship, but because it is not in shipping
condition. The purchaser is thus placed under circum-
stances often highly disadvantageous; which on tho
other hpnd, if the bales were put in shipment size at the
gin, it is always ready for tho vessel tho moment it is
purchased. Thb would often facilitate sales consi-
derably, and prices too, somewhat, for it is always a
matter of great importance in a seller of any thing, to
place the purchaser in the most favorablo position to
clear all obstructions and difficulties out of his way, as
far as possible, and to mako tho vended article as im-
mediately available to him as practicable. We know
that nothing more certainly or immediately affects the
price of cotton in New Orleans, than tho question of
"freights. " Well, how, suppose you, a freight could
be contracted for, to best advantage ? , By saying to tho
master of tho vessel : " Sir, tho cotton is ready for you,
now, you can commence loading in an hour," orbii the
other hand : tho presses will be ready to commence it
in a few weeks, and you can probably in a month or so
commence taking it i
Thb difficulty b always felt, though to a Ies3 extent
than at the seaports, in the market at tho river towns
in tho interior, at seasons when the smaller rivers are
not navigable. In such cases the rise and fall of water,
in tho fall and winter seasons, affects the price of cotton
directly, and even moro than that sometimes. Tho
sea freight of cotton in hoops would also be lessened,
bybeing thus packed. Thcupparent reasonableness
of" the thing as well as conversations with several sea
captains, havo abundantly demonstrated this position ;
and further, cotton never could be burnt at sea. It is
no moro labor to load two vessels with cotton in hoops
than one with tho same number of bales in ropes, as thoy
usually como from the steam presses.
The advantage of having cotton put in shipment size
at the gin would bo felt to a still greater extent in cases.
whero cotton is to bo only re-shipped at tho seaports,
for.salo in another market In such cases there need
1)0 often but a single drayago, no ware-housing, no
piling in press rooms, no waiting to have it got ready to
ship. Tho operation b performed at onco, and tho cot-
ton b at sea or iii market over the Atlantic, rather than
receiving tho winter rains of tho South, being eat par-
tially by cattle, pilfered by vagabonds on the wharves
or streets, or suffering loss and damage in various ways
in which such things aro known very extensively to
occur.
Tho recommendation that cotton be always put in
shipment size by tho planter himself, at hb own gin
press, b not so wild a stride of innovation as might be
supposed by thoso who have not thouglit much on the
subject A few years ago it was impracticable, but
now it b quite easy. Cotton was sent to tho seaports
to be repressed there, mid steam presses erected thero
for the purpose, becauso the plantation presses could not
do it, and the practice is continued because it was com-
menced, not because tho samo reason still exists. But
within tho last fifteen years, great improvements in
plantation presses have been introduced, and still greater
improvements aro being made. It fs not presumed that
every plantation b now furnished with a suitable press
for their purpose, but it b confidently asserted that eve-
ry plantation can easily so supply itself. The present
condition of machinery of thb kind is such that the
power of two horses b sufficient for tho purposo indica-
ted. Tho writer does not pretend to - be acquainted
with tho most approved kind of plantation presses now
in use, but he does kuow enough to justify tho above
remark. He b now using a press of a kind not appro-
ved by himself; it b a single wood scrow but with it
there b no difficulty in pressing mastodon, cottonto the
size indicated with two mules, and it to bo observed
that tho mastodon, in consequence of tho body and
firmness of its staplo, is harder to press than the com-
mon Mexican. Tho largest sizo Newell screw caniiot
fail of exerting sufficient power. And the Bullock's
Patent Press, if it is capable of receiving a box of suf-
ficient length, will no doubt bo found far preferable.
With it one mule will givo sufficient power. If tho
expense of erecting such presses b thought an objection
to thb introduction, it may bo stated that the wood press
above alluded to costs 0110 hundred dollars, besides get-
ting out and hauling tho timber. Tho large size iron
screw will cost perhaps fifty dollars moro than the old
fashioned Newoll press that every body has, and the
Bullock's Patent will cost a hundred and tweuty-fivo to
a hundred and fifty dollars.
These ovib, thus hastily sketched and hurriedly run
over, deserve a loud and long complaint. They speak
in tones of thunder to tho pockets of cotton growers and
ought not to pass by unheeded. In tho State of Geor-
gia, the oldest and, until recently, the largest cotton
growing State, it b astonbhhig to learn, that at the
present time, one half of the cottou bput up for mar-
ket, not in bales at all, but bundled up in something
like old meal bags. Tho other half of tho crop of
Georgia b put up in tho most clumsy, awkward and
miserable looking bales, very seldom 111 passable ship-
ping order: theso aro called "square," the other
"round" bales. Both kinds aro indescribably shape-
less, hut tho packing in tho "round" bundles b so ex-
cessively miserable that the regular mercantile deduc-
tion from the market price of such cotton b half a
million of dollars annually ! Thb deduction is over
and above the net deduction consequent upon the
"square" bales not being in shipping order. Is there
herd no room for reform I
Tho Georgia and South Carolina and Florida plan-
ter, who thus ties hb cotton up in bags, loses monoy
enough every year to put up a press at a cost of a thou-
sand dollars, aud tho Alabama, Louisiana and Missis-
sippi planter will also savo money enough annually to
pay for a press, by putting hb cotton in shipment s zo.
Largo planters will save five or ten times tho cost of
such presses.
Tho present condition of our business calls for imme-
diate reform. The ravages of tho cotton worm the
present season, admonish the planter to look arotiml
him. To cultivate a certain number of acres of land,
m cotton, or to put a given number of bales into tho
hands of a commiwoii merchant aro not tho only
questions to b inquired into, nor yet are they tho most
important To realize tho largest amoiuit of net mon-
ey from a given amount of means invested, looking
carefully and economically into all parte of the opera-
tion, is the part of wisdom aud enterprise.
Thero arc many other matters farther in detail,
which belong to this subject, but which might be de-
ferred, at least for tho present Tho object hero ha
been to excite attention, to superinduce thought and
inquiry, rathr than to teach or instruct. If anything
herein, therefore, may havo tho effect of arresting the
attention of a few men of inquiry and enterprise, 01
more influence and ability than the writer, he will
feel a thousand times rewarded for huving taken a litth'
time from tlw hurry of employment to throw theso re-
marks together.
Altakapa . Lemons. Wo havo received from Mr.
John Smith's plantation, about twclvo miles below
Franklin, 111 this Parish, samples of two species of Lo-
inons of th:sjcar's growth tho Havana and Sicily.
The former is much like tho orange. The latter b
quite pale and oblong, and we aro told the trees with-
stood frot, a few years a'o. which killed orange tree.
Tho latter variety, we should therefore sy, b btt
united to this climate, and wo would recommend its cul-1
FEBRUARY 22, 1847.
t vation. Mr. Smith rabes a fine crop of lemons overy
yo ir, which bring a good price. This fruit, with pro-
per caro in packing, would ship to Now York, and
j leld a better profit than any other that could be cul-
tivated. Why is it that the cultivation of thb valuable
fruit is entirely neglected? Planters' Banner.
LETTER FROM GEN. TAYLOR.
The subjoined letter, written by Gen. Taylor to a
relative in new York, wo find publbhcd in tho Express
HE UIQUARTERB, AlUIV OF OCCUPATION, OR INVASION
Monterey, Moxico, November 9, 1846.
My Dear : Your very kind and ac-
ceptable letter of the 31st Aug., reached
me only a short time since, for which I beg
leave to tender you my sincere thanks. A
few confidential remarks on certain public
transaCtions.J
After considerable apparent delay on the
part of the Quartermaster's Department, in
getting steamboats into the Rio Grande adapt-
ed to its navigation, I succeeded, towards the
latter part of August, in throwing forward to
Ccmargo, (a town situated on the San Juan
river, three miles fiiom its junction with the
Rio Grande, on the west side, nearly 500 miles
from. Brazos Island by water and 200 by land,
and 140 from this place) a considerable depot
of provisions, ordnance, ammunition and for-
age, and then, having brought together an im-
portant portion ofmy-command, Idetormjncd
on moving on this" place. Accordingly, after
collecting 1,700 pack mules', with their attend-
ants and conductors, in the1 enemy's country,
(the principal means of transportation for our
provisions, baggage, etc.,) I left, on the 5th of
September, to join my advance, which had
preceded me a few days to Seralvo, a small
village 75 miles on the route, which I did on
the 9th, and after waiting there a few days for
some of the corps to get up, moved on and
reached here on the 19th, with 6,250 men
2,700 regulars, the balance volunteers. For
what took place aftewards, I must refer you to
my several reports, particularly to my detailed
one of the 9th ult. I do not believe the au-
thorities at Washington are at all satisfied with
my conduct in relation to the terms of the ca-
pitulation entered into with the Mexican com-
manders, which you' no doubt have seen, as
they have been made public through the offi-
cial organ, and copied into various other news-
papers. I have this moment received an an-
swer (to my despatch announcing the surren-
der of Monterey, and the circumstances attend-
ing the same) from the Secretary of War,
stating that " it was regretted by the President
that it was not deemed advisable to insist on the
terms I had proposed in my first communication
to the Mexican commander, in regard to giv-
ing up the city" adding that " the circum-
stances which dictated, no doubt justified the
change."
Although the terms of capitulation may be
considered too liberal on our part, by the Pre-
sident and his advisers, as well as by many
others at a distance, particularly by those who
do not understand the position which we occu-
pied, otherwise they might come to a differ-
ent conclusion in regard to the matter,) 3-et, on
due reflection, I see nothing to induce me to
1 egret the course I pursued. The proposition
on the part of Gen. Ampudia, which had much
to do in determining my course in the matter,
was based on the ground that our government
had proposed to his to settle the existing diffi-
culties by negotiation, (which I know was the
case, without knowing the result,) which was
then under consideration by the proper authori-
ties, and which he (General Ampudia) had no
doubt would result favorably, as the whole of
his people were in favor of peace. If so, I
considered the further effusion of blood not only
unnecessary, but improper. Their force was
also considerably larger than ours ; and from
the size and position of the place, we could
not completely invest it ; so that the greater
portion of their troops, if not the whole, had
thev been disposed to do so, could, any night,
have abandoned the city, at once enter the
mountain passes, and effected their retreat
do what we could ! Had we been put to the
alternative oftaking the place by storm, (which
there is no doubt we should have succeeded in
doing,) we should, in all probability, have lost
fifty or one hundred men in killed, besides the
wounded which I wished to avoid, as there
appeared to be a prospect of peace, even if a
distant one. I also wished to avoid the de-
struction of women and children, which must
have been very great, had the storming process
been resorted to. Besides, they had a very
large and strong fortification, a short distance
from the city, which, if carried with the bayo
net, must have been taken at a great sacrifice of
fife ; and, with our limited tram of heavy or
battering artillery, it would have required
twenty or twenty-five days to take it by regu-
lar approaches.
That they should have surrendered a place
nearly as strong as Quebec, well fortified, un-
der the direction of skilful engineers their
works garnished with forty-two pieces of ar-
tillery, abundantly supplied with ammunition,
garrisoned by 7,000 regular 'and 2,000 irregu-
tartroops, in addition to some thousand citizens
capable ot- and no doubt actually bearing
arms, and aiding in its defence ; to an oppo-
sing force of half their number, scantily sup
plied with provisions, and with a light train of
artillery is among the unaccountable occur-
rences of the times.
I am decidedly opposed to carrying the war
beyond Saltillo in this direction, which place
has been entirely abandoned by the Mexican
forces, all of whom have been concentrated at
San Luis Potosi ; and I shall lose no time in
taking possession of the former, as soon as the
cessation of hostilities referred to expires,
w hich 1 have notified the Mexican authorities
will be the case on the 13th instant, by direc-
tion of the President of the United States. .
If we are (in the language of Mr. Polk and
Gen. Scott) under the necessity of "conquering
a peace, and that by taking the capital ot the
country, we must go to Vera Cruz, take that
place, and then march on to the city of Mexico.
To do so in any other direction, I consider out
of the question. But, admitting that we con-
quer a peace by doing so, say at the end of the
ii vt twelve months, will the amount of blood
anil treasure, which must be expended in doing
ju, be compensated by the sanw ? I think
not especially if the country we subdue is to
') ;icn up ; and I imagine there are but few
1 . . uhtals in our country who think of anuex-
1 .; Movico to tho United States.
1 J not intend to carry on my operations
(a i previously stated) beyond Saltillo, decm-
hig it next to impracticable to 1j so. It then
heroines a question as to what is best to lie
done. It seems to me, the moot judicious
c.ii.-e to be pursued on our part, would be to
tl'' - e I' 'Session, at OllCC, ot tliu lmc
'.wpt by negotiation, extending fr:
ot the lme we would
m'h'j Gj'.I'
VOL. XTI.
of Mexico to the Pacific, and occupy the same,
or keep what we already have possession of:
and that with Tampico, (which I hope to take
in the next month, or as soon as I can get the
means of transportation,) will give us all on
this side of the Sierra Madrc, and, as soon as
I occupy Saltillo, will include six or seven
States or provinces ; thus holding Tampico,
Victoria, Monterey, Saltillo, Montclova, Chi-
huahua, (which I presume Gen. Wool has pos-
session of by this time,) Santa Fe, and the
Californias, and say to 3Iexico, "Drive us
from the country!" throwing upon her the
responsibility and expenses of carrying on of-
fensive war at the same time closely blocka-
ding all her ports on the Pacific and the Gulf.
A course ot this kind, if persevered in for a
short fme, would soon bring her to her proper
senses, and compel her to sue for peace pro-
vided there is a government in the country suf-
ficiently stable for us to treat with, which, I
fear will hardly be the case for many years to
come. Without large reinforcements of vol-
unteers from the United States say ten or
fifteen thousand, (those previously sent out
having already been greatly reduced by sick-
ness and other casualties,) I do not believe it
would be advisable to march beyond Saltilloj
which is more than 200 miles beyond our dc-"tTttffeioXSrtuiae-a
very long line. -on
which to keep up supplesv(overa land route in
a country like this) for a large force, and cer-
tain to be attended with an expense which
will be frightful to contemplate, when closely
looked into.
From Saltillo to San Luis Potosi, the next
place of importance on the rode to the city of
Mexico, is three hundred miles one hundred
and forty badly watered, where no supplies of
any kind could be procured for men or horses.
I have informed the War Department that 20,-
000 efficient men would be necessary to en-
sure success if we move on that place, (a city
containing a population of 60,000. where the
enemy could bring together and sustain, be-
sides the citizens, an army of 59,000,) a force
which I apprehend, will hardly be collected by
us, with the train necessary to feed it, as well
as to transport various other supplies, partic-
ularly ordnance and munitions of war.
In regard to the armistice, which would
liave expired, by limitation, in a few days, we
lost nothing by it, as we could not move even
now, had the enemy continued to occupy Sal-
tillo ; for, strange to say, the first wagon that
has reached me since the declaration of war,(
was on the 2d inst., the same day on which I
received from Washington an acknowledge
ment of my despatch announcing the taking of
Monterey ; and then 1 received only one hun-
dred and twenty-five, so that I have been since
May last, completely crippled, and am still so
for want of transportation. After raking and
scraping tho country for miles around Comar-
go, collecting every pack-mule and other
means of transportation, I could bring here
cnly eighty thousand rations, (fifteen days sup-
ply,) with a moderate supply of ordnance, am-
munition, etc., to do which, all the corps had
to leave behind a part of their camp equipage
necessary for their comfort, and, in some in-
stances among the volunteers, their personal
baggage. I moved in such a way, and with
such limited means, that, had I not succeeded,
I should no doubthave been severely repriman-
ded, if nothing more. I did so to sustian the
administration.
Of the two regiments of mounted men from
Tennessee and Kentucky, who'left their res-
pective States to join ma, in June, the latter
has just reached Comarga ; the former had
not got to Matamoros at the latest dates from
there. Admitting that they will be as long
in returning as in getting here, (to say noth-
ing of the time necessary to recruit their hor-
ses,) and were to be discharged in time to
reach their homes, they could serve in Mexi-
co but a very short time. The farego'n.j re-
marks are not made with a view of finding
fault with any one, but to point out the difficul-
ties with which I have to contend.
Monterey, the capitol of Xcw Loon, is sit-
uated on the San Juan river, where it cjnus
cut of the mountains the city (which contains
a population of about twelve thousand) being
in part surrounded by them, a! the head of a
large and beautiful valley. The houses are
of stone, in the Moorish style, with flat roofs,
which, with their strongly enclosed yards and
gardens, in high stone walls, ail looped for
musketry, make them each' a fortress within
itself. It is the most important place m Nor-
thern Mexico, (or on the east side of the Sier-
ra Madre,) commanding the only pass or road
for carriages from this side, between if'and
the Gulf of Mexico, to the table lands of the
Sierra, by or through which, the city of Mex-
ico can be reached.
I much fear I shall have exhausted your pa-
tience before you get half through this long
and uninteresting letter. If so you can only
commit it to the flames, and think no more
about it, as I write in great haste, besides be-
ing interrupted every five minutes ; so that you
must make great allowances for blots, interlin-
eations and blunders, as well as want of con-
nection in many parts of the same.
Be so good as to present me most kinkly to
your excellent lady, and except my sincere
wishes for your continued health, prosperity
and fame.
I remain, truly and sincerely, your friend,
Z. TAYLOR.
BY AUTHORITY.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATFS PAS-
SED AT THE FIRST SESSION OF THE
TWENTY NINTH CONGRFSS.
Public No. 20.
JOINT RESOLUTION directing ihcraymentof cer-
t.iui volunteers and militia, under ihe limitations
therein prcsciibed
Resolved-by the Senate and H use of Representa-
tives ot the United Sates of Am rci 111 Congnss as-
sembled, That the Secretary of V ir be. and he is here-
by, authorized and required lo ch(i-o ii !.e paiJ, otiiof
tin- appropriation made by theaci providing fr the pros-
ecution of the exiMtm; war ticiwn 11 1.1c United States
of Amciiea and the Renub ic ofMfvco. .improved ihe
thirteenth day of May, ons thou-'a id ."ht hundred aud.
forty-bix, to the volutin ers and 1.1 liii.i, culled a:.u actu-
ally received by virtue of the orders or Guncral K 1'
Gaines, into th:i service of tluUniii-l Slams during ihe
present vcar, and discharged bet ro joamig tliearnn,
and such companies as were arm illy uruantzed umJ
rendezvoused uml-rsaiJ ell. iiicuulin; the two co.n
partes f Maj r Gally's cuin-nn 1 1. mJ th" romp .ny at
llatoii It)U! nrsjun ; an 1 nln tlv :i ;in of Mi--si.si
pi voimi'iTiS Niii'!iM5 ln it.l - aid :il"' ih
cjinjinnv of H'gM-fc'ippi v hi 11 !., fi U'oiitnti'c Ro
IpplF
vera,) orynniztfd and (u'cinbled ai V ,j , a id jiur j
NO. 8--WHOLE NO. 583.
wards disbanded or discharged, and the companies of
Ohio volunteers assembled at camp Washington, near '
Cincinnati, and who claimed to have been mustered
into service, one dajrspay and allowances for every t
day detained in service, and the usual traveling allow-
ances, and no rnorev And further, that where States,
or individuals have paid the'expenses or provider! the
means of transportation of volun-cers to the place of
rendezvous, and furnished subsistence or cl ithing, the
proportional amount thus turnislied each man, not ex-
ceeding the legal allowance to each, m ly be charged on,
the pay rods, and withh. Id and paid 10 the state or in-
dividual who actually provided the tame. And funherj
that when surgeons and assi-taut surg onshaveaiteni
ded regiments of volunteers to the time when medical .
officers, duly appointed by the United States, entered
upon their duties with said regiment, they mayreceive.-
the same rate of compensation, and to a like numberas.
provided for by law ; and persons d unit the duties br
assistantquar ermastersandasj s-antcommisiants.un-der
like circumstances, may in the like manner receive
the same rate of compensation, and 10 a like number, as,
authonz d by existing law.
Approved, August 8, 1846.
Public No. 23.
A RESOLUTION appointing regents of the Smithso-
nian Institu'ion.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives oi the United States ot America in Congress as?
sembled, ThaiRufus Choate, of Massachusetts, Gideon
Hawley, of view YTork, Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania,
William C Preston, of South Carolina'ar.d Akxandef
Dallas Bache and Jo3ephG.Toten,tcsidenis of the city
of Washington, be. and thesame are hereb'y, appointed
'regents of the Smithsonian Institution, in accord-
ance with the provisions of the act establishing said.
Institution.
Approved. August 10. 1846.
- a --. - . .. fyr':$Ll$Mtm
Public No. 21. ilSS"
A rtliSULUTlOt relative to errors and.-defectnre're-
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representa-- - rS
tives of the United States of America in Congresss as- , -
sembled, That the Commisiioner of the GcnLral Land.
Office be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ somo
suitable person to ascertain and report to 1 ha said Com-
missiones of the General Land Office the amount of"
damages sustained by the respective purchasers of pub-
lic lands in township one south, range seven east, in. &
the stale of Michigan, (or by their respective assignees
and legal representatives,) by, or in cjnstquence of, the
erroneous or fraudulent surveys of ssid township, or of
the imperfect or false returns thereof; and it shall be ,
the duty of such personso employed, to proceed to such
township, and, upon view of the premises, and upon
hearing the proofs of the parties in interest, to estimate
and ascertain said damages, and to report his opinion
and decision thereonspecifymg in his said pepotLeath.
individual case, and the facts and teasoiis upon, which
his opinion may be founded.
Approved, August 10, 1846.
TREATIES.
i
CONVENTION WITH THE. GRAND DUCHY
OF HESSE CASSEL FOR THE xVBOLlTION,
' OF THE DROIT D'AUBAINE AND.. OF
TAXES ON EMIGRATION.
CONCLUDED MARCH 26, 1844.
By the President of tho United States of America :
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas a Convention between the United States cC
America and His Royal Highnessthe Grand Duke of '
Hesso was concluded and signed by their Plenipo-:
tentiaries, at Berlin, on tho twenty-sixth "Hay'of
March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four,,
which Convention, being in tho French and English
languages, is as follows :
Convention for the mutual abolition cf tho droit d'au-
baino and taxes on emigration between the United
States of America and the Grand Duchy of Hesse.
The United States of America on tho one part,, and
His Royal Highness tho Grand Duko of Hesse, on the
other part, being equally desirous of removing the re-
strictions which exist in.their territories upon the acqui-
sition and transfer of property by their respective citi-
zens and subjects, have agreed to enter into negotia-.
tion for this purpose.
For the attainment of this desirable object, the Pres-
ident of the United States of America has conferred'
full powers on Henry AYheaton, their Envoy Extraor-
dinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of
His Majesty the King of Prussia, and hh Royal High-
ness the Grand Duke of Hesse upon Baron Shaeffcr-
Bernstein his Chamberlain, Colonel, Aid-de-camp, and
Minister Resident near His Majesty the Kinqj of Prus-
s'a, who, after having exchanged their said fidl powers,
found in due and proper form, have agreed tcf tho fol-
lowing articles:
Article. I.
Every kind of droit d'acbaine, droit de rctraite, and
droit de "detraction, or tax on emigration, is, hereby, and
shall remain abolished, bstween the two contracting-
parties, their States, citizens, and subjects, respective-
Article n.
Where, on the death of any person holding reat
property within tho territories of one party, such real
property, would, by the laws of the laud, descend on-
a subject or citizen of tho other, were he not iLsquali-
fiedby aliienage, sach citizen or subject shall bo 4al-
lowcd a term of two'yeurs lo soil tho tame-which
term may ba reasonably prolonged according to cir-
xumstances and to withdraw the proceeds thereof,
without molestation, aud exempt froij. ail duties cf de-
traction on tho part, of the Government cf the rcsglc-'
tive States.
Article III.
The citizens or subjects of each cf the contracting;
parties shall have power to dispose of their personal
property within the States of the cthT, by testament
donation or otherwise ; and their heirs, being citizens,
or subjects of the other contracting party, shall succeeS
to their said j. crsonal property ; whether by testament
or ab intcitato, mid may take possession thereof, cither
by themselves or by others acting for thpm, and disposo
of tho samo at, their pleasure, paying such duties only
as tho inhabitants of the conntry whero tho said prop-
lies shall bo liable to pay in Isko cases.
Article IV.
In caso of the abscenca of the heirs, the same caro
shall bo taken, provisonally, of such real or personal
property as would bo taken in liko case of property be-
longing to the natives of tho country, until tho lawful
owner, or the person who' has a right to sell the same,
according to article second, may tako measures to re
ceive or disposo of the inheritance.
Article V.
If any dispute should anso between different claim-
ants to the same inheritance, they shall bo decided, in
tho last reiort, according to the laws aud bj' tho judges
of the country where tho property is situated.
Article VI.
This Convention shall bs ratified by tho President of
the United States of America, by and with tho advice-
aud consent of their Senate, aud by IltsRoyal Highness,
the Grand Duko of Hesse, aud tho rutiiicatioiis shall be
exchanged at Berlin, within the term of six months from
tho date of the signature hereof, or sooner if possible.
In faith of which, the respective Plenipotentiaries -
havo signed tho abovo articles, both in French and
English, and have thereto affixed their seals ; declaring;
nevertheless, that the signing in both languages shall t
not hereafter be cited as a precedent, nor m-any way"
operate to the prejudico of the contracting parties.
Done in quadruplicata, in the city of Berlin, on the
twenty-sixth dayof March, in tho year of our Lord one
thousaud eight hundred and forty-four, and tho sixty-
eighth of tho Independence of 'tho United States of
America. -.,
Henry Wheatc-V, l. s. Baron of. Scilveffer-Bf.r-wsteix,
l. s.
And whereas tho said Convention has been duly rat-
ified on both parts, and tho respective ratifications of
the same having been e.xceanged, to wit: at Berlin ou
the sixteenth day of October, one thousand eight hun-
dred and forty-four, by Theodore S. Fay, Charge d'
Affairs ad interim of the United Statr--. and Baron do
Shaeffer-Benistcin, Chamberlain, Colonel, Aid-de-Camp,
aud Minister Resident of His Royal Highness,
tho Grand Dako of Hesse near the Court of His Maj-
esty the King of Prussia, on the part of their respective
Governments: jj
Now therefore BEfrr known, that I, JAMES K.
POLK, President of the United States, oi' America, havo
caused tho said Convention to Lo made public, to tho
end that the same, and every claiwo and article thereof
may bo observed aud fulfilled with good faith, by tho
United States and the citizens thereof.
In witness whereof, I have hrrei nto set my hand,
and caused the seal of the United Statrs to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this eighth day
of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand
seal. eight hundred and forty-five, rnd of the In-
dependence of tho United t. tes tho sixty-
ninth. JAMf-.v S POLK.
By the Fresidtnt:
Jaukb BtrciiANAV. S.'rrcltiry .. '-.v
1
SS