Bloomington Post, Volume 1, Number 35, Bloomington, Monroe County, 1 July 1836 — Page 1
IP
TO! 7
$3 per aim u in in advance. AN INTEIMUENT PEOPLE W ANT NU DICTATOR?. $3 at Ihe end of the vcar. I- -: 11 V Tl. I.. DEAL. BLOOJIIIYttTOiY, INDIANA, FRIDAY, JULY 1, I83C. Vol. 1 Vo. 35.
1
1'ii'in the jMobilo Mercantile Advertiser
DIRECT l ROM TIIU FIKLDOF GLORY. Two or three gentlemen who fought under Gen. Houston, in his recent glorious victory over Santa Anns, have arrived in Mobile. Ooe of them, Mi. Joseph Andrews, who resides near HIe nweather Springs in Georgia, has in his possesion various documents from otti. ers high in commmJ, in evidence of the estimation in which lie H held on account of his manly depoitmcnt during the fight ,between Col. Ward's ronnimij and the Mexicans, as well as I he recent battle be tween Gen. Houston's army and that of Santa Anna. From this gentleman we learn the following particulars of the engagement, which are confirmed in every particular by the state menti ol the others: On the 21st of April, the Texians, under .Houston, and six hundred strong, had moneuvered so as to get ahote and within some two miles and in sight of the Mexicans, under Santa Aunt, who were twelve hundred and S'-vent) strong, and near down to the folk of the two rivers the Brassos md Sabine. Houston, having ttie enemy thus snugly hemmed in, had Ids little army drawn up for the purpose of addressing it in person. 'Soldiers," said he, "there is the ene in) ;do )ou want to right P "Yes!' was (he universal shout. "Well, then," Mid he, "let us cat our dinner, and tin n I will lead )ou into the hatllt!" Thev obeyed the order to tat, and immediately thereafter at n lout I o'clock, l M. were marched to the attack. They bore dow n upon the M-xicans at the top of their speed, reserving their tire until near enough to have every shot tell. A hot en gascment was kept up for about twenty minutes, when the Mexicans began to break and retreat in great disorder and confusion. The Texi- ' ans carried all before them. Al though they had but half the number if the M.-xicans, ahd but two pieces of cannon of four pound each, while ttie ene.ny h ! a six and a nine poun , tier, yet in fifteen minutes after the engagement con.menced, many of the Mexicans called loudly for quarter. After the rout of the Mexicans, llous"toti's men continued to follow up and no'ir in upon th m fr about two hours. Upwards of six hundred aid till) M' Xicats were killed, and about , ix hundred taken prisoners There were 6ixor cven Te xuns killed, and about twenty wounded. Generals Co and Almonte were among the prisoners first taken. The former w as p ile and agitated ; but the latter l'.played, as h had done dm ing the titiht, great coolness and cu ate. Santa Anna tied among the earliest w ho retreated. He was e' en by two hoys, one about 1 5, and the other a b.-.ut ITyeais of ng", to go into a tint kel of wood. They kept watch of the place during the night, an J the next mom'u g a man came out dressed II.... St - I I : - . like a oainmnii Mexican soldier. iSol su-pee ling him to I c Santa Anna. tin y took him ticoi.cr. He t flered no tcstance, nut wished to he taken to Gen. Houston, lln was conducted t that bilker, when he nude himself known as Santa Anna, asked the re ipect due officers of his rank, and madthe cfl'is fr hi lib. riy which have been published. Santa Anna, Mr. Andrews says, is nppatrntly about 45 years of age, of rather urall sta lure, daik complexion, black hair, black bright eyes, mid altogether a good looking man. When questioned a to the murder of Colonels Fannin and Waid.and the men under their command, he stated that, in the battle the evening previ ous to their surrend -r, about 1000 of the Mexicans were killed, white not more th in 20 Texians had fallen; that the Tt xians had exhausted their am. munition ,V were without water; that they sui rendered upon the terms of capitulation, since published, nut that be had been induced to violate those terms lor two reasons first, because the day alter Hie surrender of Col. ai d and those under his command, the number of prisoners became 60 - great in consequence that he had not provisions sufficient for them and his own army ; and, secondly , he had not men enough to keep them securely. Consequently, Col. Ward and almost mm hi eoldicu were thol with Col Fannin.
ieu questioned rtsueclintr ttie the fight ner the mission, between Mexicans and Col. Ward's company, he stated that about 400 of the Mexicans were killed, but that Col. Ward and his men were protected by the walls of the Church, in which they had stationed themselves. The following named persons un der the command of Colonels Fannin and Ward, madetheir escape Jcseph Andrews, (our infoimant) David Holt, Lewis Washington, Dickinson, M i ace Bullock, Samuel Hardaway, and Benjamin Mordecai, all Georgians; Dr. Shackleford, of Alabama, had his life spared, and is now in attendance upon the wounded Mexicans. The Mexicans, and the Texians who made their escape, agree in stat ing that when Col. Ward was about to be 6hot, he was ordered to kneel, but could not be made to do 60 either by threats or promises. His gallant spirit nothing could subdue. He proudly bid them defiance, and died like an American Soldier? In the battle between Houston and S inta Anna, Col. Mirabeau Lamar, of Georgia, greatly distinguished himself (or his valor and interpidity, and gained the applause of all. It is said there were not fifty Texi ans in the battle; that the Tt xian army was composed almost entirely of volunteers. Santa Anna is a prisoner on an arm ed vessel, near Galveston Island, while the Mexican prisoners, who are able to labor, are engaged in buildit.g breast works on the Island. Washington, April 7, 183G TO GFN. WM H. HARRISON Sip..' I consider it the right of evetv citizen of the United States to ask and demand, and to be fully informed of, the political principles and opinions of those who are candidates for the various offices in the gift of the peo pie, and the imperious duty of the candidate to fr nkly and fully avow and declare the opinions which he entertains. I, therefore, as a voter, a citizen, and an individual, feeling a deep and abiding interest in the welfare and prosperity of our common country, and an ardent desire tj see the perpetuity of our free Hnd happy form of government, take the libeit) of asking you to give me your opinion and views on tne followingVubject: l-t. Will )ou (if elected President oi me untied states) sign and appruve a bHI distributing surplus rev enue of the United states to eacl state, cording to the federal popu lation of each, for internal improve men's, education, and to such other objects as the L-gislatures of the er era I Stales may tec fit to apply the s me.' 2 . Will you sign and approve a hill distributing the proceeds of the s tie of the public lands to each state, .. . .. r l i.. according to ttie lederai piputauon of each, tor the put pose above epecit ie d .' :! Will you sign and approve hiU m-tking appropriations to im prove navigable streams above ports of ntty ? 4th. Will you 'in and approve (if it becomes necessary to secure and save from depreciation the revenue and finances of the nation, and to allot d a uniform sound currency to the people of the Ui iled Stales) a bill (with proper modifications and restrictions') chartering a bank "of the United States? 5th. What is your opinion as to the constitutional power of the Senate or House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, to expunge or obliterate; from the jaurnals the records and proceedings of a pre vious session f A frank, plain, and full answer to the foregoing inquires is respectfully and earnestly solicited, lour answer is desired as soon as possible 1 in tend this and your answer for publi cation . I have the honor to-be your humble and obedient servant. SHERROD WILLIAMS. GEN. HARRISON'S REPLY. North Bend, May 1, 1836. Sir: 1 have the honor to ncknowl edge the receipt of your letter of the 7th ultimo,, in which you request me to answer the following questions: 1st. "Will you, If elected .President
Wl,
of trie United buifj,Sia i,j,p,,,v a bill distribui t.v the- s,i,Dius Mh..
e of Ihe Uo'tfuJ Slates to each State, according to the federal population of each, lor internal improvement, education, and to such other objects as the Legislatures of the se eral States may see lit to apply the same' 2d. "Will you sign and approve a bill distributing the proceeds of the sales of the public hods to each State, according to the federal p pulation of each, for the purposes above specified?" V 3d. "Will your ign and approve bills making appropriations in improve navigable streams ,dov ports of entry?' 4lh. "Will y.u sign and npprov (if it becomes iiert ssny tose.uie and save from depreciation the rev. no and finances ttie nation, and to .tiford a Ulliforn sound cuirenc) to tlu people of the LTmt d States) a bill, with proper un i li -ations and r s triclions, c haru r;n i Hmkol tt.e U States?" 5th. "What is your opinion as to the constitutional power of the Senate or House of Reprt sentativps of Ibc Congress of ihe Ui.iu-d St ,t. ., u expunge or obliterate (torn the jour nalsthe rrcoi ds aj d proceedings of a previous session?" r rom the manner in which the font first questions are staled, it appe ars that)ou do not Hsk my opinion as t the policy or propriety of the meas ures to which they respectfully refer;! but what would be inv course, if thev were preeenled to me (beit g in the Presidential chair of the. U' iled States) in the shape of bills, that had feen duly passed oy the Senate and House of Representatives. From the opinions which I have formed of the-intention of the Consli tution, as to the rases in which the vto power Bhouldne exercised by the President, I would have contented !
myself with giving an nfhrmative an of the latte r character there has nt vi wer to the four first questions: but, been any Very warm opposition. Upfrom the deep interest which has on the whole, the dis' nbution of th
been, ard indeed is now, felt in rela i tion to all these siibj-cls, I think it proper to express my views upon each one separately. I answer, then, 1st. That the immediate return of all the surplus money which is, or ought to be, in tha Treasury of the United States to th possession of the people, from whonit was taken, is called for by every principle of policy, and, indeed, ol I safety to our institutions, and I know j ofno mode of doing it better than ; that recommended by the present his first annual Chief Magistrate, in melange to Congrf in tha follow in ti words: "To avoid these rrit, if appears to me that the most snfc.just, and federal disposition which cmild be made of the mrpliif revenue f-iuould be its apportion ment among the several Sinless according to the ratio of representation." This proposition has reference t. a State of things which now actually. exists, with ihe exception of Ihe a mount of money thus to bedisptsed of! for it could not have been as.ticipt I ted by the President that the -u phis above the real wants or convenient expenditures of the government would j become o large, as that letammult in the Tresory would so much dimmish the cirt-ulilini medium a greatly to embarrass the business of the country. What other disposition can be made of it with a view to get it into imme diate circulation hut to place it in the hands of the State authorities So great is the amount, and so rapidly is it increasing, that it could not tie ex peided for a very considerable time on the Compartively few objects to which it con d h appropriated by the General G tvemment ; but the desired distribution amount the people could be immedia'elt .ll-'cted Hy the Slates, Irotn the ii fioate variety of wajs in which itjniiight be employ d hy them By them t' mitjbt be loaned to their own batikifg insuiutions, or even to individuals mode ol distribution by the Genei ti Government which I sin cerely hop is in the contemplation of no friend to hi country, 2d. Whilst I have always broadly admitted thai the public lands were the common pn pert) ol all the States, I have been the advocate ol mat mode of disposing of them which would ere. ate the greatest number of freehold ers. and L conceived that in this way the lotereste of all would be as well
any other disposition; the 6mal size of the tracts in which the lands are now laid 7 J out, and the reduction of the price, this desirable situation is easily attainable by any person of tolerable induslry, I am perfectly reconciled to the distribution of the proceeds of the sales s provided fur by the bill introduced into the Senate by Mr. Clay; the interest of all seems to be well provided for in this bill as for the opposition which has hitherto been made to tjie disposition of the lands heretofore contemplated by the repre"fimuveg oi me new states, there i no probability of its being adopted, I think it ought no longer to be insisted on. 31. As I believe that no money should be taken from the Treasury oi ih United S'ate? to be expended on inte rnal improvements but fjr those which are strictlj national, the answer o this question would be easy hu' from the difficulty of determining which oT those that are from time to time proposed would he of this descrip lion. This circumstance, the excitement which has already been produced by appropriations of this kind, and i .o j. '..luu.-ire which It will r.o doubt continue to produce if persisted in, give additional claims to the mode ol appropriating all theSuiplus revenue ol the United State in the manner above- suggested. Kach State will then have ih mean of accomplishing its own schemes of internal improve ment Still there will bepaiticulu eases when a contemplated improve ment w ill be of greater advantage to the Union generally, and some paitic lar States, than to that in which it ito be made. In such cases, as well as those in the 'new States, where the value of the public domain will be greatly enhanced by an improvement in the means of communication, the general government should certainl) largely contribute. To appropriations surplus revenue amongst the btates j seems likely to remove most, if not all, W t he causes of dissension of w hich tin internal improvement S)stc m has beei 'be fruitful source. 1 here is nothing in nit opinion, more sacredly incum i - benl upon those who are concerned in the administration of cur government than that of preservation and harmoii) between the States. From the constructioti of our system there has been, and probably ever will be, more oi less jealousy between the General and State Governments; but there is colli ing in the constitution nothing in the chuructur of the relation which the Slates bear to each other which can create any unfriendly feeling, if the common guardian admints ters its favors with an even and impar tial hand. That this may be the case, all thoseto whom any portion of this delicate power is entrusted, should al ways act upon the principles ol lor bearance and conciliation; ever more ready tosiciifite the inleiest of their immediate constituents rather than violate the rights of the oilier mem eis of the family. Those who pur sue a o il' icnt course, whose rule is never to slop short of the attainment of all which they may consider their lne, will often be found to have ties passed upon the boundary they had themselves established. The obscr vations with which I shall conclude this letter on the subject of the veto power by the President will apply to tin? as well as your other questions. 4th. I have before tne a newspa per, in which I am designated by its distinguished editor "77ie Lank and Federal Candidate.'''' I think it would puzzle the writer to adduce any act of my life which warrants him in identifying me with the interests of the lust, or the politics of the latter. Hav ing no means of ascertaining the sen timet-.ts of the directors and stockhol ders of the Bank of the United States (which is the one, I presume, with which it was intended to associate me I cannot say what their course is like ly to be in relation to the ensuing el ection for President. Should they however, give me their support, it wd be evidence at least that the opposi tion which 1 gave to their institution in my capacity of representative from Ohio in Congress proceeded, in their opinion, from a sen6e of duty which could not disregard. The journals of the second session
seeuted as by h.u sinr. hi
of the thirteenth, mid those of Ihe fourteenth Congress, will show that my votes are recorded against them upon every question in which their interest was involved. I did, indeed, exert myself in the Senate of Ohio to procure a repeal of the law which had imposed an enormous tax upon lh3 branches which had been located in its (boundaries at the request of the citizens. The ground of those exer. tions was not the interest of the Bank, but to save what I considered the honor of the State, and to prevent controversy between the State oificeM and those of the United Stales. In the spring of 1834 1 had also Iho honor to preside at a meeting of th? itiz?ns of Hamilton county called for the purpose of expressing their sqntrmenls in relation to the temoval at the public money from the custody of the fjankjhy Ihe solo authority of the executive. As president of the meeting, I explained at some length the object for which it was convened; but I vanccd no opinion in" relation (o the: recliarlering of the Bank. A mcst respectful meuioiial to the. removal of the depositcs was adopted, as were ! retoluiioits in fvcr ofrechartering the Bank ; but, as I liaye already sald.thia Was not the purpose lor which the meeting w as called, anj not upon which, as pi eliding c flicei ,
I was called upon to give my opinion, but in the event of an equal disvisiui of the votes. As o private citizen, no man tan ho more entirely cleur ol any mouvc, either for re chartering the old institu tion, or creatic g a new one, ur.Jer the authority of the United States. 1 nev er had a single share in iho former, nor indeed in any IJai.k, ith one exception; and that many years ago failed, with the loss of the entire stock. I have nO inclination again to venture in that w ay, eveu if I should ever po6ess the means. With the exception above mentioned, of stock in a bank long since broken, 1 never put out t dollar at interest in my lile. My interest being entirely identified with ihe cultivation of the soil, I am immediately and personally connected wilh none other. I hve made this statement (o show eu that I am not ccmnntted to any course in relation to the eharterii g of a Bank of the United States; and that I might, if so disposed, join in the pop ular cry of denunciation against the Id institution r and upon us tin scon riuct predicate an opposition to the haiteiing ol another. 1 shall not, however take this rourso so opposite to inai wnicu i nope i have followed through life, but will give you my sentiments clearly and fully, not only with regard to the future conduct of the Government on the subject of the national bank, but in relation to Ihe opeiatlons of that which is now defunct. I was not in Corgrss when the. late Lank was charleied, but was member of the 1 3th Congress, after its first sessicn, w hen the conduct of the bank, in its incipient measures. was examined into; and believing from the result of the investigation that the charter had been violated, I voted for the judicial invesligatinn, with a view of annulmg its charter. The resolution for that purpose, how ever, failed; and, shnilly after, the management of its atlairs was com mitted to the talents and integrity of Mr. Cheves. V rom that period to its. final dissolution, (although I must con fess I am not a very competent judge of such matters,) I have no idea that an institution could .have been con ducted with more ability, integrity, and public advantage, than it bus been. Under these impressions, I .agree with Getieral Jackson in the opinion expressed in one of bis messages to Congress, from which I make the fo. lowing extract : " hnt .a hank oj the United SlatesScotnpctent to all the du ties which m iy le required ly thl Government, might be so organized a$ not to Infringe on our delegated pozcers, or the reserved rights of the states, I do not entertain a doubt." But the period for re-chartering the old institution he.a passed, as Pennsylvania has wise ly taken care to appropriate to herself the benefits of its large capital. The question, then, for me to answer, is, whether, under the circumstances you slate, if elected to the of-
'Niks' Register, Vol. 12, page
