Indiana State Guard, Volume 1, Number 11, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 August 1860 — Page 1

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THE OLD LINE . m. v-r : U J-. , IS PUBLISHED .w'liiiiiwi i o I.I .'-'iND I AWA A 1 I ti l I A K A I ID u n lit KI.DEU & MAUKNKSS. TER 3VX e , SI. 00 untilulier ilic l,rellcntlal Election. ! In advance, in all cases. I Advertisements inserted at the usual rates. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF GENERAL JOSEPH LANE, OF (IllEGO.N, i General Lane, the nominee of the National Denio-ia cratic Convention at Baltimore for Vice President of, of the United States, is one of the most remarkable, j men of the n"e. His history is a fine illustration of: the eenius of our institutions, and demonstrates that ! F". . .i l .1; .! n,..,.l ,li : the high places ouioiror anu uisHucuuu aic ttiA.cou 1 to all who possess ability, energy and perseverance. General Lane descended from Revolutionary ances- : tors; was born in the State of North Carolina, 011 the : 1 4th of December, 1801. In 1804 his father enu-; grated with his family to Keutueky, where the hero ; and statesman was reared and educated. Having received a substantial education he removed to Indiana and settled on the banks of the Ohio, in the county : of Vanderburg, where, without the adventitious aid ot fame, family, or fortune, he worked his way from an humble plo'wboy and flatboatniaii on the Mississippi to , his present distinguished position. j It any man can Do styieu a man 01 me peopii, , Lane is'truly that man. Through a period of more than a quarter of a century the people have evinced j fVioi,. nrlmlinlion fur the sterling, honesty of his char-

acter, the strength of his intellect, and his pure and t;.arj or eVB (llia,iL.d amid the hottest conflicts of batunselfish patriotism 'by .clothing him with trusts of tlo, lias a'iieart of tcmlenioss which melts at human; great responsibility and honor, which he has perforin-j wo(!- His solicitude for, and care of the sick, the ' ed with signal ability and success. With a strong 111-. woun(iujj an,l the dying, was manifested on many oc-(-tolled and a mind eminently practical, with an lion-j cas;oug. Numerous incidents and anecdotes are nar- jest, manly, and generous heart, its every pulsation : rateU) illustrating his kindness and tenderness, in rc-i beating in sympathy with the masses, he won the ad- i;L,vjng their sufferings, and administering to their j miration and confidence of the people of Indiana to ; comf01-t in the hospitals and on the battle fields, which ; such a degree that, unsolicited, before he was twenty- ; s0 (,nn;eareci him to his troops that it made him always one years of age, they elected him to the Legislature inv;nc;ble when their leader. On his return home,' over their former representative, who was an able and : wi,orevel. ie stopped, citizens of all classes vied to do ; experienced legislator and had been Speaker of the ; lonol. t0 tle dijiinguishcd hero. Whilst in the city of House of Representatives of the State. ! Cincinnati, the guest ot General Moore, an incident; Tlie strong and practical mind of the youthful leg- : 0PCU1.red illustrative of his native kindness and tenislator, taking a liberal, judicious, and statesmanlike j dcrness, and the gratitude of the recipient. A Ger-j view of all questions affecting State or National inter- j man .itizen ushered himself into th" presence of Gen-

ests, which he entorceU with a persuasive eioiiucm.c, soon made him one of the master spirits of the Legis- ; Iature . when the people were anxious to elevate him j to still I Incrlicr nosts in the National Councils; but hav- 1 inc no heritage but poverty and an honest name, witn ; a Tart a,,iH increasing faniilv to support and educate, 1 he had to forego higher honors and a wider field of: ,. , . 1 ... IT.. .,t:.,,,...l Innoior 1(1 i usetuiness 10 ins pcopie. uk twunum, represent the people either in the Hou.e or the Senate of tlie State for nearly a quarter of a century. His name is indissolubly connected with some of the most important measures which developed the resources, advanced the prosperity, and improved the finances of the State; especially his able and successful efforts to preserve untarnished the public faith and to prevent the repudiation of the public debt, which was boldly advocated by some of the strongest men in Indiana. When the Mexican war broke out, General Lane was a member of the State Senate, and when a requisition was made upon Indiana to furnish volunteers for the war, obedient to the call of patriotism, he resigned his place in the Senate and volunteered as a private for the war. When the companies assembled to organize and elect their officers, such was their unbounded confidence in Joseph Lane, that they elected him Colonel of their regiment, although he had seen no military service cither as a soldier or an officer. Before he "could put his regiment in motion, President Polk illustrated his sagacity by sending him a commission as Brigadier General, a compliment as unexpected as it was unsolicited by General Lane. The opponents of the Administration and of the war, throughout the country, denounced and ridiculed the appointment, declaringthat he might make a good general of the flatboatmen on the Mississippi river, hut. that, tlm idea of Jo Lane, who had never com manded a company in his life, taking command of a . . . . 1 1 1 . 1 Al.... l. 1.1 brigade in war, was simply ridiculous; that he would I disgrace himself, his State and the Nation. Thus the i.?.. i i.i l. .!. .iil,,it fuatifTA np nreten-i

puna, iiumuie (jiunc..i, .v..- - j ; ioices at aiiiau; sion, amidst the jeers and taunts of the Mexican sym-j Gen Lflne jj,,- been transferred in the sumt his hriiradu in motion for the theatre ot j ,, .... '

the war, where he not only falsified all the predictions i of his enemies and realized the most sanguine expec-1 tations of his friends, but won a fame for daring, gal- j lantiy and successful generalship which Has liunea nis ' ... .... .. i i -

name with the brightest history ot Ins country s re-i mc of O)iio volunteer!l; twobattallions of recruits,: nown, while his generosity to the vanquished anil so-: (,ou ;eg of volunteer horse, and two pielicitude for and care ot the sick and disabled, made j tpg q(. artinerv- Tlis foree was subsequently aug-i him universally pojmlar with the soldiers and officers ; nicnte( at Jpa bv a junction with Major LallvV of the army who. scattered all oyer the L nion, arc ; CQiumn Q'0ne thousand men.and at Perote its strength burning to signalize their appreciation of his worth, , furt,iel. inerease(i by a company of mounted rifle-1 bv crowning him with the highest ot earthly honors. , (wo of vollnteer ifantry, betides two pieces j ' In less than three weeks after General Lane recciv-: of. artilifirv- Several small guerilla parties appeared i ed his commission, ho was at the seat of war with alii at d;ff(.rcnt t;nlC5 on tie rollte) aml attacked tlie adhis troops. In communicating his arrival to General j nce and rt.ar uarris, but were quickly repulsed ; : Taylor, he wrote him thus: " The brigade I have the ; the collimn -continued its advance "unmolested; honor to command is generally in good health and ; h(j k,ad; lg thoUi;h Puebla to the city I fine spirits, and anxious to engage in active service, i of jcx;t. v I The indomitable energy the self-sacrificing spirit, j C(jl Cl,ilds, of the re-ular army,with the sound judgment and firm a Sn of five huud.'d' effective tnKips .nil one lyf 111 .V act,re ?,r.hVrin"llm;rfb Uhousandeighthundred invalids, was besieged in Puenently conspicuous ,n all the stirring s en. ... of bat c Mexicans commanded by Santa

3byad"S.:vJ irmlg tSnSst distiAgiushed of that me-; morable war. lo recount - - - : l.min was pnmiwn. the danircrs to wmen ne was is-"-B-e , , c. ti, .v:ii -. nosed, tin brave deeds he performed, tlie SMU ana ,llTm..nt wi.1. which he nlaiuied his battles, and the , -....:.i. .,... i... i.... i l,.ttl,.a anrl tin, ,.... ni,varvin2 succes. with which he fought them, would I ' o ., , " a,,,,-. ,,,,., ' consume more space than we lum to sj ai-e. Nn ,; to the Mexican heart, and by common c onsent he was: stvled " the Marlon of the Mexican War." Of all; .!.. l. til.-t f,..r!.t ; Mexim. th haul," nf Buena . Vista was the seven-st and most hotly contested, and one of the must remarkable in the annals of the world.1 There the American army, consisting of about five t ' thon-aud, mostly raw militia, met twenty thousand of the chosen troops of Santa Anna, in deadly conflict, and after a protracted struggle of two days,' achieved a 'dorious triumph. In that battle General Lane performed a most iini v m,.,.. r. i,;i, i.wi nw, bv his rallantrv and m-neralship to win the fortunes of the day.:

f .V: V.V " ,' anceof his was of the utmost mportance to the agem of his plans, tho boldness and rapidity of their ffi 1 d execu..o, and the entl.us.asm and courage with winch su - o the t.mcd to comFeliend the he inspired his men, bv Ins impassioned appeals to, uiiun in, w im.lUu t , ,. their valor, as thev viied the moH fearful saughter immensity of the stake ; and ' .v... .i r i. . eln iitei the lo tiest heroism, and the most unyietaing

unon me enemv. inai me name oi j,ane si ruci. in rai

Upon the left wing of the American armv. which , foe, that he must abandon his iwsitiou and encounter Irem-raJ Lane commanded, Santa Anna directed his the " Marion of the Mexican ar" m an open held, most obstinate and deadlv assaults. With hut four he silently and cautiously withdrew, and with the main hundred men General Lane repulsed a law body of body of his troops moved m the direction of Hua- ' Mexicans, six thousand strong. While nothing could , mantla, intending, whi n Gen. Iiflne had passed that exceed the fearful arrav ot the assailants, as thev ! point, to make an attack upon his rear, whde another moved toward the little band of Lane, with their long ' strong force should assail him at the same time from line of infantry, presenting a contiuued sheet of fin-, : the direction of Puebla. Gen. Lane being informed noshing could surpass the undaunted firmness and:of8anta Anna s moTement, at one jipnetnited his -bravery with whi.h Lane and his men maintained ; design. With tlie promptness ot' decision displayed their position and pouretl their rolleys of musketry , in all his military operations, he divided his force. !,. iiltinmnir rnlnmn nf the nemv. which made : leaving tin? Ohio volunteers and battalion of re-

' them break and ?a!l back. Thronghont the raning' f- '1 W ' - 1 fortune of tliat tn-ing day, WDfrl iAoe wiin ni

THE CONSTITUTION, THE IfVDIANATOO

little hand of heroes maintained his I position and rer.,,1,1 tlm sminiv nt pvorv T)oillt. On till' Set'OUll ! dnv of the battle. Santa Anna, finding his strength : defied and his most Bkillfnl manoeuvres defeateil, as rmined to make a .'""Jit desperate effort to turn the tide of the.battle inL , h.g Colle(.ti))g all lh inf;intrv, he made a charge Ion the Illinois and Kentucky regiments. Gallantly j I did those brave -troops resist the onset, until seeing their leaders tall, and overpowered by numbers, thev i began to waver and fall back. At this critical mo-; mcnt t10 cage e t(J 0f "General Lane observed the movement, when lie nastenea wiin nis ongnue 10 mc ; rescue in time to enable the retreating regiments to : form and return to the contest and drive back with great loss the advancing column of the enemy. 11ns j was Santa Anna's last struggle. On that bloody and ; ! hotly contested field night soon closed over the san- j i guinary scene, and when the morning sun arose, it i i shone upon the battle-field, deserted by Santa Anna, ! ! with Ins shattered legions, white tno siar-spangicu banner waved in triumph over the American army. No ofiicer went into the Mexican war with less pretension than General Lane none came out of it with brighter fame. The testimony of eye witnesses, historians, and official records attest the fact. The New Orleans Delta, of May 2d, 1847, recorded the popular estimation in which General Lane's conduct was held in the battle of Buena Vista, as follows : . -, T m, 1 . Jdhig ADl v.w Uhnebal jlaxe. me oearing 01 ; tj.;s gaant 0(licer in the battle of Buena Vista, asdes-: cr;Dec Dy pCmn3 who were present, was in the high-, est jp.",, gallant, noble and soldier-like. When his ; brigade, composed of tlie two Indiana regiments, was j CXpOSC(j (0 a murderous fire from the Mexican batter- j jes on t1(,;r fian)iSj and a f10nt fire from a large body ; ot - t10 cnemy's infimtrv when the grape and musket j sjlot fluw tliie-k as hail "through the lines of our volun-r tec,rg) w,0 began to waver before the fiery storm, their : brave General could be seen fifty yards in advance of j tj-0 j;nei wavjnEr his sword with an arm already shat- j tered by a musket ball, streaming with blood, and j m0unted on a noble charger, which was gradually j.mkjn un(jer the loss of blood from five distinct ,voun(g. A brave sight, indeed, was this!" 'nr.:. hrava man. whoso cheek never blanched with craj Lan0i amKist the guests in the parlor, lla asKea ;f General Lane was in. The German, with emotion, a.cci . d0 vou know me. General?" "I do not," 1 ti. (ienpral. German : " Well. sir. I recollect, aU( wjh thank you to the last day of my life. Do you ... ffer the fiirlit. with the puerrillas at Mansra (e clava, in which we routed the scoundrels so finely, ; n it 1 l.il ..!... ! you louna a soldier lying dv tne way-siue, es.nausi.eu by the heat of the sun and the exertions of the day, and dismounted from j our horse and placed him on it, walking by his side until you reached the camp, where you did not rest until you saw him well taken care of?" The General replied that he recollected the circumstance very well. . " Well," said the German. "I am the bov. and by that act of kindness you saved my life. I am here to thank you. - How can I j ever forget to cease to pray for you ? God bless you, j you were the soldier's friend." In his own State of Indiana it was a perfect ova- j lion wherever he went. The masses tlie hard f-ons j. of toil turned out from all the country, and from ev- j cry hamlet and village, to welcome and do honor to' the man of the people. He was feasted and toasted, ! and congratulatory addresses were made to him in the ; name of the people, by the most distinguished men of the State, lie bore all the honors and compliments ; showered upon him meekly, and with characteristic modesty, claimed for himself nothing more than hav- j ing done Ins duty. In his emphatic language, lie saia : " To the volunteers under my command, I feel that the honor is justly due ; without their aid I could have done nothing." After General Lane's brilliant exploits under General Taylor on the Rio Grande, he was transferred in September, 1847, to General Scott's line. We insert from a biographical sketch, published m the Democratic Review, of May, 1858, an exceedingly interestin" history of his battle with Santa Anna at Huamantla ,vhen he ajjain defeated him, and his rapid and suceegsful assault upon the remnant of his retreating ? i. A i: . rcached ycra Cmz in tho caly part 0f September, Qn th( 2(Hh of Hmt m(mth Le ge(. out towa,.d8 tiie c;(j. I , , f . . . f b t two thousand five Ill illl'JVll , consistini? of one regiment of Indiana ; y: owever mu wc mav reprobate the cause in which I , , , . , .. . . .. , . i he was ciigatred, naa -collected me reuuiam ui ins e fc, ' . , ... . ....... beaten aiWi ueterminea, n uos!aoie,i inui-u -- c - , , ... :i.i ... t....i.u i beaten army, acicrnuncu, .1"-- "1 J t "' , from the grasp ot the Amenc. n ie, er eral. Scott, and thus cut ott his communication im iue kmiuki. ..n.Ierstood that the maintenfortitude, in mecung me aanpa. iw tigues and privations ot a protraeiou siege. "Aware that a strone column, under Gen. Lane, was marching from Vera I ruz to their relief, the great ob-j ject to be gained by the garrison was time, Santa j Anna, also aware of Gen. Lane's approach, redoubled his exertions to carry the place by storm, superintend-1 ing the oieratious ot the troops in person, uirvcimp the guns to such parts of the defences as appeared most vulnerable, and watching with intense anxiety the effect of every shot. Convinced at length by the nlutinate resistance of the liesie'ied, and the lessening distance between him and his advancing and dreaded! emits, with two field guns, to guard the wagon trains.; II". I .1 ' 1 V 1 nl.. !,. wktkrl tl- ' m nn me rpmsinaer oi uu rommu m umn r-i. -

UNION, AND THE EQUALITY OF THE S T T E S ! INDIANA, SATURDAY, AUGUST 11. 1800.

route, diverging from the main road, directly towards Iluainantla. "On the morning of theftth of October, the people of Iluainantla were startled and dismayed to behold the formidable and glittering array spread out over . the neighboring hills, . White flags were immediately hung out in token of submission, and the place seemed to have surrendered without a blow from its panicstricken inhabitants. But suddenly the advanced guard, nudcr Capt. AValker, having entered tlie town, was assailed on every side by volleys of musketry. He immediately ordered a charge upon a body of 500 lancers, stationed with two pieces of artillery in the Plaza. A furious and deadly combat ensued. Gen. Lane advancing at the head of his column encountered the heavy reinforcement ordered up by Santa Anna, who had arrived with his whole force. Soon the roar of battle was sounded through every street, and street and Plaza were reddened with blood and covered with heaps of the slain. The Mexicans for a short time combated their assailants with the energy and furv of despair. But the steady and well-directed valor of the soldiers of the " Republic of the North" bore down all opposition. The Mexican ranks were broken and thrown into disoider; the order to retreat was given ; and the American flag waved in triumph over the treacherous city of Iluainantla. " This was the last field on which Santa Anna appeared in arms against the United States. This remarkable man, universally acknowledged to be an able and active, was never a successful commander. Whether this want of success is to be ascribed to the superior generalship of the leaders and the prowess of the troops opposed to him, or to his own instability of purpose in the very crisis of battle, when vigor and decision are most required, we will not stop to inquire. Having, during the progress of the war, collected several large armies, and led them to defeat, he had determined with that which remained lo him to make a last effort to retrieve his fortunes, and Huamantla was selected as the Waterloo, where his waning star should shine out in cloudless effulgence, or sink to rise no more. If he did not encounter a Wellington on that field, he encountered one who, with Wellington's courage, united many of the higher qualities of a military commander. Perhaps he relied upon General Lane's want of experience; but the courage and conduet of the latter at Buena Vista should have admonished him of the hopelessness of a contest in an open and equal field with such an officer, at the head of troops comparatively fresh, in high spirits, with full confidence in the skill and courage of their leader, and burning to rival the heroic deeds of their countrymen at Chapultepec and Ccrro Gordo. Although Santa Anna from this time withdrew from an active participation in the contest between the belligerent nations, tlie bloody drama in which he had played so conspicuous a part was not yet closed. Much remained to be done to complete' the conquest so auspiciously begun on tho banks of the Rio Grande, 'and prosecuted with such vigor by Scott in the valley of Mexico. Many bloody fields were yet to be won ;' many desperate bands of guerrillas yet to be defeated and dispersed, to render the subjugation of the country complete. "Defeated at Huamantla, the remnant of the Mexican force fell back on Atlixo, where, on the 18th of October, a large body, with munitions and supplies, and two pieces of artillery, were collected, under the orders of Gen. Rca. Gen. Lane hearing of the concentration of the enemy's troops at that point, hastened with the small force at his disposal to attack them. After a long and fatiguing march on a hot and sultry clay, he encountered the enemy strongly posted on a'hill-'side, within a mile and a half from Adixo. The Mexicans made a show of desperate resistance, but being vigorously assaulted by the cavalry, closely followed by the entire column, they gave way and fled in confusion towards the town. It was not till after nightfall that the whole command of General Lane rcached Atlixo, having marched ten Spanish leagues since eleven o'clock in the forenoon. Disposing his troops in such a manner as to command the approaches by the main roads, he opened a vigorous cannonade from a height which commanded the town. The guerrillas, however, had fled, and the authorities having soon after surrendered the place into his hands, his wearied troops entered the town and sought the repose they so much needed." It is impossible, within the limited space allotted to this sketch, to present a detailed account of all Gen. Lane's military operations at this period. In authentic histories of the war and official documents filed in the archives of government, the reader will find the record of his achievements his long and toilsome marches by night and by day over a wild and rugged country, full of narrow defiles and dangerous passes; his frequent surprises of the enemy; his sudden incursions far away into remote valley and plain; his fierce combats and glorious victories. At flascalla, Matamoros, Galaxa, Tulaucingo, Zicaltiplan, as at Huamantla and Atlixo, Mexican valor yielded to the force of his impetuous and well-directed assaults. On every field the ranks of the enemy went down before the thundering charge of his cavalry, the fierce onset ot his resistless infantry. The fame of his achievements soon spread through Mexico, and the terror with which the enemy was inspired by his death-dealing blows and almost ubiquitous presence, was equalled only by the unbounded confidence and enthusiasm infused into his followers by his gallant bearing, and the prestige of a name ever relied or by them as the sure guarantee of victory. For one quality as much a; any other, perhaps even of his dauntless courage, General Lane was distinguished throughout the war humanity to the vanquished. His bright name was unsullied, his escutcheon untarnished by a single act of wanton outrage or cruelty during the whole time he bore a commission in the American army. When the fight was over, and the victory' won, the field of carnage, where a short time before foeman met foeman in deadly conflict, presented the spectacle of stern and swarthy' warriors, imbued with the humane spirit of their leader, betiding over the heaps of the dying and the dead, selecting now a friend, and now a foe, from whom the vital spark had not yet fled, staunching his wounds, and if the sufferer had not yet passed beyond the power of human aid to save, restoring him by their kind ministrations to life and health, family, home and friends. An officer thus distinguished for courage and humanity; unyielding fortitude under the severest privations; an originality and promptness in the formation of his plans, surpassed only by the boldness and rapidity of their execution; a celerity of movement which annihilated time and distance; with a power of endurance that defied hunger and thirst, heat and cold such an officer, never for a moment relaxing his exertions, and adding some new name to the list of the last of his conquests, could not fail to attract tho attention and excite the admiration of the army, and win the approbation and applause of his countrymen in all parts of the United States. There was a tinge of romance in his exploits, which possessed an irresistible attraction, and captivated the imagination of all classes of admirers. But imagination has little to do with the final judgment which his countrvmen have pronounced upon his conduct. The parallel traced at the time between his deeds and character, and those of an illustrious hero ot the Revolu tion, su"rested to his countrymen a suitable way of testifying thvir appreciation of his services and admiration of his character, and they have, with a unanimity which shows that the parallel is not altogether imaginary, bestowed ujou him a title, prouder than any ever conf erred bv a patent of nobility from prince or potentate the title of "The Marion of the Mexican War." Before the close of the war the Government of the United States, annreciatin? the valuable services ren dered bv Gen. Lane, conferred on him the rank of Major General. This was so expressed in the order of "the department. s a special mark of approbation for his "gallantry and skill displayed in numerous en gagements with the enemy. Puc bat her Tirloriet. no renowned linn wr.'' So successful and brilliant as the commander of armies, a few days after he returned to his peacefnl

home, crowned with laurels and the honors which an admiring people showered upon him, he was called to a different scene of duty, where he could exercise his sound judgment and practical knowledge in organizing and putting in practical operation a civil Government on the shores of the Pacific, for a remote people, who had been long neglected and uncared for. In August, 1848, he received a commission as Governor of Oregon Territory, another compliment as unexpected as it was unsolicited, from Mr. Polk. In less than one month from the time he returned to the bosom ot his family from the stirring scenes of war, he was en route for the distant Bhores of the Pacific,

with hardships, perils, and privations to encounter in crossing the Rocky Mountains at that season of the , year, to reach his post of duty ; which required an en- j ergv, hardihood, and self-reliance to overcome which j few men possess. Col. Fremont, who followed him a i low weeks afterwards, faking a Uillcrent route across the mountains, lost almost his entire party amid the cold and snows in the gorges and defiles of the mountains, and nearly perished himself. A narrative of the hardships and stifle rings endured and the perils encountered by Governor Lane and his party in crossing the Kocky Mountains, wouia im a volume. We can now no more than quote from a speech made by Mr. Voorhies, of Indiana, last winter, to the citizens of AVashington, who had assembled to congratulate Gcu. Iane upon the admission of Oregon into the Union, and himself into the United States Senate as one of her Senators. He said : " There is history of events connected with the Tiinneer movements of Gen. Lane to Oregon, not generallv known to the American people. On the 11th j of September, 1848, at the foot of the eastern slope j of the Rocky Mountains, with a commission from Pres-. ident Polk as Governor ot Uregon ierruory in ; pocket, he, to whom you tender the honor of this dem-! onstration. gave evidence to his country and to the ; world of a will and a courage in the discharge of du- j ty surpassing that which Napoleon displayed in his, immortal passage of the Alps. The great hero of; Austerlitz and Marengo was told by his guide, that ( the route was barely passable, and the order came j from the bold spirit to set forward immediately. Gen. : Lane, in consultation with Col. Dougherty, a moun-j taiueer of twenty years' experience, was told that the : passage of the Pocky Mountains at this season of the : yeai-j'with certainty of spending the winter in their j midst, was a human impossibility. ' We will set lor- j ward iu the morning,' was the reply of the American j hero and patriot, who never knew fear in the achieve-, mcnt of public duty. He and his little band moved , in the morning, and' for five weary and desolate months , were lost and buried amid the gorges and defiles and , snows of the mountains. Fancy may paint, but the : tongue cannot sketch even the faint outlines of that , expedition. On the Sd of March, 1849, Gen. Lane reached the capital of Oregon, and before he slept, put the Territorial" Government in operation, and started a communication to the President informing him of the fact." ' : In the discharge of the duties of Governor of the ! Territory of Oregon, and cx-officio Superintendent , of Indian Affairs, Gen. Lane evinced the highest or-; der of ability. His messages to the Territorial Legislature abound in sound and practical views relative to ; the wants and interests of the Territory, and iu the . recommendation of wholesome and judicious measures, : calculated to develope the resources and promote the j prosperity of the people. He found the Indian affairs in a most troubled condition the troops disbanded,' the various tribes in a hostile attitude to the citizens, : had committed depredations upon their property, and j murdered several iamilies the murderers unpunished, ; and no restitution of stolen property. As soon as he : put the Government in operation, without troops he. ; proceeded to the scenes of depredation, robbery, and , murder, and by his superior address, tact and judg-; mcnt, he quelled all disturbances, had the murderers -arrested and punished, and without war or bloodshed, ; accomplished what both had failed to effect. An in- ( cident occurred in Gov. Lane's "talk" with the Rogue . River Indians, a warlike and predatory tribe, which ' illustrates his remarkable self-possession, coolness and : judgment in imminent peril. He entered their couu- i . .i . ,. .. it' !,. Tiiflinna linrl 1 try wiin iweive or lmccii m , ; fiercely rejected all attempts by the whites at concilia-j tion. 'The safety of the border citizens required de-j tided terms of war or peace. Gen. Lane chose the ; latter; with some difficulty he succeeded in assembling four or five hundred warriors iu council. During the j interview one of his company recognized two horses stolen from him, in the possession of the Indians, and . two pistols in the belts of the two chiefs. The Governor demanded restitution of the property, which re-; stored, he said, would evince their willingness to treat and preserve peace. The head Chief ordered restitution, but the possessors refused. The Governor ; then stepped forward and took one of the stolen pistols from the Indian's belt and gave it to the owner, and was about to take the other pistol, when the In-; dian who had it, presented his gun and raised the war whoop. Instantly four or five hundred guns were pointed at Gen. Line and his small party. j A sintrln false sten would have led to the most dis astrous results, but Gen. Lane's coolness and prompt-, ness were equal to the crisis, lie said. 1 nave come v,o,- tr, niate a treatv of ncace. not to have a fight; and promptly, stepping to the side of the principal , chief, with his firm eye fixed on him, piftol in hand, he told him, if a drop ot blood ot any ot mc wnitcs was shed, it should be avenged by the destruction of the entire tiibe. This well-timed move had the de sired effect. The chief told his warriors to cease their demonstrations. The Governor then advanced among the foremost, took their arrows from their bows and returned them to their quivers, and uncocked their guns, and knocked the priming from their pans. Gen. Lane did not hold the office of Governor of Oregon more, than about two years before he was su perseded bv President laylor. liereupou tne iegisatnre of Oregon nassed resolutions expressive of their sense of the energy, ability, and success, which characterized his administration as Goveruor of Oregon, and superintendent of Indian affairs, and their " sincere, regret that the President of the United States i i . t :i .r r ,.r ,i,o fiitu-. lias deprive! me jerniun oi uicguu n ........... services of one so eminently useful, and whose usefulness was enhanced by the' unbounded confidence of the jwople over whom he was placed." , As soon as the intelligence of the death of the lamented Thurston, the faithful, able, and efficient dele gate in Congress, reached Oregon, General Lane was unanimously selected as nis successor, ami was en-tn-n bv an almost unanimous vote of the people. Unon the eve of Gen. Lane's departure fi-om Ore-; gon to the national capital, as their delegate to Congress, the people, without distinction of party, held a mass meeting to tender " him a public expression of opinion in regard to his distinguished talents and ser- . , a ...l. .!.:..,, !.... w..l l..1 that 9 Vices. Aiming oilier iiiing?, uin ii friends of Gen. Joseph Ine, without distinction of partv, we tender him our hearty and entire approbation 'of his acts as Governor of Oregon Territory," and that from "the ability, energy, fidelity and purity of purose which have "characterized all his public acts, among us, it is but fitting that we express our approltion and admiration of his course," and ' that General ; Lane came to us covered with military glory, and leaves us, ujwn the business of the Territory, clothed with our confidence and attachment." That confidence and attachment the people of Oregon have ever since manifested towards him. by continuing him as their delegate in Congress until the Territory was admitted as one of the States into the Union, when, iu obedience to the unanimous voice of his party, he became one of the Senators from that State. All the responsible positions to which Geu. Lane ; has been called, were ttiutolicitfd and ttnrjpect'd hy him, what but few public men can say, and he has filled them with signal ability and success. Endowed with j strong and practical lii'nd, stored with tlie mos u; ful knowledge, acquired by extensive reading and so- j curate observation ; sound, liberal, and const-native in. his views of the policy and principles of our Government, he combine-i personal traits of character emi

NO. 11

nently calculated to win the popular heart ; with a warm, generous and manly spirit ; with a kind, frank and social disposition ; with a demeanor so modest and unpretending that he excites no one's envy, he has acquired an influence and popularity which but few meu attain. - In Indiana, in the Legislature, and with theDeople, he was universally popular, and one of the leading men of the State, and styled " her favorite son." On the battle fields of Mexico the soldiers viewed him. as invincible, and he was the pride of the officers of the army. In Oregon his name is a tower of strength. In the halls of Congress his popularity and influence are unsurpassed. Indeed, it was chiclly owing to his influence and exertions that the bill to admit Oregon into the Union passed the House at the session before last. . The passage of that bill was attended by great excitement. It was violently opposed by the ultra men, North and South. When the final vote was taken, a breathlesssilence reigned through the hall and crowded galleries, broken only by the emphatic answor of yea or nav, as the members answered to the call of the clerk "for their vote. As the vote was being taken, members were to be seen, in all parts of the hall, keeping count, and when Felix K. Zollicoffcr responded to the last call, parties from all parts of the hall surroundad Gen. Lane with their warm and hearty congratulations, which indicated the result, and when formally announced by the Speaker from the chair, round after round of applause arose from the members iu the hall, which was caught and repeated by the eiouU d galleries of anxious spectators, with waving of handkerchiefs by the ladies, and clapping of hands by the sterner sex', which shows that "lie lives in the hearts of his countrymen." When the news of the passage of the hill, and that a seat in the Senate was thereby secured to Gen. Lane, spread through the city, there was a general rejoicing bv the citizens, and the demonstrations of honor paid to General Lane at his lodgings that night were of the most enthusiastic character. A band of musicians serenaded him with the. most delightful music; the people assembled in crowds: the strong men of the nation were there, and made congratulatory speeches from the portico of Brown's Hotel, which' were received with the enthusiastic cheers of the assembled masses, which made the welkin ring.. Gen. Lane appeared, and responded to the unexpected compliment, in a chaste, appropriate and eloquent speech, then opened his rooms and his heart to receive his friends, and gave them the best cheer that could bo provided at so short a notice. The fidelity, ability and success, with which General Lane has represented the interests of his people in Congress, is attested by the fact that, from the time he was first elected, he has been re-elected their representative, with little or no opposition, for a period of more than eight years, until by an almost unanimous vote, he was chosen one of the United States Senators, bv the Legislature, upon the admission of Oregon into the Union having received forty-five of the fifty votes cast. Short as has been his service in the Senate, he 1ms more than sustained the reputation he acquired in other spheres 'of public duty. His remarks in the Senate on the 19th December last, on the Territorial question, did honor to his head and his heart. They breathed the spirit of a patriot and the sentiments of a statesman. He enunciated the true principles of the Constitution in a concise, but clear and forcible exposition of the heresy of squatter sovereignty, and the dutv and importance of maintaining the equality of the'Statcs in all their constitutional rights in the Territories and elsewhere, in order to preserve 'the Constitution and the Union, the richest political blessings which Heaven has bestowed upon any nation." To preserve the Constitution, and to perpetuate the Union, the equality of the Stales must he maintained. was the sentiment lie expressed and enforced, with such strong and practical arguments as will carry conviction of their truth to the mind of every patriot who reads them. In the language of a distinguished Senator, who arose immediately after Gen. Lar.e concluded his speech, to express the deep gratification he felt at its delivery, it contained more conservatism, more of genuine nationality, more of that broad sentiment which governs this whole country, than any speech which had been pronounced in the Senate during that session : and it might not be extravagant to add, during half a dozen sessions. No man has a purer or a brighter record as a citizen, a patriot, or a statesman, than Gen. Lane. The prudence, wisdom, firmness and ability, which he has displayed in all the trusts committed to him whether as the commander of armies iu battle, or as a legislator in the State or national councils illustrate his fitness for the second office in the gift of the nation, for which he has been unanimously nominated. In sunshine and in storm, he has been as true to Democratic principles as the needle to the pole. His sound national views of governmental policy, with a patriotism broad enough to embrace with equal warmth his whole country, commend him to national, conservative men, in every quarter of the Union. But few public men have lived so strongly entrenched in the affections of the people as General Lane. From the toiling masses he has risen to his high position by the force of his intellect, and the energy and purity of his character. With no vanity to grow into arrogance with success, he is as simple and unpretending in his manners as a child, endowed with some of the noblest attributes that can dignity man brave, generous, kind and true. While he commands the admiration, he wins the warmest friendship, alike pf the high and the low, the rich and the poor. Paes might be written, giving the details of many noble" brave, and generous deeds, which have characterized his eventful life, which are the secret of his success, and the reason of his strength with the people, who are always prompt to appreciate and reward merit. In conclusion, we will relate only one incident which occurred after the suppression of hostilities by the Rogue river Indians, in Southern Oregon, in the spring of 1853, an incident which illustrates his sterling patriotism, and the kindness and generosity of his heart, which stamps him as one of the noblest of nature's noblemen. As soon as General Lane heard of the outbreak he left his home, and repaired to the scene of hostilities as a volunteer, and placed himself under the command of Captain Alden, of the 4th infantry, United States army. Tho regular troops not being sufficient to quell the disturbance, volunteers were called for. General Curry, learning that General Lane had proceeded to the scene of action, forwarded him, at once, a commission of Brigadier General. The hostilities were promptly suppressed by a short but decisive battle at Table Rock, on the part of the regulars and volunteers, with the Indians, in which General Lane was severely wounded in the right shoulder; when, through his great influence with the Indians, a treaty of peace was made with them. At the ensuing sessiou of Congress a law was enacted to pay the volunteers for their services. Major Alvord, the United States paymaster, j-aid the troops in full, with the exception of 'Geueral ljine, who did not appear to claim the amount due to him. He then wrote to him that there was due tor his services about four hundred dollars. General I -ane replied, that he had offered his services, without intending to receive any compensation, sunply because he deemed it Lis duty, whenever a war br'oko out in his country, to contribute his aid m suppressing it. desiriug no other reward than tlie conwiousness of having done his duty in aiding to protect the homes and the fireside of his people from the assaults of the enemr, and directed the amount due him to be jid. for the benefit of two orphan bovs. the only survivors of the Ward fanuly. wbo we're must cruellv murdered bv the hostile Indians. These were tha" children of large family of etni- ,, -rkf.nl Central ljin hail never sevn, but whose active sympathies were deeply touched by the cruel butchery of the entire family, except these two lillle bovs tavVd front the slaughter, hut left withmit a