•*** , .... .. ol the watciiiiian r year tu ■ !> " • ;• - p advance two i at %\ for the first and 2.>cts i ,)• insertion courl orders . rates a liberal deduc i ivertiw liv the vear = rk vi:i .)(>].- v temperance mj tale . v . ars ago 1 went inlo a town sew hampshire lo give a tern lecture there were many persons ._.■ ivhodi ink intoxicating lienors — „■ c amc lo hear mc and i noticed jtisi lenccd speaking a lit ilo bright-eyed in years old who cant • in and sat down near lhe door lie t ry attentively and when i spoke of treatment of wive and children from iterate men i sum bim more lhan once take ami wipe away the tears i i tbe pledge would prevent all ihis ami rake men kind and pleasant and told lhe _ i il if they would prosper and he " tm this little fellow was al irsl lo put his name down ; and when it who he was they told me he w.is ick-eyea joe and that his lather was ■ worst drunkards in town {■ - his custom eveiy morning to mingle - igar with water and pass it round to i lhe children who took a little as : . father and mother he would ' 0x011 o'clock tit noun time at i . and it supper so thai when even be would tlw ays be intoxicated cm ngt ful ; sometimes he would beal .... * his children oi shut if doors in cold slot ms h was this joseph weep when i told of the cm it and it was this lhat induced ii the pledge be went home from the meeting and deter liis resolution tito next morn lal lhe father look oui the brown jug her fl poison and handed it to he shook bis head and declined •• drink it e !" said his father " i do nol wi-li any again sir replied jo epb if father looked at him for a moment and roughly — " - did you go lo that tetn meeting joe .'"' ' h-s sir i 1 yon i^n the pledge '"' sir what did you do that for joe '" because father said joe hcsitatii m a man i do not w i*h to he a you his father blushed turned pale stood con loment and opened the door and dash tig and pitcher to pieces saying : — i'm shall have a lather lhat von won't he trimmed lo he like from thai hour lie has never taken any thing that can intoxicate ; and is happy himself and toiler lti family happy besides : and i will losaj that joseph will have tin answer nadi br any one who asks him what good 0 to si^n the pledge the indian foot liner — there was a great rowd at bull's head ( near albany ) on thurs fe ia*t to w linos the foot race between sit ep ' <' and cooper of the tonawandas and ifragui and smoke of the cattaraugus tribe indians the course was very heavy and ere was but little hope of any thing like usual 1 mile — steeprock came in ahead in 5 m is 2d — cooper came in ahead in 6m i smoke ahead 5 m 51 s 1th — same mi -. ; 5th — same 5 in vj s ; tilli — same 5 in ■"-. : 7th — aine ti m 1 1 ; 8lh — same <> m u uh — steeprock under the impression u it was the 10th mile made the mile in 6 a 15 coming m ahead and halted 10th look advantage of steeprock's hesita oft-aadshol ahead followed by steeprock and tame in ahead about 50 yards in ti in 15 s smoke's tune was i h ll s . ( which consid ering the heavy state of the track is consider j the be-t lime ever made sprague gave out after running 1 miles 4 cooper hauled oil on the id mile — albany the tempter and the tvhi pted ! re two classes ol persons in his ns in every tniiity represented hy the terms at the head are those amongst us w i occupation it is to lead astray an • have not iii tptation which is thus pn seined now . il ■ liy plain that the man who thus enli t were in a snare laid for it in . s is ihe conclusion to winch we wo ud by common sens l.ui we i \ iniinal ion i how ore - men and th fill uur inns tilll who ol the number that lias i ■ a tempted by this , ruin '. id any sympathy for bim ' \ » lhe band an i raise him few in l ' ' '" mkard n 10 diefomiationofbi bal.its when he becomes i t they aba _ ,. i ,. g ay thing r.di . ( j|c . ,. to take !:! ' ''' m '■• hui such the rich i . steem . owed a place even in the church ol t t i in this world i nt i . a fu ' the greal fair the woodsawyer gathered a small at the fair m whom he stated that • rdi r of mechanics red to exhibit any of their productions l " drunkard maker they would take , "' 1 """ 1 - m a short lime turn him out one ; hlll st,and most worthless beings in the shi as we had so many of these • new york that they should nibit-onandsee which could gain i v m~d_m_x | f j vi i i h vi ii \ tt l-vulfj.ivlli president's message citizens of the senate and ',' the house oj representatives : the animal meeting of congress is al ways an interesting event the repre sentatives of the states and of the peo ple come fresh from tlieir constituents to take counsel together for the common good after an existence of near three fourths of a century as a free and inde pendent republic the problem no longer remains to be solved whether man is ca pable di self-government the success "' our admirable system is a conclusive refutation of the theories of those in other countries who maintain that " a favored few are born to rule and that the mass ol mankind must be governed by force — subject to no arbitrary or hereditary au thority the people arc ihe only sovereigns recognised by our constitution numer ous emigrants of every lineage and lan guage attracted by the civil and religious freedom we enjoy and by our happy con dition annually crowd to our shores and transfer their heart not less than iheir al legiance to the country whose dominion belongs alone to the people no country has been so much favored or should acknowledge with deeper rev erence the manifestations of tin divine protection an all-wise creator directed and guarded us in our infant struggle for freedom and has constantly watched over our surprising progress until we have be come one of lhe great nations of the earth it is in a country thus favored and un der a governmenl in which the executive and legislative branches hold their author ity fur limited periods alike from the peo ple and where all are responsible to their respective constituencies that it is again my duty to communicate with congress upon the state of the union and the pre ; ; sent condition of public affairs during the past year lhe most gratify ing proofs are presented that our country has been blessed with a wide-spread and universal prosperity there litis been no period since the government was founded when all the industrial pursuits of our people have been successful or when la bor in till branches of business has recciv • ed a fairer or better reward from our abundance we have been enabled to per form the phasing duly of furnishing food for the starving millions of less favored countries in thi enjoyment of the bounties of providence at home such as have rarely fallen to the lot ot any people it is cause ! of congratulation that our intercourse with all the powers of the earth except mexico continues to be of an amicable character it has ever been our cherished policy to cultivate peace and good will with all nations : and this policy has been steadily pursued by me no change has taken place in our re lations with mexico since the adjournment of the hist congress the war in which the united states were forced to engage with the government of that country still continues 1 deem it unnecessary after the full ex position of them contained in my message of the eleventh of may is 10 and in my annual message at the commencement of the session of congress in december last to reiterate the serious causes of com plaint which wc had against mexico be ! fore she commenced hostilities it is sufficient on the present occasion to say that the wanton violation of the rights of person and property of our citi zens committed 1 mexico her repeated acts of had faith through a long series of years and her disregard of solemn trea ties stipulating for indemnity to our in jured citizens not only constituted ample cause of war on our part out were of such an aggravated character as would have justified us before the whole world in resorting to this extreme remedy with an anxious desire to avoid a rupture be tween the two countries we forbore for years to assert our clear lights by force a ad continued to seek redress for the wrongs we had suffered by amicable ne gotiation in the hope that mexico might yield to pacific councils and the demands of justice in this hope we were disap pointed our minister of peace sent to mexico was insultingly rejected the mexican government refused even to hear the terms of adjustment which he was authorized to propose : and finally under wholly unjustifiable pretexts involved the two countries in war by invading the ter ! ritory of the state of texas striking the first blow and shedding tlie blood of our citizens on our own soil though ihe united states were the ag ( grieved nation mexico commenced the , war and we were compelled in self ale fence to repel the invader and to vindi ( cate the national honor and interests by ] prosecuting it with vigor until we could obtain a just and honorable peace on learning that hostilities had been commenced by mexico i promptly com municated lhat fact accompanied with a succinct statement of our other causes of ' complaint againsl mexico to congress ; ' aud that body by the act of the thirteenth of may is id declared that by the act of lhe republic of mexico a state of war ' exists between that government and the united states — this act declaring the war to exist by tin act of the republic of mexico and making provision for its pros 1 edition " to a speedy lti ruination was passed wiifi ccessrui ver ity by congress there being &} dn*"-im gative votes in the senate.and de 0 ne * teen in the house of represciitatives u ''- the existence of the war having thu been declared by congress it became my duty under the constitution and the laws to conduct and prosecute it this duty has been performed ; and though at every stage of its progress 1 have manifested a willingness to terminate it by a just peace mexico has refused to accede to any terms which could he accepted by the united states consistently with the national hon or and interest tin rapid and brilliant successes of our arms and ibe vast extent of the enemy's territory which had been overrun and con quered before the close of the last session of congress were fully known to that hotly isince that time the war has been prosecuted with increased energy and 1 am gratified to state with a success which commands universal admiration history presents no parallel of so many glorious victories achieved by any nation within so short a period our army regulars and volunteers have covered themselves with imperishable honors whenever and wherever our forces have encountered the enemy though he was in vastly superior numbers and often entrenched in fortified positions of his own selection and of great strength he has been defeated too much praise cannot be bestowed upon our offi cers and men regulars and volunteers for their gallantry discipline indomitable courage and perseverance all seeking the post of danger and vicing wilh each oth er in deeds of noble daring while every patriot's heart must exult and a just national pride animate every bosom in beholding lhe high proofs of courage consummate military skill stea '■ dy discipline and humanity to the van quished enemy exhibited by our gallant army the nation is called to mourn over the loss of many brave officers and sol diers who have fallen in defence of their country's honor and interests the brave dead met their melancholy fate in a for eign land nobly discharging their duty and with their country's hag waving tri 1 umphantly in the fact of the foe their patriotic deeds are justly appreciated and will long be remembered by their grateful countrymen the parental care of the government they loved and served should he extended to their surviving fam ilies shortly after the adjournment of the last session of congress the gratifying in telligence was received of the signal vic tory of buena vista and ol'the fall of the city of vera cruz and wilh it the strong castle of san juan de ulloa by which it was defended believing that after these } and other successes so honorable to our arms and so disastrous to mexico the pe riod was propitious to afford her another opportunity if she thought proper to em brace it to enter into negotiations for peace a commissioner was appointed to proceed to the headquarters of our army with full powers to enter upon negotia tions and lo conclude a just and honora ble treaty of peace he was not directed to make any new overtures of peace but was the bearer of a despatch from the secretary of state of the united states to the minister of foreign affairs of mex ico in reply to one received from the lat ter of the twenty-second of february 1817 in which the mexican government was informed of his appointment and of his presence at the headquarters of our army and that he was invested with full powers to conclude a definite treaty of peace whenever the mexican government might signify a desire to do so while j was unwilling to subject the united states to another indignant refusal 1 was yet re solved that the evils of the war should not be protracted a day longer than might be rendered absolutely necessary by the mex ican government care was taken to give no instructions to uip commissioner which con hi in any way interfere with our military operations or relax our energies in the prosecution of the war u e possessed no authority in any manner to control these operations lie was authorized to exhibit his instruc tions to the general in command of the army : and in the event of a treaty being concluded and ratified on the part of mex ico he was directed to give him notice of that i'act on the happening of such con tingency and on receiving notice thereof the general in command was instructed by the secretary of war to suspend fur ther active military operations until fur ther orders these instructions were giv en with a view to intermit hostilities until the treaty thus ratified by mexico could be transmitted to washington and receive the action of the government of the uni nited states the commissioner was also directed on reaching the army to deliver to the general in command the despatch wliich he bore from the secretary of state to the minister of foreign affairs of mexico and on receiving it the general was instruc ted by the secretary of war to cause it to be transmitted to the commander of the mexican forces with a request that it might be communicated to his govern ment the commissioner did not reach the headquarters of lhe army until after an arms at cerro gordo the despatch which ho bore from tbe ma c n r d o a sb f w " l ° cc "^ ] in c mand of the army was received by that dicer then at j aiapa qq the frorflv 1847 together with the despatch ter of i secretary of state to tbe minis been transm affairs of mexico bavin lhe eommissio.to him from vera cruz quarters of the arnrrived at the head wards his presence few days after bis diplomatic character-he army and known to the mexican goverir-o jade ; puehla on the twelfth of june . f rom the transmission of the despatch fron secretary of slate to the minister of foi eign affairs of mexico many weeks elapsed after its receipt and no overtures were made nor was a ny de-ire expressed by the mexican gov ernment to enter into negotiations for peace < hu army pursued its march upon the capita 1 , and as it approached it xvas met by formidable resistance ( ur forces first encountered the enemy and achieved signal victories in the severely contested battles of contreras and churubusco it was not until alter these actions had re sulted n decisive victories and the capi tal ot the enemy was within our power that the mexican government manifested any disposition to enter into negotiations for peace ; and even then as events have proved them is too much reason to be lieve thry were insincere and that in a grceingjto go through the forms of nego tiation lhe object was to gain time to strengthen the defences of their capital and to prepare for fresh resistence the general in command of the army deemed it expedient to suspend hostilities temporarily by entering into an armistice with a view to the opening of negotiations commisiionors were appointed on the part ol mexico to meet the commissioner on the partbi the united states the result of the conference which took place be tween tttese functionaries of the two gov ernments was a failure to conclude a trea ty of petjee the commissioner of the united states took with him the project of a treaty al ready plepared by the terms of which the indemnity required by the united states was a cession of territory lt is weli known that the only indemni ty which it is in the power of mexico to make in satisfaction of the just and long deferred claims of our citizens against her and the only means by which she can re imburse the united states for the expen ses of the war is a cession to the united states of a portion of her territory mex ico has no money to pay and no other means of making the required indemnity if we refuse this we can obtain nothing else to reject indemnity by refusing to accept a cession of territory would be to abandon all our just demands and to wage the war bearing all its expenses without a purpose or definite object a state of war abrogates treaties pre viously existing between the belligerents and a treaty of peace puts an end to all claims for indemnity for tortious acts committed under the authority of one government against the citizens or sub jects of another unless they are provided for in its stipulations a treaty of peace which would terminate the existing war without providing for indemnity would enable mexico—the acknowledged debtor and herself the aggressor in the war — to relieve herself from her just liabilities uy such a treaty our citizens who hold just demands against her would have no remedy either against mexico or their own government our duty to these citizens must forever prevent such a peace and no treaty which does not provide ample means of discharging these demands can receive my sanction a treaty of peace should settle all exist ing inferences between the two countries if an adequate cession of territory should il>e made by such a treaty the united states should release mexico from all her liabil ities and assume the payment to our own citizens if instead of this the united states were to consent to a treaty by which mexico should again engage to pay the heavy amount of indebtedness which a just indemnity to our government and our citi zens would impose on her it is notorious that she does not possess the means to meet such an undertaking from such a treaty no result could be anticipated but the same irritating disappointments which have heretofore attended the violations of similar treaty stipulations on the part ot mexico such a treaty would be but a temporary cessation of hostilities without the restoration of the friendship and good understanding which should characterize the future intercourse between the two countries that congress contemplated th 1 ac si ion of territorial indemnity when that body made provision for the prosecution of the war is obvious congress could not have meant — when in may 1816 they appropriated ten millions of dollars and authorized the president to employ the militia and naval and military foreesof the united states and to accept the services of fifty thousand volunteers to enable him to prosecute the war and when at their last session and after our army had inva ded mexico they made additional appro priations ami authorizi tl the raising of ad dilioojl troops for the same purpose-thai n ntlcmtnty was to be obtained from mexco at tbe conclusion ot the war and et it was certain that if no mexican ter obuf it is further manifest that congress con sratr millions of dollars v th that express object this appropri onw«8 made to enable the pres idem 0 conclude a treaty of peace lj m £ and ; oun r wiuiih l c p i 1)llcolm e used by him in the event that said trea v,.when s.gned by the authorized a-ents governments and duly mtified object o shai1 ca,j for th e expenditure distinctly s?u in >. p art thereof the on the suhject th '* appropriation was congress ' similar 1 !'.' scvp ra messages 1803 and 1806 wbicif om ™ umcate d to were intended to be mpphl 10 "^ m.-tdo in sideration for the cession of lrj rreq ' to the floridas in like manner il v\c cipatcd that in settling the terms of ayl 1 ty of limits and boundaries wiih mexi co a cession of territory estimated to be of greater value than the amount of our de mands against her might ho obtained ; and that the prompt payment of this sum in part consideration for territory ceded — on the conclusion of a treaty and its rati heat.on on her part might be an induce ment with her to make such a cession of territory as would be satisfactory to the i mted states and although the failure to conclude such a treaty has rendered it unnecessary to use any part of the three millions ot dollars appropriated by that act and the entire sum remains in the treasury it is still applicable to that object should the contingency occur making such application proper the doctrine of no territory is the doc trine of no indemnity and if sanctioned would be a public acknowledgement lhat our country was wrong and that the war declared by congress with extraordinary unanimity was unjust and should be a bandoned an admission unfounded in lact and degrading to the national charac ter the terms of lhe treaty proposed by tbe u states were not only just to mexico but con sidering the character and amount of our claims the unjustifiable and unprovoked commence ment of hostilities by her he expenses of the war to which we have been subjected and the success which had attended our arms were deemed to he ol a most liberal character the commissioner of the ct states was an thorized to agree to the establishment of the ; llio grande as the boundary from its entrance ; into the gulf to iis intersection with the south ern boundary of new mexico to north latitude about thirty-two degrees and to ablain a ces sion to ihe united states of the provinces of x mexico and the californias and the privilege ut the light of way across the isthmus of tehtt antepec the boundary ol the rio grande and the cession of the united states of new mexico and i pper california constituted an ultimatum which our commissioner was under no circumstances lo yield that it might he manifest not only lo mexi co but to all other nations lhat the it slates were not disposetl lo take advantage of the fee ble power by insisling upon wresting from her all lhe other provinces including many of her principal towns and cities which we had con quered and held in our military occupation but were willing to conclude a treaty in a spirit of liberality our commisioner was authorized to stipulate for lhe restoration to mexico of all our other conquests as the territory to be acquired by the bound ary proposed might he estimated to be ol greal • er value than a fair equivalent for ourjusl de mands our commissioner was authorized lo stipulate for the payment of such additional pe cuniaiy consideration as was deemed reasona ble the term of a treaty proposed by the mexi can commissioners were wholly inadmis they negotiated as if mexico were lhe victo j rious and not the vanquished party they musi have known that iheir ultimatum eotil i n ■ accepted it required the i states lo dis member texas by surrendering to mexico lhat part ol'the territory t flhatstale lyi 15 between the nueces and the itio grande included with in her limits by her laws when slu wa an in dependent republic and when she was annexe i lo lhe united slates and admitted by congres as one of the stales of our union it contained no provision for lhe payment i mexico of the just claims of our citizens it required indem nity to mexican citizens lor injuries they have sustained by our troops in the prosecution of the war it demanded lhe right for mexico lo levy and c mexican i u iffol duti goods imported into hei ports while in our mil itary oci tpation dnrinu lhe war and ihe'own ers of w itch had pai * of th e 1 ons v hich h id been i • . ; i up ind it ollere i to lo lhe 1 nite ! si ' -• for a pecuni try considei - itiion thai cu irnia i3 in r n of latitude s were the unreas ■ * proposed by the mexi c 111 < omi tissi mers the '■ --■ n i the united states by mexi co of ihe mexico an i lhe californi is as | by the commissioner 01 the ! ■ '■' si ■.••-. it was ■ '. would be more i ac i wi'h the convenience aud interests ol both nations than any other ces sion of territory which it was probable mexico cuui'i l>e in luced lo make it is manifest to all who have observed lhe ac lual con lition of the mexican government for • years past aud at present that i provinces should be retained by her she enull nut ion continue t > hold ami govern tin m — mexico is tr»o feeble i n * . princes lyi vvrf . ■ k v -™"'^ '»'■■-" a hnujand evf l ■«■ p '» '»«• ' v , tr a ', , . s,u,,d ' ir t.ttiebttilora , ; 7 ' '"'>' wouw > a rturi nme even nominally • l part ul her dominions " a j this would bo csueci ..;!.- 1 , „. . , .. tl?2 *£ s h a«i....s has i ; "' 7 »■»■ '•> ;£ '. , :•;;;;;;::; :: : p occupation of „ 1i1 ,| ,^' " r " sh ' he,r ro.he e,„r ,? av tm;l "» l j " r remove ha [ heu,,i ! t a9 !" han eknown a government w^s t^^l h " il ai its separate h 1 '° n » lo u'uhi self he principle avow dszt monroe in l-'i i ,:■ , - ' re dent t^xs-^^ar i-rr-'^-^'^^r »:::;,::;,,:;:^,:;;:,"" i ' "-•'-•„„,„„ r„mi h „,^ r r 0 f n '"' *•'-•"■« call •;.. 11 . i u u . ,,,,,,,,,., ,,,,,,,„,, '• and i brought ni].l,.i ti ncnl «•»'»>"• law ,!„.!,...,, ~ """ , ""' govern riculiural manufacturing itl s~ma o..id s , ,,.. i:;;;;r • i,,tl — iai < pi ali is i u oi ( i o tlorth . oregon possess „,„, in ,,.| ( m v ' tlo , , s,a,es ' wou,d l settled by a barf harbor and inle ligent iio ./ x bid shell l.avoi 4 """°" "* r p<>p u 01 oan j rancisco an tl.or «; h^^"ps a california cna*t u , ''' ployed in the i\*u ........ ,• short period become n^f v and profitable commerce l,"j *.'•-» countriesol the east "' wouw '" a these advantages in wilh lh*e mercial world would participate wouiu . he secured to lhe united stales hy the ce i of this territory ; while it is certain lhal as oa h as it remains a part ol lhe mexican dominions they can be enjoyed neither by mexico herself nr by any other nation new mexico is a frontier province and has never been of any considerable value to mexi co from its locality it is naturally connected i with our western settlements the territorial bmits of the state of texas loo as defined by her laws below her admission inlo our union embrace ali thai portion of new mexico lying east of the rio grande while mexico slid claims to hold ihis territory as a part of her dominions the adjustment of ihis question ol boundary is important there is another consideration which in : ducedthe belief lhat lhe mexican government might even desire to place this province under the protection of the government of lhe united slates numerous bands of fierce and warlike savages wander over it and upon its border 1 mexico has been and must continue to be too feeble to restrain them from committing de prcdalious robberies and murders not only i upon the inhabitants of new mexico ii>elf but upon those of the other northern states ol mex co it would be a blessing to al lliese north j ern slates to have their citizens protected against them hy the power of the united slates at this moment many mexicans principally fe males and children arc in captivity among i hem it new mexico were held and governed by iho united slates we could effectually prevent these tribes from committing such outrages and com pel lliem to release these captives and re store ihem to their families and friends in proposing to acquire new mexico and iho california it was known lhat but an inconsid erable portion of the mexican people would bo transferred with them the country embraced within these provinces being chiefly an uiiiu habited region these were lhe leading considerations which induced me lo authorize the term of peace which were proposed lo mexico they were rejected ; and negotiations being at an end hostilities were renewed n assault was made by our gall ml army upun ibe strongly fortified place near the gates of city of mexi co and upon the city itsell : and after several flays of severe conflict lhe mexican forces vastly superior in number to oor own wero driven from the city and it was occupied by out troops immediately after information was received of the unfavorable result of lhe negotiations believing that his continued presence wilb ibe army could be productive ol no good i deter mined to n call out commissioner \ despatch t.i ih . bim on lhe 6lb of october last tl ■ met tn government will be informed of his recall ; and lhal in lhe ling state of thing i shall nol deem it pro per to make anj funh 1 overtures of peace but shall be at all iim re idy io receive and con which in ty be made by mexico since tl rition ol the united authorized to be made in april last l.t;_;e ex icn litures h ive been inclined and iho preci ■•■' many of our patriotic fellow citiz ■;.* ! - is li ti shed in the prosecution ol iho war this considerniion and tbe obstinate nersevei nice 1 i m txico in protracting tbe war must int icnce the terms of peace which it may be 1 ifler to accept i > , : . .. here victori ous to tur military occupation tny's country includ ih'oiia for peace bar in^fi tant questions arise io what be prosecuted and ire poliej i cannot ; secure and render avail is u inch we h.i>e already m 1 :•• : an . : h it with this view we should hold an i na al an ! milil irj forces * now in oui oc ti 01 which ma hereafter fall don : thai we should pres for n ;.:,.. milil ttions and levy such ntrib ttions on the r-nemy a may as . iho future expenses of th ! war had the g ivernmenl of mexico acceded to lhe equitable and liberal terms proposed that mndeofadj tsimenl would have been preferred mexico h n iig declined lo da this and foiled lo 1 1 my 1 hei lerni-i wliich could lie accepted bruner & james editors «\- proprietors do tins tvn lir.r.rty is s . fc •• gen'l harrison new series number 33 of volume iv i ) j 1 i ' t.s samsjjuhy thursday december 10 18 i