Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 5, Ed. 1, Thursday, January 31, 1850 Page: 2 of 4
four pages: b&w; illus; page 24 x 36 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
fc
bellys, it is about 25 miles North, of the Gov !
eminent crossing. The grass is good ihe
whole distance. Mr. Coon arrived a few
days since, accompanied with Clem. How-
ard and xeported -two men -killed, and 150
mules lost out of his train of 275 he is al-
so a trader The two men reported killed,
have since come in, NOT KILLED.J Mr.
Howard was slightly wounded in the arm.
The whole Santa Fe trade must come this
way, it- cannot be helped, these two large
traders are hut the forerunners oTwhatisto
come. .
They are men of enterprise and intelli-
gence and of 'the ajo-ahead kind ; I have intro-
duced Mr. "Aubery to Maj. Neighbors, who
said he obtained valuable information from
him.
The people of Santa Fe; areJn their feel-
ings, 'hostile -to tbeTexians, and so long as
there is -adoubt of action" "on the part of the
General Gove rodent," or a show of the -same
to exercise jurisdiction over that country-
they will remain hostile to the Texians; ihis
is the general opinion of these, gentleman,
and all those with whom I have conversed,
that have actual knowledge on the snhject-
But thevtlo also believe, jf the General Gov-
ernrhent should CONFINE ITS OPERA
TION.TO FRONTIER defence, and not
interfere or CiUe them to believe by its
operations, that they will do so they, the
people of Santa Fe, will justly sibmit to the
organization of the State Government.
Herewith I send you a Santa Fe paper,
with dates as late as Nov. 23lh ; from it you
may gain some information. The Indepen-
dence route to this country must fail as it is
impossible to travel it until late in May, and
is longer by 350 miles, when this route can
be traveled by that much shorter distance,
and at all seasons of the year."
- CALIFORNIA FACTS.
From tho New York Spectator.
Sacrsmcsto Citt, Oct, 16, 1849.
A party of gentleman returned to this place yester-
day, from Jubd Rivor, where they had beea operaliiig
for two moiilhsiu the mines, Ilesalls Bach man
hid surik$180, andavo were not only sick, bnt with
coatitulious to shattered that tliey may or may not
recover. A party of 20 gentlemen wiio went to the
samo river two months ago, spent one mouth in fruit-
less efforts at gold digging, agd rcturjed w.th JU of
the company &ck; iwo have since died, and llieo'liers
are jeco verinj. A parly ofgeutlemeu went to Feath-
cr4Hjvenuboat two months since, ' were there six
xwjeks.and returned, not sick, but eac'i man had lost
10 by'tlTo operation. When no cimpduy vith
which I J7as ajsociatod wa3 about voting for a loca-
tion at the mines, the most extravagant reports were
in circulation inrefeience to Trinity Rivor, about 200
miles froitrlhisplace. Sersacoafagiig wareThesn re-
ports, tln.ishls-coinpaay were on tho eve of starting for
this stream. From ihat lime until tho counter report
of a returning party reached here, Eothincoald equal
tho rush to Trinity R:ver. Now, whole parties are
returning and bring the intelligence that they got out
of the gold d.strict, that thousands had gone to ihe
river, that sickness had mads its appcarsucc, that
provisions.) ad already began to fail, and that unlimit-
ed suffering nrast be maltsed before they could return.
I hv been boarding with six gcu'lemrn who havo
been engaged in digging on the Southern streams for
several months Tliov have avenured about 5 a
piece par day. 1 -havejust parted with a party of six j
gentlemen who have been digging lor two monllis on
the Middle Fork; they are all well. Four have made
a little over 1000 a pirce, and two havo made $2500.
The- two went into a draining operation. A company
of 25 was funnidfor draining the river. They work-
ed fir "several weeks and then commenced their dig-
ging. They dug for several days and found no gold.
The parties became excessively discouraged, and
shares could be bought for 80. Five shares were
offered for sale. They continued their digging and
finally give it up, determining to go over the ground
ou a prospecting expedition, and if unsuccessful to
abandon the whole concrru. At last one man struck
ahead, 'and in a few days, m a tpacr of about 12 feet,
thoy helped themselves to -i,5l'Q apiece. Nothing
wore could do foaud. One gentleman, a clerk from
N.Y. (City, Mr. Marvin.) has just ret umeJ from tho
Middle Fork, with nearly 51 000,thc result of a ft-w
week's kibor. I came down from the mines with two i
men who had been digging for thrco mouths; one had
several thousands, 4hoo:hT 1500. Two men have i
just returned from the old Dry Diggings, where they
averaged an ounce a cay until they were both taken
sick, and they are now Jying here, with little pro-peel
of beinrable 4o do auylhiug mere atmin.ng fornix
months to come. beveraJ dayi ago 1 was called to .
visit a sick man, I viug two miles from here, on the i
American River; I found a. most, intellectual-looking
old geOtiomau, wnomtuey called ooi. watKins. tic
had come across tho . mountains and was prostrated
with a low form of fe?er and nervocs' excitability. I
proposed-to him teg3 to Ike hospital, get a .room in the
city, or come and occupy the back part of my office;
he immediately chese coining to my rooms. He is
now recovering;- bat is very weak aud emaciated.
The second night he spent with' mo he waked me up
in his deliriums, iu which ho dehvorcd himself of a
most ma2Uificeutpeech inrefcrence to the best meth-
od of developing thotrus recourses of California. The
nextdiy I asked hira if lioJiad uot been a politician I
ia the Stales? Ho showed me a letter of recommend i-
tion to several gentlemen of high standing here, which
described him to be a man ef distinguished ability and
integrity, who had for 20 odd yeare reprc.enltd a
County in Verginia, received a. great many offices of
trust ind honor, and was now a candidate lor some of
xhestrcalatora ofQCalifcraic. Iccmuot bo.ist of. the
cdjnferls which he I3U0W enjojftg, biI &m satisfied
that anything less then he is rlafehkig would "have
pealed his fate ia a bhort time. A few days birico a
man was found dead among a lot of rubbish in the
licart'of the city. He had aprarenlly been dead for
.severs! days; ajjnstol wes found lying by his side, and
a bullet hadpaescd through his hoad just forward of
the ear; supposed .suicide name unknown. An Ore-
gon gentleman told me to-day that this 'country did
jiot beg'n-to ofFar the chances for wciltli at present
thatOregm did. Agriculture wa-eHtrely neglected,
and lie was going to return agaiu in time to put iu a
fall crop next pnng. The greatest imaginable diffi-
culties, suffering and toil have been realised by per-
sons cbm'ngthe overland-route. .From theaccountof
an old physician from Browusvjllo, Pa., tho road Tn
many places was a common and continued grave-yard
The road was strewn with the fiue-i provisions that
could be obtained, which were thrown away to lighten
and facilitate the.passage of the emigrants. A gentle-
man who packed through and arrived here a couple
of weeks since, said ihat he found at one point of the
road, a woman with two children, feeding themselves
upon the bark of a tree. They were not able to move
on. The woman's husband had died at -hit place,
and she was not able to get any farther, and thus the.r
provisions had been exhausted for some days.
Tho geulleman was inescribably pained at not
having an atom of provisions with him. He was also
without food, but was harrying on to a point at which
he expected to purchase. While suffering from hit.
inability to assist the misrcable group befroe him, a
wagon camo up which supplied them all with nourish-
ment and took the women and children along with
them. A physician in San Francisco -who came across
told me ihat man became entirely transformed and
that he had been damned and thrct-ned with th-j se -verest
treatment on account of having recommended
tho delay of the wagons for a few hours to relieve tho
very sick onesTho were almost dying with fatigue.
I saw an oldgoufleman driving an ox team into the
e" ty the other day, and 5 thought from the man'd ac-
tions, that he roust be either crazy or under a grcal
preeEUie of exhilaration. I asked him if he came
across the plains. "Oh, yes, yes; I've got here I've
got here, and I wish I could express my gratitude, mj
delight." Ho would have said more, but his chest
began to heave aud the tears began ruuning down bin
dusty face, whilst with perfect intox'.catiou he ran
fromono yoke of the poor oreulo another, applying
the whip as though he were not Bafely out of the dif-
ficulties until he had reached the very spot where his
wagon watf to stop. Two weokB ago as 1 was walk
ing down to tho vessel on which I got my mealr, I
saw a group of men tlanding by a tree near the hank
of the river, and upo j going up Jo see what attracted
them, I saw two womeu and a boy lying on tht
ground, where they hal been for two das iu the fol-
lowing circumstances. One was afflicted with what
is called here camp Fever, and could not walk with-
out staggering. Sho looked as if the could nevor re-
cover her health- She had lost her husband iu the
mines. Their means were almost exhausted, aud
theyworef trying to geLho;ne to Oregon, whew they
belonged. T h'e sisterlo tuafomaaSvas the'onry one
who moved about to do anythlug. and she was suffer-
ing from the saverest form of Intermittent Fever.
The boy, their brother, had the scurvy so badly that I
am confident he is dead before this. They were tak-
en into Mr. Branuen's now store on Front street and
taken care of until tho next day, wheu they would go
down the river to San Francisco, thence to get a con-
veyance to their homes. I could not but lamout the
untruthfulness of an account of tho death, or rather of
the burial of a distinguished man in this city a few
dayn ago. It stated that his remains were followed to
the grave by a large number or his friends. The man
who was employed to bury him told me that ho felt
like going home after seeing such a man's funeral at-
tended but by threo porsous, himself included, and
those three were the partj who dug tho grave and bu-
ried him. But a man onght never to come to Califor-
nia to be comfortably sick or decently buried. Mer-
chants are quitting this country because there is so
much competition now that a man cannot make more
than 100 and 200 per cent. Provisions and board re-
main nearly ihe same now as wheu I first came here
$21 per week without lodging is the charge for
bjard, 25 cents per lb. for beef, 72$ cents per lb. for
potatoes, 12$ cents a-piccefor pears, 1 perquartfor
milk; asixponuy loif of bread iu New York, is 50
ceuls here; an ordinary sized pio 1; lodging, on the
floor, from $1 to 2. Rent for common sized stores
on Frontstreet, 1,000 per month. Interest on mon-
ey, 10 jor cent: jut month, when let out 25 per cent,
wheu judiciously used in speculation. Per coutage
on drafts c)om 1$ lo2 percent.
Th-; steamer McKitn i daily expected to commence
running between this and San Francisco. The scow
ftrime- ran into a bn ig day belcro yesterday, and
leaked so fast that they wore obliged to run into the
sh')re '.vhcro tho water was shallov. She was not
much injured, aud to-day commenced her regular
trips to Br-nicia. Lat evening the Mint steamboat
brought up a letter to 31 r. Benign, v. ho has just hired
Mes6rs. Pnostjlye & Co.'s ston, coiiv-.yhi tho in-
telligence oT his partner's deth. Mr. B. H. Pollock,
Jits partner, had gone down to Sau Francisco to pur-
chase) goods and fixtures for the store. On the night
of his lauding there ho got into the company of three
or four of his acquaintances, and alter spending ihe
evening with them, they were returning to their
homes enjoying themselves in lond talking and laugh-
iug, when they wore hailed by a pohco officer, who
attempted to arrest lliem for riotous conduct. They
resisted his authority, a struggle ensued, and the po-
liceman drew a pistol and shot Mr. Pollock. It does
not give tho location of wound, but slates that he died
in 30 hour. His father is at prcseut a jeweller and
watchmaker in Philadelphia. Mr. Bennett told mo
hewasayouug man of unexceptionable qualities aud
universally beloved by all who knew him. He was
recently from Galvctou.
The general order, peace and quietness that pre-
vails iu all parts of California which I have visitid
is marveilouly excellent. The causes are too obvi-
ous to need expression. The fear of incurring the dis-
approbat:on of men who deal iu summary justice, and
the eq'ializatiou of wealthy resources, are probably
among the most promiuent. Thero are in process of
erection aud operation 9 saw miiis to my knowledge,
ypt I am coufid-ut the lumber will not bo reduced to
150 a thousand for tho next twelve mouths, so groat
is the demand "and the quantity needed. There is
considerable effort being made here to get the names
of T. Butler King, Mr. Hc.m.y and Ge.v. Mokse
Lefore the people as candidates for Senator aud Con.
gressmen. If I were to judge from what I hear, I
shou'd not infer that .Mr. King was a very popular
candidate for the Senate in this drstrict. In respect
to the others a Congressmen. I do not hear a great
deal said. M 'sms. Henlv aud Morse are unbendiug
Democrat". 1 am under the impression that Demo-
crats at presntrannoi bo elected in this country to
any important office 1 may b so unfortunate as to
be isiiatnkcn in mj conjecture, but hope not
Quo word of advice I would offer to pcrsous think-
ing of comiug to this couutry. First, let such persons"
sit down anil gothiough with a searching analysis 0f
their character, aud ifihvy find in the eutire frame-
work of their mia; a sohtar roruer iu which they
havo been iu the habit of entertaiuiug melaucholy,
discouragnirnt, depression of spirits, hotne-stckness
orindolencp, for Heaven's sake induce them, if possi-
ble, to slay at home. In this country they will be
desporately in danger ofbecomiugthe iucubuscs, pau-
pers and suicides.
I may write again before tho mail clcsoe.
Truly yours,
J. F. M.
A romance of the Ocean. The follow-
ing facts relating to a yo.mg American girl,
I think cannot but interest your readers, es-
pecially as they are too well authenticated
to admit ofa doubt of their having taken place,
in the manner to be mentioned.
The American whaie ship Washington,
which arrived here on the 13lh in&t., reports
the whale ship Christopher Mitchell, at Paita
under the. following circumstances: The fI.
had touched at Paila, fbr the puipose of put-
ting abhore letters for home, aud again left
for the cruising ground ; but on ihe second
or third night out, when the watch was call-
ed, one of the crew was discovered to be a
young girl, instead of a fair-haired, boy, which
created no little excitement on board, and
caused the captain to put back again to Pai-
ta, to land his female sailer, to seek some
other more congenial way of earning a liveli-
hood, than using a tar bucket and marlin
spike.
Her story before the American Consul,
was ab 'oilows : She is a native of Roches-
ter, New Yoik, wasseduced, like thousands
of others, from her "home, by a villian who
promised to make her his lawful wife, but
who abandoned her in a. shott time aud ab-
sconded So parts unknown. Returning to her
parental roof, she was met by her parents
with bitter scorn and driven fini her home.
Too proud to ask assistance from strangers,
andiot so far lost to virtue as to think of
subsisting by -the only means which might
now seem left to her, she put on malo attire,
and for two mouths earned her living by
driving a horse on a canal. Tired of this,
she determined to go to sea Srst engaged
as a cabin hoy at 4 per month but was
toid by the shipping master that she could
make more by a whaling voyage, and conse-
quently proceeded to Nantucket to look for a
ship. It was with some difficulty that sho
obtained a berth, her youth and delicate ap-
pearance being much against her. One of
the ship owners, at a place where she applied
(an oldQnaker) atlast became so much pleas-
ed with, as he expressed it, 'lhe good face
of ihe boy," that he persuaded the Captain
of the M. to take her on board. She per
formed her duly laithiullyforthe seven months
previous to her discovery never shi inking
from going a! ,-ft, even in ihe worst weather,
or the darke-t night. She also pulled hor
o.tr twice iu pursuit of wiiales, but the boat
in which she belonged had never been fast
to one of these monsters or pcibaps her cour-
age might have failed her.
She was a geueral favoi ite on board, never
mixing with the crew any more than was
absolutely necessary. Her quiet, inoffensive
behavior had also very -moeh prepossessed
the captain and his officers in her favor.
Whenjsummoned into the captain's piesence,
immediately after the "overy, she made a
full and voluntary -confab,; n, whereupon she
was taken into the cabin, a state-room set a-
part for her use and every attention shown
her that could be extended to a female on
board snip. When landed at PaiL;. the ex-
citement and fatigue had somewhat ovci pow.
ered her. but in oneortwndajs she was quite
well, and much elated with the prospect of
soon leaching home iu a ves-el about to sail.
Only once preioun to net dual discoveiy,
did she rim any risk of bing exposed ; but
on the occasion alluded to, by suddenly work-
ing in a more bungling manner, she escaped
detection. The cause of attention being
drawn to her on the above occasion, was the
quickness with v.hiuh she plied her needle
being more'-tfian a match for the other sai-
lors, in that respect. The fact of her being
on board and doing her duty well, -cannot be
doubted.
Her name is Miss Ann Johnson, and her
age 19yeais. Polynesian of Aug. 25.
California. The boundaries of the new
Ten itory of California are thus described :
"Beginning at the intersection of the 42d de
j gree of North latitude with the shore of the
1 Pacific Ocean ; thence due East with the said
parallel of latitude to the 116th degree of
j West longitude ; thence bouth with the said
degree of longitude until it strikes the boun-
dary line established b.etween the United
States and Mexico, by the treaty concluded
at Gaudalupe Hidalgo the 2d of Februaiy,
1848 : thence by and with the said bounda-
ry line, to the shore of the Pacific Ocean ;
thence Northerly by and with the said shore
to the place of beginning, extending one ma-
rine league into the sea from the Southern
to the Northern boundary aforesaid, and in-
cluding ail bays, harbors and islands, adjacent
to the said shore."
Deseret begins, :,at the point on the 42d
degree of North latitude, or the nolhern boun-
dary of California,.where it is intersected by
the 116th degree of West longitude; thence
due East with the said nothern boundary of
California until it shall stiike the Northern
point of the Eastern boundary of California,
as it hat, heretofoio existed; thence South,
by and with the said Eastern boundary line,
until it shall arrive at the Northern point of
the Western boundary line of Now Mexico ;
thence, Southwardly, by and with the said
Western boundary line of New Mexico un-
til it shall strike the boundary line established
between the United States and Mexico, by
the tleaty concluded at Gaudalupe Hidalgo,
the 2d day of Februaiy, 1848 ; thence, West-
wardly, by and with the said last mentioned
boundary lino to its intersection by the HGlh
degree of West longitude ; thenco North, by
and with the said degree of West longitude,
to the point of beginning."
New Mexico. '-Ail that part of the Terri-
tory of the United Stales, acqtiiird by the
treaty of peace," not included within the
boundaries of Texas.
Jacinto. "Beginning at the mouth of the-
Brazos -river, and in the middle theieof, and
tunning by and with the middle theieof to
the point of intci section of the Noithem boun-
dary line of the State of Texas, as laid down
in the act of the Republic of Texas, entitled
"An act to define the boundaiies of the Re
public of Texas,"'' pased in the year 18oG ; j
thence, by and with said boundary lo the
point of its intersection with the Western
boundary of the Stale of Arkansas ; thence
South by and with the said Western boun-
dary to the Northern point of the Western
boundary of .Louisiana, to tho- mouth of the
Sab'ne river ; thence by and with the shore
of the Gulf of Mexico to the point of begin-
ning at tlie'middie of the mouth of the Brnzes
river, including any islands adjacent and op-
posite lo that part of the coast belonging to
this State."
FROM SANTA FE.
Mr. Aubeiy who is celebiated for his
quick trips between Independence and San-
fa Fe, arrived here from the latter place on
the 12th inst.. he left Santa Fe on the 1st of
December. He had wi h him 20 laige wag-
ons and 230 mules, out of this large number
of animals he lost only four he found good
living grass throughout the route, and he sas
his animals are in belter strength and condi-
tion now, than when he started.
Ue left his teams near the Leon, with
dirertiuns that they should come on leisuiely
had they continued' their usual speed in
traveling, tho whole distance from Santa Fe
to this place would have been made by the
train in 4" days.
Mr. Aubery is of the opinion that this is
the legitimate route for the Santa Fe- mail,
and that New .Mexico can be supplied with
goods cheaper from, this way, than from St.
Louis and independence. He confiims (he
estimates of Mr. Coon, in relation lo the a-
moimt of the Chihuahua tiadc, and his opin-
ion that it will hereafier lake ihis loute.
The danger from the Indians on the Tex-
as route is much less iheir pailies seidom
numbering over twenty, while on the Mis-
souri route-they are met in bands of several
hundred.
Persons recently returned to Socorro 175
miles above El Paso from California having
made the whole trip on the same animal in
fiom 29 to 30 da;,s, speak of the route North
of the Gila as a good one for wagons, and
presentin'r no difficulties of moment. From
i information gathered by Mr. Aubery fiom
various persons familiar' with that section
of country, he thinks a very favorable route
, fbr a railroad will be found entiioly through
the territory of ihe United Slates noiih of
the Gila. The face of the country, the mild-
ness of the climate, the advantages for the
, use of Government, ofa route l tinning along
.ho Southern frontier of the Union, all indi-
' cate the Bays of Matagorda and San Diego
as the terminations of the great Railway to
v connect the waters of the Atlantic and Pa-
cific.
Mr. Aubery rn ikes mention aL-), nf per-
sons who have visited the Gila, and who
gave accounts of its riches in gold. He
says the depredations of the Lidiatis in New
YJcxico continue without abatement. He mfi
Mr. Brush ihe express rider, going out with
despatches for El Paso, 20 miles ihe other
side of tho Pecos, getting on well. He found
Capt. John's train about 175 miles this side
El Paso, pi ogressing slowly but safely and
su i eiy. Western Tesian.
We copy tho following singular paragraph
from the New Orleans Delta of ihe 15th inst:
THE PARKMAN MURDER.
The following letter was received by us yes-
terday, through the Post Office :
Near Washington, Texas, Deo. 28, 1849.
Dear Sir It is with difficulty that I can got
paper to rite you ; but I am induced to do so for
I the safety of JJr. Welder. He is not guilty of
the crime. 1 myselt porpetrateu tho Deed, that
he is charged with,
And 1 am off for Californiar.
Your-, ORONOKA.
the 23 of November was
a bad day for me.
This letter camo directed to tho Editor of the
Delta, New Urban, and is stamped with the
Postoffice mark of Washington, Texas. It is not
post-paid, as is tho case with nearly all our let-
ters. Our first impression, after persuing this
letter, was, that it was an idle and highly im-
propu hoax of some witless young man ; we
therefore threw it aside, determined to take no
notice of it: but on a second thought, and on
remembering how important a bearing the
slightest incident may sometimes have in an
investigation into a charge of murder, we deem-
ed it proper to publish the letter in our paper,
and to retain the original in scfc keeping. "
Though our fust impression, that it was in-
tended as a hoax, is decidedly the slouge&t, there
are certain circumstances which render it by no
means impossible or improbable that tho letter
may constitute an important link in the inquiry
into this mysterious affair.
The letter is written by an illiterate man, on
coarse paper, and is folded in an awkward man-
ner. It came by the mail from Texas. The
23d November referred to in the postscript, as
a "bad day" for the writer, is fhc day upon
which Dr-'Parkman's murder is declared by the
Coroner's Jury to have occurred. Washington
is a very remote town of Texas.
We remember seeing, in some of the Boston
papers that members of Dr. Parkman's family
had received anonymous letters, coarsely writ-
ten, stating that the writer had murdered Dr.
Parkman, and gone off to Texas in a schooner.
We submit these considerations, without des-
iring to give the letter more importance than
it is entitled to. We can scarcely conceive
that any sane man would perpetrate so sense-
less a joke on so serious a subject. There
weald ho no fan or humor in it. It could not
deceive or impose upon anybody. Nor can we
believe that any friend of Dr. Webster could be
,so absurd as to hope to help his case by such
resorts as this. Besides, the letter wants tho
prcciseness and coherence which die perpetra-
tor ofa hoax would employ, as well as the per-
sons writing, to divert public suspicion from
Dr. Webster.
Mr. Editoii :
By resolution, I am requested to
furnish a list of the members of -Houston Di-
vision, No. 4G, Sons of Temperance," to you for
publication :
OFFICERS:
E. A. Palmer, W. P.
J. E. Lillie, W. A.
J. N. Reed, R. S.
W.J.Darden, A. R. S.
George Fisher, F. S.
A. J. Burke, T.
J.W.Phillips, C.
Wm. Wood, A. C.
J. L. Bryan, I. S.
L. H. W. Johiibon, O. S.
Rev. R. C. Burleson. Chaplain.
MEMBERS :
C, Richardson, -
S. Gim fills,
C. Wase,
S. Richardson,
A. C. Daws,
W. Gilmore,
H. H. Cone.
S. S. Munger,
L. J. T. Yates,
Sam. Barron.
L. Patillo,
H. H. Allen,
T. M. Bagby.
J. W. Shepherd,
T. II. Brcese,
C. C. Spears,
John Shea,
M. Williamson,
P. B. George,
J. B Williams,
J. L. Barrett,
M. P. Sharp,
C. Goldberg,
J.Ji Churchill.
T. V. Mortimer,
H. Tracy,
B. liichey,
H. B. McLeastcr,
L. Amman n,
J. E. Duke,
R. C. lngrahain,
J. B. Carter,
B. Odium,
G. W. Collins,
G. W. Perkins,
S. Paschal,
W. L. Barton.
W. N.Lyon,
Wm. Taylor,
H. Jarboe,
R. Locke,
H. Levenhagen,
Chas. Bowman,
Jno. Swiekart,
Stephen Houso,
Joseph Urban,
J. P. Warnock,
Jno. Urban
H. W. Caffey,
J. E. Burrell,
W. T. Morris,
W. N. Wilson,
M. P; Mize,
Jno. Sellers,
F. Usner,
N. N. G. A. Mize,
Jas. Franken.
Chas. O. Nice,
Jno. Magnus,
Thos. F. Graus,
W. B. Adams,
H. J. Brc3se,
O. J. Cockran,,
II. HoR'4e,
Chas. H. Graves, '
A- J. Turnlay,
Mortimer Srong.
C. Priester.
C. Piossiner,
W. G. Robinson,
Thos. J. Haile,
W. Janouor,
E. W. Taylor,
Jas. Burke,
A. J. Me'Jown,
F. J. Cook.
S. D. Hay.
G. S. HarJcastle,
Jas. Baily.
S. K. Mclbenny,
J. C. Harrison,
C. A. Turley,
W. H. Eliot,
W. E. Henry,
S. Mandlebaum,
C. MAnelly
M. K. Snell,
Win. Ferguson,
T. B. J. Iiadley,
G. W. lirodvick,
W. C. Tracy.
E. B. Noble,
C. D. Hathaway,
Wm. Clark,
Allan Charles Gray.
E. H. Stansbary.
J. W. Henderson,
Burwcll T. McGown,
G. W. Capron,
II. E. Perkins,
Levi Butler,
A. S. Richardson,
"S. F. Noble,
Lloyd Quinby,
O. P. Jewett,
W. R. Martin,
M. G. Wilson,
B. C. Seott
Geo. Huxtable.
L. B. S. Swinney,
Thos. Harrison,
John Neill,
Karl Kahn,
R. Hooker.
J. H. Sterritt,
W. G. Denny,
Jas. Montgomery,
Jno. Howe,
J. W. Miller,
M. DeChaumes, '
H. M. DeChaumes,
August Bearing,
S. houbcn.
F. Burehardt,
J. R.. Morris,
C. H Sterns,
W. H. King,
W. L. Stansbury,
G. Hailc.
W H. Baker,
F. W Calloway,
W. C. Howell,
J. BroJic.
A. W. Bidgaway,
J. M. Hooker,
J. P. Bowls,
A. McGowen,
G. S. Dunn,
J. Me Dow,
W. Purvis.
J. B. Hogan,
A. S.Wood,
Jno. McLaughlin,
J. N. REED, it. S.
Houston, Jany 22, 1850.
From the Texas Wesleyan Banner.
SAN ANTONIO.
Wc visited this ancient city for the first
time, in December last, in company with Mrs.
Richardson, Mrs. Millett, of New Braiyifels,
Reva. J. W. Phillips, B. L. Peel, Jam.cs M.
Follansbee, and James E. Ferguisog.. We
found sumptuous, elegant and cordial enter-
tainment at the Navarro House, successfully
conducted by Mrs. S. Turner.
Under her enterprising and skiflfnl man-
agement, this house is unquestionably the
mostattractive of any public li(rue in the
city.
The accommodations arc ample and the ta-
ble elegantly and abundantly furnished, and
though it extended the whole length of a spa-
cious dining saloon, it was uniformly crowd-
ed with boarders and strangers. Among the
boarders were several officers of the U. S.
Army, and tho Reverend Mr. Fish, Chaplain
to the U. S. Army, with whom we formed a
very pleasant acquaintance, and of whom wc
heard much which elevates him in our es-
teem. Learning that the Division of tho Sons of
Temperance met on the night of our arrival,
several of us attended, and were very much
pleased with the membeis of the Division,
among whom wc found many old friends.
At this period the Division numbered about
fifty members, who seemed resolved -on win-
ning as many as possible from the paths of
the destroyer to their safe refuge. An ar-
rangement was made for a demonstration at
the church on tho following night, on which
occasion Rov. J, W. Phillips delivered an
amusing and effective address, with which the
audience seemed delighted.
We learn with pleasure thata large num-
ber of gentlemen have joined the Division
since that inteiesting occasion.
On Saturday morning, with our company,
we visited the mission of San Jose, some five
miles below the city, on the west side of the
river. This mission in the day of its glory,
must have been a very strong fortress. The
entire structure is of stone and cement. The
main building presents an imposing appear
ance, notwithstanding its dilapidated, condi
tion. The entrance is by a double door,
some sixteen feet high, and ten wide, made of
very thick plank. The whole front was or-
namented with numerous statues and carved
images.
Though several of these. statues and ima-
ges aregreatly mutilated, we gazed upon them
with thiillmg interest, associating them with
the religious instinctions intended to be iin-
parted in this mission, aud with the influence
they have. exerted upon the thousands, who
probably have resorted to it to learn the way
to heaven.
We were strongly impressed with the fact
that Romanism is emphatically a religion of
statues, images and pictures, and of outward
rites and ceremonies, and that among the mul-
tiplicity of their objects of adoration, the
great source of being and of truth receives
but a small share of their adoration. The
virgin Mary, the Apostles, and a multitude
of saints, are adopted as mediators to the
exclusion of the one mediator between God
and men, Christ Jesus.
The names, of the statues on the front -of
this mission are as follows : of the upper
three, San Francisco is on the right, Sau Do-
mingo on the left, and San Jose (after whom
the mission is named) in the centre. Of the
lower three, Santa Anna is on tho right, San
Joaquin on the left, and Nucstra Senora
Guadalupe in the centre. The last name in
English is, Our Lady Guadalupe a Mexican
name for the Virgin Mary. The interior of
the main building contains a spacious hall,
I quite long and high, but rather narrow, and
several small rooms for the use of the Priests
for wardrobes and other purposes. Whatev-
er may have been the decorations of the inte"
rior, they have disappeared. Where once the
gaudy and pompous rites of Romanism were
performed to attract and captivate the rude
and ignorant Indians of the prairie, silence and
desolation now reign.
By a rude and very narrow flight of steps
we ascended to the roof of the building, which
is constructed of solid masonry, and furnished
with a parapet three feet high, rendering it-a
strong foi tification, and a secure retreat from
an enemy in the event that the enemy should
scale the wall enclosing the entire premises,
or force the gates by stratcgem, or by superi-
or numbers. All the early Roman missions
on tha American continent were constructed
for castles of defence, as well as for sanctua-
ries of religious instruction. The old mission
in Montreal, Canada, was constructed like a
castle, surrounded with a high wall of solid
masonry, having port holes. We visited this
mission some ten or eleven years ago, in com-
pany with a Roman priest and were much in-
terested in viewing the ancient structure, the
first building erected on the Island of Mon-
treal, which constituted for years the nucleus
ajad the stronghold of Romanism. It is now
kept in repair as a memorial of other times,
and as a beautiful and romantic summer re
treat for the Roman Priests of the city and
surrounding country. Between this mission
and that of San Jose there are many striking
resemblances.
The belfry of San Jose, in clear weather,
commands an extensive and romantic pros-
I pect. But to us the grandeur an,& beauty of
the prospect were veiled by a dense fog.
Several Mexican, families. wereJiviag with-
in the mission; eaclosujre, among whom the
small pox was prevailing. As some of our
company were obnoxious to that loathsome
disease, we deemed it imprudent to tarry
long iu the infected a.trnpsphere, and. conse-
quently our examination of the ruins of San
Jose was brief and limited. We could have
lingered there extending our examination for
many hours with unabated interest, for those
ruins were the food of thought, awakening va-
rious trains of rcfleotion. What was the pop-
ulation of the v,ast plains of the Sao Antonio,
requiring tho establishment of fiye missions
upon a grand scale, and within sighfr of each,
other; namely: the Alamo, San Juac, Espa-
da, Conception and San Jose.? What was
' the charaoier end extent of the instructions
imparted, aft these, missions ? How' many of
i the swarming papulation, around, them, were
essentially, benefitted by. thpse instructions?
U pon what did that vast population, subsist?
What was their state of civil ization, and whi
ther havo they gone? Thero is npw no ora-
j cle in either of these-missions to respond to
these interesting questions. These vaet, these
magnificent ruins constitute the only authen-
tic history of these ancient missions, and of
the people for whose benefit they were estab-
lished. They furnish a striking and instruc-
tive emblematic outlinp of tho much desired,
history, which can bo completed or filled up
only by the imagination of the iugenious in-
quirer. Whether these vast ruins are mon-
uments of magnificent designs of wprldly aggrandisement-,
or of misguided religious su-
perstition, is a problem for the reader to
solve. They arc mournful, imposing relics of
a generation long since swept away by an
oblivious wave, whose dust now mingles with
that of the sutrounding plain.
We.retumed to the city with a fine relish
for the sumptuous dinner which was in readi-
ness on our arrival. Soon after dinner we
commenced our exploratfons-of the old Mcxi-
can'city, which is nowbut tKe remnant of its
former greatness, the fragment of its ancients -graadeur.
Providence permitting .we tfTilljfc.V"
furnish our readers with the result of our ex-,
plorations in our next issue. m
From the Texas Wesleyan Banner. ? rr
THE MODERN JEWISH ORACLEr 7i "
EXAMINED.
Every age furnishes men whose opinions
exert a controlling influence over the public
mind, and form the mould of the public char-
acter. Of course it is of the first importance
that the opiuions of such men should be sound,
tending to the purity and best interests of so
ciety, otherwise their consequences will bo
fearfully mischievous.
The present age has furnished several dis-
tinguished men, whose opinions are entitled
to respect and high consideration. Bnt some
men have, somehow, worked their way into
public notice, as men of great wisdom, and
superior intelligence, who are really not Jialf as
wise or as intelligent as they -are generally ac-
credited to be. This is our opinion of Major
Noah, the modern Jewish oracle, whose opin-
ions relative to Jewish theology or Biblical
criticism, attract general notice, and command
general confidence. , He is appealed to from
all parts of the Union, for his opinions upon
divers passages of Scripture, and upon some
of the doctrines of the Bible, as, also, -upon
various other subjects, as though he were aif
infalible oracle, and that his opinion would bo
the end of all controversy.
With Major Noah we have no personal ac-
quaintance, and know him only- by" character.
We have read several articles from his pen,
and we cpndidly confess that we have very lit-
tle confidence in the correctness of his opin-
ions pertaining to theology, BiblicaT criti- '4
cism, or Jewish antiquities. We have just
about as much confidence iu hisfitness to con-
trol public sentiment upon the subjects refer-
red to, as Christ represented the Jewish dostors
to be worthy of, who flourished during the-period
of his ministry on earth, and who wore
pronounced by him to be blind guides, reject-
ing the counsel of God against themselves.
Though many Gordian knots have been re-
ferred to Major Noah to. untie, in our ppm?
ion, he has untied but few of them-; but like
Alexander, he has cut them, and then claim-
ed the credit of untieing them. The follow-
ing effort of his at untieing one of these
knots, furnishes a fair sample of hiscapablli-
ties for the task :
The Serpent. A correspondent enquires.
of Major Noah " Is there any authentic ie-
scriptiou of the serpent that tempted Eve in
Paradiso to cat the forbiddin fruit ?" To
which he replies ia the N. Y. Sunday Times
Nothing beyond what painting has given us
of the representation of the serpent. We
have abundant conjectures of ancient and mo-,
dern philosophers, but only conjectures, and
of little value. The impression is that the,
serpent had thegiower of .changing its appear-
ance, Qdisplezuon, and character. DeLyra
indulges in the idle conceit that it assumed
the face of a fair virgin ; Eugubipos thinks
that the serpent was a basilisk , JDelrio a vi-
per ; Petrus Come3tor contended that the
serpent walkia upright like a man ; and Dr.
Adam Clarke considered the serpent to have
been a creature of the ape or oarang kind.
Our impressioa is, thai there was no outward
visible form present when- the forbidden fruit
vras eaten. The serpent which tempted Eve
to do wiong is the same serpent which tempts c
us all at this time to do what is "npt right
that it was -the inward suggestion of a. rebelr-
lious spirit which leads us all into tempta-
tion, and that the passage in the Bible is to be
interpreted figuratively, aad not KteraRy.
The serpent was enrsed as we curse the evil
spirit withhi, us when, we begin to feci its ef-
fects, and" it is this evil spirit which puts en-
mity between each other.
Thfe vastly learned opinion, of Major Noah-,
is going the rounds of the American political
press, as though it settled, beyond all con-
troversy, the reaf character of the primitive
serpect. And who dare controvert it ? the
oracle hasuttered. it ! Who, then, shaji calt
it in question ? But whether tittered, by ora-
cle or oiherwiso-, we shall take the liberty- to
dissent from it, and to enter our solemn pro-
test against it.
Look at it : " That passage in, the Bible is
to be interpreted: figuratively, and npb literal-'
fy." The third chapter of Genesis.is the pas-
sage referred, to, as- that describes the serpent,
the temptation, and its. results. Of oourse,.
the whole chapter is to be understood- figura-
tively : The first, verse reads thus ;.
li Now the serpent was more subtile thar
any beast of the field whioh the Lord. Godlhadi
made ; and: he said uuio the woman, Yea,
hath God" said, ye shall not eat of every, tree
of the garden ?:' The serpent is. here com-
pared! with the beasts of the field ; if, then,,
the serpent were a. figurative existence, so-
were all the beasts of the field-figurative- ex-
istences only; and, even, the field: had- only. a.
figurative existence. Eve, likewise, did-.nptr
existvreally, but only figuratively.
Admitting Major Nbah;3. interpretation! of
this passage to be correct, it must be equally
true of the preceding chapters, then the earth,
air, water, sun, moon, and stars, the garden, of
Eden, Adam, Eye, the beasts of the field', the
fowls of the 3ir and the fish, of the sea, were-
all figurative existences ; consequently, Gadf
was employed six. days in. making figures- of: .
speech, consequently, Majpr Noah being, u-.
descendantof thefiguratiso Adam andi Eve,
is nothing more than a figure of speech him-
self. Snch are some of the legitimate conse-.
quences flowing from his oraculous opiniom
of the serpent that tempted Eve. He says
"the serpent was the inward suggestion- of as,
rebellious spirit." Bpt is it not declared: im '
-
4
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 5, Ed. 1, Thursday, January 31, 1850, newspaper, January 31, 1850; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48575/m1/2/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.