The New Hampshire Gazette

Our Relations with Mexico.

We commenced publishing on our outside, the news from the Texan frontier as it came in during the past week, and from the voluminous accounts contained in our exchanges have been induced to devote considerable space to the subject; and have besides given somewhat lengthened reports of the proceedings of Congress in relation to the hostilities which have commenced. But we feel that we are fully justified in so far devoting our paper to a matter of such eminent importance. Since our last, the report that we then gave of a body of Mexicans having crossed the Rio Grande has been fully confirmed. They have not only invaded our territory, but have shot down and captured a body of our soldiers upon our own soil. Accounts differ, it is true, as to whether our soldiers or theirs spilled the first blood. On the one hand it is said that Captain Thornton with his command made the first charge on the enemy in open field; while on the other hand it is stated, that he with 63 dragoons, being on a tour of observation, by order of Gen. Taylor, found himself and men surrounded by a Mexican ambuscade when it was too late to retreat, and that he then, like a gallant officer determined not to be secured without a struggle, charged for the purpose of cutting his way through.—But whichever account be correct, it appears to us plain that a hostile Mexican force had no right to advance on our territory.

We trust that for this act of hostility by which several of our brave men were sacrificed, the enemy have already received severe chastisement. Some of the Southern papers state that Gen. Taylor's army could not fail of being overwhelmed by the Mexicans already upon this side the river, unless he received considerable reinforcement in a very few days, and that Point Isabel, the only place he relies upon for supplies, would be in immediate possession of the enemy. We doubt very much if the old General, small though his army was, would suffer the enemy to play any such game. Point Isabel is only twenty-seven miles distant from his camp, and sooner than let the enemy cut off his supplies in this manner, we believe he would abandon his camp opposite Matamoros altogether if necessary, and secure Point Isabel. His post opposite Matamoros is of no particular consequence, except that it commands that town. But if the Mexican troops have abandoned the town, as reported, and crossed over upon our soil, and if he found himself too weak to maintain that post and Point Isabel also, he had better by all odds abandon the former and secure the latter, which seems by far the most important of the two; he could then receive his supplies and reinforcements without difficulty, and soon become sufficiently strong to advance upon the enemy, and overpower them.

Our citizens in Southern and Western states seem to have been ready and willing to render Gen. Taylor the assistance he has required, and a sufficient force has probably reached him enabling him to pursue effective operations against the invader.

Since writing the above we have received two days later news from the American camp—and the statements lead to the belief that Gen. Taylor's little army was not in much danger of being 'overwhelmed,' but was in a comparatively safe condition. Some reinforcements had gone to his relief from Victoria, in Texas, and others were gathering to his assistance. A letter from Point Isabel under date of 28th ult. states that orders had that night been received to make the defences of that place complete. They have 16 brass six pounders, two long eighteens, and two ships guns for artillery, all of which are manned. They have a force, armed to the teeth, of 450 men. With these it is believed the post can be held against at least 1400 of the enemy. They have plenty of powder and balls, and two years provisions—so there is no danger of being starved out.