From The War

The fullowing notice üf Saltillo, now occupied by our army, is from an oflïcer to n friend in BuiiUo : ';Saliillo is nearly as largo as Montercy - issituated on the slopo of a hill that falls from a level plain, extending I don;t know how far in ndvance of us - down into a fertile vol ley? lt has twelve ihou. sand souls. The housos are built of large sun-burnt cakes of clay, whose tenacity is increased by straw, and I believe they are made in tlic same manner that ihe Israel jles observed in Egypt. The streeis are wide, well paved, and lighted by night. The city laws continue in operation, and at every hour of the tiight, the watch snund a shrill whistle, and cry "ere purissima," with a most unearthly screech. - Thero are five churches. The cathedral is a lofty edifice - a mixture of good and bnd taste, with some considerable mngnificence. As ihe people pass it they uncover their heads. lts bells are constanily ringing, and sometimesthe chimes are benul i ful. Enrly every morning there is mass in the chapel, one of.which I attended. All kneel through the service, and at parlicular times they beat their breasts, croating some such a sound as when a partridge is drumming. As to the priesls, our good Caihoüc Fallier, Ray, whom the President sent to the army, .pleaes me more than any man I ever saw."The ricli and elabórate cathedrals of Mexico present to the worehippers r othing but a bare floor, on which they kneel - the rich and poor, the humble nnd proud, elbowing each oiher without any recognition of rank or superiority of worldly privileges. Never before did 1 comprehend what pj-ide and arrogance the softly cushioncd pew fustera in the breast of the owner, till I saw a Catholic congregaiion in one of these rich churches. But in New York this Christian simplicity is departed from, and niany modifications are introduced besides pews, to suit the taste, and win the preference of'tho people." Intelligonce has been reccived nt New Orleans from Tampico to the 25th uit. No Mexican troops had been seen in ■the vicinity for eight days previous to the 25th. There were 1800 Mexicansin Tampico. Good health prevailed arnong them. The Mexican Congress had asseinbled and declared not to treat for peace until every armsd enemy luid left the country. Intelligence had been received from Monterey to the 22d inst. An express had been received by Gen. Taylor from Gen. Worth in which the latter states that Santa Anna was wühin four days march of Saltillo with 15000 men. Gen. Taylor immediately dispatched a reinforcement of two regiments of Kentucky and Tennessee volunteers to General Worth's assislance. Gen. Taylor was to follow ns soon as practicable with his i whole disposable force. After conceni trating wilh General Worth, the whole force under Gen. Taylor would be about 10,000 men, of all arms. i Orders had been despatched to Gen. - Patterson to conntermarch on Monterey, ? so as lo particípate in the battle which was s expected to take place in a few dnys, as - the heads of columns were rapidly nearing - each other.We copy the following extract of a letter from an officer in the Louisville Legión, to a friond in Kentucky. lt conveys a mealancholy picture of the demoralizing eflects af the wnr : "The armistice hangs tediously on al! hands ; - and pity 'lis we are not engaged in actual fighí, for the sake ot the reckless gamesïers, who night and day are throwing away their scnnly pay, in the inhuman recreation ofgambling. The General, I am happy to say has just issued orders to have thewhole gambling matier broken up. Men have enlis'ed, to whom every cent they can possibly get, ought to be esteemed a treasure, nnd y et the instant they receive their pay, alihough conscienco may teil them that their families at home are in want of all their earnings, disregard its promptings, go to the gaming tables, and lose, perhaps their all, at the cast of a die. If you would witness wickcdness and vice, drunkenness, and all the vicious propensities of the human heart - if you would soe the worst pnssions with which our fallen nature iscursed, in their most odious colors, the Americen camp, 1 grieve to sny, is the place where you mny behold them. Full many a bright and promisingyouth, who looked forward to a life of usefulness and honor, mídete his ruin, it is greatly to be feared, to this campnign - the grand school of iniquity and vice. The ingenuous mind I shrinks appalled from the revolting scènes I daily expoáfed to view. Pity, indeed, Ihave frequenily thought it were, thnt n vietoriaus nrmy should be composed of suoh unprinciplcd mnterials. Thevolunteers have indeed won for themselves a name, and whatever doeds may be effected by daring impetuosity, they can do. But the regular officors and soldiers too, say, that they nre tnen who fear noitlior God nor man, and consequently that thcir bravery L not the bravery ofthose who go into battle fully impressed with the solemnity of the scène, weighing all the circumstanoes, alive to the consequences, and resigned withal, whatever may be their fate." Tho Lawrcnce (Tenn.) Academist gives the following extract of a letter irom one of the Lawrence Volunteers, wounded at Monterey. " J will he home shortly ifl do notgo it2to another batlle. But should I gel able to hold up a musket (which is doubiful) I go it again. I took 15 fcir pops at the black rateáis, about 80 yards, before they got me." Another of tho same Volunteers writes : "l had now ra1 her die fighting the villians, than any other death. They have slain my brother, and I will avenge lus death or they shall slay n:e also." How beautiful this spirit chimes n with the principies of Christianity ! Accounts from Monteiey in California, to the 19th September siate that ttio elections ere held in California in regular form, agreeable to the form of government instituled by Commodore Stock, ton. In San Juan, Don Mateo Feron was elected Alcalde. In Monterey,Don YV alter Colton, a parson, and Chaplain of the frigaie Congress, was elected Alcalde, having beatea half a dozen competitoi- Don Millón Liltle was elected to act as his substituto in case of sickness or absence.The firt trial by jury took plnce at r Monterey, in whicli an American and a Mexican appear to have been the parties. t Mi. Colion presided as judge ; the jury f was composed of individunis who, from ( tlieir names, appear to have been half Americans, half Mexican s. The verdict seems to have given general satisfaction. ] A letter from Camargo complains 1 of the bad payment of the troops. It says : : " It is true that they have been 1 ing to pay our men in Treasury notes of ; the size of $500 - a beautiful coin cer taiuly for our men to buy the little ' uries and necessaries of the soldier not supplied by Government. TI. ese notes caunot be used much short of ten per cent, discount. This deducted from the scanty pay of 67 per month leaves but a poor recompense for the many privations which our men have suffered since their departure from their comfortable home ond kind friends." The correspondent of the New Orlenns Delta writes from Monterey, Dec. 1. ;' The war between the Kentuckians and Mexicans - as it is familiarly termed - has created no little excitment, both in town and in the camp. It is thought that not less than forty Mexicans havo been killed within the last fivc duys, iifteen of whom, it is said, were killed in one day, and wiihin the scope of one mile. From this you will see that the boys are detfarmined to bave and to take avenge for the assassination of their comrads." Col. Baker's speech in congress closes wïth the following pa'-agraph - "I believe that peace can be made - if you do justice to the army - within the city of Mexico,and within the next four months, by such exertions as I have pointed out. Jf it bc not made wilhin rour months, the time is fardiatant when that peace shall be made ; and the question is very doubtful indeed, whether it will ever bo made on terms which we now cali I honorable to this country."