energy-ad he remarked tts me that il was nol neces
sary lor me to obtain a furlougb from my captain that
1 could accompany bim and return vvben be did. Capt.
Owens, to whose company I belong, gave me leave to
come with the Colonel to the valley. After the death
of Col. Gilliam I thought it my duty to continuo on
with his remains, which I did, and attended his funer
al. During my stay in the valley I have used my best
exertions to procure ammunition, and to stimulate my
friends (o a zealous prosecution or the war and have
always intended, and so expressed myself, to return
to the army.
This man Maxon knew well that I was coming to
the valley publicly expressed himself anxious for mo
to come home and said, I slould have provisions if he
paid money out of his own pocket to obtain it.
I go to the army with the first recruits, and shall there
remain in discharge of my duty to ny country and
that too, in obedience to the commands of my superior
Vrfticcm. It never shall be said of me, as il is of Max
on, that everything he could do, without open mutiny,
he did do, to harrass., vex, oppress, and injure, Col.
Gilliam. JESSE GAGE.
Oregoa Gity, April 17, '48.
OREGON FEE E PRESS.
Geo. L. Curry, Edilor and Proprietor.
OREGON CITY, SATURDAY APRIL 22, 1848.
LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
fly the arrival of the U. B. Co.'s Bark Vancouver,
we have news, by way of the Islands, from Washing
ton to the 8lh of January last. The President's mes
sage had been delivered to Congress. " It recemmends
n prosecution of the war, and discusses the general
topies," says the Polynesian. The Whig party have
the majority in Congress, and seem indisposed to grant
supplies for the prosecution of the war. Roiiert C.
"Winthrop, of Massachusetts, had been elected Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Trist had negotiated a treaty of peace with the
parly in power in Mexico, and proceeded with it to
Washington. Nothing respecting the terms had trans
pired, further than that the parallel of 32, north lati
tude, is the baundary-the American government to
keep an adequate force in the country to maintain the
varty negotiating the treaty. Three of the southern
provinces, opposed to the treaty, have declared against
the existing government and in favor of Santa Ana as
Dictator.
Santa Ana had retired to private life and remained
invisible. His present whereabouts is unknown.
Gcn'l Scott was soon to advance upon San Luis Polo
si, the capital of one of the provinces which have de
clared in favor of Santa Ana. No battle had been
fought since the capture of the capital.
The contract for carrying the U. S. mail to Califor
nia and Oregon, via. Panama, js concluded.
Gen. Scott had ordered the unconditional release of
Salas, forpatrlolism at the battle of Chapultt pec. Gen.
Taylor has declared himself a Whig. It is a mailer
of uHcertainty who will be tjie next Democratic candi
date for the Presidency.
The Mormons are said to bo in a flourishing condi
tion In their new location on the fine lands of the Pot
awatomic purchase, a"bove Couneil Bluffs, Missouri.
Thoy'havc planted immense fields of corn to the ex
tent, it la estimated, of 30,000 acres and other grain
and produce. They have built, also a town called
" VVinlcr-quarters," -which already contains a popula
tion of some seven thousand souls. This town is cn-
tirely picketed in. A letter dated Lilllc Mematiau,
Sept. 1G, states that the Oregon Batlallion left Fort Lea
venworth on the S8lh of August, and on the 3d of Sep
tember received orders to proceed to Table creek, build
quarters and winter there. The Batlallion is said to bo
in good health. A war party of the Sioux Indians had
killed 20 or 30 of the Olloes.
R. V. Dunlap has been elected governor of Maine.
Senator Fairfield, or that state, bad died at "Washing
ton. In-Lower California a band of insurgents, headed
by one Penaro, attacked the town of San Jose about tho
loth of January. The garrison at that place containing
but a Tew soldiers, was hemmed in, the provisions
cut off, and the inmates reduced to great extremity.
On the 15 February the Cvane, war sloop, arrived,
and an engage uent took place, which resulted in the
entire route of the rebels with a loss of 30 men. Passed
Midshipman McLanahan was killed.
Cowlitz Coal. The exploration for coal on the
Cowlitz has resulted in the discovery of an article of
very good quality, which improves rapidly as the mi
ners progress with the depth of the "shaft" In which
they are now working. In reference to this subject,
Lieut. Woodworth, of the U. S. Bark Anita, writes
us:
"I have been burning the coal on board of this ves
sel, and already ordered some for the cabin use, for my
stove, in which it burns quite as readily as the Anthra
cite, which we have been using. I am of the firm opin
ion, that the coal which they are now excavating, is
quite good enough for the ordinary purposes to which
it is generally applied stoves, steamboats, etc. But
it contains too much sulphur, or other deleterious in
gredient, for the use of the forge or smelling furnace
but Mr. Kellogg informs me that the present article is
from the "substratum" which is invariably of an'iufe
rior quality, and generally rejected as useless. At all
events, the present indications promise sufficiently well
to authorize the working of the present " bed." As
we shall have a sufficient quantity to lest its quality
thoroughly in California, and should it give Ihe satisfac
tion that I think it will, it will require all the surplus
labor this country can afford, to have ready the quanti
ty that the U. S. steamers will consume in the Pacific
ocean the coming year."
We understand that buildings are to be immediately
erected on the south side of the Columbia, directly op
posite -the Cowlitz, for the reception of the coal and the
general produce of the Cowlitz country to bo ready for
transportation with the utmost despatch, in view of tho
wants of the Government steamers intended to ply
along our Pacific coast. Any enterprise like this, Uiat
has for its object a development of the resources of tho
country-, is most worthy of encouragement, and wo
wish il all success.
The Volunteers. Col. Ler left the encampment op
posite Portland, on Thursday morning last, for the seat
of war, with the forces recently mustered into service,
the ofllcial returns of which we appand.
8th company, rank and file, f3 men. Wm. P.Pugii,
Captain-2. R. Doughty, 1st Lieutenant-M. Rambsby,
2d ditto.
9th company, rank and file, 06 men. J. W. Nksmitii,
Captain J S. Snook, 1st Lieut M. Gilliam, 2d diUo.
10th company, rank and file, 06 men. VVm. P. Mar
tin, Captain E. Bid well, 1st Lieut. H. D. Mabtin,
2d ditto.
Thanks to Capt. Dring, or the Janet, and Dr. Mc
Louuiilin, (or late papers from the Islands. Until our
exchanges am established, such attentions are moot
kind and serviceable.