The Wabash Courier, Volume 16, Number 35, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 29 April 1848 — Page 1
•3
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O E
FRO* THE Bosro!t tost.
"The following poetry should be treasured as an unparalleled literacy curi«ity it was written by a 'little blind girl—Miss Abbey Webster*, 47 Missou ri street, Ikwtuo—onty te'fl years of age. She was born without hands and wrote It with her mouth, having acquired an extraordinary facility in that mode of recording thought. The meht&, no less than the mechanical 'origin of this poem, is re marknble enough, and as an exhibition of poctical prreocity it surpasses, 1 think, the first born offerings of Pope and Cowley.
TO FPRING.
Now the winttV signs are going. Fast from sttefein ahd sod and tree Warmer airs aVe mildly blowing,
Spring is hefe with face 6f glm Snows are low Und suits are Wlierr her rtofy footsteps fly Wide abroad ilA nArtAe "flinging,
As the angel maid advirfices, Flowers arc Mooming, tnnis are singtftg, In the sunslAue of her glances. Soul of verdure, y»uth and be turfy, (Jenius of the road of Ivsea Who delays W pay thee dtrty.
Who but in thy lap rtpdses Earlier born! Ay blush supernal (Save ti*cir tints to Edcrt's fldwets, Clad the globe with glories Venial,
Pitted scenes for heavenly hAurs, Changeless, (hdugh thatgleibe is chatiging—• Youthful, though our fdrtns grow old. As of -yore, tli* feet corrte ranging.
Bringing beauty to the toould— llalm to breezes, light 16 skies— Life and Freedom to the fountains— To the woodland emerald dyes
MOM and garlands to the mountain*. Order to uncultured lands— Music to returning birds-^ Laltor to the Fanner's hnniis—
Hope to hearts and cheer to ttVirds! Glorious, gentle, genial Spring-, Could weev^r to thee cling. Nevermore arigh for summer
Should a human bosom heaiS He should be a nofa'less comer, Nor a look of love receive. For thy ways are ways of graCe,
Freshness, peace ami purity Paradise adorns thy thee With its sweet simplicity And though summer'* robes Imposing
Ampler seem, and bolder dyed, Thine are evermore disclosing More of peace anil less of pride. Only in thy walks I'd wander,
Other seasons sacrifice— Arid when dust and spirit sunder, l,cave thee only for the skies.
COL*RT OF INQl'IRW
In the case* df Gens. Scott and Pillfnr, ami Col. Duncan. The New Orleans Delta has atoll report from a special correspondent ih the city of Mexico, of the proceedings rf the important Court of Inquiry, Ordered to investigate the charge* aptinst Gen. Pil low and (ien. Scott.
We make the following extracts from the Delta of March 30th N*A*»to?ut. PALACR, Mexico,
March IS, 1B48.
The ^Wfltx Above named, ordered by *i1ie President of the I'nited States, to Inquire into certain alleged charges against
Hfiy. (»en. Pillfw Brevet Lieut. Col "Duncan, preferred'by Maj. Gen. Scott al«o, to inquire Wrtain charge* sgainst Maj. Ger. ^cott, prefcrr^i by Bre vet Maj. Gen. W*th, met thi« morning •«it 10 o'clock. The members of the •court were as fothywg
Brig. Gen. N*^nn Towson, Pre*i^enu Brig. Gen. Ofeb Gushing. \%l. W. G. Belknap. 1'apt. Ridgely, Judge Advocate.
A short time lifter the (•pf'flrttng tC the 'doors, the court decided that no othfcr 'charges than thojfc preferred by Gett^ral
Scott amiinst Geti. Pillow and Brevet Ueut. Col. DuncAh, and the charges preferred against Gen. Scott by Oen. Worth,
Ixc entertained or made the *Mb*
jectofinquiry alxo, that all the pdftics into rested would be ordered to be brifore the court to-morrow morning at 10 oYrtt. t»en. Scott jaiid that he felt most Anxious to reply promptly to the charge,* now ftefore the cmi«, and therefore would pause with grttat regret in the in* uiry. Ife regarded every moment's clay in the matter as being injurious in the extreme. During ih£ investigation •contemplated now before the court, pending such investigation, he was but ft prisoner at large—-a prisoner and an Accused individual in tae Republic of Mexico —nay, in its very capital stricken down from a high command—from a high military position—the highest everoocwD»^i ^»y any individual sine* the day# ol the father of his Country. Deeply. therU* fore, did he feel all thi*. yid much mor« so thai any cause of delay might arts* in thi* inquiry. He pawned iwn for laelt of word* aw want of ideas—they etowd* ed upon Ki«d bat too fast for tttterene^i He felt deeply Vottftded—-he felt himself rudely thrust down from a position» Vvhice he might, without vanity, surely one of somy t«»usidcrable .glory, lie
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VOL. XVI: NO. 35.-
was then thfe principal •criminal before that court. The accuser now stood be fore the accosed, whil6 the accused was acquitted in a&vtmcfc bv-the highest con* sunned military kathorftv of the nation Mr. President, 1 %-ish toVe&p in ordor if the$e remarks fere not so, 1 bow in deference to the ctVurt.
The court th£¥t adjourtfi(*4.
^CONP DJtY—Mfcrc'h 1G, 1848. Thecotfh niet nt 10 o'clock. (Jen. Scdtt rtw#6 and said that he was present for the purpose of hearing any thing that could be said against fcim ro garbing the appeal, which, if he uA'flerstooA correctly, had bee A nluc^l rtpon the Tect»rAs of the court. The OWnernl then rod seed a paper, which, he said, with the cc#nsent of the court, he intended to refctl, r^toting to the ariVst of-Lieut CoK Duncttft. He remarked that did not consider it a bar in any proceeding regarding any and all charges brought against hWn. He stood, tften, rea^V to meet any accusation—physically str*M$, well as morally strong, he felt conschus. l^he IVesident of the eourt herb interposed, AftA (ien. Scott sat V&own. A letter was then re&<5, as follows, by the 5«dge Advocate
I HEADQUARTERS, 1ST BI^IBOV, TACCBAYA, Mexico, MArch 14,!848. To Gen. N. Towson, Pres. Court Inqy
SIR In the matter of toy appeal from Maj. Gen. Scott, Commander-in-Chief Of the Army, the .President has dota£ m'C full and ample justice. In view df th'o interest and harmony of the service, I •fcsirt? to withdraw the accusations w-htch made in that appeal against Maj. (ien iScott. 1 haVo thre hottor to be, very rcsptectlullv, \«ir otittclient servant,
W. J. WORTH, Bvt. Maj. Gen The court "was then closed and remained shut for some time. On the d06rs being agitin opened, it was announced by the \ludge Advocate (so we understand) that proceedings for the present, in this case, would be staved until next flay also that all motions an«i points should be submitted in writing.
The latter decision was objected to by Gen. Scott, on th6 ground of the time and incon veil fence he would be subject to, if obliged to commit to writing every quesfion thftt would Arise in the different turts the proceedings might take.
It was lidre intimated by thift court, that, if there were no objections, the proceedings in the case of GenerAl Scott wortld be stayed for the present, nnd proposed proceed with the ciase of .Vlaj. Gen. PHlow. lien. Scott sftid he would ask of the court not to take Tip the case of Maj. Gen. Pillow until it had disposed of that of Lt. Col. Duncpi.
The court made some remark, to which Oen. Scott replied that his object was, in pressing the case, to save time to court.
An objection *ras here raised! by Lt. Coi. Duncan, who was understood to say that the court was how organized to inquire i'hm thecos6 of Maj. (Jen. Scytt, lotVe,an) could not take up his^olofiVra Duncan's) case Yvithout being spccmliy qualified for thnt purpose.
The court was rtYiderstood to assent. A proposition was made by (r^ncTal Scott read the paper relating to *rhe charge preferred Against Lt. ('ol. Dtincan, but the court decided against the proposition.
Gen-. Pi 11o\d* rose and said—he insisted that his case should be proceeded in. He was prepared for it, and desired tha\ he might have at once an opportunity of vindicating himself.
The court suggested that the cAse of Gen. Scottnhouln first be settled, but after some further discussion it was determined it shottld be laid aside until next day. irt *Mr*W to allow (Jen. Scott to place upon tht* record the paper al»ove referred to. Th* court also determined to proceed immediately with the case of Lt. Col. Duncan, (few. PHftvw brtiflffAs snred that if Lt. Col. Dtilican's cast* wAs likely to consume much tirrw*. it Wttuld be laid anide and his case taken up-.
Gen. Scott then read the following paper Mr. President and gentlemen of the eoHrt:
I desire under permission, to wWlke «h» following statement in presence ftnd heANng of Bvt. Lt. Col Duncan, wMch may save the time of this eourt, as *1l as that «f the parties before it.
I have liti) two charges, with a sperlfication un^^t teach, against thi» Lt. Colonel. The first alleges a breach on his part, of an old general regulation of the army, re-ptthlisbed and re-established, by the President of the United States, Jan. ffl, !fM7, against the publication fn newspaper*. of tlHHuthorixed letters or reports, frrihi an army in the fielti, *»ndtng xte campaign to #hich they tr^ate, anrt which regulation the Presideht direcw All in military authority strictly to enforce.
As a principal cons^fVUtor, at the time, t»f the peace, harnio*tv and discipline of the army. I thought it my duty to amm Bvt. hu t^ol. I hittcan for a publication of that character, and laid the specific charge in question, which I duly submitted to the President of the United States* in order that he might appoint, AS no other could, a general (krtirt martial for his trial The President having thought propef, oh an admitted, Certain, ado specific fact* to order an inquiry into, and not a trial of the matter* it is el#arly not lor tile to uphold h» regtiU* Hod against his Hvid^nt indifference oh the subject. I therefore withdraw thai charge and its specificasioe, and utterly decline, without further orders frem the Presi i' nt, to pnw^cuu: i* bete this or any ether tribunal*
& a S
mm
Tho second charge and snoclficaiion which I thought, it my duty, nut Wiost reluctantly, to prefer against the sanSe gal lant officer, relAios to mAttiSrs of "fact, therein sot forth, quoted frtMh the sAmo letter, re-publiahfed here under Ms own signature/
lfoplng':and believing that tlyS sfAtemcnts made in that re-pubiishod letter, however injurious to the truth of fyistdry, and to tho same extent to Myself, were matle from the frant of cort^ct iWbrmation, and front rto intention to n^s re present facts, I courteously sent a staff officer to inviie Lt. Col. Duncan to visit me, heforo 1 had penned thut second chArgo ami its specification, intending to point out to hint the errors of fact in his letter to refer to the evidence, Written and oral, to confute those errors ana 1 pledged myself, through the same messenger, that if tlVe personal interview should not result in benefit to the Lt. 0ol., it should not by possibility, if 1 could prevent it, work an injury him before any court. My request was courteously declined. 1 desire now to give to Lt. Col. Duncan another opportunity of saying whether he was not ignorant at the time of writing the letter in questioii of the facts. 1st. That long before leaving Puebla for this basin, in August last, it had been my bias and expectation that the American army would be obliged to approach the Mexican capital to tile left, or south about, of the Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco. 2d. That after general headquarters had rcached Ayoltla, August 11, I had shown an tfqual )sifl)fcitude to get additional information of. that rout6 and those of tho Penort ahd MV'.xiealcingo-.— 3d. That besides sendiri'g from Ayotla, August 12, oral instructions to Bvt. Maj. (Jen. Worth, to push further inquiries from Chalco as to the character of the southernmost route, around tlVe two lakes, that I scr.t, August *!3, to that General written instructions to the same efTect, from the same plac6, my quArters at Avotla. 4ih. That (Wing tny stay there, from the 11th to the V5th of August. I sent a Mexican of intelligence from Ayotla, independent of Bvt. M«\|. General Worth, all around to the village of Xochimilco. to report to me whether any recent change had taken plade in that route, either in the way of artificial de-1 fences or from overflowing of thfc lakes ahd 5th. That in the evening ol the 13th df the same month, I caused Capt. MascAi, of the engineers, to be instructed to proceed thfe next morning to the head quArters of Maj. Gen. Worth, at Chalco, in order to his being employed in reconnoitring tiie same southern route in which service the etiptain found himself anticipated by the reconnoitering party under Lt-. Col. Duncan, who had already, several hours before, advanced by the orders of the said general, acting under my repeated instructions on that service.
Jam aware, Mr. President, that I have no right to call upott Lt. Col. Duncan before the Court to give a general or specific answer to those points. He is therefore entirely at liberty to take no notice of them, and certainly his si^rtce ought notnnd cannot in law operate to His prejudice, here or elsewhere but if he answers the interrogation in th£ affirmative, saying that he was igrtorant of the material facts asserted above, I stand ready to withdraw and abandon, tipoh his word, tho second charge and specification which I hnve preferred agAinst him.
Respectfully submitted, WINFIELD SCOTT.
Lieut. (*ol. Dnncan th£b wrouc and submitted th'e following ftS rtiply "In writing the letter to \vhich Major Gen. Scott refers, in his pApcrjust presented to tho court, viz th'6 *Tumpico letter,' I believed the facts therein set forth to be Mibtlantially trui^—I still believe so. 1 Wl no desire to detract, directly or indirectly, from the merit of any officer, Arid no one can regret nlot'e than myself if 1 have done so-."
Gen. Scott here reiterated that he had no right to interrogate Lieut. Col. D., and that his (Lieut. Col. D's) sflence could not be considered As prejudicing him.— The answer did hot meet the inquiry he had made. The question was, "Was Lieut. Col. D. ignorant of the facts," &c. On his answer to that questioh would turn the course he (Gen. S.) should
pursue. Lieut. Cel. DtittcAh then made ah addition to his former answer, and presented the whole, in the tkurds following, as his repls: "In writing the letter which Major General Scott refers in hifc paper, just presented to t^e court, vir.: the 'Tampicoletter,' I believe the facts therein set forth to be KubsttAnlially trur.—Istill believe so. I havti no evidence that the statements presented in die paper of Ma,, (ien. So.oh aty.farts. If they are so, I certainly fcas ignorant of them when 1 wrote the
4
fiinpicu letter,' and learn
them now for the first time. Respectfully submitted. JAMES DUNCAN, Bvt. Ln toL
Mftxu% March 10,1848. Lieut. Col. Duncan's reply having been rend, 8oott fWiarited that he should content Himself kith saying, that the facts contained irt the statement submitted by him,eould bf established without going through the form of tritll. He eotiid make a simple statement that Would snffiee. There was ample evidence nt hand. Written And oral, that the facts set forth in his paper, just stifaftttiti*d, were true—«s lth that statem^ht he Would say that h* was satisfied with the atiswer of Llettt. Ool, Dunean, and ^ithdt^w both chrtrre**against him. And wittdd not prortH»«te them ufiless onlert^d ki rto so by Uwi eodrf. He Withdrew tHfe charges and abandoned the prosecution Entirely.
m?
HAUTE,
The court then declared that the case Was not asido for the present.
Tfie Case of Major General Pill (tie After the members had been qualified in this case, (ien. Scott roso and reAd p'aper, setting forth at length the nature of tho charges brought against Gen. Pil low, complaining of the "release beforp trial" of an officer arrested by him, and finally giving his rpasons for withdraw ing, as ho therein did, his charges agaiAst Gen. Pillows*
Gen. Pillow took exceptions to the spl rit of the paper, protested against the withdrawal of the charges, and signified his intention to reply to the paper siib n\i'tted by Gen. Scott, on to-morrow to which the. court asseVited.
Gen. Worth then rose, and informed Vhe eourt thn^t ho shotlld ask to place upon the retord a paper Relative to the one just read. He could prepare it in an hour, or by to-morrow morning. (ien. Scott called for the reading of \\Vo letters accompanying his paper Ve Warding (ien. Pillow. After some conversation, the loners w£ro read, and the ^drt adjourned to 10 A M. to-day.
Third Day's Proceedings.—General Sco\t submitted to the court the follow ing document: "In reference to tho letter of Bvt. Maj. Gem Worth to the court, withdrawing his Appeal or accusation against the said Scott, hut leaving its venpm, mainly on th6 ground that tho president had done him, the said Worth, 'full and ample justtye' "[The said Scott s'everal tirVtes essayed to Address the court, but wAs as often stopped and requested to reduce his remarks to writing: with that decision or request of tho court he no\v succinctly complies, as follows:] "Mr. President ahd Gcntlfcmen of the Court:—Here, in the eapital of Mexico, conquered by the American arms under my command, I find myself but a prisoner At Iftrge—the chief criminal before this court. Deeply bounded, my military pride is cast down into the dust—not by the public enemy, but by the long Arm of power from home. All that could be, done, in thAt quarter to injure, to degrade, to humble me, here and elsewhere. has been accomplished. But sustained by the Almighty arm—feeling myself stroiVg( in conscious rectitude— strong in mirtd and body—strong in all the means of self-defence, I bid defiance to my accusers.' I shall not plead the letter witlldrawirtg the appeal against Hie in bar of trial. Nay, I challenge the writer of thAt letter to come forward and do his worst. But no doubt he thinks, and with reason, that he has dotie his worst. Herd, in view of the enemy, he has caused me to be struck down from the higli and honorable command of a most gallant and triumph'dnt army. He has caused me, lirst,'to be prejudged dhd punished at home, and thehto be brought forward to be tried agaiti, while lie, hiy junior, has heeh prlvacquitted and rewarded, The President has, we are exuliingly told, done him 'full and ample justice.' \V)s, sir, in double measurejustice to his pride and justice to his ven geance. Let him, Mr. President, go forth rejoicing in the plenitude of Executive favor. Without envying him his honors. I shall, at \he end of this court, have done with ilitn forever. A^ain, Mr. President, I Hi peat, my attitiluo is that of defiance.'' (ien. Worth ros^iind begged permission to make a few rennltks, but was ihterrupted by Gen. Scott, ho stated tliHt As he was not before the cotirt, he had ho right whatever to address jt..
The President remarked that such ir-
regularities could not he permitted, upoli Which (ien. Scott desired the President
rtot to address his remarks to liitn—at the same time looking towards Gen. Worth. As if they should lUlVe been intended for him, (Gen. W.) [i(ere follriws a correspondence between (ien. Pillow and Gen. Scott—iri which the former said that certaih officers who wfere ordered to leave the city were his principal witnesses. General Scott appoints trie time an«I plrtce when and where Hen. Pillow can takfc depositions of all whom ho desires as witnesses and who ore ordered to another point. But Gen. Pillow refuses to ac cept the proposition of Gen. Scott
Mr. Presid^fifc nnd Gentlemen of the Court:—Having, fh the maintenance of what I deorfied necessary discipline, drawn up Charges Ami specifications against tni'tfr officers then under my Wimmand. transmitted the papers, 28th Nov., 1847, to the Secretary of War, A-ith a request in each case, that the President of the United States, under the act of Congress. May 29, 1030, would appoint A General Cotirt Martial for thd trial of the same.
T^his Court of Inquiry' Is the result I am striken down from my high conlmaud: true of the arrested generals Is pre-acqtiitted and rewarded, and the other partfSs—the judge arid his prisoners, the accuser and the accused, the innocent and the guilty—^Are, with that strange^xception,all throWn alike before yott, to scramble for justice as we may.
In the case of Maj. Gen. Pillow, I had preferred two charges the first, with one specification, respecting a prohibited publication in the newspapers of the U. States, aHd the second embracing a great number of specifications.
Mr. Prt?sidem,con*iderlH|r that I asked for a general court-tflartial, to tfy, and definitely to determine, esses specifically defined and s^t otii and that this preliminary court Hits Ho {tower beyond tttfi mere collecting of facts aiiii giving iti ftutpemtire opinion thereon.
Comi ':ri»g Uittt |f Wc tlow prove*U
the whole labor must be gone over again, at least bv the parties and witnesses. Considering that many'df the witnesses on the Side of the prosecution, Aftd prohably on tlmt of the d*fence also, nave gone to the United States in the long interval that has been, allowed to elapse siuco November 28—109 days-— of which 50 at least aro qhargeable Yo delays iit Washington, una not one to myself.^1 -s
Considering that this cotift would be obliged to adjourii to the UiYifed Sr&ies, in order to have the least hope* of obtaining the tesiiino'ny of sever&l of those important witnesses, now retired to civil life, and therefore hot compellable id attend a military court, even at hoitfe, or to certify before a commission dihly appointed by such cotirrt.
Considering thAt the season is near At hand when the cotSrt and the parties will not be able to Icav6 the country for home without great peril of life.
Consraering that there is a near prospect of A peace bctWeert the U. States and M6\ico, which Wiav be consummated in time to enable this Whole Army to return home in safety.
Considering thnt, iihm'ediatelv on such consummation, Maj. Gch. PilloW would, bv the express lerrns of the la\V under which he holds his commission, be out of th£ army, and therefore no longer ameiinble for any of his acts to any military tribunal.
Cohsii^ring that, in preferring the charges against thatvjifticer, 1 was moved solely by the desire to presfcWe the honor and discipline of the artViy—not hnvng ever had the slightest quarrel or personal difficulty with him—and that the time has prohably gone by for benefiting the service by a conviction and punishment:
In view, of al|. these cohsiderations, I shAll, Mr. President, decline prosecuting the charges ahd specifications agaihst Maj. Gen. Pillow,before this prelimitVacourt, without special orders, or thte further instructions of the President ttf the United States.
Respectfullv submitted.
Vv'INFIELD
SCOTT.
Mexico, March 1848.
The President said thut Gen. PilloW Was at liberty to address the court. Gen. Pillow wished to know if tfte document withdrawing the charges against him by Gen. Scott, wterc placed on the record.
Gen. Scott said that the document wAs now in the hands of the court and out of his control.
The co^rt having read the Abovementioned document, Gen. Pillow read the following statement: [(ien. Pillow's statement is lotVg, and is principally a reply to the preceding specifications bv Gen. Scott of his reasons for declining to prosecute the charges against Gen. Pillow, (ten. Pillows statement closes as follows:]
I am accused, under manv specifications, of nuhierous WTetH.es, several of which are, if proven Vi ne, sufficient unconvict me be lore a court martial. lKos Gen. Scott mean to sav that he hAs no witness present, hV whom he can prove any of these charges.' or does he refuse to prosecute tnc oil ohb or more of them, because the evidence is not at hand to convict nie of all.'
If the General-in-chlbf had withdrawn his charges from the conviction that the impressions under which he originally acted were erroneous, and that, from subsequent information, he was satisfied he had done me injustice, it would have saved me the necessity of adopting the course which I urn ttuw bound, by my honor, to pursui lt has thus Keen shown that the reAsons assigned by (ien. Scott, for Abandoning the prosecution, are insufficient. If He still persists in his determination 1 shall hold myself acquitted of His accusations. and the world must so regard it.
With this view of the case. 1 submit the whole matter to tHe consideration of the eourt, with tho remark thnt I hope Hie court, bv tho action it may tAkb, Will protect me from the cotisequences resulting from the course .oil the side df the prosecution.
Respect fully submitted. GIDEON J. PILLOW. Maj. (ieneral t*. S. A. tTlty of Mexico, March 17, 1848. After thb reading of the document by Gen. Pillow, the court adjourned until Monday, the 20th March.
MONDAY, March 20,184fi..
Thf court tnet at tho usual Iwtlr PrwBRnt, alt the iwmbenE The
case df
Major (Vnund Pcritt bnng bffot*
the court, GcH. Worth Mubmitted the toilowin^ paper, which after del iterating with clriaed doors, th« court dscWfld rtot toentsrtsin. {The peppr snbmittwl by G«n. Wilflh win a »ptri»d and IndtjMani i^ply u» SMW «if tlw nmwk« of (Vn. Strt but we have not room for it.]
After rewiiieraMe diacwarion—the cwwrt bring in the taeanUnta ifliMired—tho t-o*rt (tocktnl, "that further proceed!rtg* in thU ewe he »tnv«l until a report bin raid« to, wad outrun tons received from the Wsr Department."
After aome ifreUramarica, (Jenentl IMllow atlbmitted the followirtf addition to the atatenient matle dn Friday laat, which docuni«nt #aa received and read
I to S
JlI1flL^T848^:s^ :r/.JM
Considering that Lin timelyid inform, proposed to take, by mutual cwnsent, the depositions of departing witnesses on both sides, to be read in evidence at the trial, under the 74th article of w'Ar, which proposition Maj. (ien. Pillo\V thought proper to decline—see the correspondence herewith on th'e subject.
on the 17th inst., I endeavored to show that the reasons assigned by him were not thoee which determined his course, and I expressed my modinew and ftrtxiety to proceed with this investigation. dm. SeAtt atlll pcrewu in his determination. In his paper, however, he recognises the power of thin court to order him to prosecute the case.
In order, therefore, that I may not be understood as R&enting to his course—not es waiving even that mode of having his charges investigated—I now distinctly interpose my objection to his withdrawal frorfi the proeecutloTi, and respectfully ask the court to order him to prosecute the case. ii? 4 ,iU ..»•
I respectfully maintain that while these cltarges are before tin- coun, (and they ftre placed there by the order of the President of the United States, und not by Gen. Scott,) that it is bound in duty and in law to proceed with the iAvestigatWn', and I stand here and respectfully demand, as a legal right, that it does ib. I canAi6t suffer my charnc®!er to be thus blackened ami traduced with impunity, and I beg of this court to allow me an opporftnity of vindicating my conduct against the imputations of the prosecutor
While, therefore, I must submit to any decision Af Jhc court, I deem it my (ftjty to present this application tu» the only hope IdTt me of removing the¥mputAiioiis cast upon me, not only in the charges thcmnelves, but in the very paper in which General Scott withdraws from the prosecution.
Respectfully submitted. GID. J. PILLOW,Ma/. Gen. U. S. A.
Major General Scott then s&bmitled the following Mr. President and Gentlemeji of the Court:
I have .heard unofficially, with extreme pain, that you are ftkely to adjourn in order to awni), in this country, the further instruction of the Executive, whether I shall be held to prosecute before this preliminary court the charges and specifications I have heretofore preferred against Major General Pil|ow and Brevet Lieutenant Color^l Duncan.
Under purh decision I should necessarily be held the prisoner of this court somewhere in the republic of Mexico—without command—until the season of the vomito on the gulf coast shall have passed awny, say about the beginning of November—a period of more than seven months—unless indeed the whole army should, in the meantime, evacuate the country, in which case, though without function, I shall be ready to share with it all the dangers of pestilence.
Mr. President, among the many reasons I have heretofore submitted for declining to prosecute", at this time in this country, and before this preliminary court, the charges, &£., I had preferred against Maj. Gen Pillow, not to recall the case of Lieut. Col. Duncan, the sixth was in these words:
The season is near at hartd when the court and the parties will Aot l»e able to leave this country, for home, without great peril to life."
The reason and the understood wish of the Ex ecutive th:it the service might be spared the embarrassment of investigating the cases referred to in the order of the court's record—combined with my own extreme desire, since 1 was superceded, to return to my family, had as miieh'influence upon me, perhaps, as all the other considerations I have presented, in shaping my course before this tribunal, towards Maj. Gen. Pillow, and not a little 05 that townnls Lieut. Col. Duncan, after his answer to certain inquiries which are recorded.
If then, Mr. President, I am to he held here, a prisoner in an enemy's country, under all the hard ships to which I have alluded, until a messenger can go and return frrtm Washington, I am rendy, so far as I ani concerned, to take up whenever the court shall say so, th§ case of Maj. (Jen. Pillow.
Respectfully submitted.
W INFIELD SCOTT.
Mexico. March 20, 1846.
The eourt, pfter again deliberating, defcMed to take up the case of Maj.vGen* Pillow, and the Commander-in-Chief submitted tho following charges and specifications:
CitKVChr. FmsT.—Violation of a general regulation or standing $der of the army. [The specification under this charge is that Gen. PilloW wrote and despatched, or caiiaed to be written and despatched, the famous "Laoiildas letter," glorifying his own conduct in the battles near Mexico.]
CRARSK
SEfO.m ~-Conduct unbecoming an offi
cer and a getttleman. [There are several specifications under this charge. The first relates to the false, ridiculotis and ungentlethanly statements in the Ijeonldss letter.], a, t.i
The second specification relates tJ 4 letter which General Pillow prepared, for publication in thf N. Orleans D*lt»—"which letter, article or communication, with certain interlineations and additions, in the proper handwriting of him, the said Pillow, was, by himself, delivered to Jas. L. reaner, Lsq., the agent or correspondent of the New drteans Delta, to be despatched for publication inUlewud newspaper, df to be incorporated into ode to be written by thd sail Freaner, in which the whole credit and glory of the achievement of th$ splendid victories at tViltrpras and hurubii^ are Awarded to Gen. PIHd# ," at the expense df other commands in the sartie fields, and at the expends of truth, justice and W3tiWr.]
The fourth specification alleges, that, some time after the battle of Chapnltepee, n. Pillow falsely stated or insinuated, in the presence of on* or mom American officers, that, but for hiin, (Jen. Scott would dot hate hazarded that battle, whereas in fact the Whole plan of operations was (ien. Scott**, Gen. Pillow, at a consaltatiou ol officers, expressing a pfo&rijnce for a different plan, having at that very time, privately secured at least one responsible wiVness, by whom, in case of a disastrwtis issue to the then meditated attack upon MM? or more of the ftter or immediate defences of the enemy's capital, he, the said Pillow, would be able to prove that he hml declared to. said witness or witnesses, h» o^rt conviction or opinion to be altogether averse td any offensive operation whatever at that juncture, and decidedly In favor of taking up purely defensive positions for an indefinite
period—that
Mtlfrt*, MitrHt 30,1S48.
3W r. Prmdont nnd (jentlenteit of the C^tift: It will be awn In the pap^r pwwdted to Ihe jurt by G« n. iV.i ,mrth« 16th in^t, tllai HP bfums to prw^ente the ch» ge» prrfrrml by hini agninut m. but dfl-J ntt» withdraw th«ri
In the rrplyjo tWlt paper, which 1 mWthteil tp-
is to say until the arrival 6f reinforce
ments from the United Sutcs, of the approach of! vrhich, even as near as Vent na, no officer pfoeent, at the *4id conference, then had, or pretended to have, any lntipwtion whatever.] {Tho fifth specification Is that Owl. Pillow, in his public despatch in regard uf the baUle of Chapultepefc, represented that he hid caused himselC «ft»r being wounded, to be borrte alodg, with the eonunnsd attack upon the castle hi the iSce of the enemy fin whrfeas, in fact, bid receiving a eon* ttwionondrteof hie ankles,hepliced hlotself in perfect sectlrity near the spot and t«iftali)ed there till the r!^e of the battle.] {The six?h specification, is that Oe3- nllow in a «Mnmunici!'! the War DepartrHertt, represent* M| himself tj::v in? opposed the ttm'Utice, where- »?, tact, the naming of t}ie ilM of the said Augo»t, *rjrnit wa in question h# Appoint Amer
ican conl^iswoniers to meet commissioners on tile part of Mexico, to negotiate an armistice, was not onlV in favor of such negotiation, but was willing become one of the Americisi cOttmlssioners for that purpose.]
bpt From the people's Friend. FRKE COMMON SCHOOLS. ^jfrO*. I,£rt Mr. Editor:—I propose a series of articles on .Free Common Schools, witli special reference to the state of the case us it is understood to be now fixed by the aetion of our Legislature at its late session.
At the session a year ago, the Legislature thought it expedient to recommend a Convention of the friends of Common School education in the State, for the, purpose of obtaining art expression of public opinion on the stibject. A convention was accordingly held ift May list at Indianapolis, and it was there concluded that a draft of a school law §hould pe prepared and presented to the Begistoture.. This law was to contain prttvi^ioiis for mising money by taxation, t6 6rt free colnmon schools in every School district in the State, at least three months. iVi e&ch year-—for appointing a (.ieneral Superintendent of Common Schools, to, be wholly devoted to that work—for the appointment of a sub-Su-perintendent in each county—and for, referring the law to the examination of the people to ascertain their views on the subject be fort its goittg int6 prAtitical operation.
Such a draft was prepared And pre: sented to the three branches dif the legislative authority of our State at the late session. On account of peculiar circumstances, the bill was not matured ih the House of Representatives and seht to the Senate till so late in the session that there wis not time to investigate the rftatter thoroughly enough to decide judiciously on the ^iVestion of concurring rif not and as the itiain point to be referred to the people Was the taxation provisions—Land as no time wotild be lost in the Application of the law, while opportunity would be afforded for determining on sonie questionable provisions in the bill—it was finally decided to omit further consideration of the proposed act, and call oH the p'eople
(t'o
give
their votes at t.ne ttfext August election for or against the enactment of a law providing for raising, by taxation, ah amount which added to the present school fund, will be sufficient to support free common Schools in all the school districts of the State, hot less than three lior more than six mohths iri feach veAr. fc*uch is the state of the case for the present, ^Should a majority of the voters decide ih favor of such a plan, the next Legislature will enact the best law they can devise to accomplish th& wish of the people. Should the majority be agtiinst the plan, there is but very little probability of any important improvemert^ in our school system for a long limte I
A 'groat responsibility then r^stK oh the people this vedr. lt is referred to ihein lo decide a point of the highest degree of social importance, both for the prosent and future. The welfare of the families, and of the individuals, both adult and young, novV living, and the best Social interests of the future genera: tions, will to a great extent be promoted or retarded by the result of this reference 4o the people of tHe question, Frcc Schools or No Free Schools. s'
NoVv, in referring this qilestiori to the people, it is of course implied that they are detfoicd competent to judge correctly on the matter. Yet it may nevertheless bo very proper for some considerations respecting it to be presented to them, calculated to assist theni in fortyihg right view of the subjecr. The judges and juries in our courts drb considered competent to decide aright in the causes before them, and y«jt not only is there need of testimony for affording knowledge of the fticts, hut also of counsel and argument, for leading to a right application of the knowledge, and just Conelusions and decisions thereon.
It is not, then, to be regarded'ilbs ati unwarranted intrusion oh the dignity of the people, if the friends of education present *tV the coinmunity statements, reaaHn soli'cjfations, designed to induce all concerned to unite in sanctioning syph a change in our school system as wjll.open the way for dll the children among us to obtain good common School cducaiibh, without respect to persons. whether rich ol* pooir. 1 have beet! for many years devoted to the great cause of education. 1 have for many years been a laborer in this, work in thus State, and as a citizen of Indiana, dnd as practical investigator working man in school education— I ask to be heard on the subject. I claim no right to dictate: I only request to bo heard and if found unwdJrthy of regard lot me bfe neglected—with nothing but the .credit of good intentions.
The first point for discussion will be the propriety of a -general lax, to support schools. S. L. C.
Feb. i±, 1848.
Mjr. 0. B. Umith, from the conimittt\e on Territories reported a bill for the.admhtelph of the State of Wisconsin llild tW union, which was referred to the, committee of tho Whole oft the state ot the I'nion and ordered Jui be printed.
Recently, the Magnetic Telegraph between Boston and New York, transmitted seven thousand words between the two cities in the short space of three hours. ———————
As OLD MAN.—II*^L^L Ltute who» lived to the age of lOS, lately died Jl Ruflnflo. N. V. Ite Wilt ojtft of the fiwt four houses in Buffjfib 17t».