The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-09-21
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
TUESDAY NIGHT, SEPT. FL, Is47.
Gen. SCOTS Armistice.

day last 1t will be remembered that the Courier has
heretofore Numbered very sadly its statements respect
ing Gen. SCOTS movements and instructions, though pro-
Tossing to write on the authority of prvate advices'
from the scene OF operations Our readers can Judge for
themselves whether there be anything more than mere
Conjecture in the Couners present view OF the influences
which have contributed to bring about the armistice.
We publish the article without assuming in any degree to
confirm to contradict its statements on this point
The Courier comments, with very just Indignation,
upon the tone of the reply of the Mexican minister to
Gen. SCOTS proposition. Yet that repyor something
ike it--must surely have been expected by the wing
journals Unfortunately both for this country and for
Mexico, these journals have themselves given to the
Mexican government the cue for such language, and
abundant precedent for its use 1t would be well Tor the
hope of just and permanent peace, II the opposition
leaders and presses had done more than teach the
excans to pirate with hppant insoence OF our dsre
gard of Mexican rights" To countenance such i'm
pressons in the Mexican mind and to furnish the strongest
phrases and notices for their expression, is indeed sad
work for an opposition among ourselves Bat, bad as it
is it is far less censurabe and lamenabe than for the
same party organs 10 stimulate enemy to refuse
peace after he is conquered by holding out to him
every assurance of sympathy, and even direct
promises of easier terms in the event OF the accession OF
the wings to power That such promises must be merely
vain and deusvethat there is possibility of their
being fulfled-only enhances the guilt of the party
leaders and party organs who put them forth. To en-
courage the public enemy bad enough; but to encour-
age him knowingly by false pretences, is baseness of
faction to which the history OF 1912 hardly affords
parallel! Yet what is the wing rallying cry Of
foyrJfor hut inst a
fence But we will detan our readers longer from
the Couriers article.
THE ARMrsrlcE-'That General Scott had asked for
amistice stated in all the first published accounts
ohe triumphant victories before the city of Mexico
we were well satisfied cond not be and accord
ingIy proclaimed it absmdify The facts now in pos
OF the public demonstrate that right in
our views As conqueror with the capital of Mexico
his mercy he could with honor, and in the spirit of hui
many, pause and say his PROSTATE foe, 1t is not yet
TOO ae-do as desire and will not huiatc you further
by taking possession of your capital"
This appears he has done and this, instead of ask
ng Cor an nsce virtually granting to the
my the specific purpose of obtaining peace. And yet
even this is not generally approved by the public. The
question everywhere discussed is Sc Was Scott justified in
again trusting the dupciy of the Mexicans and grant
ing this amsce, instead of at once taking possession of
the capital T.
To this question, upon the face of the correspond
ence between General Scott and Santa Anna unhesi-
that correspondence without arriving at the conclusion that
there be something behind the curtain which,
when known, WILL doubt, sustain Gen. Scott in his
In reply General SCOTS offer grant armis
tce and the expression of the humane opinion that too
much blood had already been shed in this raj
the Mexican Minister of War has the impudence say'it
certainly lamenabe that, consequence of the disregard
Of the rights of the Mtrican Republic the shedding of blood
has become inevitable :"
This to say the least Of it, was highly indecorous Ian
atph ep ,Dlo .sipn In
ion, it deliberately insulting and such, would
much have preferred that Cen Scott should have insisted
upon its being recalled before he listened for moment
for armistice. And that Gen. Scott did
act, think, only be accounted for in word
and that is the pledges of the British Minister,
that the granting of armis,ice would unquestonaby
lsut in treaty of peace
That the idea of armistice originated with the Brit
ish legation, is now manifest and considering the cir
cumstances under which it granted, there be
reasonable doubt, in judgment, but General Scott
ceved such from Santa Anna through the Brit
sh legation left him alternative but the granting of
he armisce if peace and conquest his object
We dismiss this subject without remarking that
should be very reluctant to PREJUDICE the question of
armistice. We have not yet received the dispatches
of Gen. Scott We do not positively know the grounds
upon which he aced--he motives by which he was ac-
results which he expected to accomplish
He had no instructions to grant armisce-or, we
ought rather to say, TO suspend hosties-until treaty
of peace had been ratified the part of Mexico. Yet,
we will not undertake to say that the Commanding Gen
era had authority to grant temporary truce upon his
own responsibility, when he considered strongly calcu
lated to facilitate the consummatior ofpeace Norwill we
undertake to say that the responsibility, though great in
ITSELF not wisely exerted under the circumstances
of the case The Picayune makes out a strong case in
behalf of the armstice, when it states that treaty OF
peace could be made by Santa Anna without the
sent of Congress; that has been very difficult any
time, and under any circumstances, TO get them to-
gether; that if General Scott had rushed into the
capital Congress would have dspersed-or that they
would have removed to some other city, where, sur
rounded by the representatives OF foreign powers and the
executive authorities of their government it would
have been more difficult to bring about negotiation for
peace. The Pcayune, therefore, asks whether in such
case, the General was not justified in trying the efica-
cy of temporary truce and of immediate negotiation
Passing this question: however for the present-re
ncan to general who deserves the thanks of the
country for his brilliant military evements-unwilling
even to PREJUDICE question about which we are not suf
hcenty informed wait for further information and
Tor official Developments Yet may be permitted to re-
shou'd permit the negotiation TO be spun out beyond the
shortest possible time We may add it is to be regretted
that as long period as oryeght hours after the nero
haon had terminated has been allowed for the resump
ton of hostilitiesn
The New York Tribune is Transported IN n, ev,roord;