The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-10

with unusual bitterness Gen. SCOTS operauohs al vera
Cruz Among other remarks, we md the ioi'o"ing'
The desuoyers of the weak and defenceess, the be-
seeers OF bouaoirs; they who bombarded drawing foIis
and nurseries were American citizens. Their trophies
are r maneled limbs OF wives and widows, of maidens
mothers OF litte girls and boys Their spols are
broken halps and pianos, workboxes, shntllecoeAs ana
rauies"
We think these extracts equal in meanness and bitter
ness 10 any that could be quoted from the Quarterly he.
view in its days, when il declared our flag was but
child was rauIesnakes tail We cannot conceive how
any English editor who pe,ends to esp n ~ H. s
rod Ii is well enough, however, to refute even his ao
surdies, since the most absurd newspaper has some
readers, and the greatest fools not always without an
audience.
The information upon which the article was based,
came from an English officer on board a government
eyewitness of the surrender Of Vera Cruz ana the castle
SO much the worse; for if he had been an eyewitness
he hac no excuse for giving an untrue and indeed an
Il was not Gen SCOTS fault if work boxes or harps,
shuecocks, destroyed although these are per-
haps articles which the Mexcans could most easily part
WITH if be true that they possessed them If they had
lost nothing else, the sympahies OF Mr. Douglas Jeot
might have been reserved for other occasion Nor
il the fault OF the American commander II other and
more disastrous consequences ensued IL Is wen known
that he offered to the authorities of Vera Cruz to
remove the noncombaants OF other nations from the
of danger; and every maiden or mother wife or
widow, little girl boy, might have escaped the con-
sequences of the investment il they had chosen to avail
themselves of the generosity of honorable foe But
the foreign consuls acting with their usual pejudces
and affected contempt for country and the Mexican
military commanders believing that while they kept the
within the walls the town safe, indls-
posed to accept the humane offers OF the Americans; and
the consequences chargeable solely to themselves
We believe the story promulgated by the English oicer
is utterly fase such opinion entertained by those
who saw the town Immediately after its surrender and
we have doubt 1t is the "mere coinage OF dlstem-
pered BRAIN
But let us look at the other side of the picture. 1t
seems the Mexcans and their English friends expected
huu hnno thorx
they desrous that the American army should enter
the imminent deadly BREACH" and carry the city by
would, doubt, have been very pleasing to the Mexi-
and their English friends Every street was barri-
caded every house loop holed for muskety and every
parape was prepared to shield the numerous escoPee
The drawing rooms in whose behalf Mr.. Jerrold is so
eloquent turned into barracks, and the harps and
pianos were thrust aside TO make room for rude and
vindictive soldiery.
Because General Scott did not choose to have perhaps
fourth Of his stormng party killed by an unseen and
a sheltered foe, English sympathy therefore procaims its
detesaton of the loss of the work boxes shutecocks
and rattles of Vera Cruz.
War is, we admit. cruel necessity, and sometimes
cruelty without necessity But if any nation has cause
for selfreproach this subject it is England above
all others Its flag, which for a. thousand years has
the blood Of the helpless the defenceess and the nno
cent, than that of any other people, and from British
writers learn the story Of their nhumanty. Let
of their country against the assaults Of their rupeelovng
invaders, proclaim the lust of conquest which has mark
ed the history OF England.
But there are occasions where an assailng army may
in pure humanity seek TO make the contest hopeless that
il may be short General Scott in declining to enter
Vera Cruz through the first BREACH and of encounering
unnecessary losses took the practical and usual method
OF reducing fortified cities in modern warfare The result
was apparent: the loss Of life on his part slight and
even that the part of the Mexicans was less than
would have taken place under other circumstances.
Let US. for moment. contemplate some OF the
4uences which have ensued from such assaults these
English writers consider the true method OF carrying
fortified town. When the town OF Badajoz was carried
by the English arms, scene ensued which Naper-a
menced that wild and desperate wickedness, which
nished the lustre OF the soldiers herosm. Shameless
Pacy brutal ntemperance savage lust cruelty and muir
mpecatons, the kissing of fires bursting from the houses
the crashing Of doors and windows, and the reports Of
muskets used in violence Tesounded for two days and
nights in the streets Of Badajoz."
The escalade of ST. Vincent was followed by similar
spectacle After the town had been successfully storm
ed according English writer scene Of sad con.
fusion ensued. Several French officers of rank their
wives and Children, into the street in state of
phrensy holding little caskets containing their Jewels and
valuables, and their chill in their The scene
that ensued surpassed all that be tmagtneddrunk
enness cruelty and debauchery, the loss Of many lives
and great destruction OF property, was boon OF the
victory
But let us see if Mr. Douglas Jerrolds countrymen
HAYS been any tender of their enemies in their naval
operations than in their sieges by land
Let us refer to English writer (Allen) who will
not allow that any Of the rgates fairly taken
By an m sy OF Tho b
government, having taken alarm at the treaty of Tls
demanded of the Danes the surrender of their fleet The
British minister whose mission this country did
increase his popularity made the proposal the
prince and met with decided refusal Hosities were
forthwith commenced, and Copenhagen, containing loo
600 souls, bombarded by the English fleet, consist
ing of large number of ships-of- the line and rigates
while land force constructed batteries TO cooperate with
them. fire kept up three days upon the town.
when finally surrendered Fifteen hundred persons
killed within the Notifications, by the British shot
and shells, and among the slain large number of
women and children. Three hundred houses de-
stroyed and church, and the British historian cooly
removed the women and children out of the way, and
thus averted the calamity
Now, we ask why Mr. Douglas Jerrold, when he as
sailed the character of army, and bewaled the suf
erngs of the people OF Vera Cruz, why he did think
of Badajoz, and ST. Vincent shed a tear over the
"work boxes" and 'shuttle-cocks of Copenhagen No
such horrors his own cOuniymen relate OF themselves
have attended our operations. Monterey taken by
storm, after vigorous defence of several days, but not
one act of violence recorded of troops Nor has
single victory been followed by any deed of cruelty on
part while, the contrary, the Mexican assassins,
who call themselves soldiers have perpetaed the most
dreadful and shocking butcheres upon deenceess prison
tcry incapable of of kindness and of mercy The
murders committed in cold blood by these outlaws and
barbarans would almost justify then determination.
We have not space to conclude this article but |
will endeavor to show why is that the English are
shedding such tears the fall of Vera Cruz and are
so bitter in their denunciahon of country this
ment They worthy OF investigation; fol the causes
and piano-fores. 1t is because the 'Star of empire
qceSacdrd takes its ray that this sudden grief percep
tble.