The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-05-13
General Scott.

"Mustang," the correspondent ofthe New
Orleans Delta, makes the following apt and
judicious comment upon tho Court Martial
lin session IN Mexico:
1t is the general impression that the Court
.ofInquiry will get through examining all the
witnesses here in the course of ten days or
two weeks, and will then adjourn to the Uni
ted States. wish they were gone. You
have no doubt read the proceedings with a
great degree in interest; ifyou have not,
hope you will. The proceedings of the Court
are well worth the study and attention of all
military and civil lawyers. The decisions of
the Court remind me ofthe story ola raw
recruit, whom the drill sergeant could not
make recollect his right hand from his left
In order to strengthen the memory of the
recruit, the sergeant BACKED one hand and
told him that was the right hand; then taking
hold ofbotl, and turning them one over a
mother in quick succession, asked the recruit
which was his right hand. "Why," replied
the fellow, "you have mixed them up so, that
i cannot tell ttother from which," So 1t is
with the Court-they have got the decisions
so mixed up that do not believe they or auy'
.one else can tell what has been the rule car
Tied out anytw days in succession, unless it
rs that Gen. Scott is always wrong, and the
defence always right, let the question be what
it,may.
dfPrecedent were lawthe decisions of this
Court SaGrItd support an attorney in argu-
ment OH any side of any question whatever.
One day Gen. Scott complains Of the course
ofproceeding of one of his antagonists, and
the Court says-"it is matter over which
they have no control" In the course ola few
days complaints made that Gen. Scott
has done what the Court had said they could
not control, and then the Court decides that
iit is "indelicate and highly improper" Put a
rpeg there, and save the mark! General Pill
How asks witness for his opinions, or the
reason for his beliefin certain matter: and
the Court at once decides he must state it: in
five minutes after, Gen. Scottasks the wit
ness what were his opinions in reference to
another matter. Objections are made-the
Court is cleared!-and, after some forty min
utes' wise, knowing, and very honesH?l con-
sutation, decide that the ,oitneSs may stale The
facts which led him to conclusions or opinions,
but he must not state what those opinions
were. And so il has been from first to last
have endeavored to find out what system or
rule has governed this Court in their decisions
gsbut without effect; and am sorry to say that
i look upon it MS an anomaly in military jurs-
prudence.
However, the evidence apd documents
brought ont in the course of the trial, show
most conclusively, the determined and DELHI
crate effort, on the part ofthe Administration
eato overthrow and break down Gen. Scott
t ,toconsgn to infamy and disgrace the warri-
{, tor:Ghief, who has accomplished the most
,ytwonderfill achi evements recorded oil the pa.
ges of American history-and who has done
= all this, with the prejudices and influences of
Athe Government, at home against him, anc
:. ihe political aspirants in his own camp play
ing second fiddle TO them. The private bu
reaus, and the confidential correspondence
4,ofthe departments at Washington, have beer
ransacked, and every paper that could be
brought to bear, directly or indirectly, on the
questions at issue, has been copied and sem
'-4o the defence, in hopes to influence the de.
cisipns; private correspondence TO the militia
ry bureaus, written at time when it-.was
impossible to forward regular official com.
munications from here, have been published
in the Union, and the letters, with the names
of the officers, sent to the defence, in hopes
that it would prove that persons belonging te
Gen. Scott's general or personal staff had
written letters for publication, or that il wal
1.-The practice of officers to write letters. ip, or
: der that they would find their way into 1th'
public prints.
But the Administration have made grea
mistake. When they aimed at the object OF
their destruction, they, selected gun witt
ttoo small calibre.
MUSTANG.