The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-04-27
VOL. Nh. NO. 1852


Gen. Scott wished to submit argument to the
court, which lie desired should be placed upon
its record. Court adjourned.
NINTH DAY--March Is, 1913.
The court met pursuant to adjournment
Members all present The proceedings of the
two previous days were read.
Major Gen. Scott submitted the following in
writing:
"Major Gen Scott, present before the Court
OF Inquiry. as the prosecutor of certain charges
against Major Gen. Pillow, and the said Scott
being engaged in the cross examination of
Paymaster A. w. Burns, witness for the de-
fence, respecting the allegation against the
said Pillow of writing and despatcbine, or
causing to be written and despatched, for pub
lication in the United States, a certain letter
signed Leonidas of the authorship of which
letter, since published, the said Burns had re-
corded himself to be alone responsible, with
out the agency or the knowledge, at the time,
OF the said Pillow-and the said Scott seek
ing, and not doubling by facts to be elected in
the cross examination, to impugn and impeach
that declaration of the said witness, by show
ing his habit OF communicating his newspaper
putts to the said Pillow-caused to be put to
him, from the record of the court. as the first
OF new series of crosse uestions, the follow
ing:
" Question Of tile prosecutor-Has not the
witness written a letter. or letters, other than
Leondas, for publication at home, highly laud-
atory of Major Gen. Pillow; and has not the
witness shown one or more such letters to the
said Pillow, in manuscript, or forwarded, open,
with or without his, the said Pillows, correc-
tions or approbations
" Whereupon, the said Burns, tesitating to
answer that question, the said Pillow rose in
support by argument of the hesitancy of his
own witness-when, par tly before the court
was closed to deliberate ON the objection, and
partly after the court had publicly announced
Its decisions that the witness would not be
compelled to answer the interrogatory. if he
should say that thereby he would criminate
himself, and when the witness had actually
made such declaration-the said Scott, on the
two occasions, offered to the court substantial
ly, the following remarks, or suggestions,
which he is now permitted to reduce to writ
ing, and place upon the record of the court,
as his argument and protest against the said
decision =
" Nr. President and Gentlemen Of the said Court:
8" 1t is now too late for the witness, whose
memory is so fresh and minute on one side of
the case, and who is mere non ai qecoydo on the
other, to decline answering the question
upon the record, lest it may criminate him I;
for he has already acknowledged himself at
the instance of the defendant. and for his
benefit, whose witness he is, guilty of the
published letter signed " Leonidas," and the
penalty of that single admission, if prosecuted
and not pardoned, is the loss Of his commits
sion; for the writing of one such letter is as
fatal as the writing of one hundred the de-
nunciation of the President General Regula-
ton, published in orders, January %, 1847,
being that
"'Prvate letters or reports, relative to
military marches and operations, are frequent
! ly misehievous in design, and always disgrace
full to the army. They are, therefore, strictly
forbidden and any officer found guilty of
making such report for publication, without
special permission, Or Of placing the writing
beyond his control, so that it finds its way to
the press, within one month after the termina-
ton of the champaign to which it relates,
shall be dismissed from the service
/" The official disgrace of the witnes is
therefore complete.
sAnd Mr. President il is now also too late