The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
EXECUTIVE SESSION, july. ls4s.
Nomination Of Brgadir General Kearny for the 6reve
Ts.f Of Major Gensrai.
SUBSTANCE OF MR. BENTON'S SPEECH
-tH '~.4tf -ra [conTNUEDl
CONGRESSIONAL.


81 MAJOR OsnsrGI
SUBSTANCE OF MR. BENToN'S SPEECH
~tsIa IcosTNuEDl
The four days soourn upon the hill, and the arrival
of Lieut. Gray and his command, are thus accounted Tor
''On account Of wounded men, and upon the repnr
manned al thi. place ill the morning of the Ih, whel
Lieut. Gray of the navy in command Of party OF sailor
Suookton joined We Proceeded at ten a. M, the en-
emy longer showing himself. and on the iah yeseI-
offer my thanks Commodore Stockton and all Of his gal
oeived, and continue 10 receive nom them"
The condition Of the wounded, and the surgeons
port here given the sole cause for this four days
abode on hill of rocks. without comfort suffering for
food, and burning Of the baggage which seventy and
beautiful had been left to protect few days be-
FORE The surgeon Dr. Griffin, not here tell whether
no was complying with request or an order when he
better able TO the fourth day than the second
is il stated in the official report. it should have
the hill for the rest Of the wounded. am not
surgeon; but know enough Of wounds to know thai
the fourth day is about the day Of fever and of suppura
ton, and about the hardest for the sufferer to bear
ton But. leaving that Out, the facts pIoveabt
that the state of the wounded thus given the sole
reason for!smanng the hill had nothing to do with
the hill Pico ran KeaIny upon the hill and Pco kept
hun there until he relieved and would have taken
him prisoner. had il not been for that relief kearny
afraid to quit the hill, to to the smaller one
half way to the river which would have commanded fresh
water and grass and saved the hundred horses and mules
which were turned loose and left go to the enemy be-
The for the non invented to conceal the truth
and TO the defeat is therefore false Equally remote
Gray and his command II is spoken OF as being sent by
Stockton: not hint being given that kearny had semi
for Iii spoken OF as mere incident having no effect
upon Kearnys movement, who, marching at 10 O'clock,
was joined by this commandment the slightest effect III
raising the siege, dispensing Pco, and enabling Keany 10
move! Even the number is not given and, from the
lyht m IN XVh I was Oupd M
suppose that it two hundred and fifteen strong and
express to Kearny and upon his repeated
and earnest application. All this perversion of truth has
desgn-a fixed design-to conceal the defeat and de-
ceve the government by keeping up the ar and talk OF
victor This criminal design led him. besides other
cealments and false Suggestions, to the suppression o,
most interesting and to the guilt of The black
est ngratitude The four days siege the hill the
period of interesting events, which it the duty of the
general to have told, and which be suppressed 10 keel
up his assumed character of victor First there the
capture Of the and daring Cooley with his 1--WE
venurous run San Diego, forty miles, get aid fo
Kearny and rapid return with the dings that it was
coming-tidngs which he could not deliver, because h.
was captured in view Of Kearny BY his besieges This
fact had to be suppressed the Elusive of victory
al an end 1t was suppressed-doubly snppressed-no'
noticed in the official report and not confessed nerro
CATION before the court martial. Then there was the
chvalry oil Don Andres Pco worthy of Castan blood,
his conduct to his enemies He treated the captured
he knew his renown and honored herosm in his person
He inquired for the killed. and especially for Gillespie
whom he personally knew, and whom he had reported
among the dead Cooley told him that he not dead,
but badly Ianced, and that his servant in San Diego had
made up some supplies for him which he had brought
sugar, coffee. tea. fresh linen. Pico put the supplies
to to his camp and receive better treatment than
he could get on the dry rocks of San Bernardo; which
he did. and was treated like brother. returning when
he pleased. The same flag carried proposition to
change prisoners kearny alarmed at it, and saw
nothing in it, or in the noble conduct to Gillespie but
trick and lure to perfdy He afraid to meet the
a fOr he od tha hon
Of his report to the government would go
There was lad presenlone Of those sent out by Stock
ton, midshipman the of widow in sight OF this
Capitol, the grandson of Truxton, and degenerate
scion OF that lustrous stock: his name, Beae. This
lad volunteered to and hear the propositions of
change. Great was the alarm at his departure and
american was one OF the precautions for his safety
sixbareled revolver, in addition 10 the sword perfectly
charged and capped. was slowed under his coat Thus
equipped, and well mounted. he out, protected by
flag and followed BY anxious eyes and paptating hearts
The little river San Bernardo crossed at pungng
horse and his rider. the rider having policy which the
horse could not comprehend Approaching pcquet
guard young Gafare: (ensgn) came out to inquire for
spoke Spanish and, while sergeant was sent to the
generals tent to inform him of the flag, soldier de-
spatched to the river for water "Hand it to the gentle
man., was the Caslian command. Beale pu the cup 10
hslps, wet them IN token OF acknowledging acivilty and
passed back as much as to say have water enough
on that bill The aLareS smiled; and while waiting the
How DO you like the countryl' inquired the alares
Delighted with it," responded Beale "You occupy
good position to take wide view" "Very good can
see all round" 81 don't think your horses find the
grass refreshing the hill" "Not very refreshing but
strong There was in fact, grass on the HILL nor
any shrub but the one called wire wood from the close
approximation OF its wigs to that attenuaed preparation
OF iron which is called wire; and upon which wood
down to its ROOTS the amshed horses cleaned until com
passionate humanity cut the haes, and permitted them
to dash to the river and its grassy banks and become The
steeds OF the foe. BY this time three horsemen wert
seen riding up all Calfornians ride at the rate The
famous Gpin rode when he made the last mile to Isng
ton Arriving within certain distance they halted a.
only Callfornans and Mamelukes can halt the horse
at pull ofhe bride and lever bit, thrown back upon
his launches, fixed in his tracks, and moonless as the
equestrian statue of Peter the Great One of the three
advanced on foot unbuckling his sword and aingng it
twenty feet to the right The oares had departed See
ing the action OF the gentleman, Beae did the same-un
Suckled his sword, and flung twenty feet to his right
be swords were then forty feet apart But the revolver
there 1t stuck under the coaunmstak cable sympom
OF distrust or perfdsign of intended or apprehended
assessinaton and ouawed by every code of honor from
me neid OF parley stolen sheep on his back would
lave oeeh eweed star on his breast compared to the
iaCt o. that under his mdshpmans
coat CONFUSION filled his bosom; and for a moment
honoI and shame conended for the mastery To try and
the question but with the grandson of Trxton il was
orlef Question High honor prevailed The clean thing
was DONE Abstracted from its close concea .he
odious tool was barred to the light and veheman T. ~
ed twice as far as the sworhad gone-the generous ri
norman affecting not to have it. Then breahed h
boy "easxr and deeper" ''e
The business OF The parley was soon arranged p
had three Americans. and Kearny had but one Cal;fo
nian-soe fruit of the "vctory' of San PasquaI PFC
oHc sv~honu, .ce, Tor man n.,;.. iiCo