Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-05-12
The Court Of Inquiry.

Mr. Freaner-better known as /" Mustang
the correspondent of the n. o. Delta, writes as
follows of the movements and doings in the Court
of Inquiry, in a letter from the City Of Mexico,
dated April q;
1t Is the general impression that the Court OF
Inquiry will finish examining all the witnesses
here in the course Of two weeks, and will then
adjourn to the United States. | wish they were
gone. You have no doubt read the proceedings
with great degree OF interest: il you have not,
hope you will. They are well worth the study
and attention Of all military and civil lawyers
The decisions of the Court remind me Of the
raw recruit, whom the drill-sergeant could not
make recolect his right hand from his left. In
order TO strengthen the memory OF the recruit,
the sergeant BACKED one hand aud told him that
was his right hand: then taking hold Of both. and
turning them one over another in quick success
sion, asked the recruit which was his right hand.
Why" replied the fellow, you've mixed them
up 80, that can't tell t'other from which"
So it is with the Court--thcy have got the de.
| cisions so mixed up, that do not believe they
or any one else can tell what has been the rule
acrIied out any two days in succession, unless il
is that Gen. Scott is always wrong, and the de-
fence always right, let the question be what it
may. II precedent were law, the decisions OF
this Court would support an attorney in argti-
meni on any side of any question whatever One
day Gen. Scott complains Of the course Of pro-
ceeding Of one of his antagonists, and the Court
says-"I Ii is a matter over which they have no
control" In the course of few days COM
plant is made that Gen. Scott has done what the
Court had said they could not control, and then
the Court decides that it is "ndeiicdfe and highil
improper" Put peg there, and save the mark
Gen. Pillow asks witness for his opinions, or
tLfs e. lal.A r.
Court at once decides he must state K. In five
minutes after, Gen. Scott asks the witncs. what
were his opinions in reference to another matter
Objections are made-thc Court is cleared =
and after some forty minutes rise knolcipg aud
rery honest ~ consultation, decide that the wit.
ness may state he JlciS which led him to conclu-
sions or opinions, but lac must not state what
those conclusions or opinions were. So it ha,
been from first to last j have tried TO find on,
what system or rule has governed this Court in
their decisions, but without effect; and | am
sorry to say that look upon il as an anomaly in
military jurisprudence.
The evidence and documents brought out in
the course Of the trial. show most conclusiyey
a determined and deliberate effort, on the part
OF the Administration, to overthrow and break
down Cen Scott--to consign to infamy aud dis
grace the warrior Chief who has accomplished
the most wonderful achievements recorded in the
pages Of American hsiory--and who has done
all this, with the prejudices and influences Of the
Government at home against him, and the polit-
zeal aspirants in his own camp playing second
| fiddle to them. The private bureaus and the
confidential correspondence Of the Departments
at Washington, have been ransacked, and every
paper that could be brought to bear, directly OF
Indirectly. on the questions at issue, have been
copied and sent to the defence, in hopes TO inAu.
cnee the decisions; private correspondence to
the military bureaus, written at time when il
was impossible 20 forward regular official com
muncations from here. have been published in
the Union, and the letters, with the names Of the
officers, sent to the defence, in hopes that il
would prove that persons belonging to Gen
Soott's general or personal staff had written let,
tiers FOR publication, or that il was the practice Of
officers to write letters in order that they would
find their way into she pubic pEnts.
But the Administration have made a great
mistake. When they aimed Mt the object Of
their destruction, they elected n gnn with too
small calibre.