The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-04-12
The Value of Human Testimony.


The many mistakes Internationally made; the
many mis-statemens put forth from interested mo-
tives; the many misconceptions of words and ae-
tons by the careless and rreflecting; and Inc
almost universal distortion of facts, by the medium
of prejudice through which they are viewed oy
almost every man, should make cautious in CIV
ing credence to every idle tale, and charitape III
Judging our fellows on the reports of others, parti-
cuarly if the reporters have the slightest inclination
to give false coloring to their statements. we
have been led to these remarks by some of the CIR
cumstances connected with the Pillow case,
from which we have already drawn so largely ior
the amusement and instruction of our readers. III
late number of the Mississippi Southron' we hhd
long article upon this subject, in which the editor
speaking of the charges against Gen. pillow' says;
Hinder the second charge there number Of specica
which founded stts upSn .he y
D Of s ia
We cannot eneaS whole Of but may
%i ie 0a 6os away al the glory battle
and y nw B%,e Gsn and few wss
sfS By MI FsaHsT Mustang Of the N
The authority of the Southron for making this
assertion is contained in the following extract from
Mr.. Freaner's testimony:
.tndgP .1dr0cnfe-NH you loon see soe S'i '">
Gen. Pillows writing in that document mt, Ia hoe
Gen Pom Il object to that question being put. ne nds
admitted already that he is unaequanted WIN my haH'-
The Court oyerruled the objection. c p,,or,s hand
Witness-From what have seen OF Cen Pillow hana-
writing should Judge that the words notwithstanding
| -and-beem better-to be his
| The statement of Mr.. Freaner is supported by the
| infaibe Mr. Trist-
bssns T. h the GEN. o
page sas o 6m pa66s s appeaed to in
the same hand, but he not so confident OF them as Oh
| those named. :.
Even Mai. Burns, the author OF the letter, is III
doubt about these famous nterlmeatlons, as may De
cleaned from the following question and answer
taken from his examination:
0Stae the letter. both the body and the interneatons
are a believe ali ise did not take copy of the original
letter, and regret did not 90 SO.
Upon this statement, Gen. Scott becomes acute
and sarcastic He puts his questions with the
smartness of prints lawyer, and With the TIL
umphant air of a gentleman who has unexpectedly
discovered mare 's-nest-as the reader will observe:
QThe witness the were we're made
I and at whose suggestion! :. 10
Al cannot say how long after, but they were made at no
Odd the witness write the Leonda letter at one sitting
the inteneaons and all or at SEVERAL and did he sho"
IL did not show it to body, believe have no
| recollection of it, l wrote at different times. -,
Q.-How many different pens and shades OF INK qua the
witness use writing the Leonda letter. inerneatlons IN
| cluded :,
IL cannot say. i sometimes wrote with steel pen,
sometimes with quill.
GLOW many different hand s-writing the witness
write for the body of paper and for ntelnng that paper
Ill write several different hands. write hand some
times my intimate friends cannot tell my hand varies
very mnch-t depends upon the pen write with
Now would any one have reasonable Doubt
after reading the above examination, that the in
terlineations were made by Gen. Pillow, and that
Major Burns was attempting to screen him This
would most certainly be the conclusion of every
one. Yet the conclusion would be utterly, abso-
l,ltey false Gen Pillow did not make the inter-
lineations, neither did Major Burns. They We're
made in the city of NewOrleans, and by the editor
of the Delta as we are informed by the following
paragraph from that paper of yesterday morning.:
We consider it due to Gen. Pillow correct msappre
Ienson which seemsto have possessed Gen. Scott and Mr.
Trist regard to the Leonidas letter, known as No. IN
the charges. These nteneaOns made by the editor
of this paper the OF the prerogatve which all
language of anonymous communications. The nterlinea
tons did not essentially alter affect the substance OF the
narrative but somewhat improved it. according to our Judg
ment We think highly probable, from tile direct tes
s. or the real Leondas'' letter. written without the
cognizance participation of Gen. Pillow.
We think that this incident alone should admon-
sh to be cautious in yielding credit to every re-
port that may injure our neg hbor-and to with
hold our censure until forced to give it.