Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-29

TINS House. and copy OF them they had never yet received
The only information they had Of them that Major Cen
era Pillow had them in his pocket Mexico. They
published in Mexico before they known here. Now,
what he asked Of the gentleman Of this House, and what he
intended 10 ask Of the country the of
the people had made call Mr. Polk for this whole cores
pondence between Mr. Tsi Gen. Scott and the Department
of War how did he dare withhold that letter There was
but ground which he could attempt justify himself
that was, that would be detrimental to the public
communicate it, He had been called upon furnish all the
correspondence He repeated he asked the gentleman and
the House It inconsistent with the public interest
that this House should know that Mr. Trist had brought
these grave charges against Gen. Pillow That was the
question II il inconsistent with the public interests
that this House should know the fact how could gentlemen
dare defend the President They could not do it,
Mr. HOUSTON, again inerposing, (and Mr. s. yieldng)
suggested to the gentlemanwh otheryew, he remarked
than TO get at the right of the case-wheiher il would
have been consistent with the principles Of law and
justice when Gen. Pillow had been arrested under charges
made by Gen. Scott body else when he be
aigned before court for trial. would it have been
sent with the rules of law justice for the President Of
the United States the Secretary of War have published
the statement OF witness in advance of the trial Mr. Trist
had been examined since that time witness Would
the publication Of his charges advance Of the trial have had
the effect Of predcing the public mind against him And
IN this vew would have been consistent with equity and
with law in the President have made such publication
Mr.. STEPHENS. Would it interfere at all with the
mony Of witness; if Mr. Trist was witness, would it
have nerered at all with law equity justice, that what
he had written should have been published Why, its pub
icaon might have been directly subseyient Justice by
enabling his testimony be contradcted If incorrect
Mr.. HOUSTON. Does not the gentleman from Georgia
know that is the universal practice of the courts trials
volving the reputation, life liberty of one Of citizens
extraordinary powers prevent the publication Of
the true testimony of the witness in advance of his trial And
that the newspapers not permitted TO publish
of the facts in such cases
Mr.. STEPHENS said the gentleman from Alabama might
make many he pleased for Mr. Polk they did
not the point be (Mr. 81 put him. How did the
President escape from his responsibility this House Had
he not bid defiance TO it That the question. Had
they right that letter which they had called for
He step further and he put it to the gentleman,
required by the rights of the House and the people,
and the duty of the President when resolution pending
the Speakers table, and known doubtless the President
of thanks to that ocerwhich might have been taken up any
dayhat they should be informed OF those gross charges
coming from who had been put in such high post
Mr. Tist had been by the President himself Suppose they
had gone in the dark and voted the thanks Of Congress
who had drawn down such infamy upon himself how
would gentlemen have felt' How would the House have
been degraded by the of the President himself in failing
perform high bounden duty And how did the President
dare withhold when they had asked for it No other
could be given in any than that its publication
inconsistent with the public interests and the President could
make preence that that existed here, because he
had himself while he had withheld it from the House, coml
muncated to this officer and through him had been made
public, first in Mexico
Now, in regard the remarks of the gentleman from Ala
bama (Mr HILLARD) to the publication of this long let
terwhich seemed very long-he in favor Of publishing
it. He disagreed with his friend from Alabama. Notwth-
standing bore date April 81, four days after the call of this
Notwithstanding evidently got up to patch up
the whole business yet for one be was in favor Of publishing
it. The Secretary Of War might write many he
pleased in to Gen. Scott any other officer, and at
tempt bolster his conduct he should not be opposed to
giving the information to the country He had not yet had
time read it but he knew this that the Secretary Of War
could explain the conduct Of the Administration he will
ling hear him, although in letter Of twenty, thirty,
forty pages this was, and he wanted the whole matter
be published to the country.
Mr.. McLANE, the floor having been yielded, wished
call the attention of the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. HIL
LIARD the language Of the call the Department for this
correspondence The House would remember that when the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr CLIsemAs) proposed
this resolution, he (Mr Mel very anxious that the
whole Of this correspondence between Gen. Scott and the
War Department should go before the county-al Of to-
gether.
Mr.. HILLIARD nterposing, wished this precise point
to ask the gentleman from Maryland question, and (Mr
Mel yedng) said that question was whether the gentleman
the time believed that if the call the part of the House
for this correspondence took place, could by possible
construction be made to embrace letter which writ
ten until period subsequent TO that call
Mr.. McLANE continued The resolution OF the gentle
from North Carolina having been read at the Clerks
table, after explanation from him that he wished the whole
correspondence be (Mr Mel had called the attention of
the gentleman from North Carolina the second resolution
(r there were wo) which called specifically for the de-
spaches written by Gen. Scott subsequently bis and
suspension and had requested the gentleman TO modify that
resolution bring this House the reply Of the secre
tary Of War such dispatches.
Mr. HILLIARD, (intenupting) Had there been reply
Mr.. McLANE replied he had disposition to evade the
question He wished only that the gentleman from Alabama
should hear read the first and second resolutions and be wish
ed him then whether In his best Judgment the second
resolution did the reply Of the Secretary of War
which had been received Assuming that finished
the 24ih April and that the call made the 18th, be
doubted that being written the nth and he
could not see that mattered whether il wholly written
part whether wholly copied in part, the day the
call made. The second resolution read, follows
Resolved further That the President be requested in like
furnish copies Of correspondence that have
taken place recently Gen. Scott and the Secretary Of
War with reference the change OF commandersinchef in
Mexico and all letters received from General Scott either
directly him transmitted by any other person. dated
prior subsequent his suspension removal from the
command Of the army in the vicinity Of Mexico and also the
replies Of the Secretary Of War thereto and all other
pondence between Gen. Scott and the Secretary Of War not
heretofore communicated to Congress
Mr. STEPHENS understood that the resolution, mod-
6ed called for the reply Of the Secretary Of Warto Gen. Scott
Would the gentleman from Maryland inform him whether he
(Mr McLAsK) that time sppzed that there would be
reply, and that one had not then been made
Mr. McLANE replied that he had had specific infcma
ton He did know, perhaps, well the gentleman
from North Carolina that dispatches had been received from
Gen. Scott subsequent TO his arrest and he did know the fact
in the natural Of things apart from any personal inter-
course that reply would be very natural sequel to the re-
cepon Of that despatch But he had trouble at all IN say
ing that he did know the fact that the letter Of Gen. Scott
would be replied to- and he did communicate that fact to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr, CLIssnAs) and ask
him to call for that reply