Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-06-30

GEN. Pillow AND THE Court OF INQUIRY.
On the 22d instant, the Court of Inquiry
having gotten through all the testimony in
the case of Gen Pillow, prosecuted at the in
stance OF Gen. Scott, both these officers sub
mitted to the Court documents, the former
summing up for the defence, and the latter
| for the prosecution. The whole of this most
extraordinary trial will, we presume, be laid
before the country ere long, and then we are
certain it will be seen by an impartial public
that Gen. Pillow has been the object of the
bitterest persecution, as well on the part of
Gen. Scott as of the press, which has gener-
ally sided with the latter
The following are the closing paragraphs
of General Pillows defence:
ole [Gen. Scott has prosecuted this case as
i'll were murderer, and fit subject for the gal
lows, seeking, by his tyranica and overbearing
manner, to intinaidate my witnesses, and to crush
me by the weight of his character.
"FOr nearly ten months my official and private
character has been assaiied. with most relentless
terocity, from one end of the Union to the other.
During the whole of this time | was in the pres
ence of the enemy, fighting the battles of my
country, far from my native land, whence these
poisoned shafts have been directed. Nor is this
| all. Whilst | was held prisoner in the enemy s
capital awaiting trial on charges preferred against
me by the prose- utor, there issued from his camp,
nay. from his very office, not only with his knO1O-
| LEDGE but with his own sanction and appreciation,
false, caluminous and sduage article, written by
the chief of his own staff, and sent forth for the
very purpose of pfejudicing the public mind, al
ready much abused, still further against me- and
causing it to preJuGge the merits Of these very
issues. All this have borne in silence and if
not with the meekness and resignation ofa Chris
tian, at least with the SubordinatIOn which be-
comes a soldier.
81 will not trust myself to remark upon the
foregoing recital, nor does it require that should
submit the naked facts to this court, and the
consideration of all truthful and candid minds,
without one word Of comment. Had the prose-
cutor read history to advantage, he would have
learned that the remembrance of the recent a.
chlevemens of our gallant army will be associated
with his name long after the memory of all other
names shall have passed away, and even his OWL
faults and foes are forgotten.
Had history taught him this-or had he pro.
fitted by its instructons-this court might have
teen spared the labor ofthis investigation; might
have been spared the unpleasant task of exhibiting
the wrongs and Injustice he has heaped upon me;
his countrymen might have been spared the Con.
temptation of the picture, and he might have been
spared the consequences.
81 have now d'ne-this case goes out of my
hands into those of the court, and before just
and, trust, impartial public In the decision OF
both shall be compelled to acquiesce. To the
one and the other | will say speak of me as |
am. nothing extenuate. nor set down aught in
malice Let this just rule be observed, and SO
strong is my faith in the omnipotence of truth
that submit my case with the utmost conf
dence"