The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-04-12

/ of war at anchor near him. Now this is the
"o,,ier possession" of California so much spo.
ken Of The truth is, the volunteers cannot be
depeuded upon, and even if they were good.
there are not enough of them to do any thing;
think il quite probable that in case OF attack
,bev would 90 to the enemy. They submit TO
no liscipline and are disorderly and refractory.
OF course there are among them some ex.
ceptions, bur the majority of them are only a
nlacue to their officers and not to be depended
on. The country should be given up, or suf.
6cient force sent 10 project 1t ana sustain The
government; at present every thing is unstable,
and in a few days the whole country may be
in nossession of the Mexcans, from Monterey
to Cane ST, Lucas, Governor Mason and all.
San Francisco is the only safe place, and the
safety of that is 10 be attributed TO the absence
of the volunteers, there being but twenty there,
and the population about equally divided be-
tween emigrants and Calltornlans. AS you 60
South this is not the case, and IN Lower Cali
fornia three are ten natives 10 one OF anolher
country. Having been through The length and
breadth of the land, [ write from observation
and not from hcarsay.
Yesterday two of those volunteer officers ar
rived from La Paz under arrest, having been
sent over by Colonel Burton for dsordery and
un.officer like conduct, and arc on their way I"
INNER California TO he tried there. They were
sent from place closely beseiged by the cne-
nv, and within the last six weeks three seve.
raj times attacked, and at this moment held,
with The enemy. four times their number, daily
in siuht and only kept at bay by the Cyane
sloop of war remaining moorcd there.
And vet these men Col. Burton finds it his
duy to arrest and send away. One of them is
Lieutenant Lennon, "a dentist formerly the
others name do not know.
FtJruory 2.-The barque Wilton, Captain
Ge!sion, is now here. Capt. e.. will sail for
New York toward the close of March. OFF,
GERS and crew in good health.
The barquc Wilton. Of New York, was the
first American thai put into this port after its
capture, the city was taken OIL the llth Nov.
by Com. Shubrick, having under his command
the ships Independence, Congress and Cyanc.
The New Orleans Delta and the Crescent
publish a full account Of the Court of Inquiry.
as late as the 2lsi that day included. 1t contains
some queer matters, and strikes rs as being a
disgrace to almost every one concerned IN IT..
We have no space TO extract an intclilglble ac-
count of it, and indeed, are rot inclined TO put
on record so striking an evidence oil The weak
ness and vanles of our chiefmitary men. We
shall forever hereafter have little respect for the
cloth, and ere half inclined to VOW never to vote
for a military man for any Office, Gen. Taylor
excepted; who stands out above the whole army.
as a genuine, manly man, in whom duty is par
amount on all occasions TO self.
: The whole of this Court Of Inquiry (as is
plainly manifested in all its proceedings origin.
a,cd in the Lcondas letter. The evidence
shows that Gen. Pillow had something to do
with the eulogies which some Of his toades
hcaped on him so profusely. This praise excl.
ted the jealousy of Scotland the result is this
piliful court of record of men shame and weak,
ness. As far as it has gone, we can tell very
little Of the culpability and vanilies OF Worth
pcrLaps he did not exhibit any, but Scott and
Pillows stand out staring plainly through all
the os,ensiblc motives.
We have copied in another column extracts
of letters to the New Orleans papers. wherein
great deal of sympathy is expressed for Scott
In reading The proceedings we eel none OF this
sympatly. The conduct OF that officer before
the court seemed to have been devised express.
ly for exciting sympathy and pity. lfit had not
been however, his qucrulousncss, complaints,
and small winnings, like baby after toy, are
enough to deprive him Of it among men with
any dignity of character. 4 true man would
never have made Pillows childish and pitable
vanity the occasion of SO much fuss; having
committed the error, he would have exhibited a
manly, sclCrelying, accomplishing spiri: in de-
fence Consequences.
1t is mor,ifying to be obliged TO write thus
concerning men some of whom have exhibited
the most consulnate courage and military skill;
but the truth ought to be told in this case parcu.
larly, for the weakness Of such men are more
likely than those of less prominent individuals
TO infect society and breed bad results.
We published yesterday report of Il speech
made by Gen. Scott on the third day the Court.
1t was in some respects erroneous. We there.
fore extrac, below report oft purporting 10 be
verbatim:
"lf. Presiden, an Gentlemen of the Couri:-
Here in the Capital Of Mexico, conquered by
the American arms under my command, find
myself but prisoner at large-the chief Grimm.
al before this Court. Deeply wolndcd, my
military pride Is cast down into the dust-not
the public enemy, but by the long arm Of power
from home. All that could be done in that
quarter to iniurc, to degrade and humble me,
here and elsewhere, has been accomplished
But, sustained by the Almighty arn,-leelng
myself strong in concious recliludcsrong in
mind and body strong in all the mcsn ofscfde-
fiancc to my accusers. shall not plead the let.
ter Withdrawing the appeal against me in bar
Of trial. Nay, | challenge the wri;cr Of that
lcttor to come forward and to do his worst. But
no doubt he thinks-and with rcason-lhat he
has done his rorst. lIelc, in view ofthe enc.