Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-10-14
45qlititaI Ae eaoing.
The Face SlappiHg' Of Pierce and
ScOIt.

ScOtt.
The more disreputable whig press
/ es, says the Savannah Georgian,
have made tile country quite fmll-
I iar with the charge that Gen. Pierfe
had his face Slapped in Mexico with
! out resenting the insult. The fap pt
unquestionably is, that whatever ih-
dignity Gf any) was offered to him
was atoned for on the next day By
the amplest apology And it 70
happens that within a few days att fr
the Scott men had disgraced.I them
selves by this dirty attack, d letter
was received by Gen. Pierce, bearing
the highest testimony to his ghllanIt-
ry, written at San Diego, by Colon Fl
NIagrader, the very man who, it WIS
alledged, had disgraced him The
authenticity of that letter, Which On
its first appearance was called in
question, is now established beyond
dispute by Gen. Cooper, of the arm y,
who certifes that the '1etter and 81 B.
nature" are in Magruder hand writ
ing
Bu | to make the discontinue of
Ithese Scottite slanderers doubly bIu-
initiating, it is now made to appehr
/ that the very insult ;,lledged by the i'm
to ha 7e been offered by Col. 4lagl lIu
| der B Gen. Pierce, was actually bf-
\ fered by none other than Henry Clhy
to Gen. Scott! The Pennsylvania,
On the { authority Of gentlemen'of the
high9 st responsibility, publishes the
following statement:
!. 81 is said, that in the session Of
/ 1889 40, at a card party in Wash
ingtd n, in the presence Of Henry "a.
Wise. of Va, and several other gen
tlemen, the Hon. Henry Clay, then
a member of the United StateslS$n-
ate, Slapped the face of Gen. Scd 1t,
which insult was meekly borne by
the hero Of ter battles, and never re-
sentdd ID in any manner whatever l.
We have been told that l4nguage
accoIn npanied tie blow, which made it
the more aggrayative.
q 4 publishing this stat tel hent Se
do it not for the purpose Of proyi ng
Gen. Scott q coward, or as sxhiH Hit-
ing 4 wantof gallantry, for circuP Pn-
stances may have justified hi h in pot
resenting the insult; but We fo it to
show that even if Capt. n lcLane E IS
/ tale about Pierce and Mb bgrri der Fas
true. which is not the case, t bat 6 en-.
Pierce is at least as brave . mar as
Gen. Scott, aud as quick to resent an
insult and punish the offender.
The Richmond Enquirer has re,
ceived from ''gentleIaen of undoubtcd
honor, intelligence and character,
the following version of theNsanle ai-
fair:
"3Ir. Clay was very indignant at
The course Of Gen. S. in using his In
huence towards the Harrisburg nom
nation Of Gen. Harrison oyer Mr..
Clay. Returning home from a din-
n6r party, and under no little excite
f ment, Mn. Clay was necosted by Gen
Scott and returned his cIyllty with
blow. The blow was repeated-but
! thanext day, Mr-Chy became aware
Of til : impropriety~of { his course and
mag1 1animously ma lie the amende
honorable to General Scott. TINS
5 event is very analogous to the re-
8 ported accounts of The scene between
: Col. Magruder, who made the proper
: apology to Gen. Pifrce-and, If tht
account be true, they are very credit
81 able to Mr.. Clay Ind to Col. NJ
+ We have never desc ended So Iowa t
charge want Of coufage to Gen. Scot
: we leave such NJ iserable policy f
the uhig press-bqt we contend tina
e if Gen. Scett is dAeIsable tor hi
e conduct on the occ hsion referred to
: Franklin Pierce is fully aud equal,
S so for his bearing On the occasion re
e ferred to.
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