The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-10-23
SPEECH OF GENERAL SCoTT.-On Mon

The attendance was immens and The whole
affair was most brilliant. After the removal
of the plates Hon. Z. Cook was called on
for a speech. In responding to the call he
made very eloquent address, revie wing
the services of Gen. Scott Throughout. his
career. During the speech he touched
upon the fact which has been stated, that
during the war Scott was offered large
sum of money 10 take the Government OF
Mexico into his own hands. We wish we
had room for Gen SCOTS whole reply, but
We have not. His closing remarks, which
will be read with universal interest through
out the country, were as follows:
Nv honorable friend, who has addressed
Won in such eloquent terms as almost to de-
ter me from attemtingto speak, has referred
to some scenes that occurred in Mexico, to
one or two OF the projections extended to
churches he might have added to the per
sons and properly of all. had the warm
thanks OF lhc archbishop of tnat country
for the projection given to the church AMI
also those OF his people. | had his aTcc-,
ton his thanks, and his blessing. He was
an aged man, then eighty-iiyc years, AMI is
now gone to his long home. | spoke to
him about the pictures with which the
churches were ornamentei They were
copies and ORIGINALS By the first mas'ers
OF Spain, and the former could not be dis
tinguished by a connoiSseur from the orig
nals. lie supposed | had i fancy for
some of them; and | must say had. l
had a lurking wish to bring some home,
for our pnblic buildings, not for private use.
intlma,cl such a purpose, and he said
if chose to select fifteen or twenty OF them
he would assist me in selecting duplicates,
one of which might be retained for Mexico.
l went home, and thought Oh the matter.
If take those pictures home, thought |
it would be like taking from Peter to pay
Paul. If | take twenty, why should me-
other officers take pictures in propor5ion!
So came 20 the conclusion not 20 take
enc; nor was there Il picture takeB,~ am
confident by any American officer, or
American soldier. They were all left as
we found them untouched unchanged =
II Applause. One word more about my
self, my friends My friend has adverteJ
to he propositions seen floating about in
the newspapers. Ihave nowhere seen it
correctly stated that an offer was made TO
me to remain in that country and govern it.
The impression which generply prevails,
that the proposition eDanated fiom Con-
gresS, IS an erroneous one. The overture was
made to me by private citizens--men OF
wealth and prominence. During our stay
in Mexico, our system of government and
police was established. which as the inhab-
itants themselves confessed, gave security
for the urso ,me, peri, CT AMI absolute
security-to persons and property. About
Iwo-ffths OF all the branches OF govern
ment, including nearly majority OF the
members OF Congress, aid the Executive,
were quite DESTROYS OF having hat coun-
try annexed TO ours. They knew that,
upon treaty of peace, nineteen OF. of TWEEN
ty persons belonging to the American ar
my would stand disbanded, and would be
absolutely free from nil obligations to re-
main III the army another m)nent. |.
was entirely true of ali the new regi-
mcntS.
After the war was over the government
overwhelmed me with reinfogcoments, az
ter there was no possibility of fighting
another battle When the war commenced
we had but one fourth the force which
we needed. The Mexicans knew that
men in my army wonld be entitled to
their discharge. They supposed if they
could obtain my services | would retain
these twelve or fifteen thousand men, and
that / could easily obtain one hundred
thousand more from home
The hone was that it would immediately
cause annexation. They off red me one mil
lion of dollars as bonus, with salary of
$3.50. 600 per annum, and FIVE responsible in
dividuals to become security in any bank in
New York which might name. 1t would
be so arranged that might get it in five days
They expected that annexation would be
brought about in few years. or if not, that
could organise the finances and straighten the
complex affairs of that government.
Ii was understood that neaIy majority f
Congress was in favor o. annexation, and that
IL was only necessary to publish pronuncia-
mento 10 that effect TO secure the object.
We possessed all the arms in the country,
!. and occupied their cannon founderles and
powder manufactures, had possession OF
their ports of entry, and might easily have
held them in our possession if this arrange
ment had gone into effect A published
pronunciaments would have brought Con-
greSs right over tn us, and with those fifteen
Thousand Americans holding the fortresses of
the country all Mexico colid not have dis
'urbed us. We might have been there this
day lift had been necessary. ! loved my dis
tant home. was not in favor of the annex
alton of Mexico to my own country.
Mpxiro has about eiuht millions of inhabi-