The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-23
re MOIR OF
q E N e r Al S G OFT,
Rscsrds Cotsmporaaeeus with the Events.
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hoOVius WNauPWe0Ov0S Win VIC hsVQAs
[osrrMuEo vRsn YESTERDAYS PArEa.l
And yot this man hung whole company Of ffty
for deserting his standard and fighting the Msxi
cans " in tho recent war with Iexic0l'' No doubt
these deluded mon were justly condemned but there
might DO something in the motives Of their dessrton
ard to which they were invoked by their religious
faith, and they defended it in the field with oou-
rage which extorted praise even from their deeply
provoked vanquishers. They fought after tho Aexi-
when the GROSS was their only banner. The conduct
OF these mon made true one-hak at least of what
SCOTT says of them in his letter they did not
their backs on him as can enemy" although the
must have condemned them for desertting him as :
s'lriend." They suffered under SCOTS orders the
highest penalty that the martial law could infict.
Some four or five of them, and among them
had deserted in time of peace, could not DO
brought under the death penalty. These wers
burned in each cheek with hot iron, and
scourged to the last extremity with the cat. The
rest, about fifty in number, were hung in platoons
as already stated, No communication OF sentence was
allowed, nor WAS the remarkable fact, that Riley
the IiDglesder and seducer Of the rest, was neoes
sariiy permitted to go Scott free, having deserted
before tho war; suffered 10 operate in favor Of tho
dupes Of this more intelligent and commanding
spirit. This strange exception only distinguishes
this execution from that sort OF Spanish vengeance
which delights in mass massacre. But there is
ano,her striking particular which distinguishes TIL
military execution en- aaaSSe from any other in hi5
tory. Necessity sometimes compels the execution
Of bodies Of whom it is difficult to retain O.
prisoners, and when their escape may be fatal, or
the Importance of dreadful example, when the
safety Of an army may depend on the prevention Of
assertion, and when this only be effected by tho
utmost severity. III the instance where almost the
whole legion Of st. Patrick Consisting Of eighty
men) we-e Inundated, part on the Geld Of
Churubusco the rest on the gallows, no such
reasons existed to justify the Wholesale saugh-
ter peither tho safety nor the saccess Of the
army required it. AS if to manifest this to
the world, tha prisoners were led to execution
when our troops were marched to the storm of
Chapaltepec. and were told that when our flag
would be unforled this last defence Of Mexico il
would be their death signal They were placed with
ropes -ouLd their nschs in full view Of Cha pulepec
and mi 9 to witness the fall Of the ensign To which
they has4 devoted themselves in their Saints name
This was intended to aggravate the suerngs of their
last moments, and to make them feel that their sac
rtce was neither the effect Of fear Of necessity
but the indulgence Of an appetite for revenge And
what comm emit is this upon General SCOTS letter
to the st. Patrick's Society, celebrating St Pat
rick's Day in Philadelphia! "No man" he tells
them, "owes SO much to the valor and blood of
lrishmen rs myself; thousands marched and fought
under my command in the recent war with Mexico,
not one of whom was ever known to turn his back
upon the enemy or friend!' And yet, when that
flag Of ours which owed SO much to "the valor and
blood Of Irshmen," foated in triumph upon the
height Of Chapultepec, the "Legion OF St. Pat.
rick" was displayed the neighboring height
hanging on a gAllows! Was it necessary to
contrast thus the glory Of the United States and
the shame of Inflated Ireland Was il not
enough that these men died for their offence
Was it necessary to make them feel that Ireland was
to be humblcd, if not disgraced in this day of glory
to our countrymen? Do we not see in this event
of the spirit which signazed Gen. SCOTS letter
In hos .rin &c hia hal fha pd,ro &c
society to exclude Irsbmen from American citizen
ship, than of his holiday letter to St. Patricks
Society? Who does not perceive the selGshness and
heartlessness which dictated both letters The
Mexican gallows in sight Of Chapultepec proclaimed
Scott's real feelings towards Irishmen-the old
federal feeling which dictated the alien law giving
the elder President Adams the power to send out OF
the country the seditons and rebelious Irish dem
ocrats Gas they were called) who threntened tho
overthrow OF the federal party. Scott's native
American party and his appeal, under the signature
OF "Americus, originated in the same party views
that produced the alien law Of 1898 and the late
zeal Of the federal leader which, it pretended out
stripped that of Mr.. Madison and the democrats Of
his day in favor of adopted citizens and which
is now SO earnest with the Society of st Patrick is
but the consequence Of the failure of the natives as
party Of influence.
SCOTS QUARREL WITH GENERALS GAINES AND MA
coMB-CONTUMACY TO THE ADAMS ADMINIsrRA.
TON. AND INGRATITUDE TO Mr.. CLAY.
The death OF General Brown making the place OF
III, u
controversy between Scott and Gaines for the an
pontment. Each il sisted on il matter of right,
and the feud grew to such Madness that to prevent
the begerents appealing to trial by duel, General
was selected, in the hope of aaying the strife be-
tween the vndctive rivals, the President found he
had only transferred ScOtt's wrath to himself He
denied the power of the President and Senate to
give Macomb commission which would authorize
him to take command Of the army insisting that his
senior Brevet Major Generalship excluded any one
else from the chief command. Scott refused to obey
Macomb, and in the end, the Secretary at War,
General Porter, addressed him this letter.
DEPARTMENT OF WAR, Nov. &C. 1928.
bR-t not the purpose Of the President to take any
final order In relation to your Late very reprehensibe
conduct until sufficient time shall have espse for the
receipt Of deliberate the letter addressed
to you from this department the 18th inst and which
contains exposition Of the views of the President ON
the several questions you have raised The nature Of
that order will as you perceive, depend, in great
measure on the character Of the received from
unnducnced BY the considerations which By his dircc
tons have been presented to you To put stop in the
have deemed Git to indulge the President directs that
from the receipt of this letter you will consider yourself
suspended from the Of the Western department
OF the army until his further pleasure shall be made
servant, p b. PORTER
Brevet Major Gen Scott. U. s. A, Cincinnati.
Throughout the controversy with Gaines, Mr..
Clay, who was premier in the cabinet, stood staunch
~ by Scott, ard 1t was generally understood that
he favored the iepient course to which the lattor
owed the retention Of his place and obtained what
Scott in reply to the above letter from Porter says
sounds like reprieve." There is hardly doubt
that but for Ciays interpostion Scott would have
been cashiered for disobedence of orders.
Two marked incidents in SCOTS conduct subse-
quently tend to develop his character. General
jackson was elected whilst Scott was still under
suspension, asserting he commended his own rights
and the rights Of his brother officers Against
Jackson, II against any BODY ne ought TO have
maintained his position, aud proved tina. his DISC
bediepce was not nutny. Blu. his first act was
to make his submission to the man whom he had
charged with mutiny, and in the very act confessed
that wnie he held out in contemptuous disobedcnce
to ndmgept iricuds under the pretence OF principle,
he was ready to sGccumb and sacrifice it Tahor than
assert i agains. the authority Of the bold man who
he kne would submit to nothing tina. was wrong
Another trait Of Gen SCOTS oharao or Is eyincad
in his treatment of his friend Clay, who stood by
him in his troubles. Every one knows that the "a
yorable crisis in Mr. Clsys career, and which scented
Likely to decide in his bohalf-the appeal to his
what he callad the oai,,pnes nf h;s