The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1852-10-06

nsut charge. Lofty IN stature, and
standing Al least t4uF inches ah5Fe ne
tsllest al those among Whom he siooqs
his form seemed gigantic. a. Win high
tened color and flashing eye aud =
waxe sf his hand that expressed calm
defiance of all such sssailants, he 81
tered his emphatic protest against such
assaults as that paragraph Preseaied-
"New, and before unknown 10 me.
are such things as have n0w beeh told
me. They slrprise and they palh ne.
They at once concern all that ! value
personally. and aim q blow al all that
wherein, IL knos myself, | have the
highest pride. They attack nv own |
identity. The principles for which,
had believed, 4 need never search nv
own bosom IN vain. are here underfhlE-
ed or denied me. lam met with char
ges Of injustice aud eraelty-shile
leading the American army through
Mexico, and while participating alike
in its trials and IFS triumphs! y,
I Gentlemen, il tras nv LOT to lead
an American army upon foreign
field. Invent, resolved 10 sustain, IN
the forefront Of nv progress. the high
tide water-mark Of our own American
Civilization. in all its mural and civil
sirtoe. The standard Of our own and
not the practices Of that foreign coun-
try, VAS the standard which ] sought
for the government Of mems passions
and the control Of the license and ex-
cesses Of war. Alike To Americans.
whether Of native or foreign birth, and
to Me1icans. I declared my purpose,
and exhibited my principles of action.
81 promulgated the martial code.
: Doubtless you have all read il. ! deem
; ed il necessary. could do nothing
! without il. Ii annosnced the spirit
of our progress. and held amenable
to punishment all who forgot manhood.
and threatened to bring shame upon
: our nag-Jishonor to our arms-or a
reproaeh upon our virtue! Without
il, we had MT conquered. or if we had
conquered. the brightest trophy Of our
conquest had been wanting. Il would
have been a physical triumph alone.
Humanity would have disowned us. D
promulgated that order. Read it, and
read il again, gentlemen, and then bear
me witness that it was in my heart, as
il was almost hourly on my lips, for
continued months, to carry with Ame-
rican arms, and under the American
, flag, even into the enemy's country,
all the elements of social order. and
that regard for personal right, that
belonged to our free institutions in the
United States.
"Yes, | sought to carry with me.
and resolved to maintain, at all haz-
yards, among my own command, and
also that people amongwhom We should
be thrown, that high standard of virtue
and honor which We boosted at home.
Had | not been less than an American,
aud recreant 10 the highest interests Of
, humanity, and the age We rejoice in,
i'll had done lesss they say | hang
ed some Germans and tied up and Hog
ged others. Gentlemen, sorne persons
were hanged in Mexico. The names VI
all Of them I do not now recallect.
!. Whether any were Germans or not |
know not. But for what-yes, for what
were they hangeds hanged one for
murder, gentlemen; ! hanged one for
rape upon an innocent yoeng female.
and for profane and wicked church
robbery. All Knew that the law was
over them. Every man Of them knew
that he would be as auswerable for vile
nisdeeds against the laws Of God and
of man, as If he we're upon American
soil!
4 For such crimes they sufered--for
such crimes as here in your own ohio
la land of law-would have brought
down upon them severe penalties,
and with equal justice. Some did sui
fer death! But their trial was fair, i'm.
partial, and upon the same principles OF
solid law upon which they would have
been adjudged guilty here among you.
DO some say hanged fifteen Germans,
and that others were arraigned and Hog
ged without cause or trials Gentle
men, know nothing Of Il. 1t is
false--it is lie-an Invention, gem
tlemen-a LIE. | see aged citizens be
fore me. see eminent lawyers here.
Aud, gentlemen, yoa see rae much ex-
cited. But is il not for causef For
one, who. for fifty years, has scarcely
ever walked, rose, slept or eaten. or
even taken cup Of cold water, IN the
field, the town or the camp, but that
his thoughts were Of his country-her
virfee-hes renown-her hon0rs to be
thus assailetl---it is monstrors-it is
intolerable! Gentlemen, did, with a
high hand, sustain the law, which, with
sprightness in my heart, | deterniin-
ed to Sustain. did hang for muir.
der! | did hang for rape. I did hang
for treason! and flogged thieves and
pickpockets, For, gentlemen, let me
again say, | not only carried with me,
but | resolved, with every resource
1 L coull can,,sanJ "a euSfa,r foartapsl,,