The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-09-25


one OF the BRUSH colonies, the United olstess
may not have been citizen Of The United Slatss"
And third, on failure 10 find sufficient number Of
either class among The prisoners taken from the eneny.
the President might caase retaliation TO be executed
any British subject wherever found and whether taken
ia arms or not against the United States lSee The oct
IN the Sd vol. oil Nlles's Register, y. 35s.) t
This record defeats, therefore, the eircumsiantatiss
on which the general relied 10 give the appearances of
very truth the story fabricated. To propilise
the Irish aud other adopted citizens 10 his SUPPORT not
wilhstandng his warfare against them he tells ~ Ia
detail that after the law passed, che again fought and
conqueIed-he had prisoners IN pleniy-he forthwith
selected twenty three OF genuine English dsscsn lfor
be declared he would offset Irish by rish and held
them Tor the doomed twenty three lrshmen taken home
10 be executed"
Now, appears from The very act OF Congress which
Scott preends he had caused be passed. thai prisoners
q genuine English descent could no, be selected in the
hrst or IN lac second instance The law makes the
lection OF the hrs and second class, aud the first might
include lrishmen natualzed who had gone Can
ada and joined the Bflish standard, il any such there
were The second class was specified Tor the purpose
oi making the tory refugees born our country who
had taken up arms against II. furnish the next victims
And IN The last place, the law allowed any British sub
Iec wherever found, aud whether taken in arms or not
10 be put 10 death in retaliation Tor the execution of any
American citizen, but did not allow Scott iorh with" 10
make the selection. or TO make II at ALL But the Prcs
dent OF the United Slalesand, unluckily for his long
memory IL appears that in the very OF the twenty
three prisoners he cites for his ownihe Presiden did
not depute him 10 act in the ALL but did depue
ienera Dsarborh--a fact shown by that careful col
lecto oil during The war. Miles, who quotes 10 The
4h volume Of his Register, page aas the following pas
sage from General Deaborns letter. 81 have taken
ures IN relation to the twenty prisoners who
| be put IN close confinement" ssta8& ~
Hence il appears that SCOTS attempt to take on him
sell the functions OF the President oil Congress. and of
General Dearborn, with respect to the realiatory
ures proves TO be failure from the beginning 10 The
end The whole drama must pass for fiction, unes he
bring forward of the spectators OF that remark
ably theatrical scene, of which have in the antob
ography such interesting wood cutthe twenty three
Irish prisoners, to man, landing the quay at New
York, and embracing him. ''Singnsrly enough II 20
happenedhat is the written account, and lie the
vocational idiom Of Scott hmselfsingulary enough it
so happened that the very day OF the landing OF these
old comrades OF General Scott the wharf, their
mander and friend, then still suffering from his wounds,
passed along the quay foot. He was instantly recog
nsed BY the now liberated prisoners and, knowing ali
ne had accomplished in their behalf they rushed spon
MN with cheers, expressing fervor OF Affection grail
lude and delight that is impossible to describe Their
10Y was unbounded as the recognition became mutual
He was seized and shaken till the mingled pain OF his
wounds, and the emotions produced by such heart
felt exhibition, caused the OF stalwart
hood 10 course unbiden down bis cheek" How like
novel this reads and how marvellous the many conc
dences There were upwards of six hundred prisoners
carried TO England 10 the charge oil treason The
twenty OF SCOTS drama stuck together IN going
over to England hung together through all the changes
OF their imprisonment in that country, and ii = snguarly
so happened" after the close OF the war;, when they
were liberated they all got together on the same ship,
reached New York a, The very that Gen. Scott
was walking on the particular quay where they landed,
and singuary so happened, too. that knowing oil
he had accomplished in their behathal IT, that he bad
got the law passed TO take twentyh OF the genuine
English their stead, had taken them prisoners put
them in confinement. and so delivered them (the Irish,
men)-things that never happened nj New York, OF
happened al all The twenty three rushed upon him.
aud he seized aud shaken until the pain OF his wound,
&c, brought about the catastrophe OF forcing the tear
OF salwau manhood To unbdden down his check"
Nov, must be remembered that this wound Is itself
contradiction TO this story, for the hero was not still
suffering from Il after the close oil the war. ,ssass
Now, why is this between the 1rshmen and
General Scott deliberately worked up and connected
with such narrative In regard 10 his establishing the
and rftnw xrsfh nj 49,
or the Irish, every word OF which is shown 10 be false
by The authentic history oil the country Il had ts
ing declaration in General SCOTS letter Of March last
to the Irish committee celebrating 81 Parck's Day;
II erhaps no man, certainly American, owes 50
much to the valor and blood OF lrishmen myself.
IN the war OF isi2-l5; and many -,housands-in
the recent with Mexico. one OF whom was ever
known TO turn his back upon the enemy or friend.
am, gentlemen, with very cordial respect,
WINFIELD SCOTT
And yet this man hung a whole company OF fifty
rishmen called 81 Parick's Legion. by paioons for
deserving his standard and lighting for the Mexcans Sin
the recent with Mexico !" No doubt ibess deuded
men were lasly condemned but there m ght be some
thing in the motives oiheir deseron TO cxenuate their
crime. They deserted TO standard to which they were
invoked by their religious faith, and they defended Il
The held with courage which exorted praise from
their deeply provoked vanquishers They fought after
the Mexicaas had ed with the enthusiasm OF The era
sadefs when the cross their only banner. The
duct oil these made true one half al least OF what
Scott says OF them in his leler,hey did not turn their
backs him "an enemy" although the fate which
they consigned proves that he have condemn
ed them for deserving him a "frend" They su1efei
under Scouts orders the highest penalty thai the mar
ual law could inlet Some four FIVE OF them. aud
among them Riley, their lealer, rooi the fact thai
they had deserted in time OF peace, could not be
brought under the death penalty These were burn
ed on each cheek with hot iron, and scourxed to
tue last extremity with the cat The rect, about
hily IN number, were hung n pa,oons, already
stated. NO Communication OF sentence allowed.
nor was the remarkable fact that Riley. the nsleader
Scott Free having deserted before the war, suffered 10
operate in favor OF the dupes Of this more intelligent and
commanding spirit. THIS strange exception only dis
hngushes this execution IRON that OF Spanish ven
geanee which delights in massacre Blu, there IL
another striking particular which this mill
taTy execution from any other in history. Ne
cessly sometimes compels the execution OF bodies OF
men whom u ~ difficult TO retain prisoners and when
their escape may be FATAL the importance OF q dread
ul example, when the safety of army may depsnd on
the prevention OF deserion and when this can only he
effected by the utmost severity In the instance Wheep
almost the whole legion OF ST. Patrick Consisting Of
eighty men) We're inundated, part the field OF Churu.
busco the rest on the gallows such existed
10 justly the wholesale slaughter neither the safety
nor the success OF the army required IT, As II TO mani
TEST nus 10 Tue world, the prisoners led exeeu
hon when our troops marched the OF Che
putepeo, and were told that when our flag would Re
unured on this last defence OF Mexico, il would b.
their death signal They placed with ropes around
their necks ~ full view OF Chepntepec, and made 10
themselves in their saints name This was intended 10 NJ
he nj