Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-06
Gen. Scott and the Deserters.

Gen. Scott and the Deserters.
Quite sympathy is attempted to be excited in
the minds of our adopted citizens by garbled
statements of the course pursued by Gen. SCOTT
in Mexico with reference to the punishment of
American soldiers who had desested our flag and
were taken in the valley of Mexico with arms in
theirhands fighting against the American army
Every tyro knows that desertion in time of war is
always and in all countries punished with death.
Twenty nine such offenders were taken with the
Mexican army bearing arms against their country
and against the very colors under which they had
enlisted and were found guilty and sentenced to
death Jy eouri-martial Of the army and not by the
commander. Nine of these had their punish
ment committed from the clemency of the Gener-
al Of the American Army, who found some special
cause either in substance or form for committing
OF lessening this awful sentence, SO that twenty
only of the original number suffered that penalty
which they had so richly incurred by their traitor
ous conduct to the American cause. Among these
was the infamous Riley, who is now held up by
the eommendable press of the Democracy as an in
stance of the cruelty Of Gen. Scott to Irishmen.-
We had hoped that the honor of our country would
have saved such subterfuge as this. We had
hoped that party hopes and party virulence had not
~ "HH So o. ga o.
brought that press low as that would be forced
to sink into such depths of invention to be COM
PEELED in order to bolster up their candidate and
their cause; to uphold the deserter and appeal to
the prejudces of his countrymen to put down our
General for having done his duty. What are the
facts Let them speak for themselves. Riley
had deserted fiom The American Amy under Tay-
lor before war was declared. BE was deserter,
hut bad cd haEnr tba dac1 IF
war was made, Gen. Scott commutel his senten ce,
ordered him to have, instead, fifty lashes, to be
kept confined, to have the letter d branded on his
forehead and TO be drummed out of the army up
on leaving Mexico. Whether this sentence was
ever executed or not We know not, as Gen. Butler.
(thc Democratic GeneraD was in command at the
time when the sentence was to have been execut-
cd and not Gen. Scott, who was then under the
ban of Executive wrath. We have only to say
that be he Irishman, Englishman or American, the
sentence was too mild for his deserts, for if ever
traitor deserved death, Riley was the man. He
had gone 10 the enemy, in the face of our ar
my, he had organized battery Of deserters and
had made dreadful havoc of the American army in
almost every battle being more efficient with his
command IF we can believe aneye- witness) than
''ten similar Mexican companies" fighting as they
did with 'double DEATH ever before them and
yet he is to be held up. as an object of SCOTS
cruelty and abuse and as the martyrs out Of whose
blood are to arise outraged rishrnen to visit upon
his heartless and cruel prosecutor the sins of Ri
ley's punishment. We have but little knowledge
of the Irish character but we have heard and we
have read, that while they are impulsive they are
generous, while they are violent they are mngnnn-
lmous, and that, whatever may be their national
peculiarities, they always admire bold, manly and
Straightforward action, and that.aboye all do they
despise, with the whole souled energy of Irish
men, the treacheros foe and the dastdrdly traitor.
The character of traitor is foreign 10 the instincts
of1rishmen, and they, who would seek to influence
their votes by advocating the traitors cause offer
insult to the the Irish character, for which they
will not easily be forgiven by the warm hearted
sons of Erin. Whether in the Erin of their birth
in the Erin of their adoption they will ever sing
Erin go bragh,' and while they can look back as
they will do, to the land OF their birth, while Ire
land lives even in tradition, they will remember
with pride the patriotism of their Emmett and scorn
the traitorism Of Riley Gratitude too, is part of
the Irish character, and while the lrislman has
heart to feel or tongue to speak, he will remember
the noble stand taken by Scott for the Irish prison.
ers and his rescuing them from the press men of
the British army and hear him tell them in the
thunder tones of freeman, that English blood
should flow for every hair hurt on the head Of an
1rishman. To what a pass have our opponents
come when in order to attain their ends they must
uphoR desertsrs NJ. ..,. ~, en- ..r,.r,.--
ClLFoRsIA FOR ScorT.-Jos. b. Crockett, ESQ.,,
editor of he St. Louis Intellgencer, is now in
lnliIoInia, ana CoIItspOHus iSSuialy Will MS pa
per In the IntelIigencer of the Dist inst, we
ind letter from M. Crockett, dated July 30th, in
which the following account is given Of the recep-
ton in California OF The nomination Of Scott and
Graham: r. - - ft.i... j
"By the last steamer, we received the intelli-
gence tina, Scott and Graham were the nominees of
the Wing National Convention. For several days
the arrival of the steamer had been looked for
with intense anxiety. When her guns announced
that she was entering the Golden Gate, an eager
crowd rushed TO the wharf, and scene of greater
excitement has rarely been witnessed. As soon as
il was known who were the nominees, crowds
were gathered on every corner, discussing the
probable result, Very soon an immense assem-
blage gathered in front of the 'Whig Office and
such shouts we're sent up for Scott and Graham. as
almost to reid the welkin. Immediately the firing
Of cannon, and the blazing bonfres, proclaimed
the enthusiasm Of the multitude" -''.t
After an allnson to the ratification meeting held
in San Francisco, the writer remarks sIt is not
to be denied think, that Scott was the fayofite Of
the California Wings for the Presidency, and M
less am greatly deceived, this may be set down
asa Wing State beyond q peradsenture. From
present Indications, the w higs will carry their en-
tre ticket In November -, ~ W ~
This prediction from careful observer of poll
81 tics. who has seen much of California, has great
Zeal Of weight Itagrees, moreover, with the cur
TENT accounts received from nlioriia and we have