Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-10-23

sent to GFeak Britain LOT tue ONceIS 50 GDh
fined would be put to death also. It notified at
the same time that the commanders Of the British
fleets and armies on our coasts are instructed, In
the same event, to proceed with destructive Sc
verify against our towns and their Inhabitants.
.sThat no doubt might be left with the enemy
of our adherence to the retalatory resort imposed
on us. correspondent number OF British ofhcers,
prisoners of war in our hands, were immediately
nut into close confinement to abide the fate OF those
confined by the enemy and the British govern
ment has been apprized of the determination of
this government to retalate any other proceedings
against US contrary to the legitimate modes OF
warfare.
cit is as fortunate for the United States that
they have it in their power to meet the enemy in.
this deplorabe contest, as is honorable to them
that they do not join in it but under the most inn
nervous obligations, and with the humane purpose
of efectuating to the established usages of
war;
With these facts before the reader, let him ex-
anime General SCOTS pretenson of having been
the man who put this retalaoly system into opera
ton Observe what heroic demonstration he
makes of himself, in setting up his own champion
shin on this great national question, in regard to
which he would leave the reader to suppose, the
President and government had been entirely re-
miss, if not afraid to take stand.
ssAmong the prisoners taken by the British at
Queenstown with Scott, were about sixty natural
lied citizens a large portion of whom were Irish
men, The British authorities claimed the right,
and expressed the determination, to hang them
as traitors. These men were at Quebec on board
vessel with Scott and the rest of the prisoners all
bound to Boston to be exchanged The British
officers came on board and began to select the
| Irshmen, whom they intended TO send home to
grace the gallows. The officers had no sure means
of detecting the Irish but by their brogue or their
confession. Scott, who was below, hearing what
was going on, Immediately rushed on deck, and
told his afflicted men TO hold their peace. Then,
turning to the British officers, he boldly denounced
their proceedings, and threatened like retaliation
upon British prisoners if they dared to execute a
single man among his comrades.
i The officers haughtily reminded him that he
was himself prisoner, and ordered him into the
cabin. He was not a man to be inundated, and
refused to 60, and again called upon his Irish SOL
diers to answer no more questions A high quar-
rel ensued but the result was that no more of
the prisoners could be identified as Irishmen, for
they would not open their lips. The officers,
however, had already selected twenty three be-
fore Gen. Scott made his appearance These
were separated from their fellow prisoners and
put on board a frigate, and despatched to Eng
land to be hung. But they did not go until Scott
had solemny warned the British authorities that be
! would surely avenge the death of every man they
dared to lay violent hands upon, by terrible ret
rbution upon the first English prisoners that should
fall into his hands after be should be liberated
Scott was soon exchanged. How faithful he
D kept his promise we shall see. He proceeded at
once to Washington, and obtained the passage, by
Congress- of law to retaliate upon British pris-
. oners-any such outrage as was threatened at Que
: bee. He again fought and conquered. He had
S prisoners in plenty. He forthwith selected TWEEN
e ty-three OF genuine English descent, for he de.
e clared he would not offset Irish by Irish, and
, held them as hostages for the doomed twenty
three Irishmen taken home to be executed. He
then communicated to the British authorities
. what he had done, and informed them that if they
dared to execute their threat on the twenty-three
= Irishmen, the twenty -three Englishmen should
e pay the penalty BY promptly sharing the fate
II The consequence was, that the lives of the Irish.
! men spared and at the close Of the war they were
embarked from England, and shortly after arriv-
. ed in New York.
nj What atremendous threat (Scott himself being
9 a prisoner at Quebec, when che solemnly warn
> ed the British authorities that he would surely
: ayenge the death of every man they dared 10 lay
hands upon, by terrible retrbution upon the first
{ English prisoners that should fall into his hands.
after he should be liberated !" Is it not won
: derful that they dared to lberate him The
y President had sometime before, ordered two for
one to be incarerated as hostages for every adopt
n ed citizen whose life threatened and the Off
GERS OF our army and navy had duly executed the
: order. But what was the actualexecution of the
threat by such Lilliputians as Madison and Brown
d and Decatur, and the rest of our commanders BY
the land and sea in comparison with the assertion
d Captain Lemuel CULVER. when he was prisoner
on board British ship !''-That dread word spo-
D ken by the terrific Scott potent than tie
: Presidents, backed by the amy and navy. 1.-THE
CONSEQUENCE was that the lives of the Irishmen
. were spared.
It's pity to spoil this heroic drama so beauti-
fully gotten UP by SCOTS fancy on the eve of the
Presidential election to reconcile our adopted citi
! zens to support him. after having boosted that he
was the founder of the party whose object was tc
b prevent them from being adopted citizens at all
IS But it must be done. Mr. Madison's message
: proves that what Scott pretends he started in
1918, executed national law from the TIRES
# hold of the war of 1912; and the statute of 1918
of which Scott assumes the paternity in relation
Y to retaliation, proves that the very particulars
' which he gives to color his fabrication must be
' false. The act was not passed to empower the
e President to do what he had already DONE but to
give the authority of Congress to mere stringent
measure that of retaliating the death of any adop
IS ted citizen executed for treason as being taken
], in arms, by that of any British subject whether
! taken in arms not, and wherever found A
+ bill had been introduced by Mr. Wright to author
ize retaliation, but it had been laid aside as unnc
cessary, the President having the power and hav.
ing exercised it. At the close of the session Mr.
). Campbell of Tennessee obtained the passage Of q
bill designating the mode of retaliation, as well a,