The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-09

pu bile heretofore and would not do SO now but s S.o
raj Pillow ms tate reply TO General scctts ter, has
statement submitted by me to the War tnym-tment r.
s4s on the call Of President Polk Ia - no exception to
the course adopted by General Pillow m ths particular
He had right TO publish part ~ ubolc ~ nv ev
dence; but, since have been bro s r.,n The witness
stand deem due TO myself tn The whole correspond
subject, should be published.
The reader will perceive 81 this correspondence re
fers alone TO the proceeding s the meeting Of officers at
Puebla In this commune ,,ion Az not fool caed on To
go beyond the matters II ren referred TO- except to saw
ransra, the meeting General Pillow, in
his opinion IN reA,n to the subject submitted to the
meeting and now wa opposed the measure AS to any
presented by General Scott 70 the council or meeting
never hear'io them while remained IN the army
MoSx' trrn, October %, 1857
,xxFEcKEIARY OF WAR TO GENERAL ourMAS
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, Dec. "a, 1S47. !
SRI invite your attention to the article herein en-
Closed, from the Baltimore Sun, first published in
Western paper pretending to give account of the pro-
held the quarters Of the Commanding General in
July last and that present in which was pro-
posed TO give General Santa Anna some other Mexican
for the purpose Of purchasing peace portion OF the
! three millions appropriated by Congress.
Nothing could have appeared more improbable to the
government here, which is fully aware that not the
slightest authority for any such proceeding has in any
way emanatcd from IT, than this story, yet am panied
be obliged to say that suspicious do to extent
prevail and appear To be gaining ground, that there ID
some foundation for the rumor
You will trust, agree with me in regarding of the
greatest importance to nose alleged have been pres
ent on that OCCASION well to the government that
this rumor, assumed to be unfounded should be met
with an authoritative denial; but should it be that
anything has taken place which could have afforded
even colorado preext for putting forth the
herewith sent to you-if any such proposition is
therein mention has been offered entertaned-if any
has been acceded to- and any steps taken TO carry
into efec-the President directs that you communicate
to this department all that you know, and all that you
can ascertain in relation to the whole matter
WI MARCY, Secretary of War.
Major Gen. QurnAS, U. s. Army, Washington City.
GENERAL ourrMAN SECRETARY
WASHINGTON CITY IAN. TO- 1S4s.
SIR II have the honor to acknowledge the receipt Of
your communication of the oath utmo inviting my atten
ton to article from the Baltimore Sun enclosed, pur
porting give account Of the proceedings of council
Of war held at General SCOTS headquarters in Pueba,
Mexico, in July last In your note you advise me, that
the President directs that If anything has taken place
which could afford even colorado pretex for putting
forth the statements alluded if any such proposition
as is therein mentioned has been offered entertained
&c. that should communicate the Department Of War
all that know, and all that can ascertain in relation to
the whole matter.
Were alone personally concerned should not have a
moments hesitation in making whatever may have
come within my knowledge connected at any time with
the public service: but seems to without wishing
to be understood as admitting or denying the statements
of the anonymous writer of the article alluded TO,
that your letter involves very delicate question: in
gard TO my duty as subordinate officer. 1t is this
whether can with proprety divulge matters which oc
CURED in a council Of of which a member,
expose the opinions Of officers communicated at such
taches 10 their deliberations on such occasions.
am at present inclined to think that this obligation
mains unmpaired, upon the subordinate officer, until he
Is relieved from by the consent Of the party parties
concerned or until he required by legal TO tes
tify in relation 10 the matter
Entertaining these opinions, feel II my duty most
specially to decline answering the questions propounded
in your letter, and request that my objections may be
Lard before the President for his consideration should
he after considering them still insist upon full answer,
ask leave to be permitted again TO deliberate upon the
matter before making up tnsl conclusion upon the
The Hon. W. L. MARCY, Secretary of War.
TIE SECRETARY OF WAR TO GENERAL orrxAy.
WAR DEPARTMENT, I
WASHINGTON March 2, 1sis
Sri have received your letter OF the 10th Of January
in reply TO one from Of the oath of December. Your
reply has been laid before President He duly
considered the reasons which you have offered
cuse for not responding To the inquiries submitted TO you
by his direction in my former letter lie considers i'm
poran that he should have full accurate information
on the matters presented TO you in my letter and In hts
view Of the subject he feels to be his duty TO again
invite your attention these inquiries, and ask full
disclosure OF what you may know in regard 10 them
The character Of the replies received from MAJOR Gene
rails Scott and Pillow letters similar 10 the address
ed 20 you, renders H. In his opinion, the important
that ne should be made acquainted with what is within
your knowledge relative to the matters alluded to in my
former communication.
Tie President appreciates the embarrassment which
has induced hesitation on your part TO comply with the
request which he directed 20 make yet he does not
doubt that you will on further reflection, view the matter
he docs and regard as duty to the
20 make full statement OF what know Of the
transactions embraced in the inquiries contained my
letter Of the oath December The Official Of officers
in the public service should not he conceves be with
held from the Executive branch OF the government
W. l. MARCY, Secretary of War
Major General J. A. QunxAS, u. s Army.
GENERAL orTrNAS 10 The SECRETARY OF WAR
UNITED STATES Horxr-
WASHINGTON, March 9, 1s4s. (
SRI have received your note of the I'd inst IN which
you inform that the President duly considering
my objections 10 make full disclosure In the
inquiries submitted to by his direction in your letter
az the oath December still requires that should state
fully whatever may be within my knowledge 10 relation to
the transactions embraced within those inquiries
While my opinions, In the abstract, remain the
those announced In my former letter, the fact,
cerained that Generals Scott Pillow and Twggs have
similar inquiries has removed the objections that
should otherwise have had, 10 disclosing matters which
though connected with the public service, came TO my
knowledge confldentally
However reluctant may be to make the disclosures
would be presumptuous In me longer 20 refuse
pliance with the demands Of the President therefore
submit herewith statement OF the material facts within
my knowledge which occurred AT the meeting 81 officers
supposed 70 be alluded TO in the publications 10 which you
About the middle q July last was summoned 70 at
tend meeting ~ officers at General Scots headquarters
IN ruebla, Mexico. ] there met the General IN Chef
Generals Pillow. Twigrs Shields and Cadwallader and
think Colonel Hitchcock, Inspector General General
Worth not present, and General smiths absence
accounted for by General Scots remarsng that he,
| General Smith, had been consulted the matter
The General in Chief first dwelt upon the great import
anee Of pace 70 our country ana the anxious desire Of
enced chiefly by these important considerations and hrs
belief that movement upon the capital would cut of all
halted thus long Pueba That General Pierce with
considerable body az troops under his command,
shortly expected 70 arrive. Thai numbers were
weak for the before and that the
expected reinforcement. would sc Of great Importance
lie therefore requested the opinion OF the Offices present
upon the propriety Of awaiting Che arrival Of General
Pierce.
lie desired 10 consult them upon another subject or
great decacy and much Importance That the prospects
for peace were now slight but that he informed by
some foreign residents in Mexico that this desirable
suit could certainly be attained by the application of
hiatt
pected the negotiations TO be attended by dou
oeu; that they were not in the habit OF NOV
ing without H. that the of money fer such pur-
poses justified by the pracisc Of other ma.
tons, and that considering the good would in this
instance bring 10 our country he regarded the
a. moral and proper and did not perceive how any sens
bic man could think otherwise. he further added that
Mr. Trist had no power instructions the three
millions voted by Congress, any part Of a. 10 such
purpose that sum must be for the face 81
the treaty That however II Il should be considered adj
ysaole he General Scott had credit upon the assent