The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-11-10
ANorHER CARD FROM GEM. SCOTT

Pillow charged that Mr. Trist, with my as
sistance, had. in Mexico, administered a
bride to President or General Santa Anna,
sc. Bya card in the National Intelligen-
Ger, promptly replied that was morally
certain Mr. T. had not paid cent. in the
way of bribe, to anybody whatever in
Mexico, and solemnly added that was
personally ignorant of any bride of any sort
whatever, great or small, being paid to that
high functionary, santa Anna,) or to any
other. directly or indirectly, for his use or
benefit, by or on account of ony American
officer or agent. civil or military. My de-
NAL General Pillow calls Tin rejoinder)
..evasive,' ga mere bubble" and he affects
to support his first assertion by extracts
from 1.-THE sworn statements of Generals
Quitman and Shields" Which. he says, he
has procured from the record of the War
Department" .....
Entertaining for those Generals 70. and
ST. high admiration and respect. was in
haste-not that there was any thing material
in the extracts--to learn from the War De-
pertinent the character of the ito me) un-
known record" quoted by Gen. Pillow.
have but now received copy of the docu-
ment, and in some of its other aspects it
shall, presently receive passing notice
Suffice it to say, in this connection, that
neither of the statements produced by Gen.
Pillow, with SO much gravity, contradicts
me in the least on the only point in ques-
ton, viz: the ten thousand dollar bride; for
neither of those generals pretend to know
to whom the bride was paid, nor did any
other American ever hear me whisper the
name or names of the receivers, until con-
fidentially disclosed on the final settlement
at the War Office of my secret disburse-
ments. Gen. Pillow, however-"most ig-
norant of what he's most assur'd''-frst
assumes that he has had confded to him a
great secret, and next betrays it by way of
letting the world know that he had the hon.
or of being trusted The Mexican news
papers, learn, have recently been filled
with notices of Gen. Pillows denunciation
of Gen. Santa Anna, mixed up with the in
quiry, "Who is the more Infamous? He
who receives bride, or the functionary
who, in violation of his own and his coun.
t.y's honor, discloses the name of the trail
tor?' But this case, bad as it is. does not
stand alone in our recent annals, land, of
course nothing so base could have occurred
in our earlier history,) for, January 80,
1857, plant Executive was made, by the
plastic hand of malignant Secretary, to
communicate to the Senate, for publication
without any conceivable purpose but, at
the expense of national faith and honor, to
give me annoyance-the entire account
had confdentially rendered to the War
Department of my secret disbursements in
the Mexican war. 1t is true that names
had been suppressed, by me, in the written
items; but many entries were rendered, and
now stand so published in this manner
paid messenger of the - Consul, $50;
paid an Englishman to report violations of
the armistice, 5000; paid member of the
municipality $162 5O,' &c. Already, in
consequence of this publication, five highly
respectable residents of Mexico-utterly
guiltless of bribery, but liable to suspicion
under those designations-have, through a
distinguished channel, made application to
me for exoneration.
Gen. Pillow speaks feelingly of " the
great and patriotic statesman who was in
1876 the Chief Magistrate of the nation"
his some time law partner, who had made
him a major general; the same who, early
in the war, sent for me, and in the kindest
and most beseeching manner, solicited my
personal sympathy as well as professional
aid in conquering peace, promising me
his entire confidence and support; the same
who, before had reached Mexico, endeav-
ored. first, to appoint a acknowledgement
to supersede me, and, failing in that, next
thought of placing me under the same par
ty, appointed a major-general, land of
course) my junior; the same who, it turns
out, appointed Gen. Pillow a spy on the
conduct of Mr. Trist and myself; and the
same ''great and patriotic statesman" who.
having failed in nearly every promise be
had made me, finally, when the war had
been ended, released from arrest three Of
fcers who had been engaged in a conspi-
racy against me; restored them, with hon
or, to duty; superseded me in the command
of the army in Mexico; and ordered the 3
conspirators and myself equally before a
court of inquiry! 1t SO happened that only
Gen. Pillows conduct was directly investi-
gated by that court; but the same three
members were confdentially instructed
from w ashingtcn-nod doubt at the instance
of the spy-to organize themselves into a
new court of inquiry to investigate secretly
that part of my conduct relating to the
council of war held July II, 1857, at Pue-
bla, for the purpose as alleged of purchas-
ing peace. and which council figures so
largely in Gen Pillows recent publications.
This court had every characteristic of
secret inquisition. 1t met under confden-
tial instructions; it was recognized in my
absence and without my knowledge! where