Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-09-24
fF,o,, u. 81 1ovi, ReDu5lieaa. SEM. 1s. l


United States Senator from Tennessee, as appears /
by an address his to ''the people OF Ten
poesee" which find in the New York Herald of the |
10th inst.
This address will probably call forth comments |
from several officers in high places in the American
army. Meantime. the undersigned having some
knowledge of the facts referred to in the address,
feels called upon to state that knowledge, to the
end that people out Of Tennessee, well as in that
State, may be able to form just opinion of the !
claims Of Gen. Pillow to the honor he seeks. i
shall not refer to the address in eXtenso, but Will
confne my remarks to facts within my own kuowl-
edge This very remarkable paper stands alone, 1t
is presumed as an instance wherein candidate for
Office before our people bases his claims, or his prln
epal claim, upon and open confession Of having &C.
cupied the low and dishonorable position Of spy
upon the conduct Of his commanding General Gen.
Pillow unblushingly tells US that he Joined Gen.
Scott in Mexico, as ''the confidential officer Of the
Government, upon whom the President relied TO
guard and protect the honor of the country IN the
important negotiations involving the peace OF the
country" In this secret position, Gen Pillow, hav-
ing, eI-oeo, the erss to the presence OF the COM
handing General at all times and frequently having
a seat at his private table, accumulated materials
for defaming his confding commanding officer, IN
confidential letters TO his old companion IN law
office then the President of the United States, and
reveals this astonishing fact, and claims from
the people of his State high office as reward Tor
ais secret service in that capacity. Who does not
see the shocking state Of things thus disclosed and
disclosed too by the very man who occupied de
gra ling position What officer of the American
army Of any proper self-respect, would permit him
sell to be made such an instrument? What would
due sense of delicacy and honor have prompted
gentleman TO do on finding himself appealed to for
so dishonorabe a servieel Undoubtedly he would
have thrown back the Presidents appeal with scorD,
OF he would at east have laid the whole matter be
/ fore the commanding General, and profess to acl
| only with his full knowledge. But Gen. Pillow &C
cepted the degrading position rendered him by the
President claims credit for his services a.
1.-THE confidential officer, whose public position gave
MN access TO the presence Of the commanding zen
ersl.
| But what was the service performed by General
Pillow in the eIded secret position in which he oil
lowed himself to be placed 1t turns almost Who'll
! y upon his having protested, as he says against
he use Of money to bring about peace under sta
ed circumstances, and he takes pans to imphcate
Gen Scott in the alleged dishonorable transaction
! Now, it is remarkable that this statement by Gen
Pillow is coupled with the Rare confession, that he
| Gen. Pillow in conference of General Officers
gave his full appreciation of it. The inference Is
! plain on the face of Gen. Pillows own statement
| the alleged dishonorable transaction could not
have been gariugy disreputable, or how could even
Cen Pillow have al one time fully approved of H..
Men are not accustomed to vascillate in such mat
ters where the nature OF the transaction stands gu
| IA clear characters marked with dishOnOr. Bu
here are facts enough in connection with the trans
| action referred to, to show that it had no such
| marks of discredit as now, by its mere momOTy,
seems shock the delicate sensililty Of the conf
| ienial spy ofthe President and it is my purpose
o state some of these facts known 10 myself, for
was present at the Council of General Officers, q,
which tins subject was, not discussed, but talked
over. l heard all that was said on that occasion,
md made a brief memorandum Of the conversation,
which is now before me
On the evening efthe 10th of July, 1917, Gen
Scott assembled all the general officers Of the army,
At his quarters in Pueba, excepting Generals Worth
and Smith to post them up as to the state Of the
army in such matters Of interest to all of them
informing them among other things Of the approach
aud expected arrival Of Gen Pierce, with 20Ol
men, or more He then disclosed some proceeding
entered upon by Mr. Nicholas P. Trist, the United
States Commissioner, the substance of which was
hat Mr.. Trist had been informed through confden
ial sources thata treaty of peace could be haC
with the Mexican Government, by the of l!ttl,
money. A handsome sum had already been appro
priated by the United States Congress for securing
treaty. andthe question with Mr.. Trist stated BY
| ne General, to whether million Of 1t nigh
not appropriately be used in the mode suggested b.
hose in power in the city of Mexico, even though j
/ should be considered 6ribe-the proposal coming
from that side. Gen Scott took pains to explain
hat under no circumstances would he initiate suci
| a scheme, but that inasmuch proposal had com,
from Mexico of peculiar character, he, for hi
own part willing to assist Mr. Trst in executing
his wishes. Gen. Scott did profess to adyOcat,
such proceedings in general, and declared that IL
he present case 1t was for Mr.. Trist himself to de
rermine what he might think expedient but that
Ur. Trist decided upon the employment of money
as proposed, he, Gen. Scott would assist him in OBJ
aiming it. and would defend his motives in the usg
# it.
The first officer who made a remark upon the
subject, after Gen SCOTS statement was General
FWiggs, who pleasantly said, that if gentlemen IL
he city Of Mexi % proposed to be bribed, he saw
no reason why they should not be accommodated
The next General who expressed his opinion ives
Gideon j. Pillow, and find that my note in refer
ence to his remarks is in these words: Genera
Pillow came out rery fully in support Of The
measure, only STIMULATING, a condition, that the
United States should have such treaty'Rs was de
sired"
This is all of my memorandum of what he said but
! / well remember that he rose from his seat anl
earnestly spoke for some time IN favor of the scheme
There not the slightest intmatiOn from him that
! here was anything wrong in acccdHg to the prOpO
sails from the city Of Mexico lie made in aPFro
baton Of the proceeding, what might be called a
regular speech in favor Of it. and | venture TO say
that 40 one who heard him imagined that he ever
had, or was likely to have, any doubts Of the per
rect propriety OF II. What he said then uttered
! as a general officer Of the army 1t now appear
that the next day acting doubt in his private ca
racity as a spy, he made a somewhat formal pro
test against the proceeding; and for this after
thought lie now claims vast credit if by his inter
position he had saved the honor Of the country -
Again, say, If the measure was clearly and pal
pa1lv wrong, how came he to approve Of it all? 1t
manifest that the point which the General has en-
ravored make Is not of the slightest Importance.
But to proceed with what took place in the Con
ference.
Gen. QIitman whose notification or secession
principles. if | understand them, / deeply regret.
spoke very modestly aud becoming. as | very well
remember. My note simply says: Gen Quitman
did not like the payment Of money secretly as a
bride, and thought that our people at home might
| not or would not approve Of it; but he expressed
himself very decidedly in approval Of the moaUcs
which induced the measure, and pledged himself to
| GfH} those motives"
/ Gen. Shields" my note proceeds - minated
! doubts and misgivings about the million, and said
that as he knew nothing Of the proposed terms of
the treaty he could give no opinion; that he might
perhaps dissent from the treaty itself but he, too
seemed entirely willing that the matter should be
! disposed of by the Commissioner Mr. Trist wishing
! apparently a matter Of personal friendship to
/ Gen Scott, that he should have nothing TO do with
he disposal OF the million" Gen Scott repeated
that II was for Mr. Trist 10 determine whether he
! could properly use the money, adding that he
would assist him TO the control Of it If he desir-
ed It.
the conversation, Gen. Shields observed, that Gen
Cldwaader had expressed no opinion, which brought
out he remark from Gen. c. that enough had been
said, and he said nothing; and nothing more was
said on the subject.
What, now, is the merit of Gen. Pillows protest
against a measure fully approved of by him at one
time, when il appears that out Of a whole body Of
general officers there but one dissenting voice,
very modesly expressed, coupled with declaration
ln approval Of The HOtUeS Of those who sanctioned
/ Jae measure, and pledge to defend those motives
Can the people Of our country imagine that a dis
| honorable measure could have been freely talked
! over by body Of American Generals without call
! ing forth n burst Of Indignation? Gen Pillow,
even, approved of il in council, doubtful recon-
incubation l admit, and it was not until TIE next day
that, perhaps, discovering that the scheme not
/ likely to succeed, as, indeed, it did not, for the
measure was never executed, he slyly prepared a
paper be raked up in after years, 10 show the
iuring world how exquiseiy he felt for the honor
O. his country. Is there any mauiiuess in this
anything indeed, but what smacks of Gen. Pillow,
L.-gIlH here Is another point equally 10 his dis