Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-02
MAuRY CeuNrY. Sept. Is. 1s5,

IN the war Office at Washington, where the proof OF
those facts would be found
anticinated that these disclosures would start up
a fre.h the whole pack of blood hounds, who have
nursued me- with SO much heIceness ever since
entered the army. ,.,eu
snector General of the Army IN Mexico, and late
payat R,igadier General" is the first to open the
~ mon the new SCENT aud forthwith, the edtori-
al pack-Prentice, Greedy, Co., chime in and
cry on.
Er IN the public ear, and without terror even to
the faint hearted. But this man Hitchcock, who
thinks TO give himself character ana consequence
before the country, by setting forth the position he
occupied and the length OF time he had been in the
army is not 80 well known, and therefore it may not
be improper 10 give him some further notice.
When the war with Mexico broke out he WAS
Lieutenant-C Colonel in the line and in command of
the Sd Infantry, fine Regiment the army
could boast Of While this Regiment in the
field, marching against the enemy, 10 cut its way
honor and glory, its commander, Col Hitchcock
gave up the command, and eraVeaiy skuiked from
this post of danger and honor for the nominal posi-
ton of Acting Inspector General, in Gen. SCOTS
Staff where all his associates were LieutenaHtS, and
where he was far removed from danger. With the
soldier, the post of danger is the post of honor.
To understand how far he compI omised his honor
as a soldier by this step, have but to examine
the catalogue of the gallant dead, where we find the
names of Mcintosh, Scott Ransom, Graham, Butler,
Dickinson and host OF other Regmental Command
ers to see how earfully their ranks were thnned in
the bloody battles fOu hit from Vera Cruz to the
CITY of Mexico and then to contemplate how com
Portable it to be in the Staff of the commanding
General, Without eVer being aslder fire
1t by this species Of strategy that this gallant
veteran Of nearly forty years services in the army has
passed through series OF so many years, aOithO't
a scar upon his person, without seeing enemy
in the war with Mexico, except from the safe stand
point of his chief and without ever having faced
enemy Of his country, unless he was in some of the
skrulishes with the Indians, in the Florida war.
While upon the subject of the Florida war, we in
yite him, in his next epistle to tell what General
Scott iii his reports said of his gGLEdtry in that war
then TO furnish the country with what he said of
Gen. Scott in his anonymous communications to
certain papers
A knowledge of the achievements of this sou of
Mars in that war, with the opinion of the great
soldier" of his gallantry; and his opinion of the
''great soldier" written for the information of the
public, would interest the people Of Tennessee quite
as much as his dishonOrabe reflections upon the
memory of the great man, whose fame constitutes
the pride and honor of this State.
To understand why he was breVeteG it is only ne
cessary TO say that that honor reflected from
Gen Scott, his chief upon whose reports the Gov
eminent acted in cOnfering breVets. Such IS brief
sketch of the brilliant achievements of this veteran
warrior, who with the brevet rank of Brigadier
General resigned his commission and abandoned
the srmv rather than obey the order of his Gov
eminent, and go on duty with his regiment to our
frontiers where by possibility he might have to fight
the Indians.
In regard to his character a man of honor and
truth the country will remember him Cocoon
spirator and associate a0ess of Mr. n P. Trist who
by their fasehoods, Matched the difficulties and pro-
VOked the rupture between myself and Gen. Scott,
and acted his pimpS in getting up the falsehOods
embodied in the foul charges against me, and then
appeared before the Court of Inquiry, and swore
against me- with malice solndiScreet, to dscredit
themselves and to the Court set aside their
testimony-thus branding them as CONFLICTS of will
tQl tdkSe-SGedriIig.
While | will be ready at all times, to make good
the statements in my address, if any gentleman will
take issue with me upon them, yet proper selt-re
spect forbids that should do than notice the
Interpretations and GSpeTSOnS OF Hitchcock or
Trist who are "pdr mobile frdtrunl" in crime.
This much l will do, in as much some persons
may see his dirty illusions, who have not had an
opportunity of examining my address / shall
point out and correct two palpabe TdLSehOUdS in
his letter. that the public may that he is still
engaged in his old vocation, of wilfu misrepresen-
ton.
In my address, made the following statements,
viz:
''In appointing Mission to travel with the army
and treat for peace IF opportunity should offer
the grade Of diplomatic duty TO be performed, and
the emoluments thereto attached, made 1t impOsSi-
BILE TOR the President 70 find statesman who would
accept the place The selected Tor that position
was Dir. n. p. Trist. But either distressing his
ability, or judgment, prudence all these Pres
idemt Polk was not satisfied to place the honor of
the country, and his administration, in his hands
alone.
GBy his confidential letters now in nv possession.
ne 80 far associated myself with Mr. Trist as TO place
me in ssn-o6iciaL relations with him as commits
sioner. The duty was eIjoined upon Mr.. Trist of
taking me into all his conferences, and to consult
me in all his negotiations. The duty was imposed
ma a az Of ho
President to guard and protect the honor of the
country and of his administration against any and
everything which thought would tarRish the one
or the other. 1t will hence be seen, that while Mr.
Trist the OSts5iSibts commissioner was in fact
the confidential officer of the Government rr
whom the President relied 10 guard and protect The
honor of the country, in the important
involving the peace of the country"
Ii will be seen from the above statement that !
represent myself having been placed by this
President in semi-oificial relations with Mr. Tr;st
as a commissioner, and that l occupied the position
of a confidential officer of the Government in con
nectOn with this mission, OF which fact Mr. iris
had full knowledge. But l bad no duty TO perform
as such civil officer with Gen. Scott and there h
not one word said upon that subject and vet tb
swift witness, in his letter TO the ST. Louis Repub
heaH makes the following reckless statement viz
"This very remarkable paper stands alone it il
presumed, instance wherein a candidate io
Office before our people bases his claims or hi
principal claim, upon an open confession of having
occupied the low and dishOnOrable position of spl
upon the conduct of his commanding General Gen
Pillow unblushiDgly tells that he Joined Genera
Scott in Mexico as 1.-THE confidential officer OF III,
Government upon whom the President relied Z,
guard aud protect the honor of the country in In,
important negotiations involving the peace of th,
cou.try. In this secret position, Gen. Pillow hav
ing ero6fcio the enfres the presence Of the com
mandlng General at all times, and frequently having
= seat at his private table, accumulated material
for defamiug his confdng commanding officer il
confidential letters 20 his old companion In law OF
fee then the President of the United States, al,
now reveals this astonishing fact, and claims from
the people of his State high Office a reward Il
his secret service in that capacity. Who does no
see the shocking state Of things thus disclosed,
disclosed too, by the very man who occupied so de
grading a position What officer Of the American
army of any proper self respect would permit him
self 10 be made SUCH instrumenty What w.ui,
a due sense Of delicacy and honor have prompted
gentleman 10 do on finding himself appealed to 10
80 dishOnorabie service! Undoubtedly be woulC
have thrown back the Presidents appeal with scOrn
or be would have laid the whole matter before th,
commanding General and profess 70 act Only will
his full knowledge. But Gen. Pillow accepted e.,
DEGRADING position rendered him by the President
and now claims credit for his services, 'the con
fdendal officer, Ehose public position gave him &c
cess 70 the presence Of the commanding General
Here, with my address before him, this Tx In
spectorGeneFal states what he knew 10 be deiib
crate faisehood viz: That confess myself TO haV'
been spy upon Gen. Scott; ana having assHHses
this lie, be has the ehfonteFy upon it 70 base hi
calumniOus structures foeiiy aspsrsng my eharacte
and e0BeTiLy assaing the memory OF President Polk
Who does not perceive that II ] bad accepted lh'
position OF spy upon Gen. SCOTS movements: Ahs