Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-02

TALLY, in my address, and as Hitchcock knew them
to be from that address, and yet he comes forward
protesting have personal knowledge of all the
facts, and with his notes evidently written for the
place they occupy in his letter. makes me the warm
advocate of the whole corrupt negotiation-armis-
tee and all-When my opposition to the whole pro-
ceeding is as well known, and was as fully proven
as any proposition could be that depended upon
human testimony.
DE says Congress had made liberal appropria-
tion TO procure peace and thinks it would not be
so great wrong TO use little of 1T, even in the
way OF bride He feels that if he could implicate
me IN this business, he would thereby effectualv
screen himself and his chief and associate in terpi-
tude, Trist, from the condemnation of just public
opinion.
This gross peryersiOn of my position, and this
e1ort to raise fdtse-isse between myself and Gen
Smith, and to ascribe Gen. SCOTS rupture with me
to my refusal to modify my official report is but an
other shameless attempt at falsehood-at which he
has shown himself quite as adrot as he was reckless
In swearing before the court.
10 understand the importance of his question,
and how greatly the American army was endanger-
ed by the terms of this negotiation as agreed upon
II Is necessary to look at the relative strength and
position OF the two armies at the time. The MeK-
can army was $4,000 strong, and was in city with
population OF 100000 inhabitants, defended by
double lines of defensive works with over 100
pieces OF artillery and with this army. The AmeT-
can army consisted of ] 800 men, all told was in
the midst OF the enemy's country; without support
ing force, and without the possibility of early rein
fOrcements.
From this statement of the relative strength and
position of the two armies, how fearfulIy the
chances against our success! Yet, by the terms
agreed upon, if Santa Anna the battle the
vlvors OF the American army would be within his
power and at his mercy. If we won, he had pro-
Vlded, 6y the dTHltstice, for the safety of himself
his army and the city. II peace ensued he got the
million and ten thousand dollars. If peace did not
ensue, he got time to make every necessary prepa-
ration for renewing the bloody struggle, with great
~ increased chances of success from our reduced
force.
Il will thus be seen that Gen. Scott and Santa
Anna had agreed to play the game of "open and
shut'-the stake being the lives and blood of our
army, and Santa Anna having d" the hold That
the army in such conflict did not PERISH
ing to its own andOn,ita6Le VaIor. As it was, it
cut its way into the city, the cost of nearly half
It's numbers. 1t was against these terms that pro-
tested.
In my address stated that Mr. Trist made an a
greement with Santa Anna (and that Gen. Scott ap-
proved aud sanctioned it, 10y which Santa Anna was
TO receive, cash in hand, $4,000; that army
was to march to the Valley Of Mexico, fight battle
before the cty-if won, Scott grant
armiStce--Santa Anna was to appoint commission
ers to treat for peace, and when peace was cOncu-
ded he to receive one million more. That Scott
Trst paid the ten thousand dollars before leaving
Puebla; that we marched to the Valley, fought the
battle, had the city in his power, halted the army
the gate of the city, ordered to fall back without
a flag Of truce from the enemy, and granted an
mstice; that Santa Anna was allowed time to
crut his army, strengthen the defences of the city
and thus to make it necessary to fight over his bat
ties, which cost the army the blood of 1872
men; that it was thus manifest that Gen. Scott
acted upon and carried out the terms of the Puebla
negotiations; that I opposed the whole proceeding
not spy upon Gen Scott, but associate
commissioner with Mr.. Trist; that my position was
known both to Gen. Scott and Mr. Tris; that find
ing could not arrest these proceedings alike dis
graceful to the Government and dangerous to the
army, reported all the facts to the President who
thereupon recalled Mr. Trst that shortly afterwards
l was arrested and held prisoner in the city of
Mexico, until was relieved from arrest by order
of the Presidento of the United States.
This was the substance OF that address. Does
Gen. Hitchcock deny that there was such an argu-
ment, or that the ten thousand dollars was paid?-
Does he deny that after marching to the valley and
fighting the battle, Gen. Scott halted the army when
the city in his power and granted an armistice
without the enemy having sent flag OF truce, or
asked for the armistice until next day Does he
deny that opposed the armistice ScdYnsLy and ear
neStLy both by verbal and Critten1 remOnstrance?-
Does he deny that Santa Anna ayaled himself OF the
armstice to recruit his army and strengthen the de-
fences of the city, and that in the after operations
made necessary by the armstice, cost the army the
blood of 1872 of its men? Does he explain why
Mr.. Trist recalled and ordered to be seut out
Of the country, if not upon my report, and why be
promptly recalled upon that if | was not an
associate commissioner Does he pretend to ex-
plain how it happened that both Gen. Worth and
myself-the two officers who opposed the armistice
were arrested shortly after Trlst was recalled?
Unless he denies these well known facts of the his
tory of that campaign, he makes no issue with any
statement in my address.
Yet he would have the public believe that Gen.
Scott broke off friendly relations with me because
would not alter my official report and fasfy my con-
victons of truth He says that Gen. Scott "cOnde-
seconded" TO address me in kind and complimentary
language, in "priUate NOTE TO induce me to do So
and that basey attempted to use this private note
for my own glorifcation, &c
In the fret place Gen. SCOTS letter, from which
the extract taken, is not private note; but on
the contrary, official letter, addressed by
Mai Gen. Scott to Maj. Gen. Pillow, and related ex
cusiveIy to the movements of the army and to Off
cal reports and by Gen Scott SO regarded, and
by him forwarded to the War Department OF the
Government at Washington.
In the second place if il had been private note
and Gen Scott had paid me unmerited compliments,
to induce me to satisfy my own convictions, as
Hitchcock saws the fact he puts Gen. Scott IN
position in which all his friends would see that he
compromised has honor. Either, therefore, Hitch
cock lies, or else Gen Scott guilty of whiting
me highly euogistc letter, faLSityiTg the truth
for a most ignoble purpose.
It is not material to me which horn of the diem
ma he assumes. If he speaks the truth, Gen. Scott
wrote falsely. II Gen. Scott, in his official letter,
wrote the truth, Hitchcock has but added another
to the many acts which consign his name TO intamy
and dshOnOr
He may, therefore, fabricate what he Pleases and
Islander the IN mory of the pure and illustrious
statesman who recalled his " associate ava crime
suspended his chief from command and approved
the finding of the court that reli wed me from his
false testimony and the foul charges he vainly
sought to fix upon my character. He may run as
the leader OF the pack, upon the track OF him for
whose blood be so thirsts but his teeth are now
extracted, and he cannot bite though he be Ta6td
with hate and malice
regret the necessary length Of this cOmmunica-
ton, and still more the notice have been compel
| led 10 take of a who, though not mentioned or
alluded to in my address, comes forward an imPer-
tnent intermeddler with the rights of the people OF
! Tennessee and provokes this exposure
Perhaps in the future, he will work at scott s
| Conquest Of Mexico" in the retirement which
his aversion to the use Of the sUord has driven him.
more congegia to his Peaceabte nature than hght
/ ing Indians.
! Having now disposed of him as / think he de-
serves, it is proper say that shall take no iur
| Their notice of any thing emanatng from that
| source. Respectfully,