Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-09-29
From the National Intelliscncer.l

NY attention has been called to q letter addres:e
to the people Of Tennessee, by Gen. Pillow, 10 whe
he criticises my campaign in Mexico win me oou
ness OF q master in the art Of war. and at Inc sau'
time ~eulogizes his own services therein with q nrart
good will that leaves nothing to be added. 90 10
propose at present to disturb that selfhudafion, no
TO reply to his animsdversions on my pans anu oP.
%ratious, although he most provOking!y mixes up u
every statement a small grain Of truth with q iars
portion of fiction, 30 as to give It with the careless a.
The effect of gross falsehood. If such tricks eau 10
hueucs the public mind to my prejudice. shai 'ne'
begin to regret that l was born an American.
Without, them entering upon any tor,ns recr,I, INC
ton of Gen. Pillow or defence Of myself. | shall pro
coed at once. in behalf of others, to notice come IVY
or three points in his address. in the way OF e1plana
ton, and if ! chance to 20 beyond this II VIII U
merely incidental. arm.
Gen. Pillow now says That, by agreement, Nj Iris
engaged to pay to Gen. Santa Anna "cash inhahu
as earnest money, ten thousand dollars,' 10 hduce
him TO entertain negotiations for a peace anN INA
subsequently, Mr.. T. told him lGen. ~ "thatGen,
Scott had furnished him iMr. IT, the money, anG
that he Mr. IT, had paid the ten thousand doiIfs.,
Being morally certain that Mr.. Trist never MADE
such declaration, it ia almost useless to cay nat
never turned over q dollar TO him for such or Wy
other purpose whatever, and l am very cure thst fr.
Il. had not q dollar of public mouey in hs possession
| while in Mexico, and never more than suthced for hs
very moderate expenses in his private PURSE ana
certify on honor that | never, at any time, paid =
Gen. Santa Anna, or caused to be paid TO him, orto
another for hs use or benefit, one dollar or rnor, OIL
any account or in any way whatever. Preldsni
Santa Anna was at the time, as now, worth millions
aud had in that office the irresponsible contro OF all
the pecuniary means Of his country. 1t It hardly
probable, therefore, that he would have stopped 10
pick up a sack of fen thousand dollars in gold, II
be had accidentally stumbled upon one in I, private
walk.
This blunder of Gen. Pillow grew, no doubt, out OF
some hint he coufdentially picked up about hadquar
tiers that ! had paid that precise sum Ito ~ and
-" for important received ant TO be
continued from the enemy's camps and armies. lSe'
my account current with the War Department OF Be-
cret Disbursements printed BY order of the Senate
February 4, lssT9 I. S ssIs ,n Ssys- 'IslsfeIs, that ,h'
I'' =, !. certain, from the example s.r.rs "a
he would, contrary to the faith and honor of ourcoun'
try, have published them in full. to the ruin VI the
parties and their descendants. Even Gen. Santa
Anua, If Gen. Pillows credit be worth any hing
could not now return to Mexico, no matter lndeI
what pledges 10 lead the life of a good and pecefu
citizen.
Writing to the Secretary of War from the city o
Mexico, February 6, lS48 / said
~ have not reported on the subject of secre dis
bursements since ! left Jalapai frat, because o the
uncertainty of our communications with Vera Cruz
and, second, the necessity Of certain explanation,
which, on account of others, ought not to be reduced
to writing. ! may, however, briefly add that | hIv,
never tempted the honor, conscience, or patriotism
of any man; but have held it rs lawful in moral, a
in war TO purchase valuable information or service
voluntarily rendered me-" Mexican War Cores
poudeuce, House Document, No. 60, page 1885.
And egain, at Washington. June ". lS4S, on rer
dering my account. current OF secret and other dh
bur.ements, and asking for q 6ual settlement. l sale
II am ready to go, confdentially, into all those di
ferent sums of receipt aud disbursement with tn
President, the Secretary Of War, or any other men
Der Of the Cabinet. | an under an obligation Of pr
yate and public honor, according to the usages {
nations and armies, not 10 disclose names and eli
cumstances, except as above y IN
p~lainest principles and rsages OF nations and wa
and the practice of our own Government, in respet
to secret Advancement, | can, iu a few hours" &c
[Ses Senate's Executive Document, No. "a, page 81
ordered to be printed Feb.4 4, 1851
And that account has been definitely settled on th
principles l had proposed.
A word as 10 Mr.. T~rist-long in private life, an
struggling with honorable ~poverty-whom Generi
Pillow has 30 w%antonlr dragged before the public
He is represented In the address as the cunning an
malignant genius who ~instigated me-otherwise
good enough sort of man-to acts Of injustice an
persecution! The officers in Mexico land Mr.. iris
q distinguished West Pointer, stood with them befol
the enemy, The brave among the brave) will smile
hear this character Of their senior General and b
compa' ion, the negotiator. No man was more admire
than the latter for bis quiet, unobtrusive manner al
aniability. He was eagerly received and honored b
all foreigners Of distinction, diplomats and other
with whom he came in;o contact, and under on
signal disadvantage negotiated a most importar
treaty. which visa here gladly accepted by the Senal
and the country. For this great service he is stl
without reward WINFIELD SCOII.
NEW YORK, Sept. Is, 1857.