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

an opportunity OF slandering the memory OF the
liiustrous dead, and of venting the malice of his
sour against the man whom he tried to vtctlnlfze
Win MS false testimony before the courts OF inquiry!
II ne we're now before court Of justice for the
nrst time and with untarnshed reputation, would
not TINS ottsfttt faLsehood utterly discredt himF
Nearly ten yeras ago. in my defence before tha'
court, (which was published to the world) de-
nounced him destitute of truth, honor and courage
de has pocketed this whitening Remuneration ever
since IN silence. He now comes forth, processing 70
be governed alone by he desire to protect the char
acter of the gEeat soldier" and to enighten the
people Of Tennessee to my claims to Senatorial
honors-his malice marked with faIseLood, striking
like the assassin in the dark.
Ten years ago, when was under arrest awaiting
a trial upon charges which he was expected to
prove, he wrote an anonymous letter to the New
York Courier and Enquirer in which he said:-
Pillow, too, is in arrest! He is so; and charges
running through several sheets of paper have been
forwarded to Washington and thev represent him in
such odious Eight that We cannot think of him
but with disgust. He is charged with lying, and
with dtDtaclty and tredchery in fact his character
is utterly PROSTATE here"
Again ne said: HE Pillow could only have re-
eeiVed shght blow of some Sort possibly he struck
his foot or ankle against some projecting limb with
out knowing what it was"
Gen. Scott, in his official report, said of this
S5tg"t 6Iow' against ''prcjecting limb" "This
gallant leader was struck do,g lchle ap nth the
front ranks By ago1tiziglg aCo,l1d
!
me nay remarks to facts within my own knowledge {"
80 then It appears that he had personal knolcLege
OF the facts told him in Trst's lies personal
k1t0tedge of all that took place at Trists quarters
'0te'' ne aoas not present. Though the army had
been fighting from ] 2 meridian till 4 P NJ on the
l9th OF August under my orders and with no senior
officer upon the field he has personal knoaeledge
that had given no orders to Generals Twiggs
Riley, Cadwallader or Col. Morgan, when these
otncers all testify that had, and when he a0as not
present
On the morning of the 10Th of August, when the
entrenched camp of COntreras was carried under
Smith, was upon the hill of Chepultepec in full
vie" OF the asssaulting force yet he had personal
k''o10Ledge that l was in bed at San Augustine. -
Again: Hitchcock says Trist told him that took
him into 'pTiUGte room" ION the night of the 9th
August after Gen. Scott had directed the assault on
the morning of the 2Uth, under Gen. Smiths sug-
gestion) and told him (Trist) that di>approved
this plan, and notified him that l washed nv hands
OF the responsibility of the movement. Now it so
happens that this fact stated by Trist was en-
braced in SCOTS charges against me- Trist swore
to the fact but the Court satisfied that he lied
and found against him in this, as in all his other
testimony, and Hitchcock knew it, yet he now re-
yves and brings forward this proven falsehood of
Trists and repeats it true under his pledge ''to
conhne himself to matters within his own knowl-
edge" But independently of this view of the sub
Ject, why should L wish to wash my hands of the
responsibility OF measure ordered by Gen. Scott?
He was in command of the army-my senior in
rank-and the entire responsibility would of course
rest upon him. Yet Hitchcock repeats this old dis
proven falsehOOd as if he himself believed it
Is further facts or commentary necessary to show
the utter moral depraVy of this Acting Inspector
General!"
The other misrepresentation deem it proper to
correct relates to the Puebla negotiations. In my
address | made the following statement:
When l reached the Head Quarters of the army
at Puebla, was invited TO a conference with Mr..
Trist. On my arrival at his quarters 1 found Gen.
Scott there. Mr.. Trist informed that he had
opened negotiations with Santa Anna and had pretty
well agreed upon the prelminaTies of negotiations
for peace. By these terms Santa Anna to be
paid, cash IN hand as earnest money, $4,000, and
our army to march to the valley of Mexico and
fight battle before the City. If we ag0n an armis
tice was to be granted, and commissioners appoint
ed to treat for peace. When peace should be con-
cluded, Santa Anna was to receive one million of
dollars more.
Mr.. Trist farther informed me that these terms
had been agreed to, but it an open question
whether Santa Anna Gen. Scott latter the battle
was Fought should take the initiative and send the
flag of truce, preparatory to the armlstce-Santa
Anna insisting that Gen. Scott should send the flag
but Gen. Scott insisting, if he won the battle Santa
Anna should do He further said Gen. Scott had
furnished him the money, and that he had paid the
$4,000 required to be paid in advance and that Gen
Scott had the means in dsbursng department of the
army, could raise the means, of paying the mil
lion to be paid at the conclusion of the negotiations
He also said he had invited me to the conference in
pursuance OF the order OF the President and desired
my approval of the terms.
l asked Mr. Trist if there was any law authorizing
such use of the public money? He replied there
was not. then asked him if the President had
authorized such of it. He replied he had not;
but he thought it the best he could do.
Regarding this as an improper use of the public
money, and as a bride to the commander ofthe enc
| nv las ishO tba
and dsgraceful to army, l at once protested
against the whole matter.
Gen. Scott JUSTIFIED and defended the measure
both upon the score OF morals and to the usage
of governments. He said we were not corrupting
Santa Anna, for the fact that he found in the
market asking Jribe was proof that he al
ready corrupted.
In regard to the practice of Governments, be
said it usage of all Governments to effect their
purposes, when necessary, by money, and that our
I! Government had sanctioned the practice. He said
the presents made by it to the Chiefs of Indian tribes
aud TO the BarbAry powers, nothing but brides
lie further said that in u settlement OF the North
eastern boundary question: 100000 had been used
| no one knows how, but the officers of the Gov
ernmen unless il used TO bride the Maine press
He mentioned other instances in which the Govern.
! ment had expended large sums of money III this
1 way.
Finding Gen. Scott clear as to the right of the
measure and earnest in his cooperation with Mr.
INST not being familiar myself with the usages OF
| other Governments, the practice of our own, l
doubted what ought to do; and in Difference to his
! wishes aud Judgment, suspended my opposition,
! until a days reflection had confirmed my opinion of
duty to my country On the night after the confer
ence took place, Gen. Scott called council of Gen
eral officers, to whom he made known what had
| been done IN the way of negotiation, and 10 whom
| he expressed substantially the views and opinions
| above detailed.
Being satisfied after reflection that nv first i'm
presslons were right, went next day to Gen Scott
and Mr. Tris and protested so earnestly against the
whole matter that they both said was Ti0hk and
tnaV they would abandon the negotiations. / then
thought they sincere in their purpose to aban-
don IL and all idea of peace to be thus obtained.
II VIII De seen from the above statement that the
conference spoken of was held in the day time and
al MI irists quarters, and that there was 10 one
present but Mr.. Trist Gen Scott and myself.
II was at this conference that the terms of the
negotiation agreed 70 by Trist were first made
known TO me. 1t was here that made known nv
| oPpOsiuon IL was then that Gen. SCOTS argli-
heh'S induced me to doubt as to my duty, and that
l. At MS request and in Difference to his wishes and
opinion, agreed suspend nv opposition mil 70
| necilon should satisfy me my duty stated
] III my address that the following night Gen Soon
called council OF general officers, to whom he e4
pressed substantially, the same views and onipions
he had in the conference held at Trist's quarters
did not however, pretend 70 give the opinions or
views expressed at that meeting, either by myself
or any one else; and referred TO what took nlace
at this meeting Of general officers simply 20 lei the
public understand that others, besides myself knew
the facts. have stated that at the private confer
ence had agreed 10 suspend nv opposition and
now state that at the meeting of general officers
did not make known my opposition but said in sinh
stance, that though thought the whole matter va,