Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-10-10

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SCOTT ARMS
TICE BEFORE MEXICO-ITS BRITISH ORIGIN
We find the following communication in the New
York Herald:
baltimore, Sept p, 1857.
The personal determinations of Generals Scott
Pillow, and Hitchcock have cast an UNEXPECTED raw
Of light upon the bribery and corruption episodes Of
the mysterious armistice before the city of Mexico
but none Of these gentlemen expose the true origin
Of hat costly concession. Scott and Santa Anna
made the bargain, and the United States paid for
but British policy drew all the profits. Senator
FOote said At the time, a" Let the British Minister
who concocted this disgraceful armstice be brought
into the foreground that people may understand
that its main object was to defeat Mr. Buchanan's
instructions to Commissioner Trist to obtain ma
tional highway TO the Pacific "
The armistice was dictated by Mr. Bankhead the
British Minister. His object was TO prevent the U
States from getting the rght-of-way to the Pacific
through Tehuantepec.
This fact was well understood by many officers of
the army in Mexico, as by Dir. Polk and his Cabi-
net; but the way II was done Is not yet known to
the people and Gen. Hitchcock and Gen Pillow
should tell the whole story.
There Is another interesting fact which has hither
TO been sacredy kept from the knowledge of those
outsiders who had no share in the armistice spoils
Santa Anna and his clique of British and Ameri-
can friends did receive their million of dollars
How? BY neat little mercantile arrangement
which Her Britannia Nlajesty's Consul, Macintosh
probably contTived. The disbursements of the army
made in Mexican coin after the armistice and
drafts the United States Government were AZ =
and 10 percent premium; but, in lieu ofexchangiug
them Tor Mexican coin at that rate a discount of
from TO 10 per cent was made on them TO the
Macintosh and Santa Anna clique, who sold them
at from 10 10 per cent. premium. This ID TO 20
per cent. OF special perquistes on the many millions
disbursed for the United States army in Mexico
amounted TO q fortune all around for the British ar
mistice party. Gen Worth and other officers opposed
the armistice warmly as the British Minister ad-
vocated 1t. Worth knew that the Cabinet-having
had a specimen Of this sort of Mexican fnesse at
honterey-had warned Gen. Scott not TO consent to
any armistice.
Gen. Hltchcockmay possibly remember the occasion
about the close Of the Mexican war; in which Gen.
Worth In speaking Of that mysterious sacrifice of
American interests, made use of pretty strong Ian
guage strong enough for any one to remember
In tina; conversation one denied that the armis-
tice was the work of the British Minister Mr. Bank
head that the object Of the DELAY was 10 cut
out Of the proposed treaty with Mexico the clause
granting to the United States the right Of way to the
Pacific ra Tchuantepec and to remodel and contract
the new boundary-hne marked out by Mr. Buchan-
an, which would have given TO the United States a
post at the head Of the Gulf OF California and such
a boundary-Ine would secure q short and prqcti-
cable road TO the Pacific through our own territory
If Gen. Hitchcock will enlighten us by giving his
opinion on the part played by the British Minister
in making the armistice, and will tell the public
who were benefited by the rich speculations in dis
counts and premiums on the United States Treasury
paper, we may then proceed with some other inter
esting incidents of the secret history of the war
with Mexico. If Gen. Hitchcock Will not speak.
perhaps Gen. Pillow will raise another corner of the
curtain. MARYLAND.