The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-09-05
his impertineut protest, contained in Official
notification, that Mr.. Champion had received
Nj. sA:.,~:..aI 4

IonuauctetBs1c VI uovstnVE MaIcys WAn mp
PLY displayed on = certain occasion during
the Mexican war, to the very great disgust
Of certain parties. After the battles OF
Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia Palma, the
Governor Of Louisiana gave permission to
certain of his aids--ambitious young law
yers and politicians--to proceed to General
Taylor's camp for the purpose Of congratp-
lating him and surveying the field OF those
glorious victories.
On their return these gentlemen brought
memorials Of the battles, in the shape Of
various trophies; and one them, Colonel
L., who happened to be Q. candidate
for U. s. District Attorneys. hurried to
Washington, City, where in his undress
uniform, he became quite q lion, on account
of his familiarity with the scenes, events
and character of those then recent victories.
Having brought with him Mexican lance,
stained with the blood Of it's once owner, it
was suggested that he might make favor
able impression BY presenting it to the
Secretary Of War. Accordingly, quite
little procession Of gentlemen was arranged,
headed BY Colonel L., bearing the
lance in his hand, and proceeded to the war
Office. They were ushered into the Secre-
tary's room, where the sturdy old official
was engaged in debating dispatch. Taking
quiet pincn Of snuff, the Governor well
coined the intruders with quite as much
courtesy as was natural to him, but with a
strong internal disgust. Colonel L--step-
ped forward, with the lance in his hand, and
proceeded in grand oration, to announce
that he was fresh from the fields Of Resaca
de Ia Palma and Palo Alto-which had been
made immortal by American valor-gaye
graphic and vivid narration of those achiev-
ments, and concluded by alluding to the
trophy snatched from the grasp Of some
Mexican cavalier by American prowess,
which he begged the honor Of rendering to
him, by whose wisdom and energy the war
had been directed with SO much success.
| The eloquent gentleman then presented the
lance to the Secretary, who received it in
pretty much the same style in which be had
been wont, when farmers laborer, to
handle a rake or pitchfork. Squirting
curiously as he remarked: sslts very
ueer instruments" and, then turning to the
chivalric donor, inquired of the militia hero
with waggish leer of those sleepy old eyes
ssDid you take it yourself ?" The effect of
this query, both upou the party addressed
and his companions, can only be imagined
by those who have seen Governor Marcy.
The young politician used to say that he
was some what disappointed in getting the
Office he had applied for, but that was moth
ing to the chagrin and disgust which he ex-
perienced when old Marcy put to him that
| very irrelevant interrogatory.
Referring to the Mexican War, we are
reminded Of an incident in which the Gov
ernor was paid off in his own coin. After
/ H.. lo+ -, ~ of Mayscn hafnro
our army had entered the city, there was for
long time, an interruption of communica-
tions between the army and the Govern
ment, the guerriilas holding possession Of
all the roads to the coast. The first person
who came through after the battles was Jas.
l.. Freaner, who had been sent to the scene
Of the war from the newsroom OF the New
Orleans Delta as a correspondent. lie was
| the author of the celebrated Mustang letters,
which embody by far the most accurate
descriptions that have ever been published
of this war. Freaner was intrusted with
General SCOTS dispatches relative to the
battles of Contreras, Churubusco, Chepulte-
pee, &c., and, indeed all the operations of
the army after leaving Puebla, and his
orders were to deliver them to Governor
Marcy's own hands Immediately on his
arrival at Washington, without sleeping or
| stopping by the way. Freaner fastened the
inclosure containing the dispatches to his
body and proceeded on his perilous journey.
Killing several horses on his way by hard
riding and passing through innumerable
perils, Freaner reached the United States
in safety and FASTENED to Washington,
which he reached about twelve O'Clock at
night. Dressed in the Mexican caballero
lnpnr haar nd ,pannahaI hair
not having changed his clothes since he left
General Scott's camp, Freaner's appear
ance was not calculated to leave very ia
vorable impression on the minds of civilians.
Indeed, a more desperately brigandish-look-
ing character was never before seen at the
peaceful seat Of our Government.
1t was not, therefore, without just cause
that when he proceeded, at twelve O'Clock at
night, to the private mansion of Secretary
Marcy and violently rang the bell, that the
servant who opened the door drew back in
alarm from so fearful Fra Diayolo; and,
to the inquiry whether Mr.. Marcy was in,
replied that the "Goyernor had gone to bed
and couldn't see anybody, and especially
such as him." sect out of the way" re-
piled Freaner, showing aside the frightened
menial; ssshow me the way to the Govern
or's bedroom or I'll cut off both your ears"
The terrified servant pointed the direction,
and Freaner stalked up stairs and knocked
at the door Of the Secretary's chamber
Presently hoarse and indignant voice was
heard from within.
ssWho's that who dares to intrude on my
slumbers in this way?"
s:James l.. Freaner," was the answer:
ssWho in the devil are you?" was the
next rather churlish query.
81 am bearer of dispatches from General
Scott" W.
ssWell, sir," replied the Governor "come
around in the morning and deliver your
dispatches in business hours, and don't come
here like a burglar to alarm my family"
ssCan't do it, sir-orders imperative
General Scott--not sleep-deliver in per-
son',--were the words that rvached the now
almost furious Secretary through the key
hole. There was no alternative he had
evidently, encountered as strict construc-
tlonist as himself, and could only be relieved
of his presence by receiving him in person.
So he opened the door Of his bedroom, and
there beheld a specimen Of hirsute humans
ty, which, at that hour Of the night, and
under the circumstances, might have alarmed
a man of even greater experience in the
irving scenes of war than the hero of
Rousse's Point.
The Governor drew back in horror, while
the savage intruder could not suppress a /
chuckle at the queer appearance OF the ven-
cradle politician, in his white night-cap and
long shirt. This mutual surprise was soon
interrupted however, by the "brigand's"
some object from very COM
plex arrangement of his inner garments, and
handing darkened, stained package to the
Governor, who received it rather suspicious
". Our Fra Diayolo, with an abrupt
ssbuenos noceso then hurried down stairs,
and, opening the door, proceeded to his
hotel before the servant, who had gone for
a police officer to arrest the s'burglar," had
returned.
The next day the FIRST Official intelligence
of the great victories achieved by our gal
liant army in the valley Of Mexico was given
to the world. That intelligence was con-
tanned in the package which Governor Marcy
had received in the mysterious and alarming
manner we have described. 3
F. 4 at1rtS6