The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-10

Pillows cOnduc. directly investigated by that court
but ss three members eondentay instructed
from Washngou- doubt at the Instance OF the spyo
organize themselves into court Of inquiry TO inves
gate secretly that part Of my conduct relating to the
council OF held July H. l847 at Puebia for the pur.
pose, a. alleged Of purchasing peace and which council
figures so largely in Gen. Pillow recent publications
This court had every characteristic Of secret nqus
ton; il met der confidential instructions was reor
ganzed IN my absence and without my knowledge where
as Gen. Pillows case, always, hs was not only pre-
SENT but had the privilege Of Obectng TO MEMBERS and
should have challenged the entire panel but the court
proceeded take evidence, beginning with that OF GEN.
Pillow, also in my absence, whereas the law, (9lst art
Gle Of war; expressly declares that the accused shall
be permitted examine and inter rogae the wit
nesses" Finally, when called before the bastard trbu
nal made my protest, and had nothing more To do with
IT. and had supposed until Gen Pillow recently published
the statements of honorable generals, (Quman snd
Shelds that all parties connected with this Investigation
had become ashamed Of their conduct and had made no
report, there publication Of the proceedings
Nevertheless the inquest found no allegation against me
supported
me next article of war he 92d of the statute do
cares courts Of inquiry may be perverted 70 disho
poraoe purposes and may be considered engines Of de-
struction military merit in the hands Of weak and env
Gus commandments they are hereby prohibited unless d
rected the President OF the United States demanded
by the accused Little did the law maker imagine that
even President might prove himself one OF that class OF
commandments.
word more. Two members of that famous court were
brevetedone major general without other connection
with the Mexican war; und the other brgadier profess
sedly for slight service at Buena VISTA and both a
ter their attempt TO whitewash Gen Pillow and browbeat
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Was there ever uttered a more infamous libel
upon the memory of the dead?
But, not content with pouring his caumnies upon
the memory Of President Polk whose charity for his
infrmites Of character saved him from q prosecu-
ton and trial upon charges for violation of the
laws of his country, preferred against him by my
SELF (now on the file in the War Office at Washing
ton depending upon record evidence from which he
could not have been relieved by his willing and
ready witnesses) and for conviction upon which he
would have forfeited his commission not content,
say with pouring his calumnies on the iustrious
dead, to whom he was 30 much indebted, he tears
open the graves of the brave and gallant Generals
Towson and Belknap, and endeavors to strip them
OF the honors won upon many hard-fOught battle
fields OF their country, by charging Them Indirectly
with corruption as members of that court, and OF
being rewarded with brevets by corrupt President
for their services in embarrassing General Pillow
and brow-beattng me (him) as prosecutor in that
case"
Nor does he stop here; for in the blindness of his
rage he blends in one common charge the gallant
and chivalrous Worth, the brave and highly distin-
gushed Duncan and myself AS "conspirators against
him." These two dead heroes and myself, he says,
were engaged in conspiracy against him in
Mexico were under arrest were, Of course, "his pf
sopers," and because the President would not suffer
him. tyrant-like, TO held his iron heel upon their
necks longer than ninety days, but released them
from arrest, suspended him from commend of an
army he had disorganZed, and ordered his charge
and the charges preferred against him to be inves
gated, his Indignation burst forth with consuming
rage, now that the President, and Worth, and Dun
can, and Towson, and Belknap are all dead.
II Worth, Duncan and myself were conspirators
against him, why did he voluntarily abandon the
charges against Worth and Duncan? Why did he
propose to abandon the charges against me and re-
fuse TO prosecute the case until applied for and OBJ
tanned an order from the court compelling him to
prosecute and make good his charges or publicly to
acknowledge that they were false. Why, after an
investigation which lasted nearly four months did he
not prove the charge OF conspiracy against me!
"Conspirators against him!' To do what? He
arrested me while in bed, dsabled-"cut down while
heroically leading my command" according to his
official report in common with 1872 others, whose
blood shed to atone for his armistice and cor
rupt Puebla negotiations.
The gallant Worth, whose victorious column had
opened Gen. SCOTS way into the city OF Mexico,
was arrested in few days afterwards for alleged
and illegal general order-chargng him (Worth)
with writing letters, putting himself He, conspi-
rator! Col Duncan, the brave, brilliant and highly
distinguished artillery officer, whose gailanry was
attested upon the battle fields Of Palo Alto Resaea
de Ia Palma and Monterey, by Gen. Taylor; and by
Gen. Scott at Churubusco and San Cosme Gerata.
He "conspirator" or these three conspirators,
two had warmly opposed his fatal armistice. The
other hadDwritten letter laudatory of Worth, and
giving his recognizanze around Lake Chalco, upon
the report of which Gen. Scott had reversed his
movements, recalled his orders for attacking Next
caicingo, and turned the enemys works thus saving
his victorious march into the city. Such an officer
"conspirator against his commanding General!
Brilliant as have been General SCOTS achieve
ments, and distinguished "a he stands before the
country, il may well be questioned il a few more
cards, filled with certificates upon honor" and
calumnes upon the distinguished dead, would not
cause his sun Of glory" TO set in shame and dishonor
Certainly the impartial historian who shall Justly
weigh his achievements, on the one hand, and his
want Of the cardinal virtues of truth and justice, his
jealousy 81 heart, his want of practical Judgment his
selshness, evaporation Of temper, and tyrannical
conduct on the other will find it difcuitto make OF
Gen. Scott great and good man. Wherever history
places him, am content TO leave him; but history
Is should be, the mirror of truth Ii history shall
reflect Justly his true character, he will be found
wanting in the virtues of the Christian character
which constitute true greatness. Between these aud
Gen. SCOTS character there il a perpetual antago-
nism az repulsive as the poles to the magnet
As have now been charged with being ICON
spirator' against the commanding general Of the
army with which served In a foreign war-a grave
charge-this communication will be followed by
another, giving the true cause OF my arrest,
orders, proof, DC, that the public may judge
how far this last charge is consistent with
the truth, and how much credit Is due to
the statement of Gen. Scott Afterwards in Justice
to the services and memory Of Gen. Worth and Col.
Duncan, will give the true history of the Chalco
movements, with the reasons for their arrest, &C.;
aud may give the secret history of the battle Of
Molino del Rey, where there was useless sacrifice
Of the lives and blood OF upwards OF 500 brave men,
under information impaired to the commanding
General by - friendly neutral
As these dead "conspratos' cannot now defend
themselves against this new charge Of their old
prosecutor !, their associate in crime, will defend
their regulations before the American people, a.
advised them TO do when living, against the old
charges before the court, of which the gallant old
hero, Gen. Towson, was President
Neither the conduct nor memory Of President
Polk needs any defence at my hands.
Time has indicated the wisdom Of his policy
truth the purity Of his life. The glorious achieve
ments Of our arms, in the war with Mexico, belong
10 his administrations and vast Pacific and inter
mediate interior possessions constitute monument
upon which his greatness is written, higher than the
vandal hands of modern calumnators can reach,
and 80 deeply and indelbly engraven that neither
time nor the elements under mans control can ef-
face. Respectfully, GID. j. PibLoW'
Scandal OF the Spanish Court.
A member of the Camarilla having favored me