Alexandria Gazette

Speech of Gen. Scott to the Germans.

Judge Heyl waited upon Gen. Scott, and, on behalf of some of our German citizens, referred to a paragraph from the Westbote, a German paper published in Columbus, and containing the statement that Gen. Scott tied to one tree and flogged fifteen Germans while in Mexico. Other charges, of his having hanged others cruelly and unjustly, were also referred to. Never have we witnessed a scene more imposing than when the old chieftain, with quick and indignant response, repelled the false and malignant charge. Lofty in stature, and standing at least four inches above the tallest of those among whom he stood, his form seemed gigantic, as with heightened color and flashing eye, and a wave of his hand that expressed a calm defiance of all such assailants, he uttered his emphatic protest against such assaults as that paragraph presented. - Ohio State Journal.

"New and before unknown to me are such things as have now been told me. They surprise and they pain me. They at once concern all that I value personally, and aim a blow at all that wherein, if I know myself, I have the highest pride. They attack my own identity. The principles for which I had believed I need never search my own bosom in vain, are here undermined or denied me. I am met with charges of injustice and cruelty while leading an American army through Mexico, and while participating alike in its trials and its triumphs.

"Gentlemen, it was my lot to lead an American army upon a foreign field. I went resolved to sustain, in the forefront of my progress, the high-tidewater mark of our own American civilization, in all its moral and civil virtue. The standard of our own and not the practices of that foreign country, was the standard which I sought for the government of men's passion and the control of the license and excesses of war. Alike to Americans, whether native or of foreign birth, and to Mexicans, I declared my purpose and exhibited my principles of action.

"I promulgated the martial code. Doubtless you all have read it. I deemed it necessary I could do nothing without it. I announced the spirit of our progress, and held amenable to punishment all who forgot manhood, and threatened to bring shame upon our flag, dishonor to our arms, or a reproach upon our virtue. Without it, we had not conquered, or, if we had conquered, the brightest trophy of our conquest had been wanting. It would have been a physical triumph, and a physical triumph alone. Humanity would have disowned us. I promulgated that order. Read it, and read it again, gentlemen, and then bear me witness that it was in my heart, as it was almost hourly on my lips for continued months, to carry with American arms, and under the American flag, even into an enemy's country, all the elements of social order, and that regard for personal right that belonged to our own free institutions in the United States.

"Yes, I sought to carry with me, and resolved to maintain at all hazards, among my own command, and also that people among whom we should be thrown, that high Standard of virtue and honor which we boasted at home. And I not been less than an American, and recreant to the highest interests of humanity and the age we rejoice in, if I had done less? They flogged others. Gentlemen, some persons were hanged some Germans, and tied up and the age we rejoice in, if I had done less? They K Germans or not I know not. But for what- 1 do not now recollect. Whether any were hanged in Mexico. The names of all of them gor murder, gentlemen; I hanged one for rape ses, for what were they hanged? I hanged one upon an innocent young female, and for pro- fane and wicked church robbery. All knew the daw that was over them. Every man of them mic deeds against the laws of God and man as knew he would be held as answerable for vile if he were then upon American soil.

"For such crimes they suffered; for such crimes as were, in your own Ohio-a land of law- penalties, and with equal justice. Some did suf- would have brought down upon them severe fer death. But their trial was fair, impartial. and upon the same principles of solid law guilty here among you. Do some say I hanged ed fifteen Germans, and that others were ar- raized and flogged without cause or trial.- Gentlemen, I know nothing of it. It is false: st is a lie—an invention gentlemen--a lie see aged citizens before me. I see eminent jawyers here. And gentlemen, you see me one who for fifty years has scarcely ever walked. much excited. But is it not for cause? For rose, slept, or eaten, or ev'n taken a cup of cold that his thoughts were of his country, her rights. water in the field, the town, or the camp, but sues, her renown, her honor, to be thus assailed. It is MONSTROUS, IT IS INTOLERABLE! GENTLE- men, I did, with a high hand, sustain the law. mined to sustain. I did hang for murder; I did which, with uprightness in my heart. I deter. bang for rape; I did hang for treason; and I flogged thieves and pickpockets. For, gentle- me, but I resolved, with every resource I could men, let me again say, I not only carried with command, to sustain fearlessly and effectually in its virtue and its choicest blessings, not only peaceable Mexicans, that civilization; yes that Christian civilization of which I was proud to rasentative.
sons. American or Mexican native born or for. "But, gentlemen, I was no respecter of per- sign born; whoever knew the law and obeyed it net; whoever, reckless of his own responsibilities and the rights of others, trampled under foot and set at naught the law that was over all, I pun- ished. I did hang for the crimes stated, and I would have hung a hundred seekers of in. nocent blood and violators of female chastity. if so many had been the offenders! And for this, perverted and misshaped, I am made an- swerable to a charge against which my every feeling revolts, and which my whole nature and my whole life repel. No gentlemen, it is a lie, (the charge as made, or that any were wrong- fully punished,) a false and groundless lie. I am not unthankful to my good friend who has told me of these things. It was right - But, gentlemen, I stand here before you, and again declare, that the principles that and declare, as I have already declared, governed my command in Mexico are those of my life. To that life, in my country's service, I need not appeal in vain for an answer I throw myself upon the honest verdict of now. With equal freedom and confidence do -every man, who, with me, served his country in the field of Mexico."