Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-04-09
CORRESPONDENCE,

1917. published by the former, to the
troops OF his division, and printed about
the same time, il most otthe public pa
pers.
This correspondence is offered in manu-
script under the following circumstan-
ces:-
Os.the sIst Feb. 1918, the Bar depart
ment issuedin orders, regulation in these
words,-''ail publications relative to trans
actions between officers of aprivate and
personal nature, are prohibited. Any news
paper publication or hand bill, of such a
character, will be cause for the arrest oil an
officer and the foundation Of charge against
him. Its made the duty of all officers, ha-
wing the power 10 arrest and prefer evil
deEce for charge on such publication, and
whenever such charge is preferred, one spe-
cifcation of which, viii be the violation OF
this regulation, the proper authority will
bring the officer to trial before general
court martial"
Up to this moment, General Scott has
noty;olated this regulation eithe. in It's let
ter OF spirit. Indeed he had no inclination
loobtrude on the public, his difference with
General Jackson, until the latter had, par
t;cnlarly during his recent tour between
Nashville and New York, widely circufa-
ted sarbied* manuscript copies Of the cor
re5pondence, and caused illusions to be
made 10 it in certain public papers In ST.
railar spirit of maleyolence and misrepre-
seitation.
These facts haring come TO the knowl-
edge ofGeneral Scott, lie, on the 22d u!ti-
no, called the attention of The secretary OF
MAR 10 the above regulation not for the
purpose of invoking the aid OF the govern
mant, but 10 ask for permission to de.end
himself, by fair publication, in pamph-
lei form, as tia; mode seemed to stand pre-
cisely on the same ground with publica-
ton in manuscript neither being express
y prohibited.
The secretary said, i'll reply, that the de-
partment was not in possession oil evidence
to the tact OF the violation of It's regulation,
aud even il such evidence were furnished,
that would rather be reason for enforcing
The pcnaity against the sqs:lty Than motise
for relaxation in respect to the otherparty.
Without deciding in his own mind whe-
ther:L;s could or wou!3 be done,in respect
10 General Jackson, Gen. Scott On the 9th
instant furnished the Secretary with lac
NEST unequisocal eyisience of he saT5ied
GefJre asserted; leaving 1t to
him, as the colsaTvator OF the discipline OF
the army, tosay whether his regulation was
violated or tot and to act or acquiesce as
lie might think proper. Blu! feeling at the
same time, tina. wha.cycr might be the re-
suit his controversy with Gen. Jackson,
a Yiadica;ion Of his character before tie
public, was preliminary step Of The first
ssity.-General Scott in tue same,lett
submitted for the consideration Of the pro-
per authority the following points =
,st. Seeing that the regulation in cues
.ion had not receiYed tie sanction Of con-
gress, to which body the right is given ito
make rules fer the government, and regula-
ton OF the land and naval forces" LIST Sec
ton Ola article Constitution and according
to the practice, in such cases, General Scott
that perhaps it might be re-
called.
End. Surprising the regulation to be va
lid, without such sanction, il was asked
whether publication in pamphlet form,
like publication in manuscript, might not
be considered, casus omissus, and there
fore innocent:
Sd. lift were decided, that both those
modes of publication were prohibited, Gen.
Scott desired that it nigh, be particularly
observed, that tie regulation was in the
hands of Gen. jackson, at once an iastru-
men; of offence aud defence.
Il seems, nevertheless, that tie regula-
lion is not to be recalled, and that Gen.
Jackson will not be selected as the pivot
on which 10 Try the question, whether
publication be violation of the
OF not As the weaker party in
The controversy, both before the govern
*Exlract of letter dated at New Y DIRK,
March %. 1879, written by gentleman
OF honor aud intelligence.
" General Jackson during his late visit to
this place, was al SONG trouble to cause TO
be widely Distributed, his correspondence