Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-04-25

bad; that acquired 10 merit in any OF the uet,a,s
/ :" which have either served or commanded, and
-nich, IN point OF number, perhaps, equal the
whole OF those put together, in which the distin-
guished officers with whom YOU place me in con.
,rast Were engaged-that the victory achieved by
General McComb at Piattsbusgh gave him strong
or Chains upon ms country than possess for all
the actions in which successfully commanded.
that from more mature reflection you have become
| convinced that the encomiums bestowed upon me
| ny your Senior Editor for the victory ON the
Thames, particularly for that minute shock''s (as
| ne termedit) by which an army now known TO have
been superior not only TO the American troops ac.-
ally engaged, but TO the whole thar were in the
held were not merited. That the vote of thanks 10
me by the Legislature of KY. for the victory a,
iippccanoe Expressed in terms singularly Gathering
and passed at the moment that they were clothing
themselves with mourning for the loss of some dis
tnguished members Of their body who fell in that
acfion,) weighs but as feather in the balance
| againstthe sword given to Gen. McComb BY
1 New York.
| 1 say that you might entertain and express all
these opinions-and should siill have no cause of
complaint. But certainly had right TO expect
that you would have refrained from psssing such
severe censIre upon my resignation in the year
| 1914, until you had informed yourselves Of the
causes and circumstances which produced il. This
| information could have been obtained by arefer
ence to either of the histories of the late war;
which were published in Ohio Kentucky. And
being possessed of il, cannot entertain a doubt
| but that you would have admitted the correctness
OF the opinion which was, and still is, entertained
by the officers of the Army that in rendering my
resignation under the circumstances which govern
ed 1t, sacrificed my own interests TO those of the
service-aDd gave up exalted rank. which had
been obtained by years of toll, of difficulty and
danger, because would not suffer the privileges
OF that rank to be degraded in nv possession and
the honor of my profession furnished i,s my person
What would you have thought of me- if | had con-
sented to retain my commits sion, to have enjoyed
the emouments attached 10 il, without command
suitable to my rank, and even the command left TO
me, constantly and unwarrantably usurped by the
civil officer at the head of the War Department,
IN defiance OF every correct military principle
Under such circumstances, what officer who valu-
ed his honor, the honor of his profession and the
interests OF his country, more than the patry con-
sderaton OF his pay, would have hestated to ten
der hrs commission? That ii was accepted. was
owing to the accidental absence of the President
from the Seat of Government as he declared in n
| letter TO Gov. Shelby.
| L ask you, Gentlemen, to publish this letter in
your paper.
| am your humble servant,
W. II. HARRISON
See Enquirer of November or December,
1913.
| See McARee's History of the War in the West,
and an article lately published in the Intellgen-
Ger, by Gov. Cass, who was in the action.
The reader will judge from the Report of the
Committee of the ii. of r. on the " Expenditures
| OF the State Department. how religiously the
Administration have carried Mr.. Adams's maxim
into effect t'.4n eye to the Sfrictest ecoaoniy' in
Indeed The law violated 10 pay favorite , a id
disbursements made for services which were ne
yer rendered. This is indeed the strctest econo--