Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-25
LETTER Ill.
Gen. jackson TO Gen. Scott


office could, to particular friend, whose eyes
l closed on the goth ul:imo. Owisg to this,
your letter of the 4th Of October was not re.
ceived until the first instant.
Upon the receipt Of the anonymous COM
munica ton made from New-York, f.hasiened
10 lay it before you; ,ha, course was suggested
to me by the respect felt for you as man and
soldier, and that you might have il in your
power to answer how far you have been guilty
of so base and inexcusable conduct. Indepen>
dent of the services you had rendered your
country, the circumstance Of your wearing the
badge and insignia o. soldier, led me to the
conclusion, that | was addressing gentleman.
With these feelings you were written 10, and
had an idea been for momen, entertained, that
you could have descended from the high & Gig.
ni6ed character OF ma jor general Of the Unit.
ed States, and used language so opprobous
and insolent as you have done, rest assured,
should have viewed you as rather 100 conlrmpt-
ible TO have held any converse with you on the
subject If you have lived in the world thus
long in the entire ignorance Of the obligations
and duties which honor impose, you are indeed
past the time of learning, and surely he must be
ignorant Of them, who seems So little to under
stand their influence.
Pray, sir, does your recollection serve, in
what school Of philosophy you were ,ausbtiS
that to a letter inquiring into The snpposrds6Ss
ture of supposed injury, and clothed in Ian.
guage decorous and snexceptiona5le, an answer
| should be given, couched in pompous insoIence
and bullying expressions? / had hoped that
what was charged upon you by my anonymous
correspondent was unfoLnded. | had hoped
so, from belief that general Scott was sol
der and gentleman; but when see those
| statesmen,s doubly confirmed by bis own words,
it becomes matter Of enquiry, how far man
Of honorable feelings can reconcile them to
himself, or longer set up claim TO that charac-
ter. Are you ignorant, sir, that had my order,
al which your refined judgment is SO extremely
touched been made the subject Of inquiry, you
might, from your standing not your character,
been constituted one of my judges' How very
proper, then, was it, thus situated, and without
a knowledge Of any Of the attendant circum-
stances, for you to have ?rejudged the whole
matter. This, at different times, and in the
circle Of your friends, you could do; and yet
had been arraigned, and you detailed as one OF
my judges, with the designs Of an assassin Turk
ing under fair exterior, you would have APP
preached the holy sanctuary of justice. Is COLI
duct like this congeniaI with that high sense Of
dignity which should be seated in a soldiers
bosom? Is it due from brother officer 10 as.
sail, in the dark the reputation Of another, and
stab him al a moment when he cannot expect
il! ] might insult an honorable man by ques-
tons such as these, but shall not expect that
they will harrow up one who must be dead to
all those feelings which are the characteristic
ola gentleman.
In te--.- Ia. -- I aPahie of noting, ]
asked yoL it my informant had stated truly
II you were the author Of the publication and
remarks charged against you, and 10 what ex
tent; reference 10 your letter, without any
common; OF mine, will inform how far you have
pursued similar course-how little of the |
gentleman, and much of the hectoring bully |
you have manifested. If nothing else would,
the epaulets which grace your shoulders, should
nave dictated to you a diffrren, course, and
have admonIshed you, that however small may
have been your respect for anolher-respect for
yourself should have taught you the necessity
OF replying, at least mildly, to the enquiries
suggested; and more especially should YOU
have done this, when your own convictions
must have liked you as guilty Of the abomna>
bic crime OF detraclion-of slanderng, and be.
hind his back, brother officer. But not con.
tent with answering 10 what was proposed,
your overweening vanity has led you to make
an offering OF your advice. Believe me, sir, il
IS not IN my power to render you my thanks
but think too highly of myself to suppose that
stand at all in need Of your admonitions, and i
90 lightly ofyou to appreciate them as useful.
For good advice am always thankful, bu, ne.
yer TAIL 10 sPurn 1t, when know It to flow from
IN incompetent or corrupt source: the breast
where base and guilty Passions dwell, is no, The $
'lace 10 look for virtue, or any thing ,ha, leads
o virtue. My notions, sir, are not those now
aught in the modern schools, and in iashiona- 4
lie high life; they were imbibed in ancient +,
lays, and hitherto have, and yet bear me to The
onclnsion, that he who can wantonly outrage il
he feelings of another-who, without cause, !,
an extend injury where none is done, i. capa. f
lie OF any crime, however detestable in it's ma. Il
ure, and will not fail to commit it, whenever it h
nay be imposed by necessity. :,
shall MOI stoop, sir, 10 justification of my A
rider before you. or to notice the weakness. and Il
bsurdities OF your tinsel rhetorick: j. may be n
ute conclusive with yourself, and have no Il
l. position TO attempt convincing you, tina, G,
our ingenuity is not as profound as YOU have =,