Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-11-26
From the Newark Daily Advertiser.
LETTER FROM GENERAL SCOTT.


The following circular letter from Major Genera
Scott has been handed TO for publications 1t has
been drawn from him. we understand, by numerous |
letters from various parts of the Union, including APP
piuaons from citizens of New Jersey, asking his |
opinion, concerning the politics of the day.
WAsHISGroS, Oct %, 1871. |
Gentlemen IL have lately had the honor to re-
ccvc many letters from many different states each
propoundng on the part of the writer and his neigh
b1rs, nearly the same political intcrogotorics- |
which answers arc rcqtested.
The scope Of the nql is Entering proof of the
interest that some of my countrymen take III the OPT
mons that have formed on eel tain great principles of
abiding importance the success OF our systems of
government; and as have nothing to conccalilnoth |
ing of value to communicate, | shall, at once, with |
policy or reserve and in the form ola circular,
comply with their several requests,
| PARTY Foltics.-.l houeh from early manhood |
have, by the profession of arms i'll the defence of
country. been thrown of the arena OF party poll
tics yet have never ceased 10 be au attentive abser
yer of pnhe events, and thus believe, there has
scarcely been discussion of moment in Congress,
within my time, on which did not form, and mo-
| destly but FIRMLY express an opinion.
! \ mere youth, felt the vccst Joy when the alien
and sadilion laws expired in the triumph Of Mr.. JET
ierson. From 1906 | was old enough by speech and
pen to call for prompt and energetic redress of our
wrong suffered from Great Britain, under her orders
in Council the attack ON The Chesapeake lrgatc and
long continued npressnCnt OF o Scancn: and when
the war of 1872 at lenGth cane, was among the first
and longest IN the presence Of the foe. The insults
received from the French Dircclory--thcr derreda-
tons on our commerce. renewed Under Napocons
DEGREES, (Berlin and Mian) which followed the Bri-
tish Orders in Council, also large shared in my in
dignant rcprohaton.
The administrations Of Mr.. Madison and Mr. Mon.
roe like that Of Mr. ,etllrson ha in their respective
periods, my mmblc but hearty appreciation aud
have since ccnsrrcd nothing in either but the sale
ola part and the disnantlinr of our Navy, the gun
boat system of defence that followed, and the indie
finite embargo which, gripping us for war, by dcs
troyng our commerce and finance, and depressing
agriculture, was long continued without relressing
one outrage from abroad.
ave this little sketch Of the growth of my party
feelings or opinions -unlnpnftant perhaps, except 10
: myself and few par il friends, to show that, if
have never been Fcllral,t, in any party sense Of
the term, neither have been Iacobin, an i'm
prdr,icGbiC or abstracionist, in any sense whatever
bat Away, an old fashioned republican, devoted to
the support OF law AMI order; democratic Wing jus,
as all my family had been Wings in the great struggle
for national freedom and ndcponce
TIE J1a.ciIry-From an early and long continued
study of elem ,nt1ry law, my mind has been I'M
bued W lth deep reverence for the Bench State and
Federal; all nicpen EN- department in Our system
of government, ami which, holding neither the Purse
only with the mild force of persuasive reason, to the
intelligence and virtue Of the whole conmunicaty.
BY the Federal Constitution, every possible sacgulrd
il provided to shield It's judiciary against heating pre-
Jullc,, ,policr rarcor, ana party dependence. to
which legislators and the Executive are unavodahly,
directly AMI constantly exposed. Hence ''to the one
uris sic ion) sal cases in law and equity arising
unler this Constitution the laws of the United States
an treaties made, which sha be made under then
authority"
Looking to this express provision, have always
held that when donlti questions arising under the
Constitution seii, the supreme lazy of he land I'M
der an NJ C1n-reS' or treaty had once been So
lemnly adudcated by that Court, the principle of tho
decision ought to b. taken, by all, as deinltWcy set
tied unless, inian, Itb' upon rr-lermg before The
same tribunal TINS appears to me too clear for dis
i putaon for the Court is not only declared to be s
II prone, and hence there can be no bench beyond il
but 10 Congress only given the power to constitute
! infer ior tribunals By appeals to the Slprcme tom
=, settlement was intended to be reached, an anar
. chy, through long distraction of the public mind
d on great questions # legislative and executive power
ID thus rendered Impossible. Practically, therefore, 70
the people AM e7pccnlY ther funciionorcs, to den,
u disturb, or HlFu N pHncI les nus cons ,tHupnny cs
Of t1bsHr', strikes me as OF eva example Il not OF
- direct reV1i4iIonaIy tendency except indeed IN tn
d! c1Se ui JucIaI H'5iph cir"hE power hnd again
liberty; ana any HlHrr0us error OF ms sort can b
II always easily corrected (anl sho ID only be correct
- en-" ny an Nh'n'ile' ol me '"hstlutoN, IN one q
III lha m rs r'5cIlhel ~ tHil Instrument ltSell-h
~ organic law Of the state dHi me people. MScons
trucu"n OF law, other tlah tn tpnslUuton, are yI
I'd more readily corrected by amendaoty or declata'or
off ats oil Congress
lHe frs'"trf e,2.-I ms ny tlG trainers OF IN
ny Constitution, could only nave been drslgned-l. I
IT, enable the President to defend n9htiuI power
agaln usurpaons on the part OF Congress = I
enable HIM to ipihd other legs iare lnirac'I ms OF tn
- Constitution; and 8. 10 guard the country agan'
-. other acts OF nasty or v"len legislation
"' II Is hady possible TO conceive case under Il
at first or second of thc-e hHld' against which the j
If dietary the balance wheel of the sysem--docs n,
" Afford Of Itself all the security that the people "a
a. require.
ut But without the protection of either the Bench
49, the Veto would the executive department, (bccon
'e 40 supcr-ldca Of late years. eto2 weak to fl Il
strictly executive functions for which II was more p1
tculaTy created ! Or rather, would not that d
he partmcnt still be he most powerful, for evil in Il
er. government
The president IS under the checks Of the constitute,
liu aud law, rahtmllv invested with the power Of d