Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-05-13
From the Ohio Statesman.

From the Ohio Statesman.
Before our readers, to day, we lay cores
pondence which has been long forgotten. 1t
is done for the purpose Of throwing some light
upon the character Of General Scott, who, in a
publication some time since. placed himself
among the list of candidates for the presiden-
CIV. As a private citizen, it would have per-
haps, been wrong to revive this correspondence
but with candidate for the first Office in the
Gift Of free people, it assumes different
shape. Although long in public life, yet his
character seems to be but little known. As
man of honor and as a gentleman, the letter
Of General Jackson shows him up in light
not to be envied by any man, no matter how
degraded. If his friends have any defence OF
his conduct to offer, which can pallate his
conduct, now is the time for that defence 10 De
made, for now the public mind is not excited
men are capable Of coolly and dispassonately
examining into the subject, and It GeneTai
Scott has been slandered, the publication at
| this time, so far from doing him any injury
VIII have contrary effect.
J While upon TIE subject Of General SCOTS
| elevation to the Presidency, It may not be out
of place for US to say, that in 1886, slrons
effort was made to raise Scott party IN ONO,
| dIju ttS hUOiU uldL IAicH WCiO opPOoiS" - y
the hope of office, to join in his support. THIS
is no idle charge, but one thu, can be easily
subsantiated, and an individual who formerly
edited the Ohio State Journal, and who tgur-
ed quite largely at the federal Convention
which assembled in this city on the gid OF
February last, was one of the most active In
holding out such merceaary Inducements
Will, nay, DARE the Journal deny this! The
attempt to nominate Scott proved an abortion
and now the individual to whom we allnde,
thinking, perhaps, the hope Of Office from Clay
better than from Scott, goes for the ashland
Laecyer.
But to the correspondence. 1t seems that
General Jackson had issued, in April, 1917,
some orders in relation to the government Of
the Southern division he then commanded,
and which he spoke Of in terms, considering
his situation, at once ungentlemay and >uncall-
ed for. A letter was written to Gen, Jackson
informing him of this, and he Immediately
called or Scott for an explanation. The let
ter of Gen. Jackson, which follows, will ex-
plain the rest.
General Jackson to General Scott.
HEAD Quarters, DIVISION OF THE SOUTH,
Nashville, DeceUber 3, 1917.
SlR-1 have been absent from this place
considerable time, rendering the last friendly
office could, to particular friehd, whose
eyes closed on the Goth ultimo. Owing to
this, your letter of the 4th Of October was not
received until the first inst.
Upou the receipt of the anonymous commu-
pication made me from New York, hastened
to Law it before you that course was suggest
ed to me by the respect felt for you as man
and soldier, and that you might have 1t in
vour power to answer how far you had been
| guilty of so base and inexcusabe conduct
| Independent of the services you had rendered
your country, the circumstances of your wear
| inc the badge and insignia of soldier, led 10 Q
| to the conclusion, that was addressing gen.
,leman. With these feelings you were writ
ten to, and had an idea been for moment en-
| tertained, that YOU could have descended frotn
the high and digntied character OF major
general of the Uuited States. and used Ian
guage so opprobious and insolent as you have
1 done. rest assured, / should have viewed you
as rather too contemplate to have held any
converse with you on the subject. If you have
lived in the world thus long in the entire igno-
rance of the obligations and duties which hon.
| or impose, you are indeed past the time Of
| learning; and surely he must be ignorant OF
them, who seems so little 10 understand theil
influence.
PRAY, sir, does your recollection serve, il
what school of philosophy you were taught
that to letter into the nature of supposed
injury, and clothed in language decorous and
unexceptionabe, an answer should be given
couched in pompous insoence and bullying
expressions! l had hoped that what was
charged upon you by my anonymous cores.
pondent was unfounded; had hoped so, from
belief that Gen. Scott was a soldier and a
doubly confirmed by has o,Un aoords, it becomes
| a matter of inquiry, how far man Of honora-
Bile feelings can reconcile them to himself or
longer sci up claim to that character. Are
you ignorant, sir, that had my order, at which
your refined judgement is so extremely touch
ed, been made the subject of inquiry, you
might. from your character, been constituted
one Of my Judges! How very impropps r,
then, was it, thus situated, and without a
knowledge of any of the attendant circumstan-
ces, for you to have prejudged the whole mat
ter. This, at different times, and IN the cir
Gle of your friends, you could do ; and yet had
been arranged, and you detailed as one Of
my judges, Nth the designs Of an assassin lar.
king under a fair exterior, you would have ap-
preached the holy sanctuary Of justice. Is
conduct like this congenial with all that high
sense OF dignity which should be seated in a
| soldiers bosom? Is it due from a brother Of.
ficer to assail in the dark the reputation of an
other, and stab him at moment when he can.
not expect it? might insult an honorable
man by questions like these, but, shall not ex-
pect that they will harrow up one who mus,
be dead to all those feelings which are the
characteristics of gentleman.
In terms as polite as / was capable Of no
ting, asked you if my informant had stated
truly-if you were the author of the publica-
ton and remarks charged against you, and to