Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1846-07-04

WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon. w. l.. Marcy, Secretary OF War.
Mr.. Marcy commences in add essng
General Scott:
War Department, May 25, 1916.
Sir have received your letter OF the
2lst inst and consi lering its extraordlna-
ry character, and the grave matters sci
forth herein, rejecting upon the motives
and objects Of the President 10 rendering
to you, as he has, in an explicit manner.
the command Of the forces destined for
the war against Mexico, deemed i TO be
my duty to lay it before him, and TO take
his direction in regard 10 its contents.
ie passages in your letter which have
eHAed his surprise and deep regret, are
lhG IN which you impute TO the President,
InS rms not inexpicit, i'll ,ciH towards
"a ELI, or precondemnatiOn, and course
duet on his part which has already.
aIlege, mpeded your labogs Of
lton and crippled your energies.
eference to two or three paragraphs
ur letter will show that he is no, at
fly to give different construction TO
Eur language
y Mr.. Marcy then continues to make
short quotations from General SCOTS lei
tel, and comments thereon, not hall as
ws as can the general reader, said com
msnls being tissue Of lick-splte deien
ce, Of the President, and setting up bugI
bel rs he finds in General SCOTS letters
10 knock them down, and concludes, byl
announcing to General Scott, what was in
telded to be done probably from the time
The President gave the verbal command toI
General Scott, and that is, that General
SCOTT is relieved Of the command of the
army on the Rio Grande. General Scott
co nmences his reply as follows:
Head Quarters ofth Army,
Washington, May 25, 1916,
Sr-Your letter Of this dae, received
at about six, P. H., as | sat down TO take
hasty plate Of soup, demands prompt
REPLY.
You have taken four days TO reflect,
ami to convict me, upon my letter 10 you
olIthe 2lst inst, of official, perhaps, per-
sonal disrespect to the constitutional Com
mhnder-in. cnief Of the Army and Navy
Of the United States.
IL you have succeeded in imparting that
impression TO the President, then, by the
conclusion of your letter, written in his
behalf, am placed under very high obi
cations to his magnanlmily --may not
add, to rs kindneSs?-in not placing me
Instantly in arrest, and before general
court -martial | may then HOPE that the
President saw no uch.iniendsd disrespsct:
and can assure you both that leel 100
great difference TO the constitution and
The laws Of my country to offer or TO de-
Sign an indignily to our Chief Magistrate.
General Scott then recapitulates passa
ges in Mr.. Marcy's letter. and concludes
as follows:
Whether It shall be the pleasure of the
President to send me to the Rio Grande,
(Which would preier) or TO retain me
here, | can only SAL, am equally ready
to do my duty in either position, with all
my zeal, and all my ability.
In great haste, have the honor to re.
main, your most obedient servant.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon. w. l.. Marcy, Secretary Of War
MIR. Marcy then replies under date Of
May &c, to General SCOTS letter; which
letter, is one Of mere courtesy, or OF ex-
PLANTATION and repetilions that amount TO
very little Of Importance that Gen. Scott
does not allude to--we come TO the reply.
General Scott under date OF May 81, re
capituIates some Of the principal facts
which caused his unfortunate mlsunder
standing with the war department. He
insists that "no officer Of the army or
navy, was ever despatched by any Execu-
live, on distant important service, without
tcritten instructions or orders, from hi:
government He goes on to say
''Three hours before received your
letter Of the 25lh instant. conveying the
dIspleasure o! the Executive, and without
the least expectation Of receiving such a
Letters, had sent in TO you my report or
note Of the same day, the 25th, which con.
clnded with this declaration:
81 think my preliminary and necessary
occupation may be ended here in (say)
three days more, when, promising that
alter the great and brilliant victories OF the
] gallant Taylor, of which we have recent.
ly heard, | should be ashamed TO super
cede him before the arrival of competent
reInlorcements to penetrate the interior
OF Mexico, and TO conquer peace--I shall
be ready for any instructions or orders
with which the President may honor mt. ,
General Scott then goes on to say thai
he was accidentally informed by General
VOL, that other generals nigh, be created
and put in command Of the army, and thai
on the Goth, he saw bill reported in the
Senate, at the immediate instance of Mr.
/ MIrcu m that afIant ,,rov;J;,c r.. ,,,,-