Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-26

Of many WORTH chtck ofhe eliqDes from lnen az
nrnnI;.,o nn,s,ii,s 10 the great annoyance OF ine
rond ueonIe ol the Union, and the neglect o. 'pe'.
best inleIests-a thirst for high once w" 'sc
in some c.iques ragged even more ~ uis iu."
British uiers Of u6oitionisai man ~ ~ ns,,uu,
OEn sapoTts ma state ~ atje'''e 1s
Of Brush 1car steamers" ,.;,lhefore
II he is wrong in This, he demands triai before
general Court Martial He adds TWO PoslscriP's,
one abou, The militia and the olher enciosihs :"
newspaper article. ,,r ~ Co.
4. The Denarrment had been enclosing 10 ~ ue-
neral Gaines copies OF us oi'e'' ~ cnyernors of
l,r and ne accommodations 10 the GoVerho's VI
States on which he was auihoiisea ~ Va no
troops; and on hearing that ne hau ca a ~
Governor OF Louisiana Tor troops, .ne -, Ia !
IN letter dated August 20, pPe,sd anislv in
the an,ho,v n call tor militia is vested soiey III
The presden, and that The emergency must De very
immipan, which would excuse the assumpl'oh "
such authority by military olhcer VI co'l''iiano
Gen Taylor he adds would be ins'ruc'ea ~ -, IA
cejye The rroops Gen. Gaines hao alteauy seu az
10 retain them as long as may DC Necessary, a
the President hoped Gen. G. would be able 10 JUS
tify his proceedings. -. Qualification n
5. Gen. Gaines expresses ms gra''hcduon ~ =.
find his reousilion thus virtually approved W wv
Secretary. and adds that ne mas instructed 49, 80
Tavlor n re,an The troops for The term Tor when
lney were enTagtu-oi "'s
ellis The Secrelaiy's appfoval' ...,
G TIE Secretary expresses his surprise tnal
Gen. Gaines should consider his letter oil me 2o,h
a virtual approval OF what he had done. LIE
closes his letter with this tart rebuke:
at is uuite evident rom your request mat !
sboud annrove OF your Instructions 10 General
Taylor to retain Mai. Gallys command in ser
vice, &c, thai you misunderstood your position
in regard 10 the commanding general IN Texas
His command is entirely independent oil you J
The orders and instructions Tor his conduct ema-
nate only from the Government here, ana you
are directed 10 abstain from all interference with
him."
Gen. Gaines replies, in a letter which fills two
columns. averrng his adherence 10 the rules OF
conduct embraced in The Sec eary's instructions,
and declaring his conviction that no evidence can
be adduced 10 put him IN The 1rfone, "out such
evidence as may be seen in haseless assertions oi
in,oIeranl party writers, while sefrsdV II no.
openly, endeavorins 10 PIT me GorTamcat GAd
crc,y nun in faror Of defending ne eonnhg IN ~e
r,one-such writer's as marked The character Oh
The advocates Of the Hartford Convention in The
year 1871" &c.
His letter is rambling and very silly-nlng-
ling comments upon the Iaes OF war with dla-
tribes agains, Gen. Scott, charging him with IN.
lrsuing Tor the Presidency and repeating ms call
10 be brought before general court-maTlial-
He writes:
"Gen. Scot, has not The power 10 harm me with
out being aided, as he was in his inlrigues oil
July. 1911, By The head Of the War Department,
in matter, and to an extent, not sanctioned by
law. What were The precise conditions OF his
nromo,ions over me have not learned; bu. this
is fact we'll known 10 the army and people oil
The JJniled States, that he had been but lew
months in his new Office before his inrisues Tor
the Presidency were disclosed in an address Tend
ing 10 scandalize The army and The Office confied
10 him.
a am soldier ofthe United States-the whole
United States Of America, and not soldier nor
a member Of any political party. This nation
car never be defended by any one political party.
Hence il was that George Washington suggested
The propriety of the oath which was, under his
auspices, described by law, 10 be taken by every
officer OF The army.
I am satisfied that no man who is bound BY this
oath can be an efficient member Of any party as
We are all bound to serve the United States, and
not party nr a part Of The Unired States, but to
serve honestly all The people OF The Tn ted States,
ana on the approach Of war we OF the army
should invoke aid from all parties Tor the nation
al defence In this We cannot hope 10 succeed
without having uniformly endeavored 10 ne!tlhe
confidence of all parties"
Many other illusions u and denuncialions oil
Gen. Scott, appear in the letter. II passed into
The Major Generals office for file and The fol-
lowing endorsement is published with the cores
pondence:
Com ofhe Endorsement Of Gen. Ssoh upon tie
foregoing Litter:
OF The correspondence between The Secretary OF
War and Gen. Gaines touching the Louisiana
militia. sent BY the later TO Texas have had
fhn Iare
of he Secretary were written Without my know
ledge. and believe, in my absence from w ash
inyon This correspondence, however, having
been sent by The Secretary 10 be placed on the
files Of The Adiutani Generals office, il has been
hrouoh, under nv notice and have just read
The within Letter from General Gaines, and The
Secrelary's replies OF September Both, and OF the
ooh inst. Mote After an absence OF month,
90, bacl, 10 This city the night OF Inc iuih.J
shall confne myself 10 those three lei'ers-havlng
ne;ber The line nor the inclination TO look farther
into The correspondence.
The Secretary, well knowing that had had
M agancv IN suggestng-much less in diclaIing
anv Mar, Of his letter or letters 10 General Gaines
nn his snhiecr-lays down Correctly in his letter
n September 800 The rule Of official correspond
ence and thai Of demanding redrcss-hy charges
and specifications, and add: Complaints and
charges presented in this manner will receive
proper attention. -
This dhnngh not so in;cuded) invitation will
probably give The Secretary charges and specih.
cations enough against me-like those contained
within.
With this letter in his hand, will The Secretary
have Tho goodness 10 turn 10 5h and SD articles
of war, and say what ough, 10 be done with &C.
neral Gaines. might refer III IF other lei
lers from the same source and dozen other arli
cles OF war, which General Gaines has habitual.
w. and for years, violated with impunity.
Why do | not prefer charges ard specifications
against that ottcer3 will repeat The reply which
have heretofore twenty TINES made in writing.
|. II were 10 do So, there has been no proha-
biIi,y, in more Than four years that The President
would have ordered cour, tor his Trial.
2 II had been placed upon cour, or jury 10
Try Gen. Gaines in The last len or more years, for
any crrnc-cnnGuct nnhecoming an officer and
gentleman. muiny breach OF orders or murder
Il should have acquitted him, no mater how
clear The proof of the crime, on the ground OF par
lial insanity, al least, and hence il would be
against honor and humanity TO ask 10 have him
brought 10 trial.
If The Secretary will refer 10 act May 20, 1889
sec ion Isl, (Cross, p. 225) he will see that if
were 10 prefer charges against Gen. Gaines, The
President only would have power TO order court
for his trial.
The remedy LOT 1en. Jalnes lTregnlarllleS,
arising mainly, as am in charity bound 10 sup
pose from insanity or dolase, is 10 place him on
an indefinite leave OF absence. This course
have repeatedly recommended in the last three
years
Respectfully submitted 10 the Secretary Of War
WINFIELD SCOTT.
October 20, 1915.
PSI know, through an undoubted channel,
that a copy Of Gen. Gaines's letter (withinl has
been semi by him 10 two militia generals in Phil
adelphia. See par. 2O3, General Reg. of The az
my. page 3s. WIS.
Under date of Sept. 30, 1s45, Secretary Marcy
writes disapproval Of The conduct OF General
Gaines, to which he replies in expressions of some
as,onishmenl; other letters follow, when the Ad-
jutant General wriles May Is, 1916, 10 General
Gaines
"General-I am instructed by The Secretary of
War to acknowledge your letter received this
evening of The ith instant, and TO say that he de-
sires you will counlermand your call for the Sc
veral regiments Of mounted gun men, which
von s,.te wore 10 rendezvous al Fort Jesup on