The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-11

'houid nave deemed myself recreant to my trust
md me''iing dismissal from the service. il had
oIdeo my arms and pos'poned action on the subjec,
for two weeks until orders could have been re-
seived from Washington.
have tsken leave to remind the Depar,men,
Of w ar OF the well known fact that the very
same intelligence upon which acted during the
month OF May, 1916. prompted the Depa rtrnen,
to ask and obtain Bill authorizing a levy Of ff
~ thousand Volunteers, and approprating ten
millions of dollars (Sl0,0OO.COOl to meet the
same exigancy.
As the War Department seemed to be of opin
ion, by his letter OF the 18th of MAY, that there
is no discretionary power lodged in an Officer
situated az was, took leave TO ask for inf,rma.
tlon. u servile insurrecton should occur; if an
Eruption should be made by large tribes of In
dams; 1t swarm of War Steamers with PAX
han Guns, were seen lowering about our sea
coast near me; or if General, at the head of
great part OF the Army of the u. S. upon the
frontier OF neighboring State near me shall ask
assistance, would II he my duty to refuse all aid
until should have received orders from the CITY
Of Washington humhly conceived that the
latter case had existed within the month of Nav.
II erred IN deeming General Taylor and his Ar
my In situation hazardous as to demand
immediate succor, ] could mt but remind the
Department Of War that il was an error under
which the country. The Congress, and the Pres
dent have all equally laboured. The only an.
swer with which have been h0nored notified
me 'nat my explanation was not satisfactory, and
that should be brought before a Court of In.
curry Against Court of Inquiry respectfully
bu! earnestly protested by virtue of the 92d Ar
tcie OF war, which wisely provides that" as
Courts OF Inquiry may he perverted to dishonor
Z" able purposes, and may he considered as engines
OF destruction to military merit, in the hands of
weak and envIous commandments. they are pro
/" h,bited, unless directed by the President of the
United States, or demanded by the accused.''
Besides, 1t will be seen by the 9lst Article of
War, that the object of Court of Inquiry is to
examine into The nature of any Transaction, accu
sation or lmpoaton against any officer or SOL
der. The mature" of all my transactions, to-
which the Department of War has objected in
terms OF unmitigaied censure, was in no wise
mysterious, but open and undisgused, and they
are now matters Of record, as they have been evC3
since the day of their respective enactment or
performance. learned when boy, enjoying the
blessings of beloved mothers care and insiruc
tlon, under the Curious administration of George
Washington. that ariful coneealment is dis
honorable that " the basis Of all ercei
ience is truth" ! have concealed nohinp. If
the President was not satisfied with my conduct,
'elt that had lawful right TO demand an in.
vesgation before General Cunri Martial. |
accordingly did demand trial hefre General
Court Martial, and desired that the Court should
be assembled at The camp of the commanding
General, in the great valley Of the Rio Grande
IN order that | might have the benefit of
fair and speedy trial; as most of my wit
nesses. on whose testimony | had TO rely for
my honorable acqnistal, are TO be found only upon
that frontier And | would much rather march
hliher as volmnteer-as a private volunteer
R'feman-and thus obtain speedy trial in the
present month. than TO be kept within the vortex
OF political party intrigue, in state of duress ad
verllsed as an offender. wish to be ON duty as
near the enemy as the President may see fiji to
place me. Simply, because il is my proper thea
ire OF action, and because have never known par
~ in'Tgues to acquire any strength or importance,
or do any harm in places Of danger. There the
chvalry of all parties cordially unites in the ma
tional defence. II it were so in our War Office
Bureau, they would be rendered infinitely more
formidable and valuable than they are. Edmund
Burke once said" Our Country, to be beloved,
must De lovely" may here say. that our Blu
rean officers to be respected. must be respecta-
bte (See MIR. Secretary Spencer's labored ar
tcle to show the necessity of high military COM
mander being associated with the Secretary of
War)
The Bureau System. which prevails in most
OF The European Governments, must have had its
origin in the political troubles and intreues
amongst the various Preienders and .Aspirants
10 the crown-using the language found in an
Gent and modern History, as BY the Grace
OF Gnd, France and Ireland, King, Defender of
the Faith. and so forth" Hence it was in Eng
land deemed essential to The safety of the crown.
as In France. more recently, to keep wachful
eye upon the Scotch English Pretenders-as
wen as 0f late years, To guard against the
Napoleon and the Bourbon dynasty The head
OF the Military Bureaux, in those Governments,
would have felt himself degraded if denied the
privilege OF denonncing any distant Comman-
Ger as unit or service, if he dared To abstain
from dabbling in Party polIics-I have had very
serious apprehension for some time past that
some of our Bureau officers would fall victims
10 european Books. and European habits of
thinking and Of actlng-especay thuse who for
get that our system of Government is a Govern
MENT OF THE PEoPLE-and that every public
officer is amenable To the law of the land and
hnds In that law his highest and most sacred rule
OF conduct
=, In place of waiting 10 be told by public servant
IKE myself what To do, in avery plain case gov-
erhed by lao, L called for troops, in the manner
! have stated, and when they voluntarily came
INTO the service, at my request, fed and otherwise
supplied them out the public stores placed an
der my control.
Upon this principle the country has been de-
tended, and must be defended. as long as we enjoy
The glorious privilege of Self Government, and
'ne kindred privilege of Self defence. Upon no
other principle can our Country ever be defended
upon distant sections OF the national fronier-even
under existing circumslances-and snch as ma y
very soon occur upon our Western border. But
IN the event Of War with any great maritime
Power. having superior Naval forces, such as we
had reason to anticipate very recenlly-we could
not possibly defend any place 200 miles from
me War Department without some experienced
o1ldier, upon the spot being anthurized-Or having
The experience and moral courage to enable him.
safely and efficiently, to assume the power To do
precisely what did in New Orleans in May last
Namely-iO cooperate with the talented State
authorities, and with the Sovereign People, to
invite into the u. 5. Service such oftheir number
as miUhl be disn.sed tn ilnLe Lie SnnrLnr. RnnL.