Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-12
THE ENQUIRER.
RIG II MOND, VA.
"a HAsTY pLATE or so1Ip ),
Thursday Morning, June IL, 1876.

~ HASTY PLATE OF SOUP"
My explicit meaning H. that do not desire TO place
myseh IN the most per'sons Of all positions-G IRE
upon my rear from Harrington, end Ms ire IN front
from ms .hsziedHs"-l Gen. Seon's Letter.
The correspondence between General Scott and
the War Department, will be found in The CO.
umns Of the Enquirer thi, morning or course
d period Ike this, such correspondence be-
tween The Commander in Chief Of the Amsri-
can Army and tho Secretary OF War, will al
tract attention. The great public, who habilually
watch their representatives and servants, both in
the Civil and Military Departments OF the Co
Vernment, will read and will Judge II is their
province TO do so, and no palliative can restrain
the force Of their opinion.
| lis well known that this journal, while il ha,
differed with General Scott politically, has ever
awarded The highest merit 10 his pas, career as
an intrepid soldier ana-a skilful officer. Bnt how.
ever msrilsrious may have been his acts upon the
held hitherto, it seems as if the lime had come
when ne has forgotten himself forgotten his sta
ton, forgotten his plain duties as commander Of
our fsrces-he who should bs the fountain Of all
mat Is exemplary in military regime, and the
pattern OF soldier 10 both commissioned officer
and private.
| We have read the letter, OF General Scott with
SURPRISE and regre.-surprise, that he should havo
Chastity 1t is 10 be hoped) made himself The dupe
OF such unjust and ungenerous suspicions-re-
| greet, that he should have made an exhibition
which, in the eyes of foreign nations, may lend 10
disparage our military establishment. Conduct
SO unsodier-ke, and 50 little in accordance with
wha! was 10 expected from the principal military
officer OF our country, can only be accounted for
| by supposing him TO be the victim OF hasly sus-
| picions famed BY political ambition.
General had, through the confidence Of the
| President, been assigned 10 The chief command
Of our forces upon the Mexican froniisr. This
command was given him promptly and wiIhou,
| hesitation, 40 soon as The war bill became law.
| True, he Immediately commenced prepa ratiors
Tor carrying on the campaign But what else
does he 10 7 Unlike the Roman Sena, r, Sem
pronius who did no, "lons debate" he turns his
yeioward Congress and The politicians, he has
two parts TO play, The politician and the soldier
He sinks the latter Tor the time 5eing, and deter
mines that he will see the former safe, before he
| quits his position. lie conccives he has enemies
in "hish quarters" and Ae resolves that he will
remain in Washington, and let The battles oil his
country be fought as they may b., unit! h. shall
have silsnced all opposition, and relieved himself
from "6re in The rear" Then, when every one is
prepared 10 say, Hail 10 the Chief" he wal 90
and obey tie orders of his President. Is i, sur
| pTsing that, under such circumstances, Mr.. Poll;
| should prefer 10 lei him remain in Washington,
and take his "hasty p!sle OF soup abou, 6 P NJ"
whilst Gen. Tay lor-"sld rough and ready" -whom
some OF the Wing press have described in his
tent taking plain meal upon alpine board, out OF
4 tin pan, was continued 10 the command Of our
troopsi
But, setting aside The iereciion of tha, duty
which Gen. Scott owed The Government as a sol
disr-sslling aside the wan, OF proprieiy and
seemDcss in his eonduct-.eltng aside the bad
example which ne SET, and lis tendency 10 subvcrt
that discipline which is indispensable 10 all ar
nss;-what reason had lie for asserting and
complaining that he had "enemies in high quar-
ers u II he meant persona enemies, surely,
there could have bsen no difficulty in meeting
and exposing them. IT. laying aside the militia
|
gy, Why had no. others the same cause Of cavii
as himsslf2 Who were Taylor, and RDggold,
and Mcintosh, and May, and others, who have
been winning renswn, and Tie color of whose po-
i,ics has not been piclursd7 Who were they,
but Whigs-lrue, genuine, Henry Clay Wings
They thought not, dreamed not Of "enemies in
high quarters" they did moi suspect 'precon-
demnation, but served their country with ala
Gritty, and SO doing, have won rehown which
other otfcers"in high quarters" may well envy.
| If, however, Gen. Scott referred 10 "encmes"
in The shape OF Presidential aspiranu-ii he
meant TO convey the idea that he was unwilling
10 GO 10 Mexico because he feared lest candidates
forlhe Presidency, jealous ofhis prospects, should
(to use his own phrase, Ere upon him from The
rear-then he has unquestionably defeated him.
SELF The Chiellan has spiked his own gun
Gen. Jackson, in the day Of his hghsa populari-
ty would have bsen withcred and overcome by
such a declaration. And if Con. Scott, after
having been cour.cously treated, frankly consult
cd with, and assigned the highest post OF honor
by the Administration, should find himself m,nSs
the applause otCongres., minus the confidence Of
country, minus the nomination Of The Wing Pre-
sidenla Convention, he will only have 10 thank
his swn hair-splil,ing surnises and his overween-
ing ambition for so un,oward result