Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-18
RICHMOND, TUESDAY MORNING. 49,


"If is now apparent thai all The once scattered
sections Of General Taylor's Army Of Occupaion
have been happily concentrated without any such
disaster, as | (wilh thousands OF other men o.
some eyperience) had reason 10 anticipate might
occur between The 18th and Goth OF August
heartily rejoice al this result. II may be The
means OF saving the United States and Mexico
from war-a war which has 10 Inc loo much
Inc appearance OF family disluroance-a ciril
mar-(the most irishtlul oil all the horrors OF war
to the honest voiar;es of free Government)- to be
aver,ed, If possible, by every rational PTecaution.
My conduct, however, is mol 10 be judged by
what has happened subsequent 10 Inc embarka-
ton Of the Louisiana Volunteers, bht by the acili-
al stale Of things as represented 10 me at The
point OF time when made The call, and which
prompted me 10 make it; ac,ins as every Judi.
ciuus officer is bound 10 act, hFon The sound
principle that the arork Of 3fepaf0ton for ,ray
ough, ncvcs TO lie put of until me ir0Jk n dcstrEc-
ttoa upon orr fro1Rier ~ a sdraee r a4j Sarage
Toe h2s hcen Ge.an or completes"
feel now most sensibly every sentiment then
uttered. claim the eqnitv and he right OF being
Judged, not by the result Of Gen. Taylors mea-
sugcs or movements. His army was in great re-
Ri. lie had been LETT las have in another place
stately with neither adequate means nor men 10
sustain The national honur; opposed IL an army
near four times his numbers and CT, of from
his military sores. The country was uncertain
wi,cln.. h. could escape destruction. By his
own irdcmi'ahlc courage, The sallar,y Of his Of.
ficels and men, and Providence Of Almighty God.
he exiricalrd himself from the diiiculiy-lhe eni
deSac-in which he was placed. Al The approach
oilhis crisis he had requested me 10 send troops
10 him with all possible despatch. As comman-
der OF the Western Division OF The United States,
known 10 me OF meeting his wishes, and should
have deemed myself rccreaM 10 my trust, and
meriins dismissal from the service, i! had fold
ed nv arms and postponed action on the subject
for Two weeks, mill orders could have been re-
ceived from Washington.
have taken leave 10 remind the Department
Of War OF The well known fact, that The very
saue intelligence upon which acled during the
month Of May, 1916 prompted The Department TO
as; and obtain bill authorizing levy ot 50 600
volunteers and appro?raing len millions of dol
lars (Sl000o,G00) 10 meet The same exisency.
As lhe War Department, seemed TO be Of
opinion, b. his letter Of the 2Slh If May, that
there is no Discretionary power lodged in an Off
Ger situated as was, took leave 10 ask for in
formation, il servle nsunection should oc-
cur, il an Eruption should lie made by large
tribes Of Indians; il 4 swarm Of war steamers
with Paixhan guns were seen lowering abou. our
seacUas, near me- or ii General, al The head OF
great part Of The army OF the United States up
on the frontier ci nei2hboring State near me
shall! a>n assistance, would il he M; duty 10 re-
iase all aid until should have received orders
from The city Of Washington | buinblv con-
csved that The latter case had existed within The
month Of May. Ii erred in deeming General
TayIur and his army in d situation 50 hazardous
as 10 demari ,nmeuiae succof, | could mol bur
remind the Department OF War that il was an
error under which The country, the Congress, and
the President have all equally laboIed. The only
answer with which have been honored, notified
me that my explanation was not satisfactory, and
that should be brought before a Court Of lnqul-
~. Against a Court o. Inquiry respectfully
but earnestly protested. by virtue .! The 92d anil
Gle oil War, which wisely provides, that ''a' Courts
oil Inquiry may be perverted to dsEoacrabIc purpo-
SEES and may be considered as engines Of desirIc-
tion 10 military merit, 10 the hands Of weak and
cnvious Commandments, they are prohibited, unless
directed by the President OF The United States, or
demanded Is The accused" Besides, il vii be
secar ~ lie 9s, A;licie cf War, that Inc okjc' Of
4 Court ci Inquiry is ITO examine into The nature
Of any transaction accusation o. impuiaiion
against any oineef Or aoidicr." The mature
Of all my transactions 10 which the Depart
menl Of War has objected in terms Of IN.
mi.ioaied censure, was in 10 wise myetsri-
ms. but open and undiscuscd and they are
now matters OF record, as lney have been ever
srce The day OF their respective enactment ur
performance. | learned when boy, enjoying
ihs blessings of beloved mothers care and in
s,rutlion, under The glorious administration OF
George Washington, that "aHiiA cDnccalmcnt Is
d,ssoaoraJ!e" aud that "tsc bass n al elcelleata
,sauth." Iha;e funcra!ed auhine. il lie Pre-
siicnl was not satisfied with my conduct, felt
that had lawful right to demand IN invcstiga-
lion before General Court Martial. | accord
in.ly did demand Trial before General Court
Martial, and desired that the Court should be as
scmbied al The camp Of The Commanding Gene
raj, in lhe erea: valley of the Rio Grande, in or
der that might have the benefi, OF a far and
syeedy trial; as most OF my witnesses, on whose
testimony had 10 rely for my honorable acquil-
tai, are 10 be found only upon that frontier. And
| would much rather march timber as voinn-
teer-as a private volunteer Ritieman-and thus
obtain speedy trial in The present month, than to
be kept within The vortex OF political party in
trgue, in state OF duress, advertised as an Often
der. wish 10 be on duty as near The enemy as
the Presiden; may see fiji 10 place me. Simply.
because it is my proper theatre oil action, and be-
cause have never known party intriSues 10 &C
cnire any strength or importance, or do any harm
in places of danger. There the chivalry Of all
par,ies cordially uniies in Inc national defence
II i, were 81 in our War Office Bureau, they
won!d he rendered infinitely more formidable and
valuable than they ale. Edmund Burke once
sad-"Omr con,ltrv, 10 be bciOred, must &c hrsty.
may here say, that cur BuTean ONceN 10 oe re-
spceied, must be respectable. See Mr.. Secretary
Spencer's tailored article 10 show The necessity oil
high military commander being associated win
The Secretary Of War;
The Jureap srstcm, which prevails in most OF
The European Governments, must have had its
origin in the political troubles and inlrisnes
amongst the varions ;retsRdsrs and asptTonis 10
lie crown-uSing the language funnd in ancient
aud modern history, as-"BY lhe Cilace al GOD,
France ami Ireland, King Defender VI The Faith,
and 50 forth" Hence il vas in England dremed
csscnia, 10 the safety Of ihe crown, a 10 France
more recently, 10 keep waichiul eye nphn me
Scotch or English pfcieaacrs-as well as u late
years. 10 guard agalnslihe Napoleon and lhe BouF-
bon dynasty. The head Of the military bureaux
in those Governments wonl! have felt himself
degraded if denied the privilege Of denounclnS
any distant commander as unfit for service, II he
dared 10 abstain from dabhins N party Poilllcs-
have had very serious apprehension, LOT some
lime past that some Of our bureau chcers Wonla
lall victims 10 European bucks, and European ma
bits of thinking and of aclins-esreclaily those
who loTget lndt our syStclH w oosSiH"ien' :. =
Gorsrnmcnt OF The people--and that every public
officer is amenab % the law Of the land, and
finds in Ina, law his highest and most sacred rule
OF conduct
In place of waiting 10 be told by public ser
van, like myself what TO 10, in a very plain case
gorerncd 5y lar, called for troops in the manner
have stated and when they voluntarily came in
10 The service al my request, ! fed and otherwise
supplied item oul Of the public stores placed un-
der my control.
Upon this principle the country has been de-
Tended and must be defended, as long as we en-.
ioy the glorious privilege Of sclt-gop1nment, and
ihe kindred privilege Of self.detencc;; Upon no
other principle can our country ever he defended
upon distant sections OF the national frontier
even under existing circumstance and such as
may very soon occur upon cur Western border.
But in The evezt Of war with any great mari
lime power, having superior naval forces, such
as we had reason 10 anticipate very recently, we
could no, possibly defend any place 200 miles
fiom tie War Department, without some expe'
ricrced soldier upon ihe spot being authorized, or
having The experience and moral courage 10 en-
able him safely and efficiently 10 assume The
power 10 do precisely what | did in New Orleans
in Nav last-namely, 10 co operate with the Ia