State journal & flag., 1846-06-19

against Mexico should be selected. No matter who he may be; he shall, at least, be judged and supported by me- in this office and eVery where else, as 1 would desire, if personally in that command, to be myself judged and suppor- ted.
 My explicit meaning is, that do not desire 10 place mysel. in the most perious of all DO. sltions-a hre upon my rear from Washing Ion and he hre in front from the Mericans.
 It was distinctly admitted, and laid down as basis, in the interviews 1 had the honor to hold with the President and yourself on the subJecf, that a special army of some thii ty thousand troops, regulars, and twelve months volunteers, would be necessary for the march against, and the conquest of peace in Mexico. l adhere to that opinion. It is foreseen, with tolerable certainty, that we shall not have, in many months, more than seven thousand Gf quite so many) regulars, applicable to the ser vice. The remaining numbers are to be made up in volunteer horse and foot. l suppose of these, together. about l7,000 have been actual ly called for There is yet good time think to make the additions suggested in one of the tables had the honor to submit last night"
 He concludes his letter thus:
 "However the foregoing suggestions (hasily thrown togcther may be viewed, have deem ed It due more to the country than my humble self, that should present them, and await the wishes or the orders of the President"
 The reply of the Secretary is dated 25lh ult. He says
 "l have received your letter of the 21st inst. and considering is extraordinary character, and the grave matters set forth therein, in, rehecting upon the motives and objects of the President m rendering 10 you, as he has, Tn an explicit manner, the command of the for> ces destined for the war against Mexico, deemed 1t 10 be my duty to lay It before him. and to take his direction in regard to is con tents.
 The passages in your letter which have cxci. ted hls surprise md eeep regret, are those in which you lnpute to the President, in terms not inexplcit, iW aoiH towards yourself, or pre-. condemnation, and a course of conduct on his part which has already, as you allege, mpe- ded your labors of preparation and crippled your energies.
 The Secretary replies al length to the several subjects of complaint on the part of Gen. Scott, and concludes by relieving him, by direction of the President of the N"'''dhu oi 'hC "ihy. liO CoHCiudNo nis letter thus
 "Entering as il is most evident you do, the opinion that such are the motives and designs of the Executive towards you, and declaring it 10 be your explicit meaning that "you do not desire 10 place yourself in the most perous of all postl0ns-a fire upon your rear from Wash lngton, and the fire in front from the Mexi- cans," and so entertaining them entirely with out cause, or even the shadow of iustiicatloll, the President would be wanting in his duty to the country, If he were to persist in his deter mlnaton ofimPosng upon you the command Of the army in the war agalnst Mexico. He would probably misunderstood the object you had in View in writing your letter, and dsappoint your expectations, if he did not believe that it was intended to affect change of his purpose in thls respect, ] am, therefore, directed by him 10 say that you will be continued in your pres ent poslt on here, and will devote your efforts to making arrangements and preparations !or the early and vigorous prosecution Of hostilties against Mexico"
 This prompt decision, on the part of the President, seems to have taken Gen. Scott by surprise. Notwithstanding his explicit declaration that he would not subject him. self to two fires, he had determined to risk them in view of the laurels to be ga. thered in Mexico. He replies, instanter; and, in very bad temper, says-that if the Secretary has succeeded in impartpg to the constitutional command of the army that he lGen. s. has treated him with personal dis respecl-that he is placed under very high obligations to his (the Presidents, mdgnanimity-may not add, to las kind. ness-in not placing me instantly in arrest and before general court martial" He avows that he did not mean the President in lhe language excepted 10, but certain congress ional friends of the President, and the Secretary of War. Afler speaking in complimentary terms of the "excelIen' sense, military comprehension, etc." of the President, he concludes by expressing a desire 10 be sent to the Rio Grande.
 On the 26th the Secretary replies. but does not allude 10 the request of Gen. Scott, to be restored to the command of the army.
 On the 27ih, Gen. Scott, again, addresses the Secretary, and afler recaptulating the substance of his former letters, claims the command of the army by right of senior rank.
 To this claim the Secretary replies, with provoking brevity, as follows:
 "Your communications have all been laid be. fore the President, but [ have received no in- slruclIons to change or modify the directions contained in the closing paragraph of my letter of the 25th ult.i'
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 Ju,lge Hutchinson, who was taken pris. oner, whilst holding court in San Antonio, by Gen. Wool cf the Mexican army, has published table of distances from the Rio Bravo to Mexico and from Vera Cruz to Mexico-whicheis no doubt. generally, ac. curae. He sets down the distance from the Rio Grande to Mexico at 9l7-to 957 miles-from San Antonio 10 the Preside on the Rio Grande, Sis about" 175 miles-ma. king the whole distance, say 1132 miles From Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico is represented by Judge H, who travelled the