Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-06-25
Gen. SCOTS Correspondence.


voice Of truth, and the dictates Of reason; and we b,
therefore, looked on Ia silence while the shafts of Hill
cue have been mercilessly showered upon General
Scorr's correspondence with the War Depaumeni
Ridcule is a warfare with which reason md ins,;o
cortcnd in vain; aud while "a hasty plate Of soin, al
Marshall Tufeen' ore phrases upon the lbs of ali VIII
not the personal friends Of Gen. Scott, it were
worse than idle 10 say aught in bis defence
Time however, has restored the public sonewb,,
to their senses; and now may venture TO enonirs
whether very many honest and well disposed bul nD1I
ia men, have not yielded to the rdicule which ha,
been thrown around an unfortunate phrase, lar more
than a sense Of justice, patriotism and self resrc,
would seem 10 warrant
What Is General SCOTS position in--what bis ss,.
vices to the country and OF what crime has he bs
guilty, which warrants even political friends who Az
not personally acquainted with him, joining in The crv
Of ridieue which his political opponents have raised IN
hunt him DOWN. These questions which ever,
candid man should put to himself before yielding 10
what compelled to admit, appears 10 be line
pefynding feeling Of the hour. That high minded
gallant soldier, covered with honorable sears won IN
his couniry's sefycc-that man whose name Is den
tilted with the most brilliant achievements in the mia
taiy annals Of his country-lhe universally admitleJ
and much lauded hero Of Chippewa and Lundy,s sns
"A chiyslric gentleman, warm hearted friend and
| accomplished schoar-should be Of once ors5ken
abandoned, and held up TO ridicue and contempt by
the very men and populace who week ago, pride1
themselves upon his military and civic achievement,
and boosted OF his political strength and uneousei
claims for the Piesidency-tha; such a man should he
quence OF giving vent, however tltimed TO lust COM
painis and for the Of ll.considered eSpfesson
in official letter, is sickenng those who wouH de-
iend The right, and furnishes another melancholy evil
dence Of the ngraiitude Of too many of our peopls
Again we ask, what is General Scorr's offeace;-
We very cheeruily admit that his letter 10 the Sece-
tary Of War, should not have been written and thar
il was iEconsidered, and highly iBsprudenf as The
consequences which followed, have abundanlly de-
monsirnted. Yet this was crime. He knetc that
after being appointed TO the command Of the army 10
invade Merte0, several members OF Congress-poiti-
cal opponents-waiied upon the Executive and urged
that the command should be taken from him. beeauis
bis success in the contemplated campaign would give
him political strength and overturn the dominant mar.
tyl And when the effects Of this political persecution
were made apparent BY party vote in the House Of
Representatives, virtually turning him out Of the army,
and an idle complaint from the War Department that
he had not departed for the Rio Grande, instead Of
/ yielding 10 circumstances, he manlully stated his
gtieyances-he is not only visited with Executive dis
pleasure and the loss Of his command, hut hunted
down as II he had never shed his blood in his counrys
defence, and for her, aures such as but two 9TH
ers ever achieved for the nation. We are willing TO
concede that the letter in question, should not have
been written, and that II was imprudent bot this IS
all II was the honest ontpourngs Of gallant nature
which SEEKS eonceament-the complaints of inus.
cc from honest soldier with whom lfankness is The
first Of virtues; and however impfudent however much
wanting in political tact, those who admire ankness
and honesty should not judge harshy condemn with
out reflection.
This is the full extent OF bis offence; and as to the
familiar sentence announcing that the Secretayis let
I ter had reached him when about sitting down 10 a
hasiy plate of SOUP there is really nothing IN il 10
condemn or defend As soldier accustomed 10 write
the simple truth, and anxious TO apologize for the
seeming delay OF hour in answering the unexpected
misappehenson OF the Executive, he very naturally,
and in keeping with the simplicity Of soldier, stated
why it was that he had not Instantly answered the
very grave charge Of the Secretary Of War He dream
ed not that his letter was to come before the public, to
be the subject Of criticism by msneuverng politicians,
or food Tor rdicule by the political press and he
mited the simple truth 10 paper, furnishing the true
cause Of his apparent delay in replying to letter
charging him with high military crime-dsrespect
to the Chief Magistrate Of the Nation.
! Let US suppose, that instead Of having delayed his
answer to take his dinner, after eight hours Of unwea
ried labor in preparing for his departure TO his
mand the delay had arisen from detention at the bed
| side Of dying wife or beloved child. Such cause Tor
delay, would have unQuesuonably been stated
with the same frankness and simplicity; il would have
been equally true equally characteristic Of the pure
minded soldier, and equally liable TO censurel But
where ia the press which in that case would have
4 tured TO cast ridieuie upon his Apology
We ask all right-minded, honest and honorable men,
to Justly upon this matter, and then determine
whether they consent to loan themselves to the
1 attempt now making, TO crush and destroy Parrot
Soldier, grown gray in the service of his county
covered with received in fighting her battles and
adding TO her military glory and mpershabe fame
merely because he wrote with the honesty and frank
apperiaiang TO his profession instead oil the cum
ming and eirenmspection belonging 10 a politician Is
il not a reproach TO human nature and a disgrace TO
people, that such should with any, blast
the bood-earned laurels of such a man as WiSFIELD
ScoTT? Is there on earth smother people, who for
such offence, would thus forget the services Of
I Gfe-times Would such an offence have injured the
lame, furnished the aures OF British General, or
cancelled the obligations Of The British nation towards
one who had served them as Scorr has served his IN
grateful pcople'
Bot we will not pursue this subject 1t is as we
have already said, hearl-sckening and while TOO
many, who look only TO political as the evil
denee Of merit, many consider themselves thus sud-
denly absolved even from gratitude TO Gen. ScoTT-
that cheapest OF all rewards for military services
they should not forget that the of writing TOO
many letters, belongs not alone 10 him. The noble
minded CLAY lost the Presidency, because he wrote
letter TO many, and thus secured the election of
one who possesses OF the qualifications for that
exalted station. II, is said the recent corespon-
dence OF Gen. ScorT cancels his claim to the Pfesi-
deney, It is only another evidence that Republics
ever seeking an apology for ngraiude; and acting up
on the principle Of TALLEYRAND, that nsisiake IS
worse than crime, look upon the latter with toer.
anee, while the former inspires them with a HOLY alb
hotrence But we write not of Gen. SoorT as a Pol
l'icIsni all we ask is, that reflection justice and
SON may turn aside the shafts of ridcule from one
whose best blood has been shed in his countrys cause
and who has nohy proved that he has no apprelen-
SONS OF the shafts of his counify's foes His name
and lame are alike the property OF his countymen; his
deeds oil daring and of valor, inscribed upon the
same page OF history which perpetuales the military
achievements oil our nation; and we may not in Justice
TO The one forge, the honor and gratitude due 10 the
other.-N y. Courier and Enquirer
suieIpE-Mr Horace Draper of Springfield, well
known merchant late Of the firms Of Draper a Bailey aud
Draper ~ Lee committed suicide Sunday afternoon, by
cutting his throat with razor He had been time
"oorng under severe mental Depression and bis friends