American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-11
11wtrit0w Republican,
Important Correspondence,
CEN. SC0TT AND THE COMMAND OF
THE ARMY.

the Secretary Of War, which we were compel
led 10 Law over till to-day, in consequence Of
.ls ,rowded state of our co!nmns yesterday.
HEAD Quarters OF THE ARMY,
Warrington, May 25, 1916.
SIR Your letter OF this date, received al a.
mol. q, p. m as sat down to take a hasty
na,e Of soup, demands prompt reply.
You have taken four days 10 reflect, and to
convict me, upon my letter TO you of the 2ls
instant, of official, perhaps, personal disre
srect to the constitutional commandment chief
of the army and navy of the United States.
If YOU have succeeded in impartlng that
impress ion to the President then, by the con
allsion Of your letter. written in his behalf, /
am placed under very high obligations to his
magnanimity-may | not add, 10 his Blindness?
in not placing me instantly in arrest, and
before a general court martial. | may then
hope that the President saw no such intended
dsrespect; and | can assure you both that
feel too great a Difference to the constitution
and the laws of my country TO offer or 10 de-
sign an indiguity 10 our chief mag istrate.
The strongest passages in my condemned
leiter are, think, hypothetical. In it,
spoke # mpatence'-"p perhaps in hg h
Cuarters;' Of, perhaps, utter condemna ton,
m the Cu rters alluded lo;" of the "infnite i'm.
portance Of securing myself against danger
iil-rciH or precondennation) in my rear" and
Of that 'most perIlous Of all positions" to any
lommander-"a fire upon [hisJ rear from
Washington, and the fire in front from
The Nexicans." And also spoke of the ne
cessity of "the active, candid, and steady sup
port of (such commandet's) government" in
The hope Of concilating it,
Now if there be any offence to the Presi-
dent in these passages-the intention of com
hitting which utterly disclaim--it must, in
candor, be found in the meaning of the pas
sages "high quarters" and the "quar ers aIIud-
&C TO-" which qualify all the others quoted BY
you.
1t Will be perceived that spoke not of the
Highest quarter but in the plural, "high quar-
ters;" and beg as an act of justice, no less to
myself than the President, 10 say | meant
Impotence" and even "pre condemnation,
on your part and the known, open, and vio-
Ient condemnation of me on the part Of seve-
raj leading and supposed confdents of the Pre-
sident in the two houses Of Congress, (high
quart4rs;) because, on an ntimation-not an
ord,r-I did not fly 10 the Rio Grande, with
out waiting for the invading army, yet to be
raised -nay, abandoning it to get to that river
as it could, and without the least regard to the
honorable pride and distinctions Of the gallant
general already in command on that river;
VINO, we knew, had done well, was doing
well, and who, | was quite sure, and his little
army, would, if the occasion offered, cover
themselves with glory. My prediction, in this
respect, has been fully accomplished.
But that did fear, and meant to express
the fear in my hasty letter Of the 2lst, that
those persons here enumerated would, sooner |
o. later impart their precondemnation of me
to The President, l will not deny. My letter |
was written, In part, to guard both the Presi- !
dent and myself against such result, which
would have been fatal not only to me, but
perhaps, for a campaign, to the service of the
country. Hence the details entered into
10 show the President and the Secretary OF
War-nether supposed to he professionally
experienced in the technical prelminarles OF
a Campaign-wha had been, and what would
continue for some dsys-my incessant occu-
pations. There is no special pleading in this
explanation. 1t is written and offered in good
faith; II proof Of which beg to refer to my
letter to YOU of this date, sent in three hours
before the reception of that TO which am
now replying,
You speak OF my interview with the Presi-
dent on the subject of the innteded formidable
invasion of Mexico. | wish | had the time to
do justice to my recollection of the Pres-
dents excellent sense, military comprehen-
sion, patience, and courtesies, In these inter-
views. | have since often spoken OF the ad-
mlrable qualities he displayed on those occa-
sions, with honor, as far as it was in my power
to do him honor.
And TO YOU sir, allow me to say have not
accused you, and do not mean to accuse you,
of set purpose to dscredit me as the CON-
mander at first designed for the new army thai
is to invade Mexico. | bear in mind with
pleasure the many personal courtesles that
have, for long years, received at your hands
But have for many days believed that you
have allowed yourself to be Influenced against
me by the cIamor Of some of the friends &c
whom have alluded. To that source, and
from no ill-wil of your own, have feared
that you had not made, and were not likely tc
make, the just and easy explanations IN my
behalf, which might be made. You are also
aware of other causes OF uneaslness have
against the departmental the want OF thai
confidence and support necessary to my OH
cia position-w neither here OF on the Rtc
Grande. | have heretofore explained myself
on these points, which renders repetition un
necessary.
Whether it shall be the pleasure of the
President to send me TO the Rio Grande
(Which l would prefer,) or TO retain me here
can only say, am equally ready to do my
duty in either position, with all my zeal, anc
all my ability.
In great haste, ! have the honor TO remain
your most obedent servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon w. L. MARCY,
Secretary of War
WAR DEPARTMENT,