Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-10-19
A QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE.

"GENERAL SCETT AND MIR. i RiS- Le.lels !c.
ceivcd by the Fashion, the Picayune says, explain
The nature OF The slight which gave rise 10 the
GOODNESS between Mr.. Trist and Gen. Scott. Up
on The arrival Of Mr.. Trisl at The headquarters
Of the army, he manifested very little respect Tor
the commanding General. II is said lha, be ne
elected entirely 10 call upon General Scott 10 pay
his respects. Gen. Scoi did not, 1T course, cali
upon him, and no direct personal intercourse
wonld have taken place between them, bnl Tor
the tact thu, Mr.. Tlisl became severely i'll. Gle.
neral Scott then overlooked The marked slight To-
wards himself, vailed on MIR. Trist, and was rs.
siduous in rendering such personal offices as The
somewhat alarming situation OF The Minister de-
manded. This difference about The mere matter
Of etiquette, though lrifins in itself, was OF bad
ausnry for the harmonious corporation OF he Ge-
neral and the Comniissionc: in bringing about a
peace. |. was quite natural ihcl Gen. Scott should
look with a suspicious aLd Jealous eye upon an
agent IT The eovcrnm-n., who though previously
but a clerk in the Stale Department, was the bear
er Of plenary powers to conclnde a peace with
seem 10 include The lesser power Of making an
armjsiice or truce, and % the extent Of this power
the movements Of Gen. Scot might be controlled"
The above paragraph [says The Philadelphia
Sal. Courierl is from The Ledger" of The 20ih
Sept, and we will remark that on Mr.. Trisl's ar
rival al the head quarters OF the army in The ca
paciiy of a SPECIAL Envoy from The President to
endeavor 10 make some arrangement with he
Mexican Government, j. was he place, and The
usual etiquette demanded il, that The Commander
OF The army in Mexico should mol only not have
waited for the arrival OF Mr.. Trisi al head quar-
ters, but should have sent his aids TO greet him,
and escort him 10 such quarters as the General
should have had prepared for 50 distinguished n
parsonage, and then 10 have called 10 we.come
and pay 10 him the usual respcc; ,ue 10 such
public tunc,ionaries abroad or al home. Mr..
Iris, was The actual representative OF The PIesi-
deni; his acts were The Presidents, and 10 whom
alone he was 10 account Tor The success or failure
Of his embassy. And The President being at The
head OF The Army and Navy, The usual honors
and etiquette should have been observed on this
occasion. No matter il MIR. Trist was a clerk or
a messenger in the Stale Department; the Presi-
dent knowing his weli-tried abilities, and as re-
commended by The Secretary of Stale, appointed
him to The high, enviable and honorable trust,
more especially as he knew President Santa
Anna was we'll acquainted " ith the character OF
Mr.. Trist, and was known TO him personally,
while Mr.. Trist held he Consulate al Cuba. Mr..
Trist is also a ripe scholar. speaks %iuen.ly Sc
veral modern languages, and j. we'll read in the
diplomatic school-an6 his gentle manly dspori-
ment is The remark Of all who have business al
the STATE Department; nc is, by marriage, The ne
phew OF tie late President Jefferson.
The mantle OF diplomacy thrown over The mo-
des, gar5 of a e'erk, by The President, Tor the line
being, should have kept down The arS,0c,atirnl
feeling $50 predominant in the Army Snd Navy
in the busom OF the Commanding General. VINO
is himself a subordinate officer under The PTesi-
Jenl, and being such, should have called m The
President. representative 10 offer the customary
salulalions. II was This Gani OF respect 10 The
Presidents orders b. Gen. Scott during The Greek
and Florida wars. ;ha, caused him to be recalled
from the command ot he army al the South in
1886, and a Goui; u Enquiry 10 be held r%elati:c
10 disobedience al a subordinate TO the President,
as Commander in Chief Of the Army.
We have a case precisely in point with that of
MIR. T,ist, noy before US; We mean The appoint
rlent Of Co'onel Sherourne-delesa ted especial
" by President Van Burcn, 10 proceed TO the |
head. quarters of the Army II The South during
the Florida War, as paciiicalor, 10 close a Treaty
II possible with The Seminolcs nd the Micka.
sukee tribes, after a conflict OF more than six
years with our army. Colonel Sherburne, we
know, Was received with honor and great re.
spect on his arrival al The head. quarters CT The
Chic, and all attention paid TO his
comfort and i%neress 10 the eIemy's camp; and
while attending TO The poweIsdelesa,ed 10 him b.
the President 10 close the war with these savage
tribes, the whole army OF 1000 men and 900
horse were stationary al Camp Mellon, al The
head OF the 81. Johns, although under orders for
marching TO meet and chaslise The enemy al The
lime OF Colonel Sherburne's arrival with his ia.
from Ike President. There was a pre-
ceden. for General Scott, who was acquainted
with all he facts, and knowing ;hem, should, in
opinion, Rave done likewise, and not have
created a schism while within almost hailing
distance OF the enemy, en- a mere point OF self
created military etiquette; and all, ~forsooih, be-
cause Mr.. TrisI was a clerk in lie Stale Depart
lnent.
We know that Gen. Scott, as well as General
Taylor, and other officers OF high rank, both 10
The Army and Nary, have received special orders
under The autograph Of a es,k il The War and
Gritty, without Yansing 10 ask, ''must | obey a
clerks order IN The absence OF The Secretary" &c.
cirH authority is 10 give way 10 military pow-
er al this early time Of our growing Republic, il
is high time for lhe people 10 pause, and look back
TO Rome, Greece, and othe, nations, who have
sunk to mere Tpouiates, where the sworG and The
PAYS were held by an ambitious general nj The
head Of a victorious army, irampliEg with impu-
ni'y on eira authority. while supported b. FRENZY
b~agonets, and bidding defiance 10 the Ii.
Dcrties of a free people, who, when loo late, find
themselves mere hewers If wood and drawers OF
water 10 the military, who, maddeEed by ambi-
ion, have lrodden the sacred Constitution under
be feet o! their hish-meltled chargers.
There is, however, one contingency upon
which Gen. Scott may be able 10 defend The course
which he adopted The supposi,ion that he pos
essed no official or regular information or know
edge OF The characler Of Mr. Trist's powers or
This. and This only, it appeals 10 US,
you'd be Sufficient excuse for aching as has been