The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-07-16
political.
4 KenIuckian mt Comrt.

AChltttCNistu ht (OuGts
There is something very refreshing in
the following account Of an address made
by Gen. Combs, Of Ky, to Mr.. Secretary
Marcy. W. find it in the Washington
correspondence ofthe Baltimore PATRIOT.
"Gen. Leslie Combs, now In this city,
had a lplain and rapid talk to-day with
Mr.. Secretary Marcy. which the latter
will be apt TO remember! Gen. Combs
called at the Department and sent in his
name 10 the Secretary. He was asked
to step into the presence, and did so. Gov.
Marcy bowed. and remained seated
His visitor saidh he was Gen. Leslie Combs
Of Kentucky, and had come to have a
a few words of plain conversation with
the Secretary of War. "Sir," said he,
81 am not the Autediluvian that the gov.
eminent seems 10 have imagined by its
treatment of me. Although my hair is
profuse and neither gray nor dyed, | have
seen some service in my country. was
ont IN the last war as we'll as yourself. /
have come to tell you, sir, hat toe many
lives, lives of valuable young men-many
Kentuckians, as worthy your sons as
minc-have been unnecessarily lost in
this war with Mexico, and too much ex-
pense has been unnecessarily incurred!
Sir, the troops that have gone from Ken
lucky desired me to 90 with them, to
watch over, guard and protect them, and
to be like a father in my care for their
health, comfort and happiness. ] would
have gone with them-I wished 10 go,
and | would have taken care of them
twenty-ninc days out of thirty, and tue
thirtieih, when the battle came on, they
would have taken care of themselves
But, sir, your system of selections and ap-
pointments passed over the heads Of men
of my experience, and settled down up
on your Tom MarSkaHs, Joe Lanes q. Gid
PiHOws! 1t is for this, sir that disgrace
full scenes occur like the faltering of some
Of the Indiana and Arkansas troops at
the battle of Buena Vista. If the off
GERS had been of the right stamp, the
troops, composed of good men, would
never have disgraced themselves and
their States! Sir, your whole system is
wrong! Your political doctors and quacks
sent out there are for the most part, ut.
ter %nuisances, killing a vast sight more
than they cure! Your whole commiss-
ariat and quartermaster's department are
totally wrong. The fat pork and salt
beef you send out for the troops 10 eat
are not the articles they ought to have in
that climate. Providence provides for
the people Of every cline that is best for
them to eat. Rice and other kind oflighl
food should be furnished our troops in
Mexico, and % those heavy. murderous
provisions ser there! And then there
are your untutored horses for your dra-
goons, too, with their little fat saddles
at the first onset of the lancers of the en-
envy, they shy, the fat saddle slips from
its place, the rider cannot with his snafe-
bit control his horse, and away the com
mand breaks! Sir, it is all wrong!
tell you so, plainly. | shall so tell Mr.
i Cih' L Cdn SCb d CHdnCc W ldlk VIII
him upon the subject, have addressed
a letterto him, in which | inform him tina
if he will assent to my proposition, l vii
furnish him with a sovereign panacea for
the guerrilla warfare which the Mexican.
are putting into execution.
"Tbe General ceased talking, and the
Secretary confessed he had been furnish
ed with ideas hat he had not before
thought of.
"This evening Gen. Combs was at the
White House. IF Gen. Santa Ann;
thinks Mr.. Folks friendship will go tina
far, he is mistaken. Gen. Taylor neve.
surrenders-so may it be said "Mr, Poll
never resigns!'
Gen. G. seems to have felt the inspi
ration of the $4,000 fee.