Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-04-15


recalled as early as the exigencies of the
public service will permit.
Gen. Scott's enclosures, consisting Of his
correspondence with "the Commissioner"
Trist. are truly interesting, and constitute
a very important item. 1t shows that Gen.
Scott absolutely refused to forward to the
Secretary of Foreign Affairs in Mexico,
Mr. Buchanan's dispatches, handed him for
that purpose SEALED" by Mr.. Trist. 1t ap.
pears that Gen. Scott never was acquan.
ted with the contents of this despatch,
| which, nevertheless. was known to Mr..
Trist, and which the latter was instructed
TO show Gen. Scott, at the time. Between
Scott and Trst there was from the begin.
ming the very worst acknowledgement
| officious supercillousness on the part of
Trst, and unfeigned contempt and disgust
on the part of Scott The latter seemed
TO labor under the impression that Mr..
Trist had received from the President,the
power of debating an armistice wherever
he thought proper, while he commended that
the time and place for it had been left to
the discretion of the Commanding Gcner.
al.
Gov. Marcy's letters TO Gen. Scott, show
that, while the conduct of Mr.. Ttrist was
not approved Of yet it was deemed proper
that Mr.. Trist. after having concluded
treaty with Mexico, which treaty being
ratified by the Mexican Congress, required
nothing but the ratification at home. should
inform Gen. Scott of the fact, and demand,
in the name of the President, an armistice
or cessation of hostilities.
Gen. Scott, in his letters to Mr.. Trist,
does full justice to the diplomatic talents
and manners of the Commissioner, whom
he insists on calling the Clerk of the State
Department--another Marat, Danton, and
St. Just" and who, he thinks ought to car
~ travelling guiotine wherever he goes.
Mr.. Trist retaliates on Gen. Scott in his
correspondence with Mr.. Buchanan, in
which he is almost equally severe on Mr..
Polk himself, and fully indicates. as far as he
il concerned, the superiority of diplomacy
ever achievements in the field. 1t is in.
possible, as Gen. Scott says, to find more
perfect specimens of vanity, conceit and
i'll breeding than are found in Mr.. Trist's
official communications with Gen. Scott.
In addition to this, they are so prolix that
Gen. Scott did not pretend to read them
through himself, but handed them over 10
the aids, who communicated to him their
contents on the march from Jalapa to Pue.
bla.
Gov. Marcy, in his replies TO Gen. Scott,
first seems to try 10 pursuade Gen. Scott
that no disrespect to him was meant by the
Department of the President; but that he
was wrong in refusing to forward MIR. Blu.
chanan's despatch to the Mexican Govern.
| Tho Sorrotar1y &c Wor inFo
him that the contents of the despatch,
would have been communicated to him if
no had not at once repudiated Mr.. Trst,
&C. Towards the end he informs him that
his request to be recalled would be acce-
ded to as soon as it should be deemed con-
si,ent with the exigences of the public
service, of which he should be informed at
the proper time.
In regard to the charges preferred by
Gen. Worth against Gen. Scott. and the
demand Of the latter Of court martial to
try Gen. Worth for malicious" insinua.
,ions and ISLANDERS against the commander
of the army. Mr.. Marcy, in his letter 10
General Scott, of the 18th January lS4s,
dwells on the impossibiity of trying Worth
without first examining his charges against
|
rior officer from the decision of his superb.
or, 10 the President does not of itself, con.
stilute a crime; and because if such ap.
peals were punished as insubordinations, it
would efeciuay debar them from asking
for redress of grievances. and thus defeat
the ends of justice. Governor Marcy OBJ.
iects also to court martial now, when so
many officers are wanted in the field, per-
haps in active operations against the enemy
and argues that court of inquiry would
answer all the purpose for the present; and
Initiating that if before that court Gen.
Worth we're TO fail to make out his charges
against General Scott, then court mar
tial might be convened TO try Worth on
Scotts charges.
L give you here the pith of the whole
correspondence; with the accusations con-
tanned in Gen. SCOTS letters and the grounds
of defence taken by the Secretary of War.
My opinion is that if Trist had not been
sent down, or, in his own stead, some one
higher in position and in the confidence of
the public and less hostile to Gen. Scott,
many, if not all the difficulties which have
occurred might have been avoided. Mr..
Trst was known to express himself very
disparagngly in regard to General Scott
before he left Washington; and such man,
surely, ought not to have been selected to
act in conjunction with the successful Gen.
era, or separately and distinct from him.
Gen. Scott at the head of the army had a
position widely different from the "clerk
of The Department" who had but two sets
Of treaties with him,--one to propose and