The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-02-11
Darious A1atters.



House Message fmm the President Of
the United States, communicating the
following documents from the War De,
partment, in compliance with resolu.
tion Of the House of the 3lst ut.
Was DErARrHESr. Washington Feb, 3, 1913.
To the President Of the United States:
SIR; In compliance with yonr direc.
tinns to be furnished with "a copy of
Gen. Taylor's answer to the letter, dated
January 81 lS47, which was addressed
to Gen, Taylor by the Hon. William v.
Marcy. Secretary of War" | have the
honortO submit herewith copy of the
letter referred to- The letter from this
Department ofrhe 9th of January 1917,
was laid before Congress pursuant to a
cali at the last session. The answer now
submitted, was not thun written, and did
not reach this Department until more
than month and half after the resolu
ton calling for the correspondence with
Gen. Taylor was answered. and Congress
had adjourned. Very respectfully your
obedient servant.
WILLIAM l.. MARCY.
HEADQrAarERs ARMY oF 0ccUPArIoS,
Anga Nueva March 3. 3i7,
SIR: | have had the honor to receive
YOUR communication of January 9Th
enclosing newspaper slip, and express
ing tue regret of the Department that
tho letter copied in that slip, and which
was addressed by myselflo Major Gen.
Gaines, should have been published.
Although your letter doesnot convey the
direct censure Of the DEPARTMENT. or of the
President yet, when taken in connection
wiihthe revival of a paragraph IN The regu-
lations Of 1925, touching the publication of
private letters concerning operations in
tho field am not permitted TO doubt
that have become the subject Of Exec.
utive disapprobation. To any express
ion Of it, coming with the authority Of
the President, am bound by my duty
and by my respect for his high office, pa.
tiently to submit; but. lest my silence
should be construed into tacit adniss.
ion of the grounds and conclusions set
forth in your communication. deem it d
duty which owe to myself To submit q
few remarks in reply. | shall be par.
doned for speaking plainly.
In the first place, the published letter
bears upon its face the most conclusive
evidence that it was intended only for
private perusal, and not at all for publ
cation. 1t was published without my
knowledge and contrary TO my wishes
Surely. need not say that am not in
the habit of writing for the newspapers!
The letter was familiar one, written to
an old military friend. with whom have
for many years intorchangcd opinions on
professional subjects. That he should
think proper. under any circumstances, To
publish it could not have been forcseen
by me.
In the absence Of proof that tho publ.
cation was made with my authority or
knowledge, | may be permitted to say,
that The quotation in your lotter Of the six
hundred and ffiielh paragraph of the su.
perseded regulaiionsof 1925. in which,lhe
terms "mischievious" and "disgracefnr
are employed to characterize certain let.
ters or reports, conveys, thoug b not open.
ly. measure of rebuke which, say To the
the least, is rather harsh, aud which many
may think not warranted byth premises.
Again: have carefully examined the let.
ter in question, aud | do not admit that
il is obnoxious to the objections urged in
your communication. | see nothing in
it which, under the same circumstance,
would not write again. To suppose lha
il will give the enemy valuable Informs
iion. touching our past and prospective
line of operations, is to know very little
of tho Mexican sources of information,
or of their extraordinary Sagaci,y and ia
cililies in keeping constantly apprised of
our movements.
AS to my particular views in regard to
The general policy to be pursued towards
Mexico, perceive by the public journ.
ais that they are shared by many distin.
gnished statesman, aud also in purt by a
conspicuous officer of tho navy, the pub.
lication Of whose opinions is not perhaps
obstructed by any regulations Of his Do.
partment. II is difficult, then, to mag.
inc that the diffusion of mine can render
any peculiar aid to the enemy, or speci.
ally disincline him 40 enter into negotia.
tiOns Tor peace.
In conclusion, would say, that it has
given me great pain to he brought into
tho position in which | now find myself
with regard to the Department of War
aud the Government. II has not been ot
my own seeking. To the extont of my
ability, and tho means placed at my dis
posal, have sought faithfully to serve
the country by carrying out tho wishes
and instructions Of the Executive. But
it cannot be concealed that since the ca
pitulation Of Monterey the confidence OF
the Department, and too much fear OF
the President, has been gradually with
drawn. and my consideration and useful.
ness correspondingy diminished. The
apparent determination Of the Dcuart.
ment TO place me in an attitude aniago.
nistical to the Government, has an apt H.
lusiration in the we'll known fable of Il
sop. But ask no favor. and | shrink
from no responsibility. While entrusted
with the command in this quarter. | shal
continue to devote all my energies to III,
public good, looking for my reward t,
the consciousness Of pure motives and
the final verdict of impartial history.
am, sir, eryrespectfuly your ob'nt ser't
u. TAYLOR