Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-03-25

winch the gentleman from North Caro!na Maue on
! Executive management of the
The gentleman had mpeached the wisdom OF the Admins
uaion. He had told them that the Administration had COM
mtted series of bunders from the commencement OF the
in 1916 to the present me and that it had exposed the
army disasters and its generals eproach and
Against these accusations he proposed to vndcate the Ad
mnistraon, and he should be found covering the skill
and Of Gen. Taylor for the purpose of bringing Gen.
Scott forward for the campaign When this campaign
first suggested here il column of attack the head
of the Missouri TO the PacGc-om Texas TO Chhua-
hua and the valley Of the Rio Grande to Monterey Then
the invasion Of the city of Mexico looked to- The
campaign then looked to the occupation of the northern pro-
vnces of Mexico, and had been ennenty successful But
then occurred. The occupation of the northern
provinces not thought to he enough II thought
necessary occupy the whole Gulf coast and thought
possible go the city of Mexico. OF the details Of these
movements the gentleman from North Carolina had sought to
place the responsibility the Administration TO shift that
responsibility upon Gen. Taylor and Gen Scott ne read
tracts from several dispatches From these documents he
proceeded to show what number Of Gen Taylor deemed
necessary for the operation in the valley Of the Rio Grande
and the Gulf coast and stated that the Government called out
the number Of troops that required by its general
whose advice and recommendation it acted The President
sent message to Congress urging the necessary action to
furnish the force required and where them was the espon
slbity He then proceeded to examine the responsibility of
those who acted with party majority and to show that the
pursued by the friends Of the gentleman from Tennes
(Mr HAsKELL) had the effect whatever the design
might have been to afford aid and comfort to the enemy
He next proceeded with his documentary quotations to show
4
Mexico. II was Gen. Scott who took Gen. Taylors forces
He read Gen. SCOTS letter Gen. Taylor, written days
after he received his order from the War Department in
which he told Gen. TAYLOR that he must leave him ON the de-
fensiye. u 1ag
Mr. Mel said he putting the gentleman from North
Carolina the responsibility of Gen. Scott Gen. Scott had
waited till he got Mexico to judge whether it would be
necessary TO take Gen. Tayors troops from him for Vera
Cruz he had got only far New York when he had al
ready resolved reduce Taylor the defensive and he did
it, He admitted that Gen. Scott had captured Vera Cruz
most successfully, most beautifully Mr. Mel not de-
nying his merit seeking to lessen his welearned fame
he only arguing to refue his reproach against the Pes
dent. And after all, Gen. Taylor had himself selected the
number of troops 10 be detailed to aid General Scott
serving enough defend the valley Of the Rio Bravo He
had of choice advanced beyond Monterey after capturing
place. and had gone with his troops into the grazing country,
and in the very face OF the enemy.
When Gen. Scott wrote his letter of November 25, he
knew what additional renfocements had been asked for he
said in that letter that the President had asked for
regiments and might probably ask for And then
came that very significant paragraph "We not without
the hope that Congress will add ten twelve new regiments
to the regular establishment"
Mr.. Mel. charged neither Scott Taylor with any
Of fidelity the full discharge of their official duties, how
ridiculous they might have rendered themselves by their
dispatches to the War Department The gentleman from
North Carolina pleased with this correspondence it
quite unsatisfactory to him. And why Because sit did
not present Gen. Scott in favorable light he deserved
In this Mr. Mel entirely agreed with the gentleman. He
thought did present him in q very favorable light But
who the most brilliant in battle did not always shine
as brightly in the use Of the pen as the sword
After remarks, not very well heard comprehended
by the Reporter Mr. Mel. went 10 say that il not
Gen. Pillow alone who stood in the way OF Gen. Scott.
There another General who held council Of after
the battle Of Pao Alto in which his officers represented that
they altogether with their troops part of the regular
army, and had received their education at the Military Acade
my that the destruction of West Point had long been
hobby with the Democrats, by whom they denounced
charity scholars :; that they did not wish any
eproach the gaanty of the volunteers but asked that
opportunity might be given the regulars alone to rout
and destroy this Mexican army. Gen. Taylor had given
them the time but had laid his hand upon Dun
cam and ordered him say Major Bliss that they should
fight the enemy The gentleman from North Ca
rona would find nothing in all that done at Cero Godo,
any of the battles that followed beautiful better
worthy of contemplation than the moral courage Of Duncan,
who bad been reproachfuly spoken Of IS Worhs pet.
1t Duncans battery which briancy to the whole
campaign on the Rio Grande-his a corps which had
known defeat Many Of those who Gen. SCOTS
strongest admirers had considered undgncd and dis
gushing 10 call Duncan pet; and the OF
such things the part OF that commander, which, appearing
this correspondence, calculated u present him una
voraby before the country II these weaknesses Of tenn
per- these fobes Of character, which make Gen. Scott
weak Presidential candidate in the minds Of men Of
and reflection There much in this correspond
ence akin the famous letter that contained the plate of
soup, that it calculated present Gen. Scott small
in temper considered a man, though soldier.
And Mr.. Mel. to despatch which enabled him
the House that Gen Scott had been neither
pended dsgaced He alluded despatch written after
the famous soup letter. in which he begged the President to
give him command of the army, from which appeared that
the little Of irritation which had much vexed him
nevertheless sufficient prevent him from asking go
Mexico and take Gen. Tayos command. He this
the 9th Of September What had induced him to seek such
a trust ; The obvious Gen. Scott man
Of ability and of ambition, and he wished to TO the
field seek distinction there. This all rights for this
man would pretend TO him He a Of milf
ay experience and military science and he might think
il due TO his past services. This, too oil right But
Gen. Scott Of very irritable temper, aud this all
must admit Who, for example, thought the Govern
to have been wrong in the famous soup case No
man. he believed of that House. In another letter Gen.
bad said that he intended take the city Of Mexico,
he got there he supposed he should be
pended Mr. Mel presumed that the gentleman from North
Carolina would contend that this dignicd proper
language. After that another despatch, which showed
the iuitabity, producing conflict with his bosom
friend and old chum. On the ground Of mere anony-
letter, compiled Pibug, Of various fragments OF
other correspondence, he flew against his former friend
and general order about the pe amars OF the
PRESIDENT" thus attacking Of the gallant men that
entered field his friend and compeer Duncan
But brave Gen. Worth might be- and Democrat as he was
Mr. Nell did him a candidate, did his party
"A voice. " His democracy will not hurt him
MI. CLiNGMAN again obtained the floor and observed
that he had not risen make Speech nor did ne purpose
detain the House five minutes He had attained the
object for which he had moved the reconsideration, Ivy
bringing the attention Of the House 10 the CARRIED condition
Of the dispatches il was proposed to print
Mr. INGE rose TO ORDER contending that MT CLISehaS,