The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-03-25

WAS placed IA the hands OF General s,ott Your whole
refused or neglected transmit that important doou
ment the minister to whom 1t directed and thus
violated military order Of the President issued to him
through tho Department OF War he has incurred Q
heavy responsibility; but for this he s neither answers
bic to the Department Of State nor the commissioner to
Mexico. Tn. question belongs exclusively to the mill
tary branch of the government
You might safely have relied upon the government
Indeed Gsnera scott to You had upon its fac.
placed him clearly In the wrong that no commentary
upon it, however able weh on may have wrs' en-. can
rival Of DESPATCH the War Department had recev
ed despatch from the general enclosing copy Of MS
dated the 3lst of May, was returned to him by the
Secretary of War.
Whilst our armies in the country of the enemy,
and minister of peace is at the head quarters Of the
andng general Thu 10 no time for personal slterca
tions between them if these possibly be svoided
Under such circumstances the greater the sacrifice Of
private griefs however well founded, which you may
make upon the altar OF your ene b more % tins
epatched to Mexico by your as minister OF
peace; and to accomplish the great object Of mis-
sion, hearty operation between the neral and
yourself may be Indispensable. Under these consdera
tons am directed by the President. in amcable
to you call upon General SCOTT and offer to
communicate to him. confdentisy the instructions and
trusted and to report to this department without
lay the circumstances and the result OF your
by vii this
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
N. P. TRrsr, Esq, &c., &c., &c.
IExtractl
Mr.. Buchanan TO Mr.. Trist.
DEPARTMENT STATE, !
NOS Washington, July 10, lS47 (
sra-A duplicate of your No. l. dated aist Of May.
ls47 together with copy Of the first ten pages of your
letter to Scott of the 9Th Of May and of your letter
to him of the Goth of May received at the depart
ment on the 2sth utimo Your No of the Sd of June
ls47 also received tho 29h utmo; but your No.
(f indeed there be such numbcr) has not yet
10 2 q could
have found time to prepare and transmit copies Of your
letter: to Gen Scott Of the sn ana 2Gtn OF Msy with
would have been received nearly month earlier; and
even now we have only part of your letter to him Of
dated Pueblo Oh the 29th Of May has been received
at the War Department from which have obtained
These documents bave produced feelings of deep
modification and disappointment In the mind of the
ton of may have been defested or delayed bys
violent and embttered personal quarrel between two
funcsonariss OF the government in the enemys coun-
try, and whilst the war is raging
You do not seem sufficiently to have reflected that
you were entrusted with no power whatever over the
disposition of my communication Of the 18th of April
last to the Mexican minister for foreign affairs except
tina. of bssrer Of dispatches After 1t had each
the han of Gen Scott your agency in regard to 1t
resumed His refusal omission to forward that
municatou TO the place OF it's destination in Obedience
to the mi lry ORDER of the President THROUGH the secre
tary Of War, was question in no manner connected
with your mission 1t was therefore, with regret that
of the 2Oh of May that had nssned take back
this communication from his possession and to assume
discretion which had not been delegated in regard to
the appropriate time for forwarding TO the Mexican
minister for foreign Affairs You to the General that
so soon Shall be enabled TO asoertsn that the con
admit of its delivery 1t will be ain placed in the hands
Of the gener.n chief Of forces for that purpose
You have thus done much 10 relieve Gen Scott from
the responsibility Of dsob,ying the order communicated
to him through the Secretary of War; and have; in
effect without authority undertaken to decide that
IL CirCumSLanCeb,
transmit letter the Mexican minister for fo egn
affairs In this decision the President cannot
That letter answer the letter OF MIR Monaste
rio myself dated the 22l of February last, and
required not only by courtesy but the highest public
considerations. Its immediate delivery to the Mexican
minister for foreign ufars could have done no posi-
bic harm aud might have been productive of much posi-
the victory of CorTo Gordo from the state of public
feeling then existing in the city Of Mexico. it might and
probably would been productive of the happiest
conse But whether not the time OF its de-
livery ques ion not left to your discretion.
Situations :" prevent ali possible interference on yonr
part with the appropriate military duties OF Gen Scott
IL partly to convince him OF this fact that you we're
authorised to exhibit thess iDs uctions to him. together
with the project OF the treaty Your authority, so ia.
be concerned, was limited to the single point oil
givil him notice that tbs contingency had occurred
to wit the ioeiion Of the treaty by the Mexican 60
vernmont con tae happening of which, as provided by
the third article hesltes are required he suspend
ed The Iatif cation oisuch treaty by Mexico accord
g 20 the spirit of the act OF Congress OF the 81 March,
ls47 making further appropriation to bring the exist
sion to be the SINAI for the termination OF ho5
ties AS the negotiaor Of the treaty, from his posi-
required without delay to communicate the fact to
ths nanders Of land and naval forces respec
by the Secretaries of War and of The Navy to our mill
tary and naval commanders Up to this laet moment
your duties were wholly unconnsoted with General
Scott and then they limited to a official COM
muoication, that the Mexican government had concu
ded and ratified treaty OF peace with the United
Statss
Under these circumstances 1t wa with deep regret
that tho President learned from letter TO the Gene
raj OF the 10th Of May that you had undertaken in his
nsms to become the medium of giving to that officer
order in advance TO be executed when should think
proper again to deliver irto his hards my communities
ton TO the Mexican minister for foreign affairs; and to
enforce obedience to this order declare that for
this special purpose you stand In precisely the same re
atou IN the President that Of his aids camp bears
to himse whenen'rusted with verbal order from him
20 his subordinate officer
IL s most dsagrceahls task thus to CRITICS, your
conduct General scott by his sttor to Of the TIN
OF May last had placed himsef clearly IN the wrong
Wbe her any pTeext existed for writing such letter.
justin ist1n he could have had only appear
from cur letter to bin OF the 9th Of May, to which his
was response. It's Therefore much TO be regretted
that have Kept 10 copy Of this letter which has
become - important end the general BIAS not furnished
tie War Department, eith copy.
purPosely ioresar 10 express any opinion Of your
ply TO General Scott of the OH Of May, ur,l shall have
M entire copy Of y before me, and his reoindcr TO you
OF 29lh May leave In the hands Secretary
OF War, TO whom he is directly responsible.
YtuF ini,son mere precautionary m aasure. In
the then ing relations bvtwsen the two countries
the President could not have appointed public
sioneIs o. treat with Mexico because u was morally
certain they would not b. received At the time
Il faes-sn mat in the progress Of our arms favor
able ucturs misht tor the conclusion Of treaty
vhieh " not seized az The moment, might noe again
speedily reurn The Pr.sileat would bavs been iuex.
olsable had n not provided for such contingency
For this purpose you were employed ne confidential
agent Vrccf 20 the headquarters OF the army with
tne project Of Treaty already pepsresi aud IA Ease
the Mexican government sncud refuse TO conclude this
treaty you authorized 10 make the necessary pre-
hmnsry engagements ior the neetins OF commission
ers 10 ala essgnia O. The ruccess OF your mis-
scn, that ven shouid cultivate good understanding
With the e1Ia chief of the array u was there
fore naiort, maze you bad not In person delivered
TO him the dispatches With which you wcrs entrusted,
aud tho sans time made him fully acquainted WITH
the character snd ohje % mission, as well 40
with the nature 81 my Communication 10 the M-xlcAn
minister foreign affairs For these reasons, therefore,
although the letter General Scott was well calculated