Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-02-11
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF OCCUPATION,


Sir-I have had the honor 10 receive your COM
munication OF January 9TH enclosing news
paper slip, and expressing The regret of The De-
partmeul that the letter copied in that slip, and
which was addressed By m,seliro Ma or General
Gaines, should have been published.
Although your 'c"er does not conveythe direct
censure ni the Department or OF The President,
| vet when il is :akcn in connection win The rrvi
val Of a paragtaph in the regulations OF 1898,
touching the publication Of private ettcrs con-
corning operations in the field, an not per-
.ninr 10 doubt lta ! have becor!c In suhec' Of
! executive ci,sprro ,aton. To any EXPRESSION
OF it, coming with hr authority Of The President,
| am bound b. my duly AM by my respect for
mis- high flee patiently TO submit; bu, lest my
silence should be construed into iacit sdnis>inn
oi the grounds and conclusions Sci TORN in your
comrnunira'i2n, deem il dufy whicll owe 20
| M sell to suhu1i, lev remarks in reply. shall!
Re rardOnfd iJr speaking plainly.
| In the frs, place the Published sler bears up
on its face he most conc u>ivc evidence that il
was intended on!y for private pefusa, and not
| al all Tor publication. Il was published without
nv knowledge, and contrary 10 my wisies. Sure
| L., uccd not say that ! am no! in tn. hahi, Of
! wiring i,,r .hc acwsrarer>2 The ietcrwa ia
miiiar one, written 10 an old military friend with
whom have t,r mary years inlerchanse opin-
| ions on professional subjects. That he should
| think proper, under any circumstances 10 pub
| lish it, could not have been toreseen BY me.
| In the absence OF proc! that the pnbllca ion was
made with my authority or knowledge, may b.
permitted ,s say, that The quotation in your letter
| of the six hundred and f;ie'h phi OF The
superceded regulations OF 1925 in which the terms
"mischievous" aad ''di>erscstui" are employed 10
| chalac.erZt certain letters or reports. convrys,
housh moi openly, measure Of rebnke, which,
tbalo 20 Ihnr har. t.nht NJ
| may think not warranted by The premises
| Again: | have carefully examined the letter in
question. and do not admit that il is obnoxious
To The objections urged in your Communication.
| see nothing in il which, under the same cfcum
stances. | would not write again To suppose
| that i! wi give the eGemr valuable Information,
touching orr past or prospective line OF operations
is 10 know very little OF he Mexican sources nf
| information, or OF their extraordinary saeaci!y
aud facilities in keeping constantly apprized OF
our movements
As to INV particular view, in regard 10 the &C.
neral policy 10 be pursued towards Mexico, per-
| ceive by The public journals tina; they are shared
| by many distinguished statesmen, and also in
! part by aconspicUous officer OF The navy, the pub.
! licaiion OF whose opinions is not perhaps OBJ
! sruc,rd by any regulations Oi his Department.
Ii is difficult then. Ia imagine that The diffusion
OF mine can render any peculiar aid 10 the ene-
my, or specially dis,ncliae him ITO enter into ne
s.tia,ionc irt pace"
In onc!uson, would say, That i, has given
me great pain 70 he brought into The position in
which Cow find myself with regard 10 the De.
partner: OF War and the Government. 1t has
not ben OF INV own seeking. To The extent OF
my ability, and the means placed at nv disposal,
have soush, faithfully 10 serve The country, by
carrying out he wishes and instructions OF The
Executive. Bu' it cannot he concealed, that,
siEce he capuiaion Of Monterey. The conf
dence Of The Department. and loo much fear OF
the President, has been gradually wilhtra an, and
my consideration ard usefulness corresponding
" diminished. The apparent determination II
he Department. 10 place re in an attitude anita
roEis ica TO The Government, has n APT i;luslra-
ri;.n il The we'll known abe c. Esp. Bu | ask
no :avor, aud shrink l,om TO .cs possibility.
, While entrusted viii the command in This quar-
! ter, STALL continue 10 devote al! my energies 10
the public coed. lookn: for nv reward 10 the
! consciousness OF pure molives and the final YER
dict q! impartial history.
lam, Sir, very respectfully,
| Your obsdient servant
Z. TAYLOR,
Maj Gen. U. S. A, commanding.