The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-15
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS,
Correspondents between the War Department. and
General Scott

General Scott.
CONTINUED FROM 'uSroN" NINTH.
In publishing in paper of the 9th instant that por-
ton OF this correspondence having relation to the mission
of Mr. Trist, we accidentally omitted the two following
letters The first reply OF General Scott to Mr. Trst
under date of May 30, ls47a copy of it enclosed
in General SCOTS letter TO the War Department of June
4, ls47 which have already published The second
is from the Secretary of War to General Scott under
date of June To- These two letters, in connexon with
the correspondence between Mr.. Trst and the Depart
ment of State and that between the War Department and
General Scott already published in our columns COM
plete the view taken both by the government and Gen
Scott OF Mr.. Trisrs mission
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
80 Puebla, May 20, lSl7.
SIR Your long studied letters of the 9th and Goth
slant making 30 pages in reply to my short note OF the
morning OF the 2lst when you knew, being on the spot
that was about to march upon this place Occupied as
was with business OF much higher Importance did not
allow the seal of the package to be broken I'LL the even
ing OF the 22d, which took care to have done IN the
presence of many staff officers One of them at my in
stance read part and reported to me the general charac
ter of the papers. have not yet read them.
My first impulse was return the farrago of inso-
ence conceit and arrogance, to the authors but on re-
Election, have determined to preserve the letters
choice specimen of diplomatic literature and manners.
The Jacobn convention OF France never sent to of
instrument If you were but armed with ambulatory
guotine, you would be the personhcation of Danton,
Marat, and ST. just, all in one.
You tell me that you authorized to negotiate trea-
ty of peace with the enemy-a declaration which, as
upon your own WORD, might well question and
you add, that it was moi intended at Washington that
should have anything to do with the negotiation. This
can well believe, and certainly have to be thank
full TO the President for not degrading by placing
in any JOINT commission with you.
From the letter of the Secretary of War to me- of the
18th umo, had supposed you to be simply authorized
TO propose, TO concede TO the enemy, the
armistce which usually precedes negotiations for
peace; and my letter TO you written that suppo-
ston II the terms of military conventions left to
me, the commander Of this army, have nothing more to
desire or to demand for its safety.
In conclusonfor many persons here believe that the
enemy 100000 strong) is about TO attack this place.
have only time to ask you, in your future communca
tons 10 me, to be brief and purely official for, if you
dare 10 use the style of orders instructions again.
indulge yourself IN single dlscoureous phrase, shall
throw back the communication with the contempt and
scorn which you merit at my hands.
- 81 '''' Whitfield sf;i SCOTT.
Nlc lUe COPY p 'NlSr esq S Geo Sc RANs
Lieut.. and Acting Abide camp.
WAR DEPARTMENT. June Is, Is47
Sir have received your letter of the Goth of May,
and regret TO learn that you have been disappointed
your expectations in regard to receiving supplies and
munitions from the depot at Vera Cruz. This dsappoin
ment caused appears by the last paragraph that
letter, by the failure OF the arrangement made with per-
who engaged to accompany the train
have received, and laid before the President. the
copy of your proclamation to the Mexican nation of the
18th of May The considerations you have presented
the people Of Mexico, as inducements to them TO wish
for peace and to in for the accomplish
ment Of that desirable object, well selected and ably
enforced As could not have been your design enter
into full discussion of the which led to the war;
IT is not to be taken as an authoritative exposition of the
views of the Executive in this respects but he regards it
AS document containing topics and sentiments the
most likely to find response in the bosoms of the Mex
nd III ITO thu nnF voDla
and peace" Such were properly the scope and end of
the proclamation, and most ably have they been carried
out.
You again advert the subject presented in your letter
OF the 18th ultimo to MIR. Tst and appear still to be la
boring under an unaccounabe misconcepion in regard
10 it. My letter of the 3st of May "a copy of which
herewith transmD presents this matter its true light
Ii will show you how far you have msled yourself,
and how causeessy you have INDUCED in complaints
better characterized reproofs against the President
and this department.
The President would not have deemed it proper that
should advert again to this subject but for the apprehen
sion he has that your course may obsuct the
he has taken to procure peace. 1t does not appear,
from any communication made by you this department.
that you have executed, attempted to executes the
der which you have received to forward the despatch
from the Secretary Of Stale addressed to the Mexican
rotary of foreign affairs The President is, however,
willing to believe that you have not done your duty in
this respect If has not been sent, he pesumes that
you have not been able send it; and that you WILL in
due me explain the causes which compelled you to de-
tam 1t.
My letter. taken by itself, neither sustains
such an Interpretation you have given to and
ken in conneXion with the facts which MIR Trst d-
rected TO communicate to you and which expected
would have been communicated with that letter, shows
how idle it is to imagine that there any attempt to
place you 'under the military command of MIR. Trst," or
that you required to respect the judgment OF Mr..
Tris here Tin Mexico) passing events purely military,
the Judgment Of the President, who is some two thou
sand miles off" The respect due to YOURSELF well as
that due to the President who had placed You in chief
command OF our armies in Mexico, should have made
YOU extremely reluctant to adopt such conclusion,
adequate proof of the fact and to me it (as
will appear TO others) strange indeed that you
have been able to extract any such inference from
letter. You and Mr. Tris both functionaries of the
government Of the United States with important public
interests conded to each in his respective sphere OF
ton; cordial cooperation was expected duty imposed it
the public good, the cause OF humanity, demanded it
II there has been failure in this respect and from the
a high responsibility rests somewhere.
In relation TO the direction for armisce, the
pension of hostes, the President, after duly consider
ing all you have said the subject does not doubt that
it order proper and right for hun to give, and
consequently one which you were bound to obey. He
sincerely regrets your strange Misrepresentation of it
and he is wholly unable to conceive how you recon-
Gle with duty and subordination the making of it a
topic of remark may say of incidental reproo-of your
common superior, in an official communication to sub
ordinate officer another branch of the public service
The information recently received here has caused
painful apprehension that Colonel Sours, who bearer
OF dispatches from this department to you murdered
between Vera Cruz and Jalapa. herewith send copies
OF the communications from this department which were
intrusted TO him