Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-04-27
THE ADMINISTRATIONS AND
GENERAL SCOTT.
THE

written article from the New York
True Sun. II treats in a jus, ard dis.
eliminating sniritnq'ics now attracting
large share OF the pubic interest. -
We fully approve It's views ct the CON
spicuous part borne under The
present administration, b, The emf.
men, statesman AT the head os the
War Department. To the rare I'd
minisrrative ability, displayed III The
operations of,hat drpar'men, in great
crisis Of history, the democratic party
and policy are in no small measure M
teb,ed FOR their presen, proud and
commanding position. We fear that
the facts of the case abnndanily prove
tha,,h distinguished General late in
chief command in Mexico, has lost no
opportunity to signal.ze the hostility
10 the administration, by which that
high command WAS d+volved upon
him; and it is mos! striking ,estlno-
NAL of the foresight. energy, and jndg-
ment with which the warpolicy OF the
government has been carried ont ! that,
under circumstances Of such difficulty,
the materials Of accusa,ien IN this res
pect against the administration are
found TO be SO wholly unsubstantial.-
Union.
The ScoTr CoRRE spoNDENcE.-
We have been examining with some
care, the voluminous correspondence
Of General Scott with Mr.. Trist, Lieut..
Semmes, and the War Department.
Ills on The part the General marked
with the has,inass Of which he made
confession on a memorable occasion,
when, anticipating fire in the rear,
he exposed himself TO pirohiiaI enc
my in front. II is indeed pity that
So gailan, a soldier is so cholerlc, and
that one whose whole career in the
field has been honorable to his co'!n-
try, should so invariable in his official
correspondence draw down SO much
animadversion on himself.
e
We regret, for the honor Of :he coun-
try and the personal reputation of Gen.
Scott, that he has ever put pen TO pa
per for any other purpose than that of
communicating the actual movements
Of the corps under his command. His
letters to Mr. Tri>t are written in a
mos, capi'tous and puerile tone, and
inthe very wors' taste.
Mr.. Trist wen, to Mexico for a grea,
obiect-one which the country, as vel!
as the administration, desired 10 see
accomplished; and if General Scott had
phrsstet! in his absurd adherence to
technicaliiies and mere etiquette, peace
a. this early day would have been I'M
possible.
In his correspondence with the War
Department, he gives still further evil
dence of a total want of that respect TO (
his superiors, which he so vigorously
demands from those who are bound 10
pay il to him; and, with childishness
and want Of ordinary perception, en-
deavors TO assail the government, when
he should only be thinking of the enc
my. He complains Of the want Of
clothing for the army, when i: appears
most Individually from the official re-
turns tina, the supplies at Vera Cruz
were not by any means exhausted, and
when he himself advised the Secretary
of War that no more was required, be-
cause he was getting j, made up in the
city Of Mexico! And, above all, be
,nsinua,es tina, he is to be torn from Ills
command out of mere political hatred,
when he himself solicited his recall
No wonder that, in the hands of SO
cool, rejecting, and able a correspon-
dent as the Secretary of War, General
Scott was doomed tn come off with
little honor. And never was cores.
pondence ever conducted with more
forbearance than was displayed in the
official replies Of the Secretary. In
deed, he seemed Throughout. TO be ac-
tuated BY :he sincerest desire to dispel
the delusion into which the General
had fallen; and he suffered no oppor-
t,nty TO pass unimproved, where he
could pay him the most sincere and
cordial acknowledgment for his serv.-
ces. What folly General Scott will
next commit, no one can predict. We
sbonldnot be surprised if he came on,
with some inflated assault upon :be
whole administration, to be forced up.
the attention Of the: people, and 10 Sc
cure their decision, 10 the effect tina,
the war in Mexico, the action oS the
President, and the conduct of the Sc
cretary Of War, owe their entire origin
to the single Object Of attacking him
in the rear!
7, Ofihe Secretary Of War we need say
nothing in praise or vindication. Me-