Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-02-17

caiIeu loi ny congress, nus Oeen puOllsned ana
is given below:
Head Quarters 6fhe .4rmyoC Occupation,
Aqua NUEvA, March Sd, 1917.
| have had the honor 10 receive your commu
niciuion of January 81, enclosing a newspaper
slip, and expressing the regret of the Depart
ment that the letter copied in that slip, Which
was addressed by myself to Major Cen Gaines,
should have been published.
Al though your letter does not convey the d..
rect censure Of the Department and the Pres
depi, yet, when taken in connection with the re-
vval of the paragraph in the regulations of 1875,
touching the publication Of private letters com
cerui ny operotions in the field, | am not permit
ted 10 doubt that have become subject of Ex-
ecutive dsapprobation. To an expression of II,
coming with the authority of the President, am
bound to submit; but lest my silence should be
construed into a tacit admission Of The grounds
and conclusions set forth in your communication,
deem 1t duiy which | owe 10 myself TO sub
nit few remarks in reply.
shall be pardoneG for speaking plainly. In
the first place, the published letter bears upon its
face the most conclusive evidence that II was
intended only tor private perusa and not at all
for publication. 1t was published without my
know edge, and contrary 10 my WISHES. Surely
need not say that am not IN the habit of writ
ing for The newspapers. The letter was Ia.
whom have been for some years inerchanging
opInio ms on professional subjects. That he would
think proper, under any cirCun stances, to pub
Iish it, could not have been fOreseen by me. In
The nb sencc OF proof that the publication WIS
made with my authority Or knowledge, | MAY
be permltird 10 say, the quotation in your Letter
Of the 650lh paragraph 0I the superseded Iegula-
lions o 1925, in which The terms n,iechIevous
and d sgraceiul' are employed 10 characterize
certain letters or reports, conveys, though not
openly, a measure Of IebUke which to say the
Toast Is rather harsh. and which many think no;
wurraI tied by the premises,
Aga IN, have carefully examined The letter in
questl, III, and do not admit that 1t Is obnoxious
10 the objections urged IN your communication.
see nothing IN 1t, winch, under the same CIR
cumst ances, | would not write again. To sup.
Pose hat it will give the enemy valuable inlOr-
maiio touching our posts or respective line OF
opera tons, Is to knew very ittle OF The Mexican
sourc .es of information, or u their extraordinary
Saga city and facility in Keeping constantly ap.
Prise Il of our movements. As o.my particular
views i'll regard to the general policy to be pur.
sued. towards Mexico, perceive from the public
jou mails that they are shared by many dlsln'
gu shed statesmen also, IN part, by conspicu-
or.s officers OF the navy, the publication OF Whose
o plulon is not, perhaps obslruced by any regu-
iutions oil tie department. II is difficult, tte 10
iuagine how The diffusion of NINE cun render
any peculiar aid TO the enemy, or specially dis
ncIine him to enter into negotiations for peace.
In conclusion, | would say it has gwen me
g reat pam to be brought INTO The posliion III
" lIich find myself IN regard 10 the department
of war, and the government. II has not been oil
NY own seeking. 10 the exieLt OF my a6itIes
and the means placed At my dlsposul have
sought faithfully 10 serve my country, Ny carry
ing out the rules aud Instructions of The EXrcu.
l.,.t, f...l IL. t.t.,
cel 'tulutlun of Monterey, the confidence Of The
dep arlmenI, and, | too much lear, OF the tresi-
deI 1t, has been gradually Withdrawing, and my
consideration aud usefulness correspondingiy d.
mi nlshed.
The apparent determination of the department
TO place me IN an attitude antagonistical TO The
government, has an apt illustration III the fable
of @'sop. ask no favor, and shrink from no
responsibility. While entrusted with the con-
mand in this quarter, shall continue 10 devote
all my energies to the public good, looking for
my reward 10 the consciousness OF pure motives,
and to the final verdict OF impartial history.
am, sir, your very obedlent servant,
H. TAYLOR.
Major General U. S. A. Commanding.
For Hon. w. l.. MAncY, Secretary OF War,
Washington d. T..
The following is supposed TO be the fable al
luded to:
One hot, sutry day, a wolf and lamb hap
pened TO come, Just at the same time, to quench
their thirst in the stream Of cea. SILVER brook,
that ran tumbling down the side of rocky
mountain. The wolf stood upon the higher
ground aud the lamb at some distance from him
down the current. However. The wolf, having II
lnlnd to pick quarrel with hun, asked him
what he meant by disturbing the water, and
making II so muddy that he could not drink
and, at the same tine, demanding satisfaction.
| The lamb, frightened at this threatnIng charge,
told him, in "A tone mild MS possible, that with
| humble Submission, he could not conceive how
that could be, since the water which lie drank
ran down from the wolf to him. aud therefore,
could not be disturbed so far up the stream. BE
that MS II will, replies the wolf, you are rascal,
aud have been told that You treated ne with
i'll language behind my back, about year and IA
halt ago Upon my word sa, $ the lamb, The
time you mentioned was before was born.---
| The wolf, finding 1t to no purpose To argue any
longer against truth, ieIl lniu a great passion
snarllng end foamIng at the mouth as # 1t had
been mad anu drawing nearer TO .he la,"o, =
"Srrah.n sand he. "i IL was not you, II was
your father, and that Is all one" ~ Nv '''N0''
tho poo innocent, hel pless thing tore II 10 pieces,
and made meal vi il.
THE OLp APPLICATION.
The thing which Is p'luled out ~ his fable Is
so obvious, that II will be deemed imprrllnent Ia
multiply words about II. When n cruel, Ill ma
tured ban has mind TO abuse one Interior IL
himself, either IN power or courage, though he
has not given the least occasion tor II, how does
he resemble the wolf! whose cnvlous, rapac lou1
temper could not bear to see Innocence live OUT
city in It's nelghbolho,d. In snort, whenever
i'll people are IN power, innocence and integrity
are sure to be prosecuted F; the more vicious the
community Is, the better conAtenance they have
for their own vlllainous measures; to practise
honesty IN bad times, Is being liable to suspicion
enough; but it any one should dare TO prescribe
It, II Is ten 10 one but he would be npeacled Vi
high crimes and nllsdeneanors; Tor 10 stand uE
for justice in degenerate corrupt slute, Is tao
nly 10 upbraid the government, and seldom iall'
OF pulling down vengeance upon the head o
him that offers 10 SIR IN It's defence. Wher(
cruelty aud malice are IN combinations WITH pow
er, nothing Is 10 easy for them as Ia mud pre-
lence to iyrannlze over innocence, and exercise
all manner of injustice.
o. The Burlington Free Press is for HENRI
CLAY for President; the Bellows Falls Gazett
for GEN. TAYLOR. They in this represent wv
sections OF the Wing party; shouldn't wonde
if both sections shall finally conclude to unit
uDon JouN MCI.FAN