Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1848-06-08

position has given offence, you can blame only
yourself for introducing complaints no entirely IN
founded.
The browning outrage, as you regard it, Is the
simple fact that YOU md "the three arrested OIL
GERS )" "are all to be placed together before the
same court--the innocent and gullty-ihe accuser
and the accused; the Judge and his prisoners are
dealt with alike "NoSt impartial JUSTICE On
what ground Of right can YOU claim to have your
case Disseminated from thelrs' 1t is true, you
have assumed 10 he their Judge, aud have pro-
nounced them guilty; and complain and repine
that the laws Of the country do not allow you,
their accuser, TO institute confI TO register your
decree. Blu, You are not their rghltuI Judge, al
though they :rere your prisoners. Before that
court YOU all stand on the same level, and all have
equal rights Though you may have the sell snt-
isf,,ng conviction that You are innocent and they
are guilty, the government could act upon no such
presumption. BY becoming HniaCcuser, you did
not place Yourself beyond the reach Of being ac-
cused; and unless you are clothed with the immu-
unity of despolic power and can claim the benefit
Of the maxlln "lha, the king can do no wrong"
know not why your conduct, when made the sub
ject of charges, may not be investigated by court
Of inquiry; nor can perceive what other or or bet
Ter right you have to complain of and arralgn the
government, than the other officers whom you
have accused and whose cases with yours, were
referred 10 the same court lf yours is hard
case, theirs is not less SO If YOU can rightfully
complain of persecution by the government so can
they, with equal justice, and an equal claim 10
public sympathy.
The charges against You did not emanae from
the government nor did they relate TO - matter in
which it could feel any peculiar interest Not be-
eving it impossible for you 10 do wrong, or that
you were exempt from all responsibility Tor what,
ever lou might have done, the government deemed
it proper, when charges were preferred against
yo1, coming from source entitled TO respect, 10
cause them to be investigated AS the usual and
mIdest mode Of proceeding, they were referred TO
a court Of inquiry. Until you can show that you
ENJOY the transcendenta privilege to have your OIL
6ca conduct exempt from nil examination in any
roun whatever, you have no cause 10 complain OF
the course taken in regard TO the charges against
you,
II your extraordinary pretensions are TO derive
any support from your distinguished services IN
The field, YOU ought 10 be mindful that The three
accused officers put under arrest by you, have
like claims for distinguished services. On the
pages Of impartial history, their names and their
gallant deeds must appear with yours and no mo-
nopozing claims, seeking "TnnI gndnt exclusions
Mt the expense Of the 'truth Of history" will be
glory won By our gallant arms, WINE uh"e' !ou'
command.
win YOUR assault upon the character OF your
"euaric brother" ! sha Y not mtermeddle; but !
must rrpel your charge, that he has been favored
for being political deserter "tO The true ram
for algnalizing his aposacv by acceptable de-
nunciulions of one ''to whom he had Formerly
proGessed land not without cause1 the highest OBJ
legations. The reasons for not sending your charg.
es against Brcvel Major General Worth to the
court Of inquiry, are set forth in my letter Of the
18th Of January. | regret that they are so en-
,irely unsatisfactory to you, but am consoIed with
The assurance that they are in other quarters more
! ravorably received The errors of your comment
airy on my letter have arisen from your Inlsnppre-
hension Of the text. The principle there LAID
down is Of vial importance 10 subordinate officers,
and in no respect imp ,lrs the rights or the author
ity Of those in chief command. AS the principles
| which you arragn are The creations of your own
fancy, and have no countenanCG or support from
my letter, am in no way implicated by "lhe IA
tai consequences, you deduce from them
Whe Their legitimate or Ganciful, they do not dis
turb the positions laid down IN my letter.
cannot, however, but regard your sollcllude
9EJhs fYdp 4B5i'oId 81 When general at the head
of an army Of freemen, who do not lose their
prclensions TO dctalorml power--when he con
dennis the authority Of his government, and ia
much more ready to censure than to execute It's
orders and instruction vixen he denounces as
an outrage and punishment the attempt to
submit his acts charged to be an offence against Il
subordinate officer to an nv eStlgation IN the mild
est iorn-when he administers an indignant re.
proof TO his SUPERIOR for unfolding the sacred
right 10 appeal, upon which depend the security
and protection of all under his command such II
general sells an example Of lnsuburdlnae conduct
Of wide and whitening influence upon sound mill
| tarv discipline.
! By extending my comments upon your letter,
| might multiply proofs 10 show that your accuse.
lions against the head Of the War Department,
are unjust; that your complaints are unfounded
that the designs imputed by you to the govern
! rnent 10 embarrass your operations, Impair your
rghtiul authority as commander, and to otter out.
rage and insult 10 your feelings, are all the mere
creations Of distempered fancy; but TO do more
than have done, would in my judgment, be II
work Of supererogatlon.
! In Inclusion, may be permitted TO say, that
as one of the Presidents advisers, | had full
share in the responsibility Of the act which assign
ed YOU to the command Of our armies in Mexico.
! felt interested, even more than naturally apper-
tanned to my official position, that success and glo-
ry should signaIize your operations 1t was my
duty to bring to your aid the efficient corporation
Of the War Department. never had feeling
that did not harmonze with the fall and fair dis
charge OF this duty. IkuOW ii has been faithful
| IN performed. There are some men for whom
enough cannot be done 10 make them grateful or
even just, unless acts Of subserviehcy and person
al devoedness superadded, From you ex.
peccd bare justice, but have been disappointed
! / have found you my accuser. In my indication
| have endcayored 10 maintain a defensive line ;
and if | have gone beyond it at any time, it has
been 10 repeI unprovoked aggression. 10 your
fame have endeavored TO be just have been
gralifed with the many occasions have had TO
bear public testimony TO your abilities and signal
services as military commander in the field. 1t
hoo been, and, under any change in personal
relations it will continue to be, my purpose to be
liberal in my appreciation to your distinguished
military merits. In respect to your faults, tho csh
| could not be blind, regret that you have not
permitted me TO be silent.
! have the honor 10 be, very respectfully, your
obedent servant, w. l.. MARCY,
Secretary Of War.
Major General WINFIELD ScorT,
U. S. Army, Mexico.