Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1848-06-01

that they would find abundan, supplies at
New Orleans; next at Vera Cruz, and f.
nally here; whereas, we now have, per-
haps, thousand hands engaged in max
ing shoes Govt Of bad materials, and at
high rates These articles. about 5000
pairs of each, are absolutely necessary to
cover the nakedness of The troops. Feb
ruary 10, off Lobos, wrote to Brigadier
General Brooks to direct the quarter mas.
ter at New Orleans had neither clothing
nor shoes; and that he was fearful that,
unless ,hey have been sent out TO you di-
rect you will be much disappointed. -
Some small quantity Of cIo,hing, perhaps
one fifth Of wants, came to Vera Cruz
from some quarter, and followed US 10 ia
opa and this p ace"
| must here especially remark, that the
report, No. 80, though forwarded the night
of its date, (JuIy 25,) seems TO have mis-
carried PerceIvIig, about Nov. 81, that
it was not acknowledged by the depart
ment, | caused duplicate 10 be made,
signed it, and sen, i, of by the same con.
veyance with my dispatch No.l36, and the
charges against Brevet Major General
Worth, Major General Pillow, and Brevet
Lieut.. Col. Duncan, together with the ap.
peal against me of the former All these
are acknowledged by the department in
the same letter Jan. l3) tina, recalls me,
1t was that budget of papers that caused
the blow of power, so long suspended, to
tall on a devoted head. The three arrest
ed officers, and he who had endeavored to
enforce necessary discipline against
them, are all to be placed together before
the same court;-lhe innocent and the
guilty, the accuser and the accused, the
Judge and his prisoners are dealt with a.
like. Most impartial justice! But there
is discrimination with vengeance!-
While the parties are on tral--if the APP
pealer is to be tried at all, which seems
doubtfuI-two are restored to their corps
-one of them with his brevet rank-and
| am deprived of my command! There
car be but one step more in the same d.
rection throw the rules and articles OF
war INFO the fire, and leave all ranks in
the army free to engage in denunciatlons
and general scramble for precedence,
authority, and executive fdyors. The pro-
nunciamenio, on the part Of my factlous
Juniors, is most triumphant.
My recaII--undcr the circumstances, a
severe punishment before tral-but to be
followed by trial here, that may run in,
to the autumn-and on matters | am bu,
partially permitted to know by the depart.
ment and my accusers is very ingenious.
" placed on two grounds: |. Ny own
request, meaning that of June 4, (quoled
above, and there was no other before 'he
Department. which had been previously
July l2) acknowledged and rebukingly
declined. 9 The arrest Of Breve, Major
General Worth, for writing to the depart
ment under the pretext and form Of al
appeal, " an open letter, to be sent through
me, in which | vas grossly and falsely &C.
cused If "maIace" and 'conduct unbe
coming an officer and gentleman" in the
matter of the general order No. $40, on
The subject Of putting letters for the news.
papers al home.
On that second point, the letter from
than ingenious; it is elaborate, subtle, and
profouud-a professional dissertation, with
the rare merit Of teaching principles until
now. wholly unknown to military codes
and treaises, aud Of course to all mere
soldiers, however great their experience
in the field.
l have not in this place time to do more
than hint al the fatal consequences o! the
novel doctrine in question. According 10
the department, any faclious junior may
at his pleasure, in the midst Of the enc
my-using "lhe preteSt and form OF an
appeal" against his commander, insult and
outrage him to the grossest extent-though
he be the general in-chief, and charged
with the conduct of the most critical ope-
rations; and that commander may not ar
rest the incipieni mutineer, until he shal
have first laid down his own authority, and
submitted himself loa trial, or wait al
least until dIsan, period of leisure, for
judicial examination Of the appeal
Aud this is precisely The case under con-
slderation. The department, IN its eager
ness TO condemn me, could not take time
to learn OF the experienced. that the gen
eraI M chief, who once submits to an out
rage, from junior, mus, lay his account
TO suffer the like from all the vicious un-
der him--a, least down to rank that may
he supposed without influence, in high
quarters, beyond the army. But this
would not he the whole mischief to the
public service Even the great mass OF
the spirited, intelligent, and well affected,
among his brothers in arms, would soon
reduce such commander to utter lmbecil-
~, by holding him IN just scorn and con.
tempt for his recreance to himself and
country. And are discipline and etFcicn-
cy cfno roIus in the field?
But it was no, my request Of June 4,
nor report No. 80, of July % so largely
quoted from above; nor yet the appeal OF
one pronunciadO tina, has al length brought
down upon me this visitation, go clearly
predicted. That appeal, no doubt, had its
merits considering it came from an er-
ratio brolhcr-a deserter from the other
exlreme-who having just made his peace
with the true faith, was bound 10 signal
ize apos'acy by acceptable denunclatlons
of one for whom, up to Vera Cruz, he