The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-30

sent out you direct you will be much Disappointed
wants Vera Cruz from some quarter and followed
us TO JaaPa and this place
must here specially remark that this report No 90,
though forwarded the night of its date, duly o. }
seems to have misearred Perceivng, about November
81 that II was not knowledged by the department.
caused duplicate TO be made, signed it, and sent il off
by the same conveyance with my despatch No So and
the charges against Breyet Major General Worth Major
General Pillow, and Brevet Lieut.. Col Duncan together
with the appeal against me of the former AL these are
acknowledged by the department in the same letter Jan
! 49, that recalls me.
IT was that budget of papers that caused the blow of
three arrested officers and he who had enleavored en-
lorce necessary discipline against them are all TO be
placed together before the same court the innocent and
the guilty. the accuser and the accused the Judge and his
prisoners, are dealt with alike Most impartial JUS
nee But there rs a discrimination with vengeance
While the parties are on tral-f the appealer Is TO be
tried at ALL which seems doubtful-two are restored 10
their corpsone OF them with his brevet rank-and am
deprived of my command There can be but one step
more IN the same direction throw the rules and articles
OF war into the fire. and leave all ranks in the army free
to engage in denunciatons and general scramble for
precedence, authority, and executive avors. The pro-
hpncameno, on the part OF my factous Jurors,
triumphant.
My recall-under the circumstances a severe punish
ment before tra-bnt to be followed by trial here that
may run into the autumn-and matters am but par
tally permitted TO know by the department and my ac-
cusers-ls very ngenlousy placed on grounds My
there was no other before the departent) which had
been previously July 2 acknowledged and rebukingy
declined 9. The arrest of Brevet Major General Worth
for writing to the department "under the pretext and
form OF an appeal" an open letter. to be sent through
me- in which | grossly and falsely accused of
mahce" and conduct unbecoming officer and gen
teman, In the matter of the general order No $40, on
the subject OF putting letters for the newspapers home
On that second point the letter from the department
OF January 10 is more than ngenious it is elaborate,
subtle, and protound-a professional dissertation, with
the rare merit Of teaching principles until now wholly
unknown to military codes and teases, and of course to
field.
have not in this place time to do more than hint at
the fatal consequences OF the novel doctrine question
According to the department. any factous junior may
his pleasure IN the midst OF the enemyusing the pre-
text and form OF an appeal against his commander in
suit and outrage him TO the grossest exen--hough he
be the general and charged with the conduct of
the most critical operations; and that commander may
not arrest the incpent mutnee, until he shall have first
LAID down his own authority, and submitted himself
trial or wait at least until distant period of leisure for
judicial examination of the appeal And this precisely
the case under consideration The department. eager
ness to condemn me- could not take time TO learn of the
experienced that the generaln chief who submits
an outrage, IRON JUNIOR must lay his account to suffer
the like from all the vicious under hm-at least down to
rank that may be supposed without influence, in high
quarters, beyond the army But this would not be the
whole mischief to the public service Even the great
mass OF the spirited, intelligent and well affected among
der to utter mbeclty, by holding him in Just and
contempt for his recreancy to himself and country
Aad are discipline and efficiency no uatue an lie fetd2
But il was not my request OF June A. nor report No.
80, (of July 25) so largely quoted from above yet
The appeal OF one that has at length brought
d9wn upon me this this. visitation SO eea predicted
| It came from an cratic broher--a deserter from
the other exreme-who having just made his peace with
the true faith, was bound to signaze aposacy by
cceptable den9nclatons OF one for whom up to Vera
Cruz ne had protested, (and not without cause the
highest obligations CT was there he learned from me
that was doomed at Washington, and sraightway the
apostae began to seek, through quarrel the of
turning thai knowledge to his own beneit) No There
was (recentO still another element associated in the
-kpnt0 hIa nj he of
call-an influence proceeding from the other arrested
general-who is quite willing that 1 should generally be
understood (and who shall gansay his significant acqui
essence - that all rewards and punshments, in this
army, were, from the first to follow his Recommended
tons This, the more powerful of the pronunc'ados
against No $40, well knew al the time as soon knew,
that he justly obnoxious not only to the anmad
versions of that oder but TO other OF yet much
graver character.
parenhecay, but with an acumen WORTH of more than
a " hasty notice. that some OF my specifications OF his
misconduct are hardly consistent with your [my] official
reports and communications"
| Seemingly, this is most Just rebuke But, waiting
for the trials, will here briefly state that unfortunate
Is, followed that generals own reports, written and
oral; that my confidence lent him. in advance had been
but very slightly shaken, as early as the first week in
October; that up TO that time, from entrance into this
city, had been at the desk shut out from personal inter-
course with my brother officers, and that was not till
after that confinement that facts, conduct and motives
! began TO pour in upon me.
A word to the 9Th article of | truly say
that, in this and other communications, have not de-
signed the slightest dsespect to the commander in chief
of the army and navy of the United States. No doubt he
like myself and al others, may fall into mistakes as to
particular men; and cannot, having myself been behind
the curtain, admit the legal fiction that of Sec
rotary the of the President Yet in my defensive
statements, have offered wanton discouresy TO the
head of the War Department although that functonary
is not the enumeration of the aforementioned article
| Closing my correspondence with the department, until
after the approaching trial,
have the honor to remain, respectfully,
Your most obedient servant,
| WINFIELD SCOTT
The Hon SECRETARY OF WAR,
washington ID c.