North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-22

I Crupp.I ScoTr's LETTER. We mentioned day
or two since that Gen. Scott had written letter u
| Somebody in Pennsylvania, declining to give his
oninions on the great questions of the day. The let
Ter Itself is SO remarkable that we deem it worth
while to place it on record in our columns:
WASHINGTON, March &c, 1851.
STA: have received your letter (marked :" conf
dential'') in which, after committing the error ofsuP
nosino me to be IS fully before the country the
whig candidate for the presidency" you proceed to
interrogate many points of grave public inter-
est. :,
Permit me to say that, considering we shall, pro-
bablv only have wing candidate for the presidency
through the national convention, and that cannot De
the nominee except by the force of the unsolicited
partiaty of large masses of my codntrymen-
Considering, also, that ifmy character or Prlncl'
Piles be not already known, it would now be idle TO
attempt to supply the deficient information by mere
paper professions of wisdom and virtue, made for the
OCCASION ,
And considering that. if answer your queries.
must 90 on and answer others already before me, as
we'll as the long series that would inevitably follow,
to the disgust of the public
beg permission to close this acknowledgement OF
your letter by subscribing myself with great res
pect, &C., WINFIELD SUIT.
P. S. must add that write and say nothing on
public subjects which am unwilling to see pub
ilshed.
The General has no more mercy on the English
language than upon the enemy in the heat of the bat
tie. We wonder that while he was penning the
above the ghost of Lindiey Murray had not appeared
and called for =" quarter
He talks of" mere paper professions OF wisdom
and virtue, and declines furnishing them to his cor"
respondent. We doubt, however, whether an hon.
est stragh forward, manly expression of opinion, up
the variousexciting topics of the day, and upon
which the great parties are divided would have
been particularly heinous offence. Time was when
Gen. Scott had penchant for leter-wrting. His pen
ready at a minutes warning upon any subject.
But he has bnrned his fingers so often with "hasty
plates of souri," that presume he has determined
hereafter to keep silent or-which is more likely
such as Seward having taken him in keeping,
and knowing his leakiness, have ordered him to be
mum. Very likely it is a renewal of the committee
ship that Gagged poor old General Harrison.
s'There is but one step from the sublime to the RI
diculous," and General Scott has taken that step.
" General" writes correspondent, g the compro-
as you candidate for the presidency, will you
say what your opinion of these measures is 3"
&c No sir,'' responds the General. s. Look to my
character or principles"
"Well, will you be good enough to tell us what
you think of the fugtiue-slave law or the tariff !!
You see General, we want to know for Dhat as we'll
as for aohoAa vote. Neither your past character
nor principles enlighten US on these points"
s. Sir, considering sundry objections shall an
swer nothing"
This game of stupidity has been played by two
he can win in the same way. He will find himself
mistaken.
He shows excellent good sense, by the way, in one
paragraphs for he says if he to answer the que
ries put to him, it would be "to the disgust Of the
public We have not the slightest doubt of it.
His postscript is magnanmous. Having declined
saying anything. he boldly that he is perfectly
willing to have what he writes and says published
Exquisite Portland Argus.