Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-07-05
POLITICAL.
GEN. scott
Gen. scott.
EXTRACT FROM SPEECH BY Hon. JNo.
CLAYTON


Having said thus much, fellow-citizens, with
regard to the platform, proceed TO the ques-
ton shall we raiiy the decision the Baltimore
Convention in favor OF Winfield Sco'l. mott
iinend to submit few reasons why We should
iniify that decision. In the first place. m
'ertake TO say-if my humble testimony can be
admitted at all upon such question as this
have for many years K own Whitfield Scott
1T New Jersey, and know him to be not on
ly great soldier-ihe greatest captain of the
age-bu, know him to he scholar and o
statesman. There is TO greater error than to
'urrose, because man Is great soldier. he
'anio' he great civilian. Gen. Scott has de
1oie'l lis life to the study of the profession Of
MS tarly vonih. He was. ne!ore he went into
ile army, lawyer. and although have mel
many ,rienw ell acquainted with the doctrine OF
International law. | have never one more
familiar y lth, and more deeply versed in thu.
true principles Of international law than Win
field Scott. No greater error can be committed
by you my countrymen. than To suppose, be-
cause he is a great soldier, a victorious Gene.
ral,h is nothing more. He is a scholar. an ele
giant and profound scholar. He is man. If
he had never achieved a victory in battle. emf
because of his civil qualifications; and it is be
cause ofthem stand here. and mean 10 stand
cveryw here. ready to support him. Applause.
Moreover, my fellow-ciizens. Winfield Scott
IS man whose experience in public affairs
independent of his mere learning from books
j. equal to that of any member OF the House Of
Representatives or the Senate of the United
States. He has taken deep interest in the po-
ii'lcal affairs Of his country since early youth
Originally, before the war. 1912, Democra,
Of the Madisonian and Jeff.rsonian school. i'm
pulsive, warm hearted, ardent and patriotic,
when the outrages that were committed upon
this country by England occurred. he resolve ed
10 leave the profession in hch he had every
prospect of brilliant success. for the purpose OF
fighting the BATHS of his country. and if neces
sary, shedding his blood in her defence. My
fellow citizens stand here and support Win
field Scott. not only for these reasons. not only
hccuuSe he is c, ilian and statesman. but be
cause know him, OF my own knowledge. to be
a man as pure in heart. as high-mnded and
honorable in all his intercourse with his fellow
men as any man | ever knew. Enthusiastic
applanse) Viewing him, then, man quail
ltied for the Office. 90 on 10 consider his other
merits and those which enitIe him to the graf
itude Of his country. He is a victorious Gen
eral and great solder, and pronounced by
The greatest Captain on the other side Of the
water to be one of the greatest men of the age.
HIS victories at Chippewa and LunJys Lane
were accounted at the time when they occurr-
ed among the most remarkable events of the
war of 1912. With an inferior force at Chip
pewa he defeated General Riley, although his
troops were composed Of the best veterans of
the British army. And Scott achieved this
triumph not merely by the valor of his sol
ilers, but by his own inmitable skill in that
splendid battle. 1t has been, among military
men. ever since, the theme of unqualified ADM
ration. The manner in which the battle was
fought, you have not time to hear nor to des
cribe; but | have heard the best military men
declare there was no battle which exhibited
more consummate skill and address than was
shown by Scott when he conquered Riley
Applause The next great battle in which
this distinguished warrior showed his skill. was
the battle of Niagara Falls. July 25th, 1918
In that night of horrors when more men fell on
the field than perhaps have ever fallen in any
struggle OF equa numbers of British and A.
merican troops, Winfield Scott suffered the loss
Of two horses from under him. was first wound i
ed III the side. and still kept the field, until al
few moments before The action closed, when
lighting before Jcssups regiment, and contend
.ng, muskets fourteen feet apart. he as struck
through the body and left for dead upon the
field, having been dragged behind "A tree. andI
aid there until the battle was over. The suffer-
ing " hich he underwent may he seen by rieni
whoknow him depicted in hisface until this day
The terrible hamorrhage has left. the Inca
menis of his coun,enance of palliJ hue. andi
he now exhibits. and always will, the conse-
qtences Of the wounds he received in thaiI
dreadful battle. Perhaps year elapsed be-
fore he recovered SO that his health would ena.
Bile him TO perform any duty. He visited Eu-
rope, in order. if possible, to acquire more
health. To this day. however, the bride arml
cannot be lifted, except from the elbow. Ipass|
over the many skirmishes in which he was en-
gaged--and have no doubt he has passed.
through hundreds of engagements commonly
called batiles-for desire TO call your atten-
ton to the considerations have mentioned, and
to some Others which occurred during the Mex
,can war. From Vera Cruz to the city of Mex !
ico, Winfield Scott conicnded against the enc
ines ct his country with varying success, a
midst difficulties almost unexampled in history .
and penetrated, with small army Of 10000
men, into an empire of eleven millions of peo-
pie, and at last placed his conntry's flag upon
the heights of Chepultepec. and in the city of
Mexico itself. Iflhere be man who does moi,
ieel a sentiment of gratitude to Winfield Scott
ct him read the history of the battles of Cerro
Gordo, Churubuscc. Chepultepec. &c. and
lastly. the bloody fight wi hich occurred in the|
city of Mexico, " here the old hero triumphant
iy sustained the arms of his country in the
midst of people Who We're completely subdu-
ed. and compelled 10 make such treaty as tbcl
government Of his country proposed to dictate
What was the reward of ii faithful soldier!
who had done so much for his countryY WhaiI
was his reward from the government Wei
find. after he was victorious, the government
seht out supernumeraries. making up an armyl
of more than 1000 men, and took from hinsI
when the fighting was all over. and thertI
was no more necessity for great gencral-l
took from him the command of that armv, and|
directed him to submit himself-a Major Gen
eral-to trial. upon false charges. before tri
bunal ofpetty officers. And how did lie show
himselfl Instead Of disregardng. as many
would have done, he obeyhd the mandate which,
sought to disgrace him, we find him making the|
military strictly subordinate 10 the civil power
II there be any one thing for which honor
him more than another, it is that he has al i
ways. by his example and practice. as well as|
by his preaching and profession. maintained
the civil as superior TO the military nov er-I