The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-21
Pay Accounts OF Scott and Pierce.

Pay Accounts OF Scott and Pierce.
According 10 the Hon. CHAs. J. NIGER
SOIL, ex member Of Congress. Gin letter to
Tammany Hall,) the administration Of Presi
dent Polk was mainly distinguished by the
"recall Of General Scorr from the head Of the
army which conquered Mexico;" and it seems
| that the Hon. Mr.. MERRIwerHER, who re-
Gently took a six weeks appointment to the
United States Senate from the Governor of Ken.
| lucky, is ambitious Of like distinction by an
attack on the same commander.
Mr.. PoLK's act of injustice probably contri-
buted much to the nomination Of General ScorT
for the Presidency, and Mr.. MERRIwErHER's
may, by another recoil, secure his election.
The short-term member has, through the
Senate, called for an exact account Of all the
! moneys received from the United States by
| the two candidates for the Presidency, while
| serving in the army; with the view, of course,
| TO exhibit the immense difference between the
| receipts of the two officers-ScorT having
served more than forty four years, and PIERCE
but little more than single year.
Is it the object Of the short term Senator to
insinuate that the one years service of PIERCE
ought to be as we'll compensated as the forty
| principle, Mr.. MERRIwETHER, who has the
honor of succeeding Mr.. CLAY, might claim the
| same compensation drawn by the illustrious
deceased for his forty odd years of glo-
! rious services rendered to the Republic,
principally in the Senate.) Or, if this be not
the meaning of Mr.. MERRIwErHER, perhaps
he may mean that no man ought to be allowed
| to hold an employment for more than General
PIERcE's military term; or, if longer, then his
services should be without pay-that is, after
The first year, the laborer being no longer wor-
| thy Of his hire! Mr.. M, however, is one of
/ those who seem to think that General PIERcE's
military pay having been small, compared with
his great services, he ought now, by way Of
supplemental compensation, to receive $25 900
year, for one or two terms, as President Of
the United States.
But it is idle to dwell on the difference of pay
received by any two public functionaries without
discrimination between the duration and the
scale of their services. General JACKSON, for
example, who served as major general in the
1
much more than the compensation of the gal
liant General PIKE CHILLED in 1879 for the
twenty years Immediately preceding; and the
same General JACKSON, as President, received
in eight years more than the entire compensa
ton of General ScoTT in forty four years, in
GLIDING the wars with Great Britain and
Mexico.
All this was right and proper enough. Gen
oral JACKSON was paid according to the larger
scale Of his services.
But this is not the first time that the pay of
General ScoTT has been under consideration in
Congress. March %, 1874, in the House Of
Representatives, two propositions submitted by
the Hon. J. w. DAVIS, democrat, of Indi
ana,) came under discussion, and were both
rejected. |, to abolish the Office of ScoTT,
(general-in- chief,) on the score Of economy;
and that having failed-2, to cut his pay down
one-half
The Hon. Mr.. DEAN, democrat, of Ohio, }
who had served as lieutenant under ScoTT in
the great battle he mentions, spoke as follows:
elf there was a man in this country who had
added glory to it's history, II was General Soorr-
bravery and gallantry on the field Of battle; who
had rendered ilustrious and noble services TO his
country at the battle Of Chippewa, of Bridgewater
and Of Lundy's Lane; who had led our armies on
to victory. And was It for an American Congress
now that he was advanced in years and stood high
in the confidence Of the American people, to dis
miss him from Office q token of disapprobaton?
Ex-Presiden, ADAMS followed in these
words:
GAS to the effect of the proposed amendment for
the abolition Of this Office in the person who now
occupied the place, he felt bound (and the more
since he had voted for inquiry to the exercise
Of authority by General Scott in particular easel
to declare that ne did think it very i'll reward for
the great and eminent services Of that officer dur
ing a period of twenty -fvc thirty years
among which were some rs gallant exploits as any
our history could show, and in which he had no.
spared to shed his blood, as we'll for more recon-
services, of great Importance in time Of peace
services of great difficulty and great delicacy-tt
turn him out, and declare that his Office in this
Government was utterly useless.
Gas to the question Of the reduction of officers
pay, II was very possible Mr.. A. would be founc
going with gentlemen. at least to some extent
But even in relation to this, far General Scott
was concerned, he should act on We've Of public
expediency alone, and by means from persona
feeling. Very far from IL. He could not for a mo
mcnt harbor in bis heart the thought that Genera
Scott, If he had received from this Government
thousands OF dollars more than he ever yet had
, would have received ono dollar which he did no
! richly deserve at the hands Of his country"
The next speaker must be more particularly
, introduced. He had been elected 10 Congress,
, as a Federalist, from Philadelphia; but soor
| .fo 81; hnn hly ;,ol
5 self in the support OF the war and Mr.. MADI
f SONS administration. Being reproached as q
traitor to his party, he nobly replied: "Mr
Speaker: Traitors, thought, were those wh'
5 turned against their country; whereas ] hay,