Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-08-06
SCOTT'S FITNESS FOR THE PRESI-
DENCN.

Speech Of Hon. John &. Spencer at the AL
bany ratification meeting on Friday, July Ii:
Retired as have been for several years from
the active scenes Of political strife, should
not have appeared nt tins meeting, had not IA
sense Of duty to the distinguished man whose
nomination for the Presidency you have met to
ralliy, constrained me to accept the opportunity
thu, presented, Of dong Justice to his character
in particular that has not been SO well under
stood.
OF his unsurpassed military exploits, have
nothing to say. The world is full of his re-
nown; his only competitor III that field, the
Duke OF Wellington. has but anticipated the
judgment Of history. do not understand them,
or their value to the country; but others will
speak Of thcm and wish to devote my share
Of your time 20 another subject. ! wish to meet
the objection that military men are not fitted
for the highest civil CmplOymcnts, and that
there Is danger to our Institutions in CcvalinT
to the Chief Maglstracy man whose life has
been employed IN irving command, enforcing
discipline and maintaining obedience. Al
though 1t might be So cSi0Ppc, aS il is termed
to those who make this objection, to remind
them Of their support Of Gen. Andrew jackson,
tile success with which, as they maintain, he
administered the government for eight years :;
and TO remind them ofthcr late candidate Gen.
Cnss. and of their present candidate, Gen.
Pierce, both of whom were distinctly presented
as having great military reputation yet as
closing the mouth of AN adversary is not nee
cSsarv conclusive to others or to ourselves, |
propose to examine this point more at large.
The fitness of military man for civil en-
poymCnt, depends upon two circumstances:
first, the natural constitution Of his mind and
feelings; and second, whether his military
habits have been so mingled and tempered by
social and civil duties, by extended and various
Intercourse with his icllow-ctlznns, and by
public employmcnts requiring the talents, learn
mg and adrotncss Of II statesman, as to have
obtoratcd all the stcan and rcpugnant icu-
turcs Of the soldier.
As to the first, is there a man who has ever
seen Gen. Scott, who has not marked the lcri-
bic hand writing of Il bcnciiccnt Creator in his
noble person and countcnancr, bcaming with
philanthropy and individual kindness? ? Who
ever heard from him rude remark of personal
oCnsc, or even in his anger, an cpthct unbc-
coming gentleman Ills way and manners
are 50 gentle and kind as to be almost feminine,
and ! have heard foreigners express their
ana2cmcnt that man SO Injured to scenes Of
F
ural and as aflrctonacly as child. Buchcr
and Ilaynau would probably disown HIM as a
soldier of their mold.
And who does not know how this gcntlencss
and sympathy with his race have been cXhbi-
ted, constantly, daily, hourly, by Gen. Scott,
when III the field, IN the camp, or the march,
or IN barracks : The sick, the disabled, the
wounded, the dying, among the troops he had
commanded, were ever the peculiar objects of
| his most asSiduous care. There is not a ham
let IN our country but contains living witnesses
OF this remarkable trait, or witnesses who have
received and repeat the testimony of their dead
fathers and brothers. Pardon me for alludina
TO personal instance. when, visiting brother
IN lSll, who had been shot in the battle of Nj
agara, and who was dying within the Bntlsl
lines. The recollection of the sympathy and
assistance OF Gen. Scott, on that, and on another
occasion sLIl more trying. swclls my heart witt
emotions that would break it, If they could no
I INA u)lcrancc, when speaking OF the cOnslltu
ton OF that mans nature. Who has not heard
ol ms unustllable exposure OF ms own llit
among the troops when the cholera swept thCm
oil there by hundreds IN the Black Hawk War
ASK those who served under hun in the pcsli
lenliaI climate of Mexico, whether he has
heart open as melting charity to the suffering
OF hs fellow men, and "A readiness and ablIit
TO relieve them, cqualcd only by the alectio
Of brother.
No, tciow-cltl the hardships and habit
of military life, instead OF induratng his heart
have but touched HIM with feeling of the il
irmltlcs of our race, and have taught him tn
great duty of man IN initiating the example {
his saviour. Such a man will bring into tn
administration of the Government neither rC
servo, pride, arrogance, nor stubbornncss.
The second circumstance which determine
the qualifications of a military man for civ
employment is, whether he has already acqui
cd the learning, experience and tact of IA state
man. The military life IN this country, wine
- has been blessed with peace for at least SKI,
EL.a IL tIln nnIIl,, IL. Lu...