The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-08-09
another Base Islander Nailed.

We can scarcely beleve 1t altogether pro-
found ignorance of the history of the war of
1912, and particularly of certain prominent
incidents of Gen. SCOTS public life, which
permits Democratic editors to publish as facts
the very basest SANDERS against that hero,
and which entirely pervert well known in
cidents of history. If they publish these dis
graceful things in the simplicity of their own
ignorance, the only pity is that such happy
ignorance should be connected with the
press. But we are inclined to believe that
three-fourths of the late disgraceful Hbels on
originated in party malice and are copied by
newspapers in the same spirit.
Now we found in the Times of last Thurs
day, one of these articles credited to dirty
little paper at Shawneetown which stole it
without giving credit from cotemporary.-
This article is full of big staring capitals to
catch the eye, and is rehash of the old lie
killed off early in he campaign, charging
General Winfield Scott with stealing-aye,
charging this now old man, who for the last
forty years has been enlisted under the flag
of his country, and whose deeds of war have
reflected more glory upon his country, than
those Of any other man living, who has shed
his blood freely for that country and now
bears in his body British lead-charging him
with having stolen money from his soldiers!
1t appears almost impossible to US that an
American cit zen would deliberately thus
Islander Gen. Scott in a matter which was
long since settled by the proper Court, and
to the vincication ofGen. SCOTS innocence
and impossible that American citizens should
read such charges without feeling it due their
. country's honor and the fame of a good and
great patriot and soldier, to Indignantly re-
pei the foul Islander and warmly uphold the
man intended to be injured by it.
The charge is made, that Gen. Scott after
receiving Captains commission in Virgin
ia,in 1913, and receiving the pay of men tor
certain time, withheld this pay from his
recruits, or in other words swindled them out
of it. Now the facts are these, as appears
from Mansfeld's Life of Gen. Scott, which
is good authority. Prior to his departure for
New Orleans, he had recruited his company
in the interior of Virginia. While there, re.
mote from commissary, pay-master or guar
ter-master, and without advice or experience
small sum of money (about $4,000 was
placed in his hands for the service of his com.
pany. Some of the receipts taken for pay.
ments were Irregular and at the time of his
trial "a trial brought about by personal en-.
envy small part of this sum (about 800,
was uncovered by formal vouchers. The
Court SO found, but acquitted him of al
fraudulent intentions" In fact, he had
been charged with all he received at the
Treasury, where nothing could be received
as credit, exceptin the shape of formal
voucher.
This trial was brought about by General
Wilkinson, the notorious Wilkinson, now
rendered as traitor and coward by every
reader of his country's history. Capt Scott
thinking that as Gen. w. was not in actual
command of the army, he might speak O
him as he pleased and only be personally re.
sponsible, without violating the rules Of mil
tary service, did on everyoccasion allude t.
Gen. w. in precisely the terms that suite:
his character. The General had tried b,
prosecutions to get Scott out of the way, bu
failed. Hearing the remarks of Scott abou
him, he had Scott arrested and tried by