The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-07-07

From Niles Register. April 10, 1891
HEAD QUARTERs-DIvIsIoN OF THE SOUTH,
Nashville Dec. 3. 1917.
SIR:-l have been absent from this place
considerable time, rendering the last
friendly Office could, to particular friend,
whose eyes closed on the Goth ultimo.
Owing to this, your letter of the 4th of Oc-
tober was not received until the lst inst.
Upon the receipt ofthe anonymous com.
munication made me from New York, |
hastened TO lay it before you. That course
was suggested to me by the respect felt
for you as a man and soldier, and that
you might have it in your power to answer
how far you had been guilty of so base
and inexcusable conduct. Independent
of the services you had rendered your
country, the circumstances Of your wear
ing the badge and insignia Of soldier, led
me to the conclusion that was addressing
gentleman. With these feelings you
were written TO, and had an idea been for
moment entertained that you could have
descended from the high and dignifed
character of a Major General Of the Uni.
ted States Army, and used language op.
probrious and insolent as you have done,
rest assured | should have viewed you as
rather too contemplate to have held any
converse with you on the subject. Ifyou
have lived in the world thus long in entire
ignorance of the obligations and duties
which honor impose, you are indeed past
the time of learning; and surely he must
be ignorant OF them. who seems so little
to understand their influence. Pray, sir,
does your recollection serve, in what school
Of philosophy you were taught! that to
letter enquiring into the nature of sup.
posed injury, and clothed in language
decorous and unexception able, an answer
should be given couched in pompous and
bullying expressions! had hoped that
what was charged upon you by my anony-
nous correspondent was unfounded. |
had hoped so from the belief that General
Scott was a soldier and gentleman; but
when | see those statements doubly con-
firmed by his own words, it becomes a
matter of enquiry. how far man OF hon
orable feelings can reconcile them to him
self, or longer set up claim 10 that char
acter.
Are you ignorant, sir, that had my or.
der, at which your refined judgment is so
extremely touched. been made the subject
Of enquiry, you might, from your standing,
not your character, have been constituted
one Of my judges? How very proper then
was it, thus situated, and without knowl.
edge of the attendant circumstances, for
you to have pre;judged the whole matter.
This at different times, and in the circle
Of your friends you could do; and yet had
been arraigned, and you detailed as one
ofmy judges. with the designs of an as
sassin lurking under fair exterior, YOU
would have approached the holy sanctu-
ary ofjustice. Is conduct like this conge-
nial with the high sense Of dignity which
should be seated in soldiers bosoml Is
it due from brother officer TO assail in the
dark the reputation Of another, and stab
him at moment when he cannot expect ii!
| might insult an honorable man by ques-
tons such as these, but shall not expect
that they will harrow up one who must be
dead to all those feelings which are the
characteristic Of q gentleman s
Inteims polite as Twas capable of no.
/ ting asked you ifmy informant had sta
ted truly--if YOU were the author Of the