The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-08-26
MARCYs REPLY TO SCOTT.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
IKashingt0n, Apri1 21, ISIS.

the oath of February, nor just to myself to
permit it to remain unanswered on the files
of this department.
To attempt to dispel the delusions which
you seem to have long pertinaciously cher
ished, and to correct the errors into which
you have fallen, devolves upon me duty
which l must not decline; but, in perform
ing it, mean to be as cautious as you pro-
fess to have been to abstain from any ''wan-
ton disc6urtesy," and hope to be alike sue
cessful. Your prudent respect for the "5th
article of war" has induced you to hold me
ostensibly responsible for many things which
you are aware are not fairly chargeable to
me The device you have adopted to assail
the President, by aiming your blows at the
. Secretary of War, does more credit to your
ingenuity as an accuser, than to your char
acter as soldier. A premeditated contriv-
, ance to avoid responsibility, does not indi-
cate an intention not to do wrong.
The general aspect ofyour letter discloses
an evident design to create a belief that you
were drawn forth from your quiet position,
In bureau of this department, and assigned
to the command of our armies in Mexico, for
the purpose of being sacrificed and that to
accomplish this end, "neglects, disappoint-
mcnts, injuries, and rebukcs" "were infict-
ed on you, ard the necessary means Of prose-
cutting the war with success withheld" or,
in other words, the government, after pre-
fcrrng you to any other Of the gallant gen
Y erals within the range of it's choice, had la
h bored to Illustrate its own plans, to bring de-
feat upon its own armies, and involve itself
4 u Il
y. portant in It's bearing upon public affairs
N a charge so entirely preposterOuS, so utterly
rcpugunt to all the probabilities of human
conduct, calls for no refutation.
y. For other purposes than to combat this
> fondly cherished chimera, it is proper that
should notice some Of your specific allcga
y. tons
er 1t is true that, after you were designated
for the chief command Of cur armies, tn
President was DESTROYS that your departur
should not be unnecessarily delayed bu
you were not restricted, as you allege, t
"only four days" to make the necessary pre-
parations at Washington. You were no
~ ordered away until you had reported tina
these preparations were SO far completed tina
your presence here was no longer required
=" Then instead of going directly to Mexico
you were permitted, at your own request, t
y. take circuitous route through New Yorl
and there to remain few days You stat
at New York nearly an entire week; and nj
cts until the 10Th of December (twenty-six day
in after leaving Washiugton) did you reac
New Orleans, where you would have arrive
in seven days if you had been required
Err take the direct route. This solicited indu
are gence, by which your arrival at New u
cry leans was delayed nearly three weeks, is
compatible with your allegation that "
were allowed comfy four days at Washin
ton, where twcnty might have been most a
, Si,c vantageously employed" This complai
, TO has relation to facts within your own know
nm edge; error, therefore, is hardly reconc
bic with any solicitude to be accurate.
this is your opening charge against the W
a Department, and may be regarded as indie
W tive of those which follow, l shall make t
rcfutation of it still more complete, for t
purpose of showing with what rccklessn
you have performed the functions of an
cuser, and how little reliance, in the presc
A.. state of your feelings, can be placed on "
memory. You are the witness by VIII
ART your allegation is to be disproved. On
ri or day of your departure from WashiDgt
our you left with me paper, in yonr oosn Ao
Giles, ,rrit'ag, dated November %, 1916, W
care the following heading:
"''iy "Notes suggesting topics to be embra
D the in the Sccrctary's instructions to Gene
ats- s, drawn up Gin haste) At therequest of
or former"
From that paper extract the follow
paragraph:
$40 Il 1.-THE Secretary of Warl am pleased
learn from you IGcn. Scott that you Ii
in very few days already, through
Do general staff of the army here, laid sufic
basis for the purposes with which you
e. charged, and that you now think it bes
rival, proceed at once to the southwest, in orde
nhtIy organize the largest number of troops
r,; 51 can be Obtained in time for that most i'm
tant expedition > the expedition aga
), Vera Cruz.
nseys Here is your own most explicit admis
each 3lr that you represented to the Secretary
Tick War, before leaving Washington, that
engagements were SO far completed that
thoughtit best to proceed at once to the a
in Mexico; and yet you make it your o
ing charge against the department, that
were forced away to Mexico before you
time for necessary preparations.
present the next charge in your
Sta language:
K 81 handed to you written request
one of three of our accomplished capt
n therein named, might be appointed assi'
'oo,,. adjutant general, with the rank of m
'''"'' for duty with me in the field, and there
a vacancy at the time for one. Ny rec
has never been attended to, and thus l
had no officer of the Adjutant Generals
d Note partment with me in the campaign.
Boards another instance be cited of denying
general-in-chief, in the field at the head
and OF large army. or even = en,o1I ono the
ton OF his chief of the staff-that is
r chiefin the department of orders anc
.D D., respondence p
Il quail Were the case precisely as you have
ed it to be, you have given too much D
ms and hence, as matter of complaint, t,
oUn'fy' Presidents refusal to be controlled,
Err, exercise of the appointing power, by
AND. wishes. Had there been vacancy 81
YOU mention for Zone of the accomp
s,,;,, captains" you named, no one knows
Mobile than you do that your request coul'
l9-ly have been acccded to without departing
------- the uniform rule of selection for sta
5ANAs' pointments without violating the ri
ct'0OSo' several officers to regular promotion, a