Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1852-08-05
speech of Hon. John Nh. Clayton.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF GENERAL SCOTT.

PERSONAL SKETCH OF GENERAL SCOTT.
The Wings of Delaware held grand raj
ifcaiion meeting at Wilmington, on the 23d
at which an eloquent speech was made b.
Hon. JOHN M. CLAYTON. After giving
brief account Of the proceedings Of the Ma
lional Convention 10 which he was u Dele
gate, Mr. CLAYTON proceeded TO speak o
Gen. ScoTT as follows:
j Having said thus much, fellow-cilizens,
lproceed 10 The question Shall we radfy ,ht
I decision CT the Baltimore Convention ir
favor OF Winfield Scott, or no.?1 intend ts
submit few reasons why we should ratirI
that decision, In inc first, ,plaees.I ,andei take
10 say-if my humble testimony can be
omitted at all upon such question as his
In have for many years known Winfield
sco,, ~ New. .Iarsey, and know him to be
no,.only preo, soldier--,he greatest captain
Of The age-but know him ID be grea'
scholar and statesman. There is nc
greater error Than 10 suppose, because u i,,.an
is great soldier, he cannot be great civ
ilian. Gen. Scott has devoted his life 10
the study Of the profession Of his early
youth. He was, before he went into the
army, lawyer; and although have met
many men well acquainted with the doctrine
OF International Law, have never seen one
more familiar with, and more deeply versed
in the true principles of International Law
than Winfield Scott No greater error can
be committed by you, my countrymen, than
10 suppose, because he is great soldier, a
victorious General, he is nothing more. He
is scholar, an elegant and profound
scholar. He is man, if he had never
achieved victory in battle, eminenlly quail.
fled 10 fill the office of President, because ol
his civil qualifications, and it is because ol
them stand mere, and mean 10 stand every
where, ready 10 support him. Applause.
Moreover, my felow.citizens, Winfield
Scott is man whose experience in public
afairs-independent of his mere learning
from books-is equal 10 that Of any member
Of the House Of Representatives or The Sen
ate Of The United STATES. He has taken 0
deep interest in the political affairs of his
country since early youth. Originally, be-
fore the war of 1919, Democrat Of the
Madsonian and Jeflersonan school, impul'
sve, warm-hearted, ardent and patriotic
when the outrages that were committed
upon this country by England. occurred, he
resolved 10 leave the profession in which he
had every prospect Of brilliant success foi
the purpose Of fighting the battles Of his
country, and, if necessary, shedding his
blood in her defence.
My fellow citizens, stand here and sup.
fport Winfield Scout, not only for these
reasons, no. only because he is civilian
and statesman, but because know him oil
my own knowledge, to be man as pure In
heart, as high minded and honorable in al
his intercourse with his (ellow.men as any
man ever knew. Enthusiastic applause
Viewing him, then, as man qualified TO
the office, 60 on 10 consider his othe
merits, and those which enlille him 10 lh'
gratitude Of his country. He is victorious
General and great soldier, and pronounced
by The greatest Captain Of the other side 0
the water 10 be one of The greatest men o
The age. His victories al Chippewa AM
Lundy's Lane, were accounted al the tim
when they occurred among the most remark
able events of the war of 1879. With a
inferior force at Chippewa he defeated Ger
Riley, although his troops were compose
of the best veterans Of The British army
And Scott achieved this triumph not mere
by the valor of his soldiers, but by his ow
$ inimitable skill in that splendid battle.
o has been, among military men, ever sine
II The theme Of unqualified admiration. Th
), manner in which the battle was fought yo
have no time TO hear, nor | 10 describe; bl
| have heatd The best military men declal
!, there was no battle which exhibited MOI
: consumate skill and address than was show
> by Scott when he conquered Riley. Al
4 plause. The next great baIlle in whic
= this distinguished warrior showed his skill
q q was the battle Of Niagara Falls, July g
= 1918. In that night Of horrors, when MOI
men fell on the battlefield than perhal
have ever fallen in any struggle Of equ
IS numbers OF British and American troop
II Winfield Scott suffered the loss of Two hor
e es from under him, was first wounded in II
D side, and still kept the field until few m
menIs before The action closed, when, fgh
5, ing before Jessup's regiment, and conIendir
u between the muskets fourteen feet apart,
81 was struck through the body and left f
dead upon the field, having been draggt
behind tree, and laid there until the batt
u was over. The suferngs which he unde
,: went may be seen, by men who know hir
d depicted in his face until this day. II
y terrible hemorrhage has left the lineamen
ofhis countenance Of palIid hue, and
q. now exhibits, and always will, the cons
is quences of The wounds he received in tn
US dreadful battle, Perhaps year elaps
n before he recovered so that his health wou
enable him 10 perform any duty. He Wis
ed ed Europe, in order, if possible, TO acqui
10 more health. To this Gay, however, /
Of bridal arm cunno. be lifted, except from /
he elbow. | pass over the many skirmisn
ra in which he was engaged-and | have
ri doubt he has passed through hundreds Of c
lie gagemen,s commonly called baules-fol
.e. desire TO call your attention to the consid
nd ations have mentioned, and TO some olh
lid which occurred during the Mexican war.
m. From Vera Cruz 10 the city Of Mexico, w
nst field Scott commended against the enemies
his country with varying success, ami
ne difficulties almost unexampled in histo
- and penetrated, with small army Of 1O,O
ng men, into an empire Of eleven millions
is. people, and at last placed his country's (