The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-12
Powder Mis~pplisd.
FYom The Nsv York E+press. NoUem'

From the Nsio York Express, November s.
Il sounded very odd to hear, as we were COM
PEELED to hear last week, the repeated firing F can-
non oDsr the defeat Of General Scott! We had heard
the roaring of artillery at his victories over the
enemy in Mexico during the Mexican war. From
tho Rio Grande to the st. Johns the weikin bad
been made to ring in honor of these victories and
Democrats did not think Of Gen. Scott except a. a
great soldier. a ski,ful commander, and success
fui negotiator. His half year Of battles and his
half year Of civic triumphs in the civil government
of Mexico won for him the appreciation of all his
countrymen, and the admiration of the world
abroad. .".
So II was during the war OF lsi2-lS. The voice
of cannon was not then heard except 'c ,,,r,msro.
o'a'e n's sio'o'''e' artillery spoke of these
victories ~nerevert there WAS powder to burn and
Cannon to make the air vocal with the news Of tr
nmph. But now. alas! from Warrington to New
Orleans. and back again to Maine, there are bon
fires, Examinations, and the firing of cannon at
General Scotts defeat! Such demonstrations, We
must confess, fall unpleasantly upon ears, not
90 much because General Scott was defeated-for
that, under the circumstances, seemed inevitable
from the start-but because General Scott has done
too much for the whole country to make his per-
sonal defeat source of merriment 10 any true and
intelligent man in the country. He who was spe-
cially honored by Jefferson and Madison, Monroe,
Jackson, Adams, Van Buren,, and Polk, and who
has had special marks of approval by word or act
from each and all of these Presidens- who has re.
ceived unexampled praise for bis hcroism and hu-
man ty in war. and for his skill and judgment In
peace--who was selected by Jackson TO head the
army in South Carolina pending the times of null
LITIGATION there, and by Van Buren, to settle the
difficulties on the frontiers Of New York and Can
ada, and the frontiers of New Brunswick and
Maine-who quietly removed fifteen thousand
Cherokees to the western borders OF the Missis-
sippi, and who never failed in any of the very
many services assigned him by his country-it
strikes US, worthy, in his old age, of some better
fate than the firing of cannon and the shouts of
victory at his defeat ~ ...." .-
We shall call In the scores and nc5fes Of Demo.
Gratis who. In times past, have honored General
Scott by word and deed, to answer these sudden
blasts Of triumph. There is enough of such mate
rial on record to make book-praises from Case.
and Marcy, and Jefferson Davis, and Shields, and
franklin Pierce himself, as well as from hundreds
of others less prominent in the ranks of the
party E
. If there must be shouting over General Scott's
defeat, be it 80; but let not the disaster be an
nounced by the booming of cannon. 1t carries one
back to Queenstown, Chippewa, and Niagara to
Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, and Moline
del Rey. We are forced to contrast the guns fired
there with the guns we hear now We remember
that some of them wounded, and very badly
wounded, General Scott; that he was once pri-
soner Of war. and redeemed his own imprisonment
with that of of faithful Irishmen who served
under him; that he impaired hope and vitality to
a responding soldiery and country, and finally
came out Of the war victorious, though but half
alive.
This in 1914, and it is 1852 now. General
Scott has Just been candidate for President Of the
United States; and though jackson, Harrison, and
Taylor, all military men, received each large
electoral and popular vote, General Scott is the
worst defeated man that run for the Executive
office.
Though the csnses Of this result are plain, and
the consequence was inevitable, still the Demo
cratic shouts Scott's defeat sound harshly on
our ears, and we would be glad to zee more mode
ration displayed by the victors. Two nights in
succession, last week, the Park was made vocal
with the roar of cannon, and more music of the
came sort, we are told, is in preparation for the
week upon which have entered. Save your
powder, gentlemen of Tammany Hall. Dent fire
any more cannons because you have been success
full over General Scott, the successful soldier in
two wars, and the victor in a score Of battles.