Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-08-28
TIE SUSPENSION OF SCOTT.


In answer to the question "Who is Scott?" som
of the Dmoratic papers answer "that he is the ma
who was turned out of the army for withholdin
twomonths pay from his soldiers and for threatenin
TO assassinate Gen. Wilkinson" For the purpos
of showing how unfair and untruthful is thi
answer, we give below full statement of the entir
transaction, from which the falsity of the abov
statement will fully appear. In 1908, Gen. Scot .
on the recruiting service in Virginia, filling
company for the Louisiana service. AS was i'm
possible for the usual financial officers of the arm
% attend such service, the department placed in III
hands of Captain Scott $500, for the purpose
meeting the incidental expenses OF equipemen,
&c. ltiswell known that the department has fixe
and FORMAL vouchers for every expenditure an
that credit is allowed any officer, of the disbur
ing department, whose vouchers do not confon.
strictly to the formula prescribed by the heads o
the war department. Gen. Scott discussed tn
whole OF the funds committed to him, but failed !,
have the proper vouchers for portion of it, q
mounting to about fifty dollars, When he quarrel
led with Gen. Wilkinson, as we shall hereafte
state, Wilkinson brought this matter up and mad
it the ground of separate charge against Scot
which constituted the first specification under tt.
first charge before the Court Martial. The fir
charge was in these words: "Conduct unbecom
ing an officer and gentleman and the first spe
cifcation under this charge was as follows: 81.
Withholding at sundry times mems money place
in his possession, for their payment for the month
OF September and October" The second specifi .
cation under the first charge and the second charg
and its specifications needs not be given, as he wa
fully acquitted of them. The third charge is q /;
S,lIo La a,1y nj
duct" First specification: "In saying, betwee,
the list of December and list of January, 1SO9-1C
at public table, in Washington mississippi tel
ritoIy, that he never saw but two traitors Genera
Wilkinson and Bun, and that Gen. Wilkinson wa ::
liar and scoundrel." Finding and sentenc.
of the Court:
'Ist Guilty of the first specification of the frs
charge land pronounce his conduct une5ieer-Eke.
"2d. The Court acquit the prisoner of tn,
second charge and specifications.
"3d. The Court find the prisoner guilty of tn,
first specification of the the third charge, but
guilty of the second, and pronounce his conduc &.
unofieer-Gke, and sentence him to be suspende
from all rank, pay and emoiuments for the space c.
twelve months; but the Court had no hesitation i
aequitting TIE prisoner Of all fraudulent intsntio
in detaining the pay Of his men,"
The Court adjourned.
- The Court met pursuant to adjournment
and recommended to the General the remissson o
nine months of Captain Scotts suspension.
Signed, H. Russell, President,
WILLIAM KING, Judge Adpoeate.'
We copy above the proceedings and finding o
the Court Martial in the case, from which, it is ap
parent to all, that, whatever indseretion Captaii
Scott may have been guilty, the Court fully acqui
ted him of all charge of having acted iingentieman
IN in any respect. The Court were obliged T.
find his conduct "unofficer- like" on the frs,
charge, because, according to the strict rules o.
war, an officer should know and attend to ever
thing connected with his duties, even in form; and
failure to do this constitutes the offence for
which the Court found his conduct "unofficer-
like" on the first specification. So much for the
charge of Withholding pay from his soldiers, from
which capital is now sought to be made against the
noble General who has devoted his life to the de-
fence of his county; charge which Gen. Scott
Indignantly denied, of which the Court substdn-
tiaLy acquitted him, It which his brothersofficers
who gave him Immediately complimentary din
ner, believed him innocenti charge which his
entire public career brands as base; a charge
which the constant and continuing confidence of
all the Administrations, both Wing and Demo-
cratic, stamps as unfonnded and calumnious.
We now pass to the third charge, on which tn
court find his conduct 'tunoficer-like," q finding
which was correct, according to the rules of war,
which are in the 9Th article of War, as follows
"Any officer, who shall 6ehape himself with con-
tempt and disrespect towards his commanding Off
GER shall be punished according to the nature Of
4. ~. IF. 49, - ~
Scott was at this time about % years ofage. The
celebrated trial of Aaron BUR-, charged with trea-
ard conspiracy, had just terminated at Rich
mond, and true lovers ofther country, were fired
with indignation, at the daring plots and deep in
trigues, of which the public believed Burr and
his accomplices guilty. Scott had witnessed this
trial. Wilkinson not tried, but the develope-
ments on the trial of Burr were such, as to impli-
cate him to a considerable extent, as an accom-
plice in the nefarous scheme of overtuIning, and
monarchising the finest portion of our then young
Union. The bare fact that the charges could not
be legally proved, made the public more suspicious,
and excited to higher pitch the indignation of pa
triots against the foul coRsprators. Scott was in
the visor of youth, his noble impulses fred with
indignation, at the bare thoughtof such an end as
that proposed by the conspiratoz; and without
fear, and boldly did he utter the honest convic-
tons OF his heart Wilkinson had been supercee-
ded by Gen. Hampton, and ordered to Washington,
10 undergo an investigation into his conduct the
-puthen border; though he had not LEFT the south.
The burning spirit of the gallant Yirginian; think
himself no longer fettered by the 9Th article of
,..sr, he did not think Wilkinson then his CONF
hiding officer, burst forth, freed from the shack
\ Of military rules, and gave bold and manly Mt
IS ice to the sincere convictions of his heart
atfiot himself. he could no. brook a. traitor.
able himself, hecould not tolerate dishonor,
8 1hout fear did he charge Wilkinson with be.