Daily American telegraph., 1852-07-01
winneId scott and his Enemies.


[FRoM THE RICHMOND wHol
The Democratic papers have published, that
when Mr.. Polk was signing the commission of
Gen. Pierce as brigadier, he said 81 am now
commissioning man who will one day be Presi-
dent"
A cotemporary suggests, that if this be true,
it only serves to explain the motive which prompted
the appointment. 1t was to make Democratic
Presi. .ent.
This reminds us Of the circumstances connected
with the appointment by Polk of his famous batch
of generals, and the gross injustice thereby de-
signed to the two illustrious Wing generals
Taylor and Scott-then, by seniority and ser
y, "es, at the head of the army In making the
,yar they could not, without violating all mill
tary ru,,. be overlooked. Gen. Taylor was sent
80 i,,a pio Grande. There he speedily covered
bi,ose,f with . 'ory by the battles Of Palo Alto,
D asoon do la pa, -na, and Monterey. The Cesar
in his palace began 20 dread his popularity He
Co, IN him formidabl,' competitor for the Presi-
Sanon Means must he devised to arrest his
glorious progress. To effec, this, Gen. Scott was
ordered to invade Mexico by way OF Vera Cruz,
and to detach large portion O.. Iayiors regu-
lars. The American people avenged the wrong
done to this brave veteran by elevatlng MIN 10
the Presidency.
But as soon as Scott had left Washington ex-
pedents were resorted to to render his under
taking abortive. Although he left the Pr resident
with the strongest assurances OF confidence ana
support, before he reached the army, the inte'h-
rence had arrived there that he did not enjoy the
confidence Of the administration, and would
speedily be superseded III the command by
newly created oficer-a lieutenant general--in
the person of Thomas H. Benton "Yes, (says
Mansfeld) the very army into which he was to
breathe the inspiration Of hope-which he was
to train and prepare for the deadly conflicts that
awaited them-was informed, in advance, that
the President had no confidence in their Com
mander-in-chief The additional forces prom
ised the transports, the wagons and teams, were
not forthcoming. Everything was delayed, that
Scott might be disgraced, and political parti-
san placed at the head of the army. But Scott
was not cast down. Gathering such forces as he
could, he hastened to Vera Cruz, and there COM
menced that series of brilliant operations which
will cast unfading lustre on his name Although
but inadequately supported by the government
at home, he continued to advance, and, by victory
after victory, to heap glory on glory.
Congress having refused to create the office of
lieutenant general, that device of the envious at
Washington to arrest the career of Scott failed.
A new expedient must be resorted to--and that
was the appointment of batch of incompetent
generals, Who like the Dutch commissioners with
the Duke of Marlborough, would embarrass all
his movements w. o. Butler, Gideon j. Pillow,
Caleb Cushing, and Franklin Pierce-not one of
whom was equal to any captain in the regular
seryice-were commissioned as generals, de-
spatched to the scene of conflict, and entrusted
with the lives of our brave soldiers. But ever
these epauletted imbeciles-one of whom could
not set a horse-were unavailing to resist the in
domitable energies and invncible fortune of Win
field Scott He continued to march onwards
from triumph to triumph-achieving fUe victories
in one day, the Goth of Augustine very day on
which Brigadier General Pierce fell for the last
n fo.Y fr0Yn
the field Of glory At last, having overcome all
Obstacles insufficient supplies from home, the
embarrassments resulting from incompetent gen.
erals, commissioners of peace, and the whole
power Of the Mexican empire-he planted the
American flag upon the palace of the Montezu-
mas He conquered peace" in the capital of
Mexico, and
"a halo of glory encircled his brow"
This was too much for the despicable intriguers
at Washington. All their base tricks-their
lieutenant general, their batch of incompetents,
their commissioner of peace, their inadequate
supplies-all had failed to arrest the progress Of
his soaring genius and invincible arms. Only
one alternative was left them That they adopted
They superseded him in the command had hin
arrested as criminal, and brought home to an
swer, before court-martial, the charges which
their malice and envy had framed The whole
kennel was turned loose upon him; and afte,
months
was served, the court adjourned without comm,
TO any decision. The American people will com
plete the trial, and render verdict in November
next
The same game had been previously attempted
with Gen. Taylor; but the people espoused his
cause and bore him in triumph TO the Presidency.
1t was only then that the malignant crew desisted
from their remorseless persecution Of Scott.
Mr.. John VI. Clayton thinks that the annals OF
Iv only inet nf pul n
bensfactor being subjected to as bad treatment
as that which has been administered to Scott
That was the case Of Belisarius. But even if the
fiction Of the blindness and beggary Of thai
eminent parsonage were reality, when we con
slider the times, the sentiments Of the age the
conceded right Of irresponsible despot to in
dulqe unlimited tyranny, the wrongs inflicted
upon the noble Roman do not parallel thos,
visited upon Winfield Scott But Belisariu
suffered only temporary eclipse. He was re
stored to his honors and estates, and to the favo
of his sovereign. Not so with Scott: his cas-
stands alone As far as the government Of hi
country could do it, he was degraded and di'
honored. 1t is for generous and true-hearte
people to wipe out the stain which malic
and tyranny would affix to bis honorabl
name. He has periled his life in repellin
an invading foe-he has shed his blood profusel
in defence Of his country--his body is riddle
with British lead-his achievements fill the worl
with the renown Of his native land. Will not
just, generous, and magnanimous people d
simple justice to one who has successfully de
Tended their hresides, and shed imperishabl
glory upon the American nameY Can the peopl
Of his native State-a State which has honoret
him in better days, and which he loves as b,
loves his own unstained honor--can they feel M
solicitude in vindcating the reputation of hin
whose just fame constitutes no inconsiderable
portion of their own peculiar glory? The people
of Virginia have ever been distinguished for man.
liness, for generosity, and magnanimity; let then