Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1852-09-18
From the Seoto GAzste
LOcOfOcO SlaHder against Gen. Scott,
SCOtched, by q Living Witness!
REAnf
7sStimoHy of an Old Solder = Col james
s. .Svsarinoen on the stand.

derers of Gen. Scott garble the truth of his
tory in order to malign that faithful old ser
want of his country, and prejudice she people
against him. The blush ofshsme, long since,
has ceased to mantle their brazen countenan.
ces. Their mercenary souls are prompted "a
belle the proudest incidents in their country'l
history for base party purposes, An evil
day will il be for the people when such coun-
sellors are listened to!
One Of these stories tFumped, by these des.
perate demagogues, we 6nd copied, as an "his-
torical i:em," from the Winchester (Vs) Plat
form. a "Pierce" paper. Ii Purports to be
the testimony Of the 'fofieers, musicians and
privates of Capt Winfield Scott's company,
Regiment of light artillery" charging Gene
raj (then Captain) Scott With With holding the
pay of the soldiers in his command. The ma
lignAnt libellers of the old hero go back near
ly fifty years-when their candidate for the
Presidency was scarcely out of his bibs and
tuckers-to rake up incidents which they
hope may be used against a venerable chief
tain who was then serving his country as
commander of her regular troopsl We re-
joice that We have it in our power by evil
dence clear and unimpeachsble, of scotching
the lie most offectually, and proving that
young Captain Scott, then as ever since, was
the friend of the poor common soldier, and
always contended for the rights and interests
of his men, His message to the British COM
mander in Canada, that "for every Irish pris-
oner you shoot, British prisoner within my
power. shall be made to bite the dust" was but
the outspoken sentiment of constant princi-
pie We beg our readers to note show
plain tale will mark the theme lie."
Col JAMES SwEARrNeEE. of this city
(Chillicothe, o. gentleman of the highest
respectnbility, who resides here an old man,
yet active in mind and body. whose commits
sion in the U. 8. army. is probably of an Older
date than that Of any other living man, whose
perfect credibility no one who knows him will
our authority. for pronouncing
the story Of Captain (now GeneraD Scott de-
tanning money from his soldiers as utterly un-
true.
Col. Swearigen was at the time mem
and October, 1sos-Dis-
trict paymaster in the U. S. Army. He
held that post for the years 1908, g. and
10 having been iu the Army, in one or anoth-
capacity, eight years His district included
al the States of New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Deleware, Maryland and Virgi-
MA At 6rst, it was his wont to pay of all
he troops stationed in those States once in
'wo months. Making his head quarters in
Baltimore, he there awaited the slow process
If the mails---as the best that could be done in
hose early times--from the Pittsburgh, Mia
para and other frontiers of his district, for the
eceipt Of payrols from commanders of posts, |
md captains of companies If found correct,
le would enclose, by mail, amounts in bank |
lo:es sufficient to pay off the soldiers. solicit
ng the commanders TO act as his agents in
aging their suboficers, musicians and pri-
ates.
No loss has ever followed or attended this
ystem, or difficulty. until the creation by
aw of Congress, of six new regiments of 1000
nen each, in the years lS07-'e. This law L
rsVided for Regimental paymasters-but
hose officers were not appointed during the
ear 1908. Consequently the District Pay
masters of the old peace establishment were
bliged to act in the paying off of the new reg
nents as we'll as Of the old. No Paymas-
er's clerks were authorized by the law--and L
,eir duties were Irebled. 1t was impossi- I
le TO make the proper examination Of the
'lls. at the Paymester's Office, and forward e
he money to the commanders and capt aims, q
ith q promptness satisfactory to the men. '
% IS well as he could, by the hardest kind I
labor, Colonel-then District PaymasIer b
-Swearingen could not prevent vast accu- a
ulation of business in his Office. Now Ii
arki h
The first captains commi ssion issued to c.
TINTrRLD ScorT, was under :his law of 1907 o.
g. in the Virginia Regiment Of Light Artil- v
~. In September and October" Of that y
,ar, Captain Scott was recruiting his com. NJ
my in Southern Virginia. He, Ca plain u
,ott, forwarded his rolls to Paymaster-t 70
y Rearingen, in the city of Baltimore-but hl
ey had to lie by in the Paymasters office e
r their turn. "This circumstance" SAYS CO
g Colonel, twas excessively annoying to the &c
'ung captain, who addressed to me several OF
arp and angry letters. aohich I have yet, be- III
tinq me most roundlv. for what he wa. Ii
eased to consider as my proerastination, al
d, at length / answered him in the same L.
irit, and a serious rupture occurred be-
een us in consequence" During the time N
oxen of, in the pretended Historical item. :" =
,l. SWeAringen assures US that Capt Win
Id Scott had no money his hauds with
Iich to discharge the pay of his officers, sy
1sicians and pTivates; and confirms the as th
rance by stating that in October 1908, w
.pt. Scott left his command to visit him, an
aymaster Swearingen,) in Baltimore, to re- "e
,nstrate with him on the detention of the an
~! A personal collision would doubtless ca
We occurred, between these 'young bloods,' CO
d not Gen. Eus.is, the Secretary of War. ag
whom the captain resorted himself rs he ior
ssed through Washington city, according tiv
standing orders.) arrested his progress, thu
owed him copies of his own correspondence De