Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-10-15

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can. under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. be admitted.
Important Piece of Political History.-kecail of
Gen. Scott from Florida.
The following is the official document in relation
TO the recall of Gen. Scott from the command of he
army in Florida in $780, land an inquiry into his
conduct with the endorsement of the President
The letter was communicated from Gen Thomas :.
Jesup, of the War Office, to MIR Poinsett the Sccre-
tary of War, in compliance with call OF the House
of Representatives Col Joseph Nj. White was at
that time the territorial delegate to Congress from
Florida -
FROM Ex. DOC, H. r., NO 231-24rH CONGRESS
WAsHINGToN. MAY %. 1886.
SfR-Bt orders recently Issued from the War De-
partment it is directed that, should Major General
Scott leave the headquarters of the army in Floridas
and retire from that command 1t viii deyolve ofts
Brgadier Gen. Clinch. This order leaves to the dis
Creon of General Scott the period ofhis departure.
1t is with the greatest pain, thatI feel myself c0n-
strained, by sense of duty to my constituents re-.
specially to ask that Gen. Scott be Immediately re-
lieved from the command. No man has more als
mration for the galanry, orrespect for the militia
ry achievements of General Scott, than have.
From the present aspect of affairs, unfortunate
and disagreeable occurrences which have happened
in that quarter the public interest. we'll as tho
lives security and property OF the inhabitants, i'm
periously require the order have recommended =
There is no harmony between him and the public
authorities Of the territory and it is evident that he
is in the highest state of exacerbated feeling ac
count of an atrocous outrage all deccncy and
propriety, in burning him in efhgy at Tallahassee,
This infamous proceeding, which ought to have been
arrested and punished by the authorities at the seat
of government, does not justify Gen. Scott for4the
degrading epithcis and insults he has offered to- ~
whole population. In his published orders, he rep
resents the conduct Of the people of Middle Florida
as ''infnitcly humliatingn and the people ''wild
with fear" possessed of "a disease SO general andso
degrading'
This is not the usual language of MA ior general
commanding frontiers, and should not, under
any circumstances. be rcsorted to. whatever NAV
have been the disappointments and wounded sens-
blties of a commanding general. ask upon what
authority he says there were ltist five Indians.
who have produced that CONSERVATION. panic, and
flight, of which he has drawn picture derogato-
ry to the whole population 1t is we'll known that
the Indians show their whole force and if five
have penetrated into the country from the Indian
boundary. to within few miles of the seat of goy-
ernmcnt, a much larger number will soon follow
AS Gen Scott did not succeed, with five thousand
men in destroying five Indians, he might have spar
ed the inhabitants be has left defenceess such de-
grading denunciations. AS that however, is an af-
fair between him and the Governor, rs to the num-
ber of the enemy, and defence Of Middle Florida,
shall proceed to what is the object of this commune
ton.
My purpose is, most respectfully to request an in
qury into the manner of conducting the late cam
paign in Florida, and into the conduct of the major
general commanding for having gone into summer
quarters the last Of April leaving the country with
out defence: and the inhabitants at the mercy ofthe
Indians. -sf
Major General Scott had power to call upon the
Governors Of South Carolina. Georgia, and Alabama,
for any number Of men that he might consider ne
cessary to put an end TO the war. Congress- by law,
had provided ample means: and whilst he was in
command, the Governor of Florida had no power to
call for troops. Gen Scott, after unsuccessful cam
paign diSbanded the whole militia force; but the
term ofservce of portion of it had expired, and he
has neither called, by draught for volunteers for
any other further military force. He has, on the
contrary. refused the acceptance of some that was
offered, and has disarmed the militia of East Flor
ida
When called upon, now, to furnish adequate force
for the protection Of the frontier he complains of
his limited means. when it is apparent from the
above statement. that his means only limited bv
his discretion, and that he has power, at any mo-
ment. to order any number from Georgia or South
Carolina. He admits that 5000 men are necessary
to subdue these Indians and that he has but 900
under his command. Now, ask why is it that lie
has not these 5000 men in the field that he deems
necessary! He, and lie alonei is responsible for all
the lives and property of the inhabitants that may
be destroyed for the want of that protection anil
security which every citizen of the Republic has
right to look for from his Government Added to
this, the feelings of the people outragedby rep
reservations calculated to degrade and exposeethcm
to ridcule throughout the United States.
These people, you are aware, are Sparsely settled
over an extensive territory in detached neighbol-
hoods without any dense population to fall back up
without any fortified places in which to Ilacc
their wives and children for safety If upon the first
sound of an alarm, some small neghborhood should
90 in pursuit of even five Indians, they might as
they did with Gen Scotts grand arfy, dodge out of
the way: and fall back upon the women and child
rem in 1t is unnecessary. however. to detain
You with these details the complaint make is that
Mai. Gen. Scott has left that country without ade
quate projections and has not astifcient force either
for offensive defensive operations. He has pro-
duced state of feeling that fcrbids aiI harmony or
concert with the local authorities or people Of the
country and the public interests inlperious1v re-
quire his immediate withdrawal esHa
| have the honor to be, with high consiGeYa tions
of respect, sir, your most obedient servant
Jos. nj. WntTE.
President OF the IT. States
Endorsement on the bank of the above letter
Col. Joseph NJ White, Of Florida, requests the
withdrawal of Gen. Scott, from the command in
Florida
copy of this letter to be sent to Gen Scott with
order to withdraw from the command in Florida
true copy; A. j.
Sources of the Thames.
after long ascent yon come 10 some solitary .p4aa-
sy hills on the top of these under the shade Of two
or three aders, is little group of splashy springs
which trlckle away, forming as far the eve can
fellow them an insignificant BROOK Such is the mod
est infancy of the proud Thames felt aiie of poetry
come over my mind, as Thoughts how. bnt a few
hours ago, and but few miles hence, hal seen these
waters covered with thousand vessels: that this
;ts b,e1,v,