The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-11
General scott's Great Campaign In the
NEST.

West.
Everybody has heard Of the devout Mussulman
v BIO made solemn vow to roam his native pro-
vince in search Of q convenient secluded spot for
mosque, but who having thought it not inconss-
tent with his sacred task to provide himself with
D, dlars basket instead sf wallet, anna sad by de-
gees a comfortable competency, and Immediately
discovered that he woali best discharge his duty
to Allah by building q c6aDSry house, where ne
could spend the remainder Of his days in ease and
quiet IJis to be hoped that if the Commander M
Chief seems to have lost sight Of the ostensiole
motive Of his journey to Cincinnati, in the excite
ncnt of mole personal concerns, the military hos
pital will not eventually share the fate of the pro-
jecsed mosque We may, perhaps, be content 70
notice his electioneering tactics with mere sme'
but more severe Reproduction would be due from as
if the fascination Of the contest altogether eaced
the object of his mission from his memory We
confess that should like to find in his speeches
little more about those =" official duties" of which
so much was said when General Scott received the
first Ohio deputations-even though the allusoa
were TO cost us . few Of those rounded periods IN
which his military services urged IS claiua on
the countrys gratitude IL is delightful thing,
doubt, to discover that, like Caesar, Napoleon, and
other Of that calibre, our General aims being
as great on the rostrun in the feld; bat this
propensity to speechifS grows one; aud should
feel easier about the YUM if heard that site
had been selected, &nd our kero's esical duties"
duly discharged.
Meanwhile, to compensate US for our anxiety, it
is satisfactory 60 know chat the Scott speeches are
an acquisition to the literature Of the country.
High literary authority has pronounced them equal
to thing spoken by Deraosthenes or Cicero,
and far superior, Of COURSE to the harangues of a
mere Henry. Calhoun, Clay, or o Webster. We
may be permitted perhaps, to remark that they are,
at all events, unique of their kind; and, without in
stitutiog comparisons between General Scott and
the civil orators he is said to have surpassed,
must say that we can trace no resemblance in his
speeches to the eloquence Of the other eminent men
OF his profe ssion. Some-and these not the least
were mere soldiers, and spoke as they acted,
decisvely and to the point; such, for instance,
Wellington, whose speeches have been thus summed
up:-s Men, you are well fed and well paid; if you
don't do your duty, you viii be shot" Others,
such as Alexander, united cultivated mind to o
brilliant Imagination, and swayed their legions as
much by the winning skill of their tor CUES as by
| their sword Cesar was one of the leading orators
of the Senate; he never led his cohorts to battle
without first infaming them with speech. The
safety Of the republic, the honor Of the army, and
the prospect of plumber, were the chief themes Of
his hsrangues. Napoleon, as is we'll known, dealt
largely in figures
He could not ope
His mouth, but ont there flew q trope:
and being all skilfully woven round the main
theme-ia glai,e-they were the most powerful st-
mulants which could be applied to the French
army. The 'forty centuries looking down from the
Pyramids" will live as long as the world continues
to produce orators.
General Scott resembles none Of these. He has
neither the aconm of Wellington nor the brilliant
wit Of Aristote's pupil, the profound views of
| Caesar, nor the thrilling tones of Napoleon. No
pulse beats any faster as the words flow from his
mouth lie trad neither the hope Of future glory
nor on the national ambition of his fellow citizens
He does not touch single chord in their hearts.
True he need not excite them to such pitch of en-
thusiasm would be desirable if he were about to
scale wall or carry baston. Provided he inspire
moderate share Of personal friendship and esteem,
his end viii be attained but even this would have
been claimed by the great generals we have men
toned in I" lava floods of fiery energy Gen SCOTS
eloquence may be summed up in three sentences
My friends you see before you the hero Of many
well fought field, who comes, with bis companions
in arms. to solicit your votes for the Presi iency
dpropos Of a military hospital This State penn
sylvania, Ohio, Indiana, or Kentucky, as the case
may beg is the most lustrous State of the Union ;
it has produced the bravest warriors the greatest
statesmen, the most eloquent orators, the tallest
men, the most beautiful women, the finest horses.
the richest Irish brogue, the strongest German ac-
cent, and the best breed of cattle in the world.
thank you from the bottom of an old soldiers heart
but don't forget the votes We venture to say tina
all the speeches delivered by General Scott on his
Western tour, do not contain single idea beyond
these. The phrases vary, and the compliment is
adorned with different flowers of language, but the
sense is the same.
At Pittsburg no g reverts to the gallant soldiers
ofPepnsylvanis, both volunteers and regulars whom
he has often led to BATTLE and who had stood by
him with unfaltering bravery and fidelity on the
fields Of Canada and the heights of Mexico. He
loves Pennsy lvana for her fidelity to the Union as
wen as for her other virtues" At Columbus, it is
the fact that the citizens Of the Empire State Of
the West condescend TO welcome him, which over
comes HIM lie is equally gratifed to approach
the glorious State of old Kentucky land Of patri-
otism and valor" Borrowing Macbeths phrasso-
logy, he knows " it is kentucky that he sees be-
fore him, and brilliant is the array of her
heroes, living and dead" He has "fought and
bied by the side of her brave Kentucky, famous
for the valor Of her troops as for the beauty
of her daughters-he has never known q battle.
field where her sons were not present, doing hoaor
to their country" Again, at Paris, "Kentacliy IL
not the place to ground claims to extraordinary dis
tinetion for deeds OF arms Through the wars
with Great Britain and Mexico, her cons have beea
distinguished on every field of battle-and excel
all others in their power of oratory, and able
manlike qualities Kentucky, ADDS the old Gone
raj in burst of enthusiasm, and finding the usual
compliment NOT sufficiently compendious, i" is cele-
brated for everything great in the beauty of her
forests great in the fertility of her soil grant in the