The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-08-13
Gen. scott and the New \ OrIE City Aus
thoritles


thoritles
The N. Y. Evening Post publishes a de-
tailed account ofan angry controversy which
occunedin in Che year 1917, between the au-
Iihorities Of that city and Gen. Scott, in re-
llatioa to some buildings which the latter,
Ithenin command Of The lst and Bird Military
Districts, and having his head quarters at
Castle Clinton, persisted in a determination
to eHctupon the extremity OF the HBattefy'
in defiance of the wishes both of the author
tiles and Of the citizens, The affair seems
to have produced a high degree Of excite
ment at the time, but is now Of no further
interest TO the country at large, than as ii
serves TO show the qualities Of the chief ac-
Tor it. In this respect il isimportant, for
whatever may be said of the propriety or
policy Of attacking private character in po-
Ilitical controversies, the character and quail
tiles Of candidate for office, are essential
considerations in determining as to his fit.
ness for the post he seeks. Besides; il is not
the private character of Gen. Scott which is
in this instance exposed, but his public, off.
cial conduct as Major General in the United
Estates service. We have not time OF space
to give the particulars Of the controversy,
but the material parts are briefly these: The
Legislature Of New York had granted TO the
Icity Corporation, for the purpose of erecting
works OF defence, certain lands, and among
the rest, the "Battery." The City authori-
ties had afterwards ceded to the U. States
Tor like purposes small part Of the "Bat-
tery." adjoining the bridge connecting it with
Castle Clinton-now known as Castle Gar
den. On the 10th Of July. Gen. Scott sent
to the Mayor note signifying his intention
to erect some one story buildings on this
tract. This communication was referred 10
a committee which on the 18th Aug. sub
rnitted report, expressing the hope that
Gen. Sept would not prcsist in his design of
erecting the buildings and also expressing
the opinion that the u. States had no right
under the grant from the city, to appropriate
the ground to such purpose.
Without paying the slightest attention 10
this report, General Scott proceeded 10 make
arrangements for putting his design in exc
cution, and on the 9th of October addressed
to the Mayora letter so insulting in its terms
that the city authorities refused to hold any
further correspondence with him. When il
became generally known that such design
was entertained. the greatest sensation was
aroused. The Council resolved to defeat
the attempt at all hazards, and TO that end
adopted several resolutions calculated to
throw obstacles in the way of the prosecu-
ton of the work. and finally, directed the
Street Commissioner TO proceed in the usual
way to remove so much of the buildings as
had been erected together with the materials
collected for their construction. A public
meeting OF the citizens was held in which
General Scott was roughly handled, and the
people began to collect around and upon the
" Battery" and to give unmstakable evidence
OF determination TO put a stop to the thing
by force lift could be effected in no other
way. When matters had arrived at this
point, and General Scott saw clearly that il
would be impossible for him 10 proceed
without direct collision between the citi-
zens and the soldiers under his command. he
finally consented to suspend operations un-
til letter could be dispatched to President
Monroe. A letter was accordingly written
by the Mayor to the President who, through
the Secretary of War, ordered General Scott
to desist from his purpose, and there the mat
ter ended.
Throughout the whole series of transactions
General Scott displayed the same traits of
character which have been exhibited by him
upon so many other occasions -oyerweenin
selfesteem, and insuferable arrogance. He
manifested disregard of the rights and feel
ings OF the citizens of New York, which
brought down upon him the indignant rebuke
OF both press and people, and which must
have rendered his intercourse with the cili-
zens anything but pleasant thereafter. Is
this the sort of man whom the American
people desire to see in the highest office
within their gift? We think not.