The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-11-04
mar PAY OF LIEUT.. GEN. SCOTT.


sr that purpose has existed for several months to make
tbe action Of The President regard the pay of Lieut.
Cen Scott ground Of attack. Since the decision has
tsn announccd this purpose is openly ayowed The No
toaa htslleer ia a nsdioas mode of political war
Ers says il chad taken II for granted law Of 1913
expressly stating the pay aud smolumen,s to be allowed
that here could be no difficulty part Of the account
irs officers ia making the proper payment "lf how
eger rroc,cds the ysssce, there shall have arisen,
unexpectedly any aoob, upon matter apparently SO
rlan We have confidence that Congress viii promptly
give ample power 10 carry out its just and benea-
cent Intentions and the peoples unidentified de-
plreso The applied c,usure upon the decision of the
PfcAideht and the threat OF appeal TO Congress
for q. correction are made in the characteristic style Of
tie Assoaei sescaeo. The and the threat are
both basea upon article In the New York Expressa
journal published New York. where Gen. Scott at pres
snt has his headquar,crsr therefore, evidently
gardod by tho Iaieliysrer speaking by authority of
Gepgsal Scott The article in The Express opens with the
following paragraph
The nsW bat Gen. SCOTS claim for back pay and for
increased future pay has been allowed turns out mistake
The shadow Of Justice has been awarded but the substance
denied word Of promise kept to the but broken to
hope The Attorney General has fully decided In the
pDcrs favor the principle OF the law The Secretary Of
probation aud the Adjustment and has used the authority
thus reserved TO defeat this claim almost entirely"
After proceeding give short history of the case the
article in The Express concludes with these significant
words;
We trust and arc inclined to believe that the Gen
cral viii stoop TO accept ptance far below his
claims bis merits the intentions OF the law, and the wishes
OF the people, awarded under such creanstsnces."
We SHALL not stop 10 notice the absurd complaint that
the Attorney General was not required to settle the
counts Of General Scott, well settle the principle
which must govern the case. This complaint implies
an lnsnuaon that the Secretary of War or the
Ircsien, less disposed to deal Justly and fairly
with General Scott than the Attorney General--an
assumption wholly unwarran,sd by anything in the
conduct Of those distinguished func,ionaries As the
Secretary Of War entertained doubts to the principle
ola which should govern the decision Of General SCOTS
application for pay that question referred to the At
torney enera bat the reference Of the for
clement to that officer would have been wholly and
paPahiy imProper.
II viii be seem from the decision Of the President which
we publish below and the settlement OF General Scotia
made in pursuance thereof that the al
lowed him is Aoasasd fo hundred and se doors.
The amount claimed by General Scott about thirty
Thousand dollars The letter Of the President shows clearly
the grounds which he his decision and we have
hesitation in predicting that the country will fully
sustain his judgment in tho case An appeal to Con-
gress for justice, which Ia threatened by the Lteyea
Ger, may furnish occasion for political opponents
to Gsseil and msrcprescnt the motives Of his decision
but the Judgment Of just people will triumphantIy
sustain him, The Express speaks wholly dinercn,
language from that which secured the passage Of the
resolution Of Congress Tho appeal made to Congress
confer the title of lieutenant general on Gen. Scott MS
mark Of honorary dstinction but 1t that he
Jeek pay and The future increase pay were the real sub
stantia objects sough, be accomplished The shaae
Of usce has been aaraed bat the substance denied says
Gen SCOTS mou,hpiece in New York. The title has been
conferred thai is te shadobut the thirty thousand
dollars has been dened-tsa is ae susstonoe That was
not the language used when the resolution was be-
fors Congress If such considerations had then been
presented we risk little in saving that the rcsou-
lion would have been rejected. In fact whilst we
takeno exception the correctness Of the opinion of tho
Attorney General and coucede that upon the rules Of law
his decision was right We, orgetul Of the
cumstances under which the resolution passed. and Of the
impression under which members voted for It's passage
hot IMPRESSION uas a roua result aypropriaiag
arge omount Of he treasury In view Of these cir
cums,anees, we think tho Express shows but little
WsoN'h IA RECOMMENDING 'Sou W tfJcct thc
thousand dollars awarded him under the decision
the President for additional back pay OF his brcvc rank
Although the Express may regard tina, amount small
Apitance' that Gen Scott ought not to toop accept H.
we shall be disappointed If the country docs conclude
under all the circumstances that It is very substantial adj
diton TO bis pay major general especially the main
Object OF the law, declared when II passed the hon.
orary distinction which it conferred Bat wi,hca, further
comment and with tic fullest confidence that the decision
OF the President viii meet the approval jus, and liberal
people, we gre place to the following letter and the
campaigning statement Of the account settled By The
War Department:
WAmiscros, Oct. 90 isss.
SR return herewith the various papers submitted
the 18th instant for my dccics in relation the os
OF Bevet Lieutenant General Scott for pay and so~ aecs
under the resolution Of February Is 1855 In the adas
of the account let be assumed that, far pay and
%, i79s either repealed tthouah may have
been modified repealed, revived by the resolution
of February Is, 1885, and 10 now in force.
I'd. That the resolution retroactive In is operation
3d. The and of its operation be do
termined by the odc already provided for in ubordnsse
grades " 10 other words by extending by analogy laws
determining command in the lower grades" Brcyet Lieut.
Gen. Scott Is therefore, entitled The pay and sow.ncs
his brevet rank since March 90 isaT during such period
time peace he may have been duty
general of the army, and all times hen the
field with command Of not less than eight regiments
ith. Bevet Lieut. Gen. SCOTS pay and allow
be computed for grade. lie cannot at the time
draw allowances for two.