The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-27
Proposed Tessamsnial to Lieutenant-General
Scott

Scott It's drift is to bespeak for The veteran
come solid testimonial Of the public gratitude
for his eminent services. The argument is that
General Scott has done more for this country
than any living man that he has extended her
frontiers, defended her soil, preserved peace
within her borders; and that the reward he has
received for all this is poverty and neglect.
Hence, the Courier conceives, it would be fit
tipg-nay, it is duty for the people of the
United States to "make some demonstration in
order to vindicate the mselves from the odious
charge of iDgratitude and insensibility to great
actions;" in palmer words, to raise by subscrip-
ton such sum as will place the old hero at
his ease, release him from the pressure of pecu
mary need, and enable him to spend the re-
mainder Of his life in style suited to his rank
and fame
We concur most heartily in the idea. We
think it shameful that the greatest American
General Of the present century should in
his old age actually see his happiness dis
turbed by paltry cares about money. We know
OF nothing go disgracetul to the American people
as that they should use this glorious old man
in their need, send him abroad to fight their
battles, send him here to quen civil strife
and there to avert foreign wars-and when all
is over, the danger past, and the country
strengthen ned and increased by his valor, that
they should turn their backs on him, and think
they have done their duty by paying him
the pitiful emoluments of his rank. And we
are much mistaken if future cavillers do not
make large use of the fact to prove the
gradual Generalization of public sentiment in
the United States of America
Abroad of course such q thing could not
take place. The first impulse Of British
public is to give lands and rentrolls and titles
to him who fights the Queens battles; MARI
borough, Give, Nelson, Collingwood, Yelling
ton, Moore, and almost every other great
British General have been amply rep aid for their
tolls and their dangers; where Parliament has
not voted lands, the Queen has given offices
with fat salaries. The great French Generals
of the century have been better rewarded than
any other class Of celebrities in France. 1t is
SO Of course in Russia; and we know that in
Prussia and Austria, military prowess is al
most the only road to favor at court and the
advantages of rank and wealth which follow.
None OF these nations grudge their great sol
diers their proper need of honor; they glorify
fthem as loudly as we do ours; but the differ
(ence between us is that their gratitude does
not stop there; after the fire works and the
shouts and the triumphal professions, they give
gold and lands where we are satisfied with
giving newspaper panegyrics.
Some one may say: What have we to do
with foreign nations? Our plan is not theirs,
and their rules of conduct cannot apply to us.
Very true. Republics and monarchies cannot
properly be compared. Athens, we know,
starved her best men, and Plutarch traces her
ruin to that cause. Rome neglected her gene
rails and philosophers to pay honor to mere
possessors Of wealth, aud hence, Augustus
found her conquest easy. We seem to be fol-
lowing the example with Singular fidelity.
God knows our best men may starve for aught
the public knows or cares, AID poor old Gen
Scott, laden with glory, is chased to the grave
by duns.
Some time ago, British captain, under cir
cumstances of no ordinary peril, rescued from
shipwreck several American citizens. We made
god of him. We dined him and gave him
balls; he met the May or, the Comm IN Council,
the Chamber Of Commerce, and all sorts Of
other public bodies; we gave him testimonials
and presents; the crowd cheered him, and every
man pressed forward to squeeze his hand; and,
wha, was better than all, we gave him money
enough to quit the sea, and live quietly, if he
choose, on the interest Of his capital Now,
how trifing the service Of Captain Creighton
richly as it deserved the eward he got-in ON
parison with the deeds of Winfield Scott /!
Forty.two years ago, when most OF those who
read these lines were unborn or in the cradle,
he was winning the battles which saved the
northern frontier, and leading that glo-
rious charge on the banks of the Niagara
which, in every thing but its splendid result,
may fairly be likened to the late charge of the
British Light Cavalry at Balaklava. Had it
not been for Winfield Scott, Michigan might
then have passed into the hands of the enemy
and remained British to the present day. To
pass over his memorable services in the Indian
wars, we find him again serving his county
quite as usefully in avertng threatened war.
Those who have been close readers of history
are quite aware that nothing but the exquisite
tact, firmness and skill Of General Scott pre-
vented this great calamity. Again we find
him at The first call of danger, leading the
United States armies into the fields of Mexico;
doing battle as rudely with paltry ignorant
jealous administration as with the foe; com
batting disease as boldly as cannon balls; march
ing straight forward, from battle field to battle
field, from fort to fort, from citadel to CITADEL
and closing the war in less time, at less ex-
pense, and with less loss than any war of SINH
lar proportions in modern or ancient times.
1t we're feeble to add to these his large services
in organizing the army; in bringing the vari
GUS educational departments of the service to
perfection; in placing West Point on its present