Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-12-23
WISHING TON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

VASHI-NU ICLN I'VE IES iIND GOSSIP.
General scott's BiIl.-We are satisfied hat
the bill for the relief OF General Scott passed
the House yesterday upon insufficient knoEl-
edge of tae facts Of the case. Mr.. C.ingman
Of North CaIolins, than whom no man in
Congress is more careful in public action or
more devoted to The public good must have
been misinformed if he Is reported correctly
IN the na'uiDg papers. The report is as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Stephens Of Georges, desired to know
whether the Attorney General did 40. hold
that, under the existing law, Gen. Scott was
entitled &c the same amount that he would re.
ceye under the pending resolution, should it
receive the sanction Of Congress. He would
vote for the resolution upon that ground, and
not as gratuitJ.
Mr.. Clingman replied that the resolution
proposed to give TO Gen. Scott spactiy Dhot
me Attorney General held he ,c1S emitted 10
under The eSisting lar; but, inasmuch as
the Secretary Of War had doubts as to whether
be was authorized TO pay that amount, Mr..
G. deemed il but night that Congress should,
N this mode, instruct him upon the subject
He demanded the previous question.
We have not had time to examine the files
OF the StcJ in tlis connection, but cur recol-
lection Of the facts in the case of Gen. Scott is
as follows:
The Secretary Of War, in the discharge of
his off,ial duty, held that the act of Febru-
AIRY, 1855, authorizing the President to cen
fer the title Of Lieutenant General by brevet,
Wa only intended TO confer honor aud rank :,
and did not carry with it increased pay and
emoluments. General Scott was of different
opinion. The case was referred to the Attor
ney General for official opinion, who, after
consideration Of the case, ruled that the pro-
visions Of the law Of 1898, enacted for the case
OF General Washington, and under which the
ofhce Of Lieutenant General was frst created
either had never been repealed as TO pay and
emoluments, OF, if repealed in that respect
had been revived with the grade by the act
by which General Scott had, by the favor OF
President Pierce, been breYeted
Thsreupon, IS We remember, the President
took the execution Of the law upon himself
and, with the opinion of the Attorney General
as the basis, made up a statement Of the
amount e money due Gen Scott, AID ordered
tito be PAID him; which Of course was done
Thus, the President alone-not the Secretary Q:
"ar-csrried the law into execution. The
opiniOn Of the Attorney General was taken az a
guide on the point, whether there was in force
Any law fixing pay and allowances Of grade
OF Lieutenant General, and General Scot
tcaS atl01oeG tUeIy cent the opinion Of tht
attorney Gs~eT4I could yetre him.
In relation to pay pyopsr there was no 200 IL
for controversy, because General Scott wa:
clearly entitled under the Attorney General.
decision to two hundred and fifty dollars pei
month. As to forage, the President had dis
cretioasry power, and be gave General Scott
the highest regulation number, and thereby
increased hia pay tix dollars a month. As to
SERVANTS, tie President also decided bened
claily to General Scott by bis Interpretation
OF the law of 1895. IL was uDon yat.oas tina,
the decision Of the Chief Magistrate was I'm
pugned. The Law Of 1928 allowed to Genera
Washington forty rations a day. Genera
Scott, by sorae strange coDceii, imagined h,
wac entitled to eighty,-doubls the numte
given the Father Of bis Country" Fort,
rstiOos per day amounts TO two hundred sno
ioi'y dollars Ter month. Eighty rations Pc
DAY 70 four hundred and eighty dollars pc
month and 1T is this diff zee which Genera
eeot' is now claiming Of Congress against tn
deciflGn Of the rresdent not the Secre,a,v q
War.
The action Of the House, yesterday. seem
TO have been bsted upon the belief that Cen
soht lsI net received, by reason Of the &C
tion Of the Secretary Of War, wha, tie oficis
opinion Of the Attorney General decided b
was entitled to. Such is not the case II
has, by the direction Of the President, re
eeived all that The principles of public Law
eIpounded By the Attorney General, allowed
We observe that the bill passed yesterds
also includes the staff of General Scott
The Attorney General, We are quite sure, ha
decided that the law Of 1855 did not give in
creased Jay t, The military family of Genera
Scott. Why Should it, In that crse, then
II IS cert-in that tho law does more than carr,
out the opinion Of the attorney General.
We do Got wish to injuIe General SCOTIA
from II. We do not wish TO say anything nm