Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-02-12
FROM WASHINGTON.


Feb. 5 Scott and Davis correspond
snce is very voluminous; from hasty ex-
animation of the documents it appears that
Scott declined 10 give open and specific in
formation 10 Davis regarding the expendi-
ture of secret service money in Mexico, be-
lieving no obhgat on OF public or private
honor, according to the usages of nations
and armies. required him to disclose names.
Under the rirc umstauces he, however, ex.
pressed Willingness 20 give such informa-
ton for his privste ear alone. which the
Secretary said he was willing to receive in
confidence.
in November, '55 the President writes io
D.v:s, saying in substance. that Gen. Scott
states two grounds on which he has learned
that hesitated to allaw the FIVE per cent
conn isSIun 1t is proper TO remark, he has
been misin formed or misaPprehended my
position H himself fixes three and half
per cent. wh hich' be might have properly re-
ceived for Is disbursements in Mexico; and
a balance stuck upon that bass, was the
subject of convers ,tion between US.
d v:s. in response 10 The President, in
IOTilS Illll lEil OCO' Hdu CIiITueQ himself
with the sum Of 926l691, all excepting
S39, 900 were levied and captured in Mex-
leo, and took credit for dsbursinE S255 SAL;
leaving S6,i5o withheld by Scott in his ac-
count. This balance the President author
lzed Scott, through the eeretary Of War;,
to retain, Scott in a letter dated New York,
De-. '55, writes that there are two items
making ;5Il;S85 against him as not admit
ted or disallowed by the President, on ac-
count of five per cent charged oy him on
all monies 6sbursed. He says it was en-
tirely within the competency of the Presi-
dent to allow tnat charge, and asks that
such be brought against him BY the Gov
ernment. 10 recover the amount lamed to
/ be due him by nearly $4,000. But The
President declined to enter suit. There
are many ex llaaalions re atiye to these fig
ures, but the financial part OF the transac-
tion cannot be fairly understood by this
mere reference to the subject in question.
Among the documents is the opinion of
Attorney General Gushing, Jan. 1856, to
tine effect tina. the act o, creating the rank
of Lieut. General does not confer upon Gen.
ScJtt all the authority of which was impos-
ed 5y the law of l79S dpon Washington,
vino b, as then retiring, made Commander
of armie :, while Gen. Scott was appointed
Lieut.. General b: the authority If the Pres
idcnt Of til. United STATS. Tee IA k car
rics retrospective Ply aid emoluneats, but
10 retrJsp, cj;ve authority.
Ga. Sco;t's corre-p 4ence with the
ul!.Iss ct Gyvefnment goes back as tar as
ISIS, ani that betws, him and the Secre-
ia Y q War, during 1855, contains the fol-
loving 'eaJu.eS, 10 wi,:
sSocr, ta-y ID D4vis, Ja'y 18th, 1855, says
| ieavt unH1.i ic- 4, the ex.iuiti1n of peeV-
+. i>n temper in Tepy t. al inquiry from this
dcya tmenI.
Gen. Scots replies. july 30th. it would
be ,asy To saoH thai the wEoie letter in.
- hicn you charge me with exhibiting q
peevish ,empgr which is os iiippant in lis
staten Ms as in th1t ac~usatirn. Certain
Iy, as Secretary ii War, you have done
cnou4!fto war; ut more IN n 4 suspicion
tnai from t first you have considered it.
, your special Il. ssion, by repeated a-gres-
lion on NY rights ard .eeiIas to q ad ne
into some frivolous att.Iude q. off -iaI oppo-
sii.on. 10 prove my iOnL experience, fos at
nv tine oI lie all angry discussions are
painful. will NV proceed 10 eu.merats
some .! the product Oas ALLUDED 10 with
cut aetain rs IN tLi, pace on y0nr- -par.isan
hos spit4l.Iy, 10 5reyet OF Lieut.. G neral and
to he compensation tina; Coagress intended
, - attach thereto. Gen. Scott then alIudes
10 ore OF ;..e Seerr'ary's capital reports and
his Gaping the climax b. usurpdtion and
:bsurIirv. He likewise saws. ioi owing
,oI. personal r, buke N your letter of the
18th. Your I, Jet, in Viola ion of principle
j. lU crush me mo i seTvilt obedience TO
, Yourself Wen, know your o5s,inlcy and
know, s. what is Cue to myself as a man
aud soloier, and if am to be crushed |
pre.erit al the hands of MY military peers.
The Secretary enjOins in an unofficial
no;e. dated Avg. IND. Your present accu-
saii n, which charges me with usurpAticn
for ms; unworthy ends, and impu;es to me
motives inconsistent with official integrity,
is considered baseiy maleyo!ent and pro-
n ,unced atIell false
Gen. Scott replying, Aug. Sth, says: I
resolved a note from you, dated and inst,
which You seem to des re me TO consider as
uaolicia. shall no; comply with that
singular fancy, as YOU can have no legiti-
mate ain to address me except as Secre-
tary uf War. Accordingly, | shall treat
your communications, whether designed as
private and scurrious, or as public missives
o. arro- auce and superciliousness, as equal
ly Off ial. There are beauties in them
which ought now, and it shall net be my
fault i; do not rerd>r your part OF this cor
res Spondence memorable example to be
slammed by your successors.
To this the-S cFetary replies. Sept. 9TH:
Nor am to be at all deferred from full
expo, ure of,he groundiessness Of your eharg-
eS by the threats you make of rendering my
par, Of the correspondence a memorable ex-.
ample to be Stunned by my successors.--
Thls is the merest bravali in cue WHO NJ
Sc! all IDS TIE mos memorable examplS on
TIE re :, j. oi the department. o. vain con-
rroyersiasis; e. eaied, aud .a.se &C II
cyl o i
I t, X publican Congrss<meu from Tndi-
an. have dispatches rom indianapolis. Ihst
instead at 20 ), na,ors being present a the
al! gcd Senatorial election yesterday, but %
OF o; 30 attended, ! less than quorum,
agl 81 representatives, > less than qu'-
rum The Senate. by mai. bad denoun-
crj the int convention as illegal and un-
authorized.
LARS BEEyES-The Washiagtnn, Pi.,
Examiner OF .cs,erday, state that VI. ROb-
Z ri Cha-,toa a butcher ol that rVuSh, las;
week. ki,lrd three be",es, purchased FROM