Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-02-13
Gen. Scott and Secretary Davis.

heads, withthe Secretary of war, and 1t
has been minated that an epistolary
War has been carried on with remarka-
bic vigor, on both sides. The volumi-
nous and bellicose correspondence has
been made public, the past week, by or
der of the Senate, and we think the pub
lie will be shocked atthe example of bad |
temper and spitefulness set before all the /
little boys and girls of the land BY these
grave and venerable dignitaries. Por-
tions of the correspondence read like a
paper alteration between two school
boys, and we almost regret that there was
not an officer high enough in command
to administer a wholesome spanking to
both of the wrathful warriors, and to i'm
pose upon them the task of committing
to memory the excellent verses Of DR..
Watts,
This Yituperative and ridiculous cor
respondence ought never to have been
made public but as it has been thrust
before the country, We reluctantly give
few specimens of it.
Secretary Davis, July p, says: " |
leave unnotieed the exhibition of peevish
temper, in reply to an inquiry from this
Department, etc.
Gen. Scott replies The whole let
ter in which you charge me with exhi-
biting a peevish temper, is as fippant in
its statements and logic, as in that accu-
sation. Certainly as Secretary of War
you haze done enough to warrant more
than a suspicion that, from the first, you
have considered it your special mission,
| by repeated aggression on my rights and
feelings to goad me into perilous attitude
Of nffia.'@n F'>'>1'vt9---.'-
Gen. Scott then alludes to one of the
Secretary's captious retorts, and his cap
ping the climax by usurpation and absur-
dity. He likewise says: d" Following
out our personal rebuke in the letter Of
the 18th, your object in violation of prin-
ciple, is to crush me into a servile obedi-
ence to your self-wiIl. I know your OBJ
stinacy, and know also what is due to
myself as a man and soldier and, if I
am to be crushed, 1 prefer it at the hands
of my military peers"
The Secretary Of War rejoins in an
unofficial note of August % : " Your
present accusation, which charges me
with usurpation for the most unworthy
ends, and imputes TO me motives incon-
sistent with official integrity, is consider
ed basely Hlalevolent, and pronounced
utterly false"
Gen. Scott, replying, August 6, says
4 have received note from you, dated
the ID, which you seem to desire me to
consider as unofficial. I shall not COM
ply with that singular fancy, as you can
have no legitimate claim to address me
except as Secretary of War. Accord
ingly, 1 shall treat your communication,
whether designed as private and scurril-
Gus, or as public missives of arrogance
and superciiousness, as equally official.
There are beauties in them which ought
not to be lost; and it shall not be nv fault
if they do not render your part Of this
correspondence a memorable example, to
be stunned by your successors"
Secretary Davis replies to this Sept.
Z: Nor am I at all to be deferred from
a full exposure of the groundlessness of
your charges, by the threats you make
OF rendering my part of this corrospon-
dence a memorable example to be shun-
ned by my successors This is the
meFest bravado in one who himself af-
tords the most memorable example on
the records Of this department, of vain
! eontroversialist defeated, and a false ac-
cuser exposed.
In letter from Gen. Scott, dated
JAN 81, 1856, we have the following =
Such continued reckIessness Of char
acter could only proceed from one whose
low ambition is aattered with the title Of
The Favorite.'
After referring to some rather unplea-
SAINT "reminiscences called up by Secre-
taFy Davis, General Scott says" For
revenge the SANDER respecting the trial
OF 1910 was disinterred by your letter Of
september, which being refuted in the
same month is now reproduced with va
ration.