The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-02-13
Quarrel Between JEFF. Davis and
Gen Winfield Scott.

''"~'hoiH ioN"iOui9hiS Hao ue5u emploJ
ing his leisure hours in writing abusive !
and scurrilous letters to Gen. Scott. 80
The following..is sketch Of them and-ex-
hibits the treatment the old veteran re
coived from the Administration
The correspondence between General
Scott and Secretary Davis, recently com
munieated to Congress, aud about
which considerable curiosity has been
expressed, has been partially made pub.
lie, and to judge from the specimens we
give below is bitter, and personal TO an
unusual degree on both sides. II opens
with a letter from General Scott, dated
July 80, 1855, in which he says:
Certainly, as Secretary Of War, you
have done enough to werrant more than
a suspicion that, from the FIRST, YOU had
considered it your epecial mission, by
repeated aggressions on my rights and
feelings, TO goad me into some pefilous
attitude Of official opposition"
Then follows a long communication,
setting forth official acts of the Secreta-
ry Of War, such as Issuing orders, &c,
to frontier posts, done without General
Scotrs appreciation
Az the request Of General Scott, this
document was referred to the President,
and referred without comment.
In reply, Secretrey Davis sent the fol-
lowing official note!
@St.-
Your letter Of the 3Oth Of July was
received yesterday and rs you requested
was referred to the President. When
returned to ME it will be answered.
You have taken the occasion Of an off
cial correspondence to make unfounded
imputations upon my motives, and to use
such language as my idea of the re-
quirements of official courtesy does not
permit me to notice in my official char.
acter, and therefore adopt this unoffi.
cial mode. You ascribe to partizan hos
tility my opposition TO comforting on you
the title Of Lieutenant General, but that
opposition was actively and publicly
made when l was member Of the Uni
ted States Senate, and chairman Of the
Committee Of Military affairs You
were then known to the country as dis.
linguished soldier, but had not been for.
ced upon public attention as partzan
politician, nor as such been Judged by
the people or approved by me. You GER
lainly had better opportunity o,know of
my opposition then than it was merely
that Of well.settled and long entertain
ed opinion held by me in position
which separated me from particips.
ton in the active business in Congress.
My views were publicly given as Sena-
tor to a sufficient extent to show on what
, my judgment rested and your present
accusation, which charges me with usur.
laton for the most unworthy ends, and
imputes to me motives inconsistent will
, official integrity, is considered basely
maleyolent and pronounced utterly false
Your obedient servant.
JEFF. DAVIS.
{ This note, though unofficial, is reptile,
1 to by Generally Scott officially, who in
sists upon spreading it upon the files o
the Department. THIS reply is date,
a August 9th, and Secretary Davis reioin
S again September 7th, at gaeat length
= and reviews the specifications in Genera
Scotts indictment against him.
, The General next grants leave Of ab
sence to Col Hitchcock, under oircum
stnnces not approved by the Department
{ and is ordered Is countermaud or revok,
the leave OF absence. This he refused {,
do, assigning his reason therefor. Thii
reason was referred to the President
who endorsed the reason assigned as un,
satisfactory. The Secretary Of War will
report his views as to the means best cal.
cuhted TO secure promptitude in. the ex.
eoution of orders relative to the move.
ments Of the army.
Secretary Davis recommends that The
headquarters of the army be moved from
New York to the seat of government.
{ The following letter from General Scott
an answer to this suggestion;
headquarters Of the Army, J
New York, Sept. go, 1855 (
Sir;-With all the records OF the army
and every compulsory assistance at hand
you have, by toll Of more than five
weeks on what 20 your nature must hav,
been labor Of love, poured only upon
me ia twenty-seven compact iooscat
pages, this full measure OF your spleen
and vengenoe. It's precursor was savage
and sournlous, but the slowly concoo-
ted venom now vented is no doubt fond.
| ly relied upon to kill At once. The felo.
NOUS intent is clear enough. Noverthe.
less, you may be forced to barrow the
exclamation, 'Tis not done,. aad the at
tempt, and not the deed. conlounds
Us"
This Is followed by a long defence
Of his cause, couohed in rather strong
language.
Tho Secretary Of War replies again
December 90, reviying the matter in
controversy at great length, and exposing
many matters Of General Scott's money
dealings with the government; referring
% one item. the Secretary says:
"The law did not allow you what you
paid to yourself That payment to your
sell-what meanness does it display?-
What could have bean less consistent
with the generosity and magnanimity
which should have the first in rank
among band Of gallant soldiers. You
awarded 10 yourself the whole per centage