Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-02-11

tion cannot be fairly understood by this mere
reference TO the subject.
Among the documents is the opinion Of Al
torney General Cushing, January, 1856, 20 the
effect that the act creating the rank Of Lieu.
tenant General does not confer upon General
Scott all the authority which was imposed ty
the law of 179S upon Washington, who was
thereby made the Commander of the army,
while General Scott was appointed Lieutenant
General by order Of the President OF the Uni
ted States. The rank carries retrospective par
and emoluments. but not retrospective author
ity. Fs
Gen. Scott's correspondence with the off,
GERS Of the Government goes back as far rs
1913. and that between him and the Secretary
Of War, during 1855, contains the following
features:
Secretary Davis, July 25th, 1855, says: '.I
leave unnoticed the exhibition OF peevi,h TEN
per in reply TO inquiry from this Depart
ment." &c.
Gen. Scott replies, July Goth 1t would be
easy to show that the whole letter, in which
you charge me with exhibiting apeevish tenn
per- is as fiippant in its statement and logic as
in that accusation" 'sCertainly, as Secreta-
- OF War, you have done enough TO warrant
more than suspicion, that from the first you
have considered it your special mission, By
peated aggression on my rights and feelings,
| TO goad me into some perilous attitude Of OIL
cial opposition. To prove my long fcrbear-
ance, for at my time Of life all angry discus
u
merate some Of the provocations alluded to,
without dilating in this place on your partisan
hostility to the Brevet of Lieutenant General
and to the compensation Congress intended to
attach thereto.''
Gen. Scott then alludes TO one of the Secre-
tary's Captains reports,'' and his "c1ppins
the climax by usuIpatioa and absurdity." He
likewise says: Following out your person
al rebu5e in the letter Of the 18th, your object,
in violation of principle, is TO crush me into 4
/ servile obedience to your self-wil. I know
your obstinacy, and I know also what is dre
to myself as soldier, and if am to be crush
ed, I prefer it at the hands of ny military
/ peers
The Secretary rejoins in an unofficial note,
dated August Is; ssYour present accusation,
which charges me with usurpation for the most
unworthy ends, and imputes to me motives in
consistent with official integrity, is considered
basely malevolent, and pronounced utterly
false.''
Gen. Scott replying. August 9th, says: 81
! have received note from you, dated I'd inst,
which you seem to desire me to consider ss
unofficial; I shall not comply with that singu-
| lar fancy, as you can have no legitimate claim
to address me, except as Secretary of Var
Accordingly shall treat your communications
whether designed as private and scurilous, or
as public missives Of arrogance and superciI-
iousness, IS equally official. There ass beau
| ties in them which ought not to be lost md it
shall not be my fault if do not renGer your
part of this correspondence memorable ex-
ample to be stunned by your successors"
To this the Secretary replies, September 7ih:
| 'sNor am to be at all deferred from full ex-
| posnre OF the groundlessness of your charges,
/ by the threats you make Of rendering my p Tt
Of this correspondence memorable example,
to be stunned by my successors. This is the
merest 0ravado in one who himself affords the
. most memorable example on the records OF
| this Department, OF vain controversialist de-
| feated, and a false accUser exposed