Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-02-09

to such a spirit If not sicory is yet revenge
To this the Secretary OF War returns u lengthy re-
ply, aud Gen. Scott again retotts My silence, UNI
der thc revocation has been the result first o
pity aud next Of fargcifllucss Compassion il al
,yass due ohn enfaged inbeclc vino LAYS about him
blow hch hurt onl, himself or who At worst seeks
10 siide bis opponent by the dint ofnangbty words.
The following il m appropriate nus 10 this rare
specimen Of official correspondence -
WAR DEPARTMENT, Nay q, 1856.
SIR have received your letter Of the 10Th ins:.
| TIE delay Cor which You make bypoeritca apollo
gyl ls strengthened you To resume the labor Of Vi
| Hpernton, bat having only IN this correspondence
stamped Won with talsehood, and whenever You have
presented tangible point convicted yon hy cpncn-
SIZE proof have ceased to regard your ahusc and
IA sou present nothing in this letter which requires
remark om gratifed to be relieved from the necess
Is Of further exposing your malignity and dcprayity
Your obelent servant, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Breyct Lieut.. Gen. WINFIELD Scorr
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The correspondence
between Gen. Sent and Secretary Davis quite
/ youminous From hasty examination of the
various documents it appears that Gen Scott de-
clined to give open and specific information TO
| Dir Davis regarding the expenditure of the Sc
cret service money in Mexico, believing that no
obligation of public or private honor, according
to the usages of nations and armies required him
! 10 disclose names and circumstances. He how
ever expressed willingness to give such intor-
nation for his private ear alone which the SccIe-
tarv said hc was willing to receive in confidence.
In November, 1850 the President of the United
States writes 10 Secretary Davis saying in sub
stance:--"Gen. Scott states two grounds on
which he has learned that hestated TO allow
the five per cent. commission. 1t is proper to
remark that he has been misinformed or misap-
pretended my position He himself fixed 30
per cent. which he might properly receive for his
Disbursements in Mexico; and "A balance struck
hos In sphi acfn f ti1p
between us"
Mr.. Davis, in response to the President in
forms him that Gen. Scott had charged himself
with the sum of 26l ,69I, all of which, excepting
ing 100000. were levied and captured in Mex-
co, and took credit for disbursing S255,54l, leav
ing S., ljj withhold by Gen. Scott his
count This balance the President authorized
Gen. Scott, through the Secretary of War, to re-
tain.
Gen. Scott, in n letter dated New York, De
cember, 1859. writes that there two items,
making + | ,S85, against him not admitted or
dsallowed by the President account of five
per cent charged by him on all moneys disburs.
ed He says it was entirely within the cOmpc.
tency of the President to allow that charge, and
he asks that suit be brought against him by the
government TO recover the amount claimed to be
due by him. nearly $4,000 But the President
declined to enter suit There many expapa-
tons relative 10 these figures, but the financial
parts Of the transaction cannot be fairly under
stood by this mere reference to the subject.
Among the documents is the opinion of Attor.
ncy General Cushing, dated January. 1856, to
the effect that tho act creating the grade of Lieu
tenant General does not confer upon Gen Scott
all the authority which was imposed by the law
Of 1893 upon Washington, who thereby
made the commander OF the armies. while Gen.
Scott apr ointed lieutenant general by order
Of the President of the United States. 1t car
ries retrospective pay and emouments, but not
retrospective authority.
General SCOTS correspondence with the Off
eers of the government, goes back far as 1913,
and that between him and the Secretary of War
during S55 contains the following features:-
Mr., Davis, on July 18th, says: Il leave unno-
tced the exhibition of peevish temper in reply to
nm inquiry from this department, etc" Gen.
Scott replies, July 3D,h; at would be easy to
show that tho whole letter in which you charge
me with exhibiting peevlsh temper is as flip
pant in its statements and logic in that uccu.
sation." Certainly rs Secretary of War you
have done enough to warren: more than sus-
picion that from the first you have considered it
your special mission by repeated aggressions on
my rights and feelings to goad mo into ssme per.
ious attitude of official opposition.
To prove my long forbearance, for at my
time of life all angry discussions are painful,
will now proceed to enumerate some oflhe prov
ocatIons alluded to, without datng in this place
On your partisan hostility to the hrevct of lieu
tenant general, and to the compensation Congress
intended to attach thereto" The General then
( alndes to one of the Secretary's "captous re-
torts' and his Gaping the climax by uSurpn-
ton and nbsurdity.' He likewise snys: " Fol
| lowing out your personal rehuke in the letter of
the l2h, your object, in violation of principle, is
! 10 crush me into II servile obedience to your self
will. know your obstinacy, and | know also
what is due TO myself as amAn and soldier and
II am to he crushed, prefer it at the hands of
my military peers"
The Secretary rejons. in unofficial note
dated August ID: ''lour present accusation
charging me with usurpotion for the most un-
worthy ends, and mpuing to me motives incon-
sstent with official integrity, is considered base
! ly macvolcnt and pronounced utterly false
General Scott replying. August 9th says :
: have received note from you dated on the
I'd INST, which you seem To desire me to CON
slider unofficial. | shall not comply with your
singular fancy. a. you can have no legitimate
claim to address me except as Secretary Of War
Accordingly | shnll treat your communications,
whether designed rs private and scurrouS. or
rs public missives of arrogance and supercilious-
ness, equally official. There are BEAUTIES in
them which ought not to be lost. aud it shall not
! he my fault if de not render your part Of this
correspondence memorable example TO be shun-
ned by your SUCCESSORS"
To this the Secretary replies Sept. 9TH "Nor
an at all TO be deferred from full exposure of
the groundlessness of your charges, by the
threats you made of rendering my part of this
! correspondence a memorable cxample to be shun-
mel by my SUCCESSORS, This IS the meanest bra
vado IN one who himself afor the most memo
rable example ON the records of this de-
partment, of II sane controversiast defeated and
false nccuser exposed"
yuYsrr suul "