Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-11-07
Resignation Of Gen. scott.

General Scott was received by the Presi-
dent on Thursday afternoon last:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,)
WAsmNGToH, Oct. 81.
To lion. s. Cameron, Secretary Of Var!
SrR-For more than three years have
been unable, from hurt, to mount a horse
or walk more than u few PAGES at a time,
and that with much pain; other and new
infrmities, dropsy and vertigo, adm onish
me that repose of mind and body, with
the appliances of surgery and medicine,
are necessary to add a little more to life
already pratracted much beyond the usual
span of man. 1t is under such circum.
stances, made doubly painful by the I'M
natural and unjust rebellion now raging
in the Southern States Of our so late pros
porous and happy Union, that am COM
PEELED to request that my name be placed
on the list of army officers retired from
active service. As this request is founded
on an absolute right granted by recent
act of Congress ] am entirely at liberty
to say that it is with deep regret that l
myself in these momentous
times from the orders of President who
has treated me with distinguished kind
ness and courtesy, whom | know upon
much personal intercourse to be patriotic
without sectional partialitics or prejudices,
to be highly conscientious in the perform
ance of every duty, and of unrivalled ac-
tivity and perseverance. And to you, Mr..
Secretary, whom | now officially address
for the last time, | beg to acknowledge
my many obligations for the uniform high
consideration / have received at your
hands.
| have the honor to remain, sir, with
high respect,
Your Obedient Servant,
(Signed) WINFIELD SCOTT.
A special Cabinet council was conven-
cd on Friday morning at 9 o'clock, to
take the subject into consideration 1t
was decided that Gen. Scott's request,
under the circumstances of his advanced
age and inhrmities, could not be declined.
General Mcclellan was thereupon, with
the unanimous agreement of the Cabinet
notified that the command of the army
woulG devolve upon him. At 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, the Cabinet again wait
ell on the President, and attended him to
the residence of Gen. Scott. On being
seated the President read to him the fol-
lowing order:
On the first day Of November, 1861,
upon his own application to the President
of the United States, Brevet Lieutenant
General Winfield Scott is ordered to be
placed on the list of retired officers Of the
army of the United States, without reduc-
ton in his current pay, subsistence or al
lowances.
The American people will hear with
sadness and deep emotion that General
Scott has withdrawn from the active con-
troll of the army, while the President and
unanimous Cabinet express their own and
the nations sympathy in his personal
aflliction, and the profound sense of the
important public services rendered by him
to his country during his long and bril-
liant career among which will ever be
gratefully distinguished his faithful devo.
ton to the Constitution, the Union and
the flag, when assailed by paricdal re-
bellion.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Gen. Scott thercupon rose and address
sed the President and Cabinet, who had
also risen, as follows:
PRESIDENTS: This honor overwhelms me,
it overpays all service l have attempted
to render my country; if had and claims
before they are all obliterated by the ex-
preston ofapproval !the President with
the unanimous support of his Cabinet. !
know the President and his Cabinet well
| know that the country has placed it's
interests in this trying crisis in safe keep
ing; their counsels are wise, their .abors
are untiring as they are loyal, and their
cause is the right one.
President, you must excuse me, am
unable to stand longer to give utterance
to the feeling of gratitude which oppres-
ses me. In my retirement shall Offer
my prayers to God for this Administra
tion and for my country. | shall pray
for it with confidence in its success over
its enemies, and that speedily.
The President then took leave of Gen
Scott, giving him his hand and saying he
hoped soon to write him private letter
expressive of his gratitude and affection
The President added: General you will
naturally feel soicitude about the gentle
men Of your staff, who have rendered yor
and their country such faithful service
| have taken that subject into considera
ton. | understand that they go with yol
to New York. | shall desire them a
their earliest convenience after their return
to make their wishes3 known to me.
desire you, however, to be satisfied tha
except the unavoidable privation of YOU
counsel and society, which they so Ions
enjoyed, the provision which will be made
for them will be such as to render thei
relation as agreeable hereafter as it ha,
been heretofore.
Each member of the administration
then gave his hand to tho veteran and re
tired in profound silence.
The following is the response of tn,
Secretary of War to tho letter of General
Scott:
WAR DEPARTMENT.,
WAsuINGToN, Nov. |.
GENERAL; 1t is my duty to lay before
the President your letter of yesterday
asking to be relieved under the recent act
of Congress. In separating from YOU,