Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-12-17
Euchanan's Final Reply to Scott

TiD tie Editors Of the National IaleiGgenceT:
With few remarks. / shall close the
controversy with Gen Scott, into which
| have been most reluctantly forced by
his voluntary and unexpected attack.
This has nevertheless. afforded Inc an op-
pnr:unity of correcting many untounded
r, orts which l had long born i'll patience
an in silancc.
in nv answer, | have already furnished
clear and distinct responses TO al the ale
-atiOns of Gen. Scott: and in his rejoin-
der he has not called in question any of
my statements, with Il single exception
Which of US is correct in this particular
depends upon the question whether his re-
collection of an event which occurred
more than eighteen months ago, or the
statement of Mr.. Holt, reduced to writing
on the very day, is entitled to greater
credit.
The General, in the introduction of his
reioinder. assigns rs an excuse for the
criticism on my public conduct that this
was merely incidental tn his alleged off,
/ cial r.port to President Lincoln on the
/ condition OF our Notifications, and was
not primarily intended for myself. From
! this statement one would conclude that he
I had made such Il report. But where is
! this to be found For it he refers to the
! TnteLligencer of the 2Ist of October; but
! there discover nothing but his letter of
! four points TO Mr.. Seward, dated on the
/ Sd of March. 1861, advising the incoming
! President how to guide his administration
| in face of the threatening dangers to the
country. In the single Introductory SEN
tence to this letter he barely refers to his
printed views" dated in October,
IS6O,) which had been long before the
public but it contains nothing like an
official report on the condition of the for
/ tifications.
Whether the introduction of this letter
to the public without the consent of Presi-
dent Lincoln, by one of the General S
friends, in n political speech during a
highly excited gubanatorial canvass, had
influenced him to prepare his criticism
on my conduct, it is not for me to deter
mine
At what period did General Scott OBJ
tain the six hundred recruits to which he
refers in his rcjoinderl This was GER
tainlv after the date of his :. views or
the 3Oth of October. 1860; because il
these he states emphatically that the force:
then at his command were Sin all five
companies only within reach to garrison
or reinforce the (nine) forts mentioned IL
, the 81 views"
Did he obtain these recruits in Novcm
: Der? If so, had he visited Washington
or written and explained to me in wha
= manner this military operation could b
! accomplished by the four hundred men il
I the five companies, and the six hundre'
, recruits. | should have given his represen
tations all the consideration eminently du
D to his high military reputation
, But he informs us he did not arrive i
Washington until the 18th of Decembel
= His second recommendation to garriso
G these forts must consequently have bee
. made, according to his own statement, o
a the 18th. 18th, 2Sth, or 30th of Decen
!. ber. or on more than one of these day
e At this period the aspect of public afiai
! had greatly changed from what it was
h October. Congress was now in session
r. and our relations with the Seeding Co
r. ton States had been placed before them
le the Presidents message
,o Proceedings had been instituted by tn
bodv with a view to a compromise of Il
r, dangerous questions between the Nor
Ia and the South and the highss' hopes al