The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-16

da, Texas, New Mexico, California, Ore
gon, Washington Territory, Kansas, Me-
braska, Minnesota, leaving not compa-
ny for Utah" And again, in his report
Of November, 1853, he says
"This want of troops to give reasona-
bic security to our citizens in distant
settlements, including emigrants on the
plains, can scarcely be too strongly sta
ted but will only add, that as often
as we have been obliged to withdraw
troops from one frontier in order to rein
force another, the weakened points have
been instantly attacked or threatened
with formidable INVASION
These "Views" of Gen. Scott exhibit
the crude notions then prevailing even
among intelligent and patriotic men ON
this subject of secession. In the first
sentence the General, while stating that
"to save the time the right of secession
may be conceded" yet Immediately says
'this is instantly balanced by the cor
relative right on the part of the Federal
Government against an interior State or
States to re-establish by force, il neces-
sary, its former continuity of territory"
(For this he cites "Paley's Moral and
Political Philosophy, last chapter" II
may be there, but have been unable to
find IT'D While it is difficult to ascertain
his precise meaning in this passage he
renders what he did not mean quite clear
in his supplementary "yiews." In these
he says: ut will be seen that the views
only apply TO case of secession that
makes gap in the present Union. The
falling off, say of Texas, or of all the At
lantic States, from the Potomac South
(the very case which has occurrcd), was
not within the scope of Gen. SIS "provi-
sional remedies;" that is TO say, TO es-
tablish by force, if necessary, the contn-
uity of our territory. .rF
In his "views he also states as fol-
lows: "But break this glorious Union
| by whatever line or lines that political
madness may contrive, and there would
be no hope of recruiting the fragments
except by the lsceration and despotism
| of the sword. To effect such result the
| intestine wars Of our Mexican neighbors
would in comparison to ours, sink into
mere child's play" In the Generals
opinion, "a smaller evil (thsn these in
testine wars) would be to allow frag
ments OF the great Republic TO form them
selves into new COnfederacies, probably
four" He then points out what ought
TO be the boundaries between the new
Unions; and at the end of each goes SC
far as even 20 indicate the cities which
ought to be the capitals of the three first
on this side of the Rocky Mountains, to-
wit: Columbia, South Carolina; ;" Gal.
ton or Quincy, Illinois ;" and "Albany
New York :" excluding Washington City
altogether. This indication of capitals
contained in the original now in my pos
session, is curiOusly omitted in the YER
sion published in the National IatelA
gepoe He designates no capital for th,
fourth Union on the Pacific. The reade
will judge what encouragement thes
views, proceeding from so distinguished
source, must have afforded to the Seces
sionists of the Cotton States
trust have said enough, and NOR
than enough, to convince every mind VIII,
, l did not, with force of five cOmpanie'
, attempt TO reinforce forts Jackson an
st. Philip, on the Mississippi; Fort Nor
4 gan, below Mobile Forts Pickens an
| McCrea, in Pensacola HarbOr; Fort Pu
: laski, below Savannah; Forts Moultr
, and Sumter, Charleston Harbor an
Fort Monroe, in Virginia.
r These "views" both original and SUI
C Elementary, were published by Gener
Scott in the National Intelligencer
: January 18, 1861, at the most importal
: and critical period of the Administr;
a tion. Their publication, at that tim
8 could do no possible good, and might {
Q much harm.
e TO have published them, without Il
h Presidents knowledge and consent, WI
i as much a violation of the sacred conf
n dence which ought TO prevail betweC
!. the Commanding General of the arm
r, and the Commander in Chief, as il wou
d have been for the Secretary of War
Y publish the same documents without h
r authority. What Is of more importanC
# their publication was calculated injl
= riously TO affect the compromise measure
# then pending before Congress and u
# country, and 10 encourage the secession
# lists in their mad and wicked attempt
Y shatter the Union into fragments. Fro
e the great respect which then entertain
# ed for the General passed it over in S
J, lenoe.
G II is worthy of remark that soon aft
d the Presidential election representation
of what these "views" contained, Of mo
. or less correctness, were unfortunate
Q circulated, especially through the Sout
= The Editors of the National Intelligel
II Ger, in assigning reason for their pu
a location, state that both in public prin
n and in public speeches allusions had be
n made TO them, and some misapprehe
y siohs of their character had got abroS
Is III and Ill General Scott states that
IS arrived in Washington on the 18th, an
t. accompanied by the Secretary of w
ID held conversation with the President
l. the 18th of December. Whilst have
j. recollection whatever Of this convers
l. tion, he doubtless states correctly tina
he did refuse 10 send three hundred men
ar reinforce Major Anderson at Fort MoI