Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-15
Ego'r .5OAn T'aa BrrcH Gos II.

In speech IN New York the night before the
election, John Van Buren, said he would now
state how be came into the possession ef General
Scots's letter He should not have done so now
we're it not for the singular circumstances. he
had taken occasion, in a speech at Brooklyn a
compile Of weeks ago. to say that it was secret,
aud that lady was helping him to keep it.
One or two days after that, Che continued,) the
lady of the President of the United States csme
to town, snd although bad not the pleasure Of
seeing her, thought it mere Opiinary mark
Of respect to call upon the wife of ito Chief
Magistrate 1 had not got hundred miles into
she interior of the State before l was told by leo
pie that they knew exactly where l had got
py.Of this LITTER. Ssid 1, elf so, my lady must
have let out the secret" "Oh no, we know ali
aboutit; You got it from Afs. lincoln" Laugh
teE. now think it proper to explain to you how
and where l did get it. Gen. Scott kept the orig
insl draft of the letter which he communicated 20
the President uf She Uliied States through
the Secretary Of State. That original draft be
showed 20 me. When he handed 1t to me l
asked permission to take copy. did take
copy through my clerk. After having made
this copy, said to Gen. Scott, " This Is one of
the most extraordinary documents 1 ever saw.
1t is q monument Of your sagacity, and is cred
liable to your patriotism and intellect ia all
respects, and as you have never given me any
thing in your life would be much obliged if
you make me a present of this as an auto
graph''-and so be did; aud here it is-(hold-
ing il up between his tiagsr and thumb)-you
perceive it is Just as simple as possible l in
tend 20 have 1t photographed by that extra0r-
diuarY skillfu! man. Mi Brady When that is
done you will have an opportunity 70 get q
COPY of it. sIu the meantime, shall preserve it
carefully in my family rs a msneD'0 of kind
nsss, q token Of friendship, and, at the same
time, as an evidence of extraordinary sGgscity
and patriotism manifested st a very eventful Pc
rod of the history Of the country by one who
is in nv Judgment, one of the TTuest patriots
that ever bresthed, and the first soldier Of the
civilized word. Three cheers for Gen. Scott
| tiger. Still l had 10 right 70 communicate it
| TO the public. It seemed 10 me- important that it
should be made public Gan. Scott did not con
sent to it, for fear that an injury might accrue
| from such publication to the President Of the
| United States Thoroughly loyal himself,
/ knowing what wss due to his official head, he
! determined that in this crisis, at al events,
nothing could possibly be done by him which
| could by any combination of circumstances
| Be injurious TO the Chief Magistrate He had
doubts of tho propriety of giving formal publica
ton TO II, notwithstanding the nOOTiety given tc
| it. l IsUggeste3 10 him that the Determination Of
that question might well be committed to per
sons who we're faithful friends of his. who were
States. and who united 70 the vigor Of intellect
feminine attachment to himself and fssidi
ous regard to the feelings of every person whC
might be affected by the publication, whict
| would Insure that no error could by possibility
be committed IN that determination. This wa
done with his assent The persons to whom j
| was cOuhled TO decide she question uuaaim )u5ll
declared that it ought TO BE- laid before the pub
lie. In pursuance Of that I did so sy it befoT
the public l stated when l did so that l wa
not authoriz 4 by General Scott to make tia
letter public. Taose wise Republicans VIII
have a very limited knowledge of the Englisl
language supposed that I said General Scott di,
not give me copy, I never said such lhing >
t1at nor would that fsct be true Now, why
did l wish to lay it before the public Though
it important to sec what errors bad bsen coIn
mitted in the prosecution Of this war Though
it important that the President should have hi
attention called to the fact aud that he shoul'
+ be reminded that when Re began this war, h
: was notified that be must start with three bun
dred thousand men, incur debt Of two Indret
and fifty millions, and take two or three years Z
bring it to a close-sud that, there fore, when h
started with seventy FIVE Thousand men, whei
he issued a proclamation to these men to dis
perse, when Governor Seward came TO tb
Astor House, in this city, sud told Us in con
vivial meeting tbst it would be al over in sixty
days, when Seward went to the extreme North
west-the enemy being ct the extreme South
West-Gnd shouSed az the top of his voice
Who's afraid 7'-that he was treating th'
southern people without that consideration, AM
was not sppre ciatng the dangers existing, wbicl
ought to have occurred to the mind OF states
man and Secretary of State.