The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-11-07
From the National Intelli geucsr. ocs- 81
Ltens. Gemerai Scost'sSOpiaiOos.

Ltene. General Sc0sVStOPaoaOoo.
Early 10 the last year. when civil "
seemed impending. but had not actual
broken out, General Scott. then at the he's
of the army. wIote two papers containir
his views, professional and political. on Il
crisis, and the rights and duties which d.
volved on the Government in the momen
Gus conjunc,ure. THESE two papers Wei
subsequently lent to many friends to reat
aud one of them has recently been publish
ed. without the writer's consent. evidenil
for party purpose. As the illustrious oil
warrior Processes TO belong to no party othe
than that of the National Union. he ha
deemed it proper to give to the public him
self the second of the papers referred tc
lest i, also nigh, find its unauthorized wa
into print. He has, therefore, forwarded
to US for insertion in the National lutelli
gencer. having added to it a few explanato
ry " notes." which the lapse Of time scenes
to render proper.
The paper now submitted to the publi
by General Scot. throws q food Of light OF
the history of the rebellion i'll its incipien
stages, and will inspire every reader witt
deep interest 1t establishes, in the frs
place. the patriotic anxiety of the wise and
watchful General in Chief to prepare for the
coming storm, and his earnest aud repeated
Efforts to prevail on the Government TO gar
risou and secure the Southern forts against
every possible attack and it discloses, in
the second place. the causes of his failure.
which. it is now evident, resulted from the
indecision of the Executive. misled doubt
less by treachery in the Secretary of War,
if not in other members of the Cabinet, In
whom the head Of the Government reposed
a misplaced and abused confidence. This
paper, we may aid must have the effect,
with every candid mind, + vindlcstlng the
character Of the illustrious veteran General
himself from imputations with which he has
been recently assailed by presses whose
standard Of merit is regulated only by party
tests
Gcommunieat ted to the Editors for Publication
SOUTHERN FoRrs-A SUMMARY, ETC.
October 80, 1860. I emphaticaly called
the attention of the President to the necessi.
ty of strong garrisons in all the forts below
the principal commercial cities Of the South
ern States. including. by name, the forts in
Pensacola Harbor. October 81 | suggested
to the Secretary of War tha, a circular
should be sent at once to such OF those forts
IS had garri>ons. to be on the alert against
surprises and sudden assaults. - See my
" VGeDs, since printed
After a long confinement to my bod in
New York, came to this city Washington
Dece mi Der 12 Next day l personally urg
ed upon the Secretary OF War the same
views. viz: strong yarrisons in the Southern
forts-those of Charleston and Pensacola
Harbors. at once; those on Mobile Bay and
the Mississippi. below New Orleans, next.
&C.. &c. l again pointed out the organ
\ al sl-z
cipal depots available for the purpose. The
Secretary did not concur in any Of my views,
when | begged him to procure for me an
early interview with the President, that /
might make one effort more to save the forts
and the Union.
BY appointment, the Secretary accompa-
MED me to the President. December Is,
when the same topics. secessionism. &c.
were pretty fully discussed. There being
at the moment Tin the opinion of the Prssi-
deut) no danger Of an early secession, be-
yonG South Carolina. The President, in
reply to my arguments for Immediately re-
inforcing Fort Moultrie, and sending gar
rison to For, Sumter, said
Z" The time has not arrived for doing so
that he should wait the action of the Con.
vention OF South Carolina, in the expects
ton that a commission would be appointed,
and sent to negotiate with him and Congress
resp. citing the secession of the State, aud TIE
property Of the United States held within its
limits; and that if Congress should decide
against the secession. then he would send
and telegraph the command
ing officer Major Anderson) Of Fort Moul-
trie to hold the forts (Moulrie and Sumter)
against attack"
And the Secretary, with NATION,
added:
1--WE have a vessel of war (the Brook. |
lyn) held in readiness at Norfolk. and he !
would then send three hundred men in her /
from Fort Monroe to Charleston.
To which l replied-First. that so many
men could not be Withdrawn from that gar
rison, but could be taken from New York
Next, that it would then be too late. as the
South Carolina Commissioners would have
the game in their hands, by frs, using and /
then cutting the wires; that as there was
not soldier in Fort Sumter. any handful
n armed secessonists might seize and occu-
py it, &c, &c.
Here the remark may be permitted. that
# the Secretarys three hundred men had
.hen, or some time later, been sent to Forts
Moultrie and Sumter, both would now have
been In possession of the United States, and
not battery below them could have been
erected BY the secessionists; consequently.
he access TO these forts from the sea would
now (the end Of March be unobstruc.e ed
and free
The same day. Dec. Is. wrote the fol.
owing note:
"Lieut. Gen. Scott begs the President to
pardon him for supplying, in this note, what
ae omitted to say this morning 1t the inter
REV with which he Was honored by the
President
" Long prior to the force BIZ, March 2.
1888, prior to the issue OF his proclama.
ion, and in part prior to the passage of the
,rdin ance of null6catiou, President Jackson.
,nder the act o! March 8, 1907. authorizing
he employment of the land and naval
orces,' caused reinforcements to be sent to
Fors Moultrie, and sloop Of war, 1.-THE
Natchez), with two revenue enters, 10 be
ent to Charleston harbor. in order. 6rss, to
prevent the seizure of tha, fort by tie nulli-
iers, and. secood. TO enforce the execution