Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-10-28
,.no,., sco,, nud ,ho AbolIaonists.

General Scott and tho Aboiinonists'
We have surely fallen upon evil times when
u becomes necessary for a veteran soldier ana
patriot like General SoOTT to come out publicly
from bis retirement. TO defend himself against
imputations or suspicious OF disloyalty.
Our readers will remember that some time
since letter was telegraphed and published in
the papcre, written by General sooTT. dated
March 8, 1861, and addressed to W. II SEWARD,
then a United States Senator from New York.
aud now Secretary of State. In that letter. it
will be rscollected, the aged patfiot'soldier, an
ticipating Mr.. sEwARD's appointment in Mr.,
LlScoLSs Administration to the post Of secre-
tary of State, and the probable influence he
would have In that Administration, freely i'm
parted TO him his views on the then critical and
perilous condition Of our national affairs He
suggested four plans for the Pseaidentsselection,
the frat Of which was to adopt the measures of
concllation proposed by Mr. CRITTENDEN In the
Peace Congress.
AZ soon as this letter appeared, 1t was rid-
culed and it's author abused by the Abolition
press The Journal, of this city, in It's issue
Of Oct. Is, containing q copy of the letter,
said: r, .5 rsafaa ..H rD ~i.
The letter is curiosity In itself, and sets
forth In most salient manner the feeble com
prehension that Gen. Scott had OF what the de-
velopments Of this rebellion would be. The
whole letter bears the marks of that childish
nees into which Gen, Scott'e dotsge had carried
him, though iussnsbly TO himself. 'E
After referring to the contents Of the letter,
the Journal continued in the same editorial ar
ticle:
Nov, IL is possible that the sunset of age
might have given to Gen. Scott some mystical
lore all unknown TO other minds; but, from this
letter, we don't seem TO see it, It looks more
like the dreams of one who had no conception
OF the capabilities of the North to crush re
belliou whose character lie seems 10 have as
greatly mi conceived. But Gen. Scott gives Us
cue more mode OF sending trouble" viz; "Say
to the aeceded States-'Wsy ward sisters, depart
in peace.'" After that we are not surprised
that the old man should subscribe "In haste"
yours, etc. The whole matter, like the cele-
brated "hasiy plate OF soup" bears the impress
OF crudeness and conjecture.
So great was the Abolition pressure upon
the illuslrious old soldier, like that upon the
President, that he deemed IL proper to publish
in the National Intelligence, of October 81, a
paper doubtless intended as q vindcaton Of
himself from the Abolition charge Of compile
| ity with the secessionists, Of which nobody
bat Abolitionists ever suspected him. This
document simply shows that in the fall Of go
ard The winter OF 'G0-'6l, General SoOTT had
recommended a strengthening of the national
defenses and placing Of our forts and arseuala
10 more efficient condition. There is no in-
consistency between this paper and bis letter to
Mr.. SEWARD 10 March following. General
SCOTr does not In bis communication to the
Iateligeneey retracs or attempt to excuse any
thing he said in that letter; he does not com.
plain Of its publication, in fact he does not re-
fer to II at all. lie s doubtless willing to take
the responsibility of all he said in il
We have not published, and do not think
there is any occasion to publish in our columns
this second paper Of Gen. ScoTT's, because we
have never impeached the soundneas Of his In
tellecs or doubted the genuinensss Of bis loyal
ty. Our cotemporAry, the Journal, has not
published it, probably because it considers that
the "childishness into which Gen. Sc0TT's dotsge
had carried him." when he wrote the letter to
Mr.. sEwARD, has, "though insensibly to him
self" increased upon him with Increasing age.
This Is the only excuse we can find for the
Journals omission, after having Tidiculed and
abused the noble old soldier, to publish bis vim
dication OF himself,