Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-12
GEN. sCorr AND JEFF. DAVIS.


1t will be remembered that during Mr..
PIERcE's Administration, personal con-
troversy arose between Gen. SCOTT and
Mr.. DAVIS, then Secretary of War. In his
Autobiography, Gen. SCoTT makes some
statements of historical character, rejecting
upon Mr.. DAVIS. He being prisoner and
unable to defend himself, his only living
brother makes a defence for him in the
shape of letter to Gen. ScoTT which we
find in the Vicksburg Journal, and append,
as follows:
TO Lieut. Gen. Scott, L. L. d.:
Thou shalt not bear false witness against tiny
neighhor."
Among the commandments there is none
more important than this, and which
civilized society has more uniformly enforced,
by moral precept and legal sanction; but
which, it seems, is entirely disregarded by
the Lieutenant General.
In his memoirs, written by himself on
page 148, in note speaking of prisoner
taken at Chippewa, Lieutenant Colonel
John MorryliOn Wilson, this statelent
occurs:
"This gallant officer, always since an in
valid and friend of SCOTS who was, in the
time of William ", in the household of the
Queen, and since in the government of Chel-
sea Hospital, still lives.
'He invested all his little savings and
wife's dowry in Mississippi bonds, repudiated
mainly by Jefferson Davis. 1t was SCOTS
strong statement of this interesting case at
the time, in published article, that brought
upon him afterward the prosecutions Of Mr..
Davis, as Mr.. Pierce's Secretary of War;"
etc.
1t would be difficult to conceive a state
ment more atrociously false and malicious.
Jefferson Davis never was a member of
either House of the State Legislature, or took
any part in public affairs, either State or
corporate. Until 1885 he was in the United
States army in that year he resigned and
returned to Mississippi and engaged in
planting in the remote part Of Warren
county, where, owing to some domestic af-
fiction, he lived in seclusion, taking no part
in public affairs for seven or eight years.
In 1914 he was chosen one of the electors of
Mississippi; in 1915 it was proposed to
bring his name before the convention as the
nominee for Congress in this district. He
was known to be opposed to reputation of
State debts, and his nomination objected to
on that account by portion of the Demo-
cratic party; and shortly before the meeting
of the convention, an article appeared in the
Vicksburg Sentinel, signed "Cato," said to be
written by Governor McNutt, called on him
to declare his opinions. To this he promptly
replied, ayowing his opinion in favor Of
oh hot
owed; all of which will appear, if reference
be made to the files of the Vicksburg Senti-
mel and other papers of that time, as well as
to hundreds of persons now living.
1t was contended that there should be no
split in the party; that he could not be
nominated, entertaining and avowing such
an opinion; or, if nominated by divided
party, could not be elected. He received the
nomination and was elected, though opposed
by Gov. McNutt and the party in favor of
reputation. He took his seat in Congress
December, 1915, his first service in DELHI
erative body.
Soon after the war against Mexico was
declared he was elected colonel of regi-
ment of volunteers, when he vacated his
seat, took command of what was known az
the FIRST Mississippi Rifles, and fastened to
join the army on the Rio Grande.
at was SCOTS strong statement of this
interesting case, at the time, in published
article, that brought upon him afterward
the prosecutions of Mr.. Davis, as Mr..
Pierce's Secretary of War"
Is it not perfectly absurd to say that
SCOTS article could affect Jefferson Davis
than a boy seven or eight years old, who
never, in all probability, heard of Scotts
strong article, written at the time, or of
Lieut.. Col. JnO. Moryllion Wilson; or that
he could in any way, be effected by it /;
should make it a cause of persecution thirty
years afterward? or is it all probable that
Scott believed his own statement?
1t will be remembered that what the Lieu
tenant-General calls persecution" was the
refusal of the Secretary of War to allow
claim for back pay as Lieutenant-General
from the time Scott was in Mexico, and
which the Secretary showed conclusively he
was not entitled to. This resulted in an an
CRY correspondence, in which the pecula-
tiOns and frauds upon the Treasury wore ex-
posed to such an extent, that it was believed
if the frauds had been known he could never
have been Lieutenant General but, as it
was, he only obtained it by importunate So
licitations, not only by himself and Others
but even by ladies, engaged to go to the
capital and use their influence to obtain
votes. 1t was also said it would entail no
charge upon the Treasury; was intended
merely as a compliment to crafty an old
soldier; but no sooner was it obtained than
he presented claim for back pay, for ra-
tons, forage, transportation, etc.
To the Lieutenant General acting Us his
own trumpeter, and drawing upon his imag-
ination for facts, laudatory Of himself there
can be no objection, except that it is hImil-
iating to every American that an officer of
his rank could make such an ass of himself;
but the malice and revenge, that after the
lapse of ten years, could induce him to Sc
lect time when Mr. Davis is powerless, and
the ISLANDERS unknown to him, to utter such
falsehoods, must be regarded by all who
value honor, truth and manhood, as below
even contempt.
This is now published in the place where
the facts and circumstances are known, and
can be established by any of the people who
took part in the politics of the time
J. +. DAVIS.