Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-12

! kulllelltu-
| To Lieut. -Gen. Scott, LIZ D.:
"Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor."
Among the commandments there is
none more important than this, and
which civilized society has more uni
! fOrmly enforced, by moral precept and
| legal sanction but which, it seems, ;
entirely disregarded by the lieutenant
general.
in his memoirs, written by himself, on
page lis, in note speaking Of prisoner
taken at Chippewa, a Lieut.-COl. John
Morry llion Wilson, this statement oc-
ours:
'tThis gallant officer, always since an
invalid and friend of Scott's, who was,
in the time Of William ~, in the house
hold of the Queen, and since in the gov
ernment of Chelsea Hospital, still lives.
He invested all his little savings and
wife's dowry in Mississippi bonds, repu-
dated mainly by Jefferson Davis. 1t
was Scott's strong statement Of this in-
teresting case at the time, in n 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 state
ment more atrociously false and mali
ci0us. Jefferson Davis never was a MEM
Der Of either house Of the State Legisla-
tUre, or took any part in public affairs,
either State or corporate. Until 1885 be
was in the United States army; in that
year he resigned and returned to Missis-
sippi and engaged in planting in the re-
mote part of Warren county, where,
owing to some domestic afiiiction, he
lived in seclusion, taking no part in pub
ia - sf-5 for or aif In,
1911 he was chosen one of the electors of
Mississippi; in 1S45 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 repudia-
ton of State debts, and his nomination
objected to on that account by portion
of the Democratic party; and shortly
before the meeting of the convention, an
article appeared in the Nicksburg Scl3ti-
net, signed Cato" said to be written by
Gov. McNutt, calling on him TO declare
his opinions. To this he promptly re-
piled, avOwing his opinion in favor of
paying every lust debt that Mississippi
owed all of which will appear, if refer
ence he made to the files of the Nicks-
burg Sentinel and other papers of that
time, as well as to hundreds of persons
now living.
twas contended that there should be
no split in the party; that he could not
be nominated, entertaining and ayOwing
such opinion; or, if nominated by di-
yided party, 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, l845, his first SER
vice in a deliberative body.
declared be was elected colonel of a regi- /
ment Of volunteers, when he vacated his !
seat, took command Of what was known |
as the First Mississippi Rifles, and hast !
ened to join the army on the Rio Grande. |
at was ScOtt's strong statement of this !
case, at the time, in pub |
Iished article, that brought upon him af- |
the prosecutions of Mr.. Davis, as /
Dir. Pierce's Secretary of War.n
Is il not perfectly absurd to say that /
Scots article could affect jefferson Da- |
Wis, then q boy seven or eight years old, /
who never, in all probability, heard Of |
ScOtt's strong article, written at the time,
Jr Of Lieut.-Col. John Moryllion Wilson /
or that be could, in any way, he effected /
by it: should make it a cause Of peTseeu-
ton thirty years afterward! or Is it at all |
probable that Scott believed his own
It viii be remembered that what the |
calls persecution, -
was the refusal Of the Secretary of War
10 allowsa claimer for back pay as lieu
-enant-general from the time Scott was
IN Mexico, and which the secretary
showed conclusively he was not entitled
to. This resulted in an angry cores
in which the peculations and
frauds upon the Treasury were exposed
% such an extent, that it was believed If
be frauds had been known he could
never have been a lieutepRnt-generaI;
Jut, rs it was, he oply obtained it by i'm
fortunate solicitations, not only by him
elt and others, but even by ladies, en-
gagged to 70 to the capital and to use their
influence to obtain votes. 1t was also
aid it would entail no charge upon the
Treasury was intended merelyas a COM
lliment TO crafty an old soldier; but no
ooner was it obtained than he presented
claim for back pay, for ratiOns, forage,
etc.
To the lieutenant-gene-a acting as his
'Wn iyTmFetvT, ana drawing upon his
for facts, laudatory of him
elf, there can be no objection, except
hat it is humiliating to every American
hat an officer of his rank could make
uch an ass of himself; but the malice
md revenge, that after the lapse of ten
ears, could induce him 10 select a time
When Mr.. Davis is powerless, and the
laAders unknown to him, to utter such
alsehoOds, must be regarded by all who
-aiue homer, ruth and manhood, as be-
ow even contempt.
This is now published at the place !
where the facts and circumstances are
nOwn, and can be established by any
{ the people who tuok part in the poll
les of the time. J.E. DAVIS.