The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-22
Gen. Scott and Jen.nDavis.

julius Poppe, Anderson G. III.
:. Gen. Scott and JeHHDavis.
Nwill be remembered that during
Mr.. Pierce's administration, a per,
sonal controversy arose between Gen.
Scott and Mr.. Davis, then Secretary
OF War In his autobiography, Gen.
Scott makes some statements of his
torieal character, rejecting upon Mr..
Davis. he being prisoner and nm
able to defend himself, his only living
brother makes defence for him in
the shape of letter to Gen. Scott,
which we find in the Vicksburg Jour
nal, and append, as follows:
To Lieut.. Gen. Scot, Ii. D.s
''Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor." 4
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, is entirely disregarded by the
Lieutenant General.
In his memoirs, written by himself,
on page l4S, III note speaking of
prisoner taken at Chippewa, Lieut.
enant-Colonel John Merryion vii
son, this statement occurs:
'sThis gallant officer, always since
on invalid and friend of Scott's, who
was, in the time of william Nv. in
the household of the Queen, and
since in the government of Chelsea
Hospital, still lives.
"He invested all his little savings
and wife's dowry in Mississippi
bonds, repudiated mainly by Jeffer-
son Davis. 1t was Scott's strong
statement of this interesting case at
the time, In a published article, that
brought upon him af4erward the per-
secutions of Mr.. Davis, as Mr..
Pierce's Secretary of War;" etc.
1t would be difficult to conceive
statement 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 corpo-
rate. Until 1886, he was in the United
States army; in that year he resigned
and returned to Mississippi and en-
gagged in planting in the remote part
of Warren County, where, owing to
some domestic affection, he lived in
seclusion, taking no part in public
affairs for seven Or eight years. In
1874, he was chosen one of the elect
ors OF mississippi; in 1845, 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 por
ton of the Democratic party; and
shortly before the meeting Of the
Convention, an article appeared in
the Vicksburg Sentinel, signed "Ca-
to, said to be written by Governor
McNutt, calling on him to declare
his opinions, To this he promptly
replied, avowing his opinion in favor
OF paying every just debt that Mis-
sisslppl owed, all Of which will ap-
pear, If reference be made to the files
OF the Vicksburg Sentinel and other
papers of that time, as we'll as to hun
dreds 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 M opinion; or, if nomi-
mated by divided party, could not
be elected He received the nomina-
ton and was elected, though opposed
by Gov. McNutt and the party in
favor of reputation. He took his
seat in Congress December, 1876
his first service in deliberate BODY.
Soon after the war against Mexico
was declared, he was elected colonel
OF regiment of volunteers, when he
vacated his seat, took command of
what was known as the First Missis-
slppi Rifles, and fastened to Join the
army on the Rio Grande
"It was Scott's strong statement of
this interesting case, ct the time, in
q published article, that brought upon
hlm afterward the prosecutions of
MIR: Davis, as Mr.. Pierce's Secretary
of War"
LIS it not perfectly absurd to say
that Scots article could affect Jeffer-