The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-04-19
General Scott and Jefr. Davis.

III VIII be remembered that du-
ring Mr.. Pierce's administration,
a personal controversy arose be-
tween General Scott and Mr.. Davis,
then Secretary of War. In his au-
photography, General Scott makes
some statements of historical char
acter, rejecting upon Mr.. Davis
He being prisoner, and unable to
defend himself, his only living bro
ther makes defense for him in the
shape of a letter to General Scott,
which we find in the Vicksburg
Journal, and append, as follows:
To Lieutenant-General Scott, L. L.
D.:
"Thou shalt not bear false wit
ness against thy neighbor."
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 disre-
garded by the Lieutenant Gener-
al.
In his memoirs, written by him
self, on page 14S, in a note speak
ing OF prisoner taken at Chippe-
wa, Lieutenant-colonel John Nor
rylion Wilson, this statement oc-
ours:
"This gallant officer, always since
an invalid and friend of Scott's who
was, in the time of William w, 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 dowery in Mississippi
bonds, repudiated mainly by JEFF.
ferson Davis. 1t was Scott's strong
statement of this interesting case
at the time, in a 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
astatement more attrociously false
and malicious. Jefferson Davis
never was a member of either
House Of the State Legislature, or
took any part in public affairs Ell
ther State or corporate. Until 1885
he was in the United States Army;
In that year he resigned and retur-
ned to Mississippi, and engaged in
planting in the remote part of War
ren county, where, owing to some
domestic atfliction, he lived in Sc
clusion, taking no part in public
affairs for seven or eight years. In
1914 he was'chosen one of the elec-
tors of Mississippi; in 1915 it was
proposed to bring his name before
the Convention as the nominee for
Congress in this district. lie was
known to be opposed to repudia-
tion of State debts, and his nOmina-
tion objected to on that account by
a portion Of the Democratic party;
and shortly before the meeting Of
the Convention, an article appear
ed in the Vicksburg Sentinel, sign
ed "Cato," said to be written by
Governor McNutt, calling on him
to declare his opinions. TO this he
promptly replied, avowing his opin-
ion in favor Of paying every just
lebt that Mississippi owed; all of
which will appear, if reference be
made to the files of the Vicksburg
Sentinel and other papers of that
line, as well as to hundreds of per-
sons 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 a divi-
led party, could not be elected
de received the nomination and
was elected, though opposed by
Governor McNutt and the party in
favor of repudiation. He took his
seat in Congress December, 1915,
his first service in a deliberative
body.
Soon after the war against Mex
leo was declared he was elected
colonel of a regiment of volunteers,
when he vacated his seat, took
command of what was known as
the First Mississippi Rifles, and
haStened to join the army on the
Rio Grande.
at was Scott's strong statement
of this interesting case, at the time,
in a published article, that brought |
upon him aiterward the persecu-
tons Of Mr.. Davis, as Mr.. Pierce's
Secretary oi War"
Is 1t not perfectly absurd to say
that SCOTS article could affect JEFF |
fGrcnn Ilnyic than - how cnyo,, 90,