The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-12

will afford him the greatest pleasure TO
carry out your wishes. Is it not so, cap
taia.'
The writer answered he would esteem it
an honor TO crafty Senator Clay, the more
so that the father of the young gentleman
and Capt. Fl. had been comrades IN arms in
the war with Mexico. But he added:
Pardon me, Mr.. Clay, it is almost an
axiom at West Point that the cadets who
rely upon political or official backing do not
succeed the best The only way to insure
success is close attention TO their studies aud
their duties"
Senator Clay was not quite pleased. II
1 was not Kentucky style. Gen. Scott per-
| ceiving this, Immediately added:
"Mr. Clay, had l felt at liberty to say so
l would have said exactly what Capt. Ham
ilton has told you, and he has been an
Instructor of tactics at West Point. He has
! delicately limited what my experience Of
MANY years has taught me is an established
fact"
The conversation then brauched off on
| general topics. Presently Gen. Scott put
forward his hand and fumbled in a paper
and conveyed something to his mouth. Mr..
Clay exclaimed:
Scott. what on earth are you chewingp
Gen. Scott smiliISly replied: when [
grew up to be young man 10 was deemed
| the first duty OF every patriotic Virgini1n
to consume as much of the staple tobacco as
possible. Therefore early learned both to
chew and smoke. Regarding the former as
a filthy habit, long ago eschewed It, For
the past few years have refrained from
| smoking, to which was never very partial
except at an occasional dinner party, when
take few puffs of cigar in seif-defelse
and in order not to appear singular. As a
! substitute / occasionally chew chamomile
| flowers
In jocose way Mr.. Clay remarked: so,
| Scott, am surprised you should want to
chew camomile flowers or anything else to
| add to the bitterness OF your nature"
| Gen. Scott was not apt at accepting jokes
at any time. On this occasion, straighte =
| ing his back. erecting his head, and his ey es
| flashing, he retorted in no amiable voice:
| THE last man in the United States nay,
| perhaps in the whole world to accuse Win
field Scott of bitterness of nature is the
Hon. Henry Clay, senator from Kentucky
Mr., Clay apologized, saying it was only a
silly joke. I'm fact, you are right, Gen.
| Scottn
l was surprised Gen. Scots remark
was like an unexpected explosion of dyna-
mite. Mr.. Clay's rejoinder was mild, calm
and gentlemanly. Gen. Scott was natu-
rally irascible. However placidity was
soon restored. For fifteen minutes or more
| the important matters under consideration
in congress- public affairs at home and
abroad we're lightly but incisively touched
| upon. 1t Is a great pleasure to listen to the
| conversation of great leaders. Mr.. Clay
| was troubled with a distressing cough
| and asked for glass of water Pres
| emily he rose to retire. Gen. Scott accom-
| panied him and chatted with him while he
| adjusted his overcoat and muffisrs opened
the door of exit with his own hand, courte-
ously saluted Mr.. Clay at parting. and re-
| quested the writer to accompany Senator
| Clay TO the outer doors of the war office,
which were heavy, and Senator Clay was
advanced in years and appeared quite
| feeble. He did not survive that day for a
full year, | believe.
| Returning, the writer said: General
| please do tell me what you meant by what
| you said to Mr.. Clay" He answered: II
scarcely think / ought to- The writer per-
sisted gently, and promising not to mention
1t during the lives of Gen. Scott or Senator
| Clay, Gen. Scott told the following story !:
| At Harrisburg in 1882 the National con-
vention of the whig party Assem- bled to
| name candidates for president and vice
| president. Senator Evans of Maine, was
| chairman of the national executive COM
mintee of the wing party. The names of
Senator Clay and Gen. Scott were before
the convention as candidates for the presi-
dency. Mr.. Clay confidently hoped those
/ 40 AoFNA "a oOAt. AoSOOb1 IL tIcJ Cudukcu III
all would support Mr.. Clay. He was mis-
taken; they supported Gen. William Henry
Acknowledgements and Tyler too.
Mr.. Clay was in New York city. The ma
tional executive committee had tleir COM
mittee rooms in the Aston house there. AS
said, Senator Evans of Maine, was chair
man Of that committee. In the committee
room were Senator Evans, Senator Critten-
| den, Gen. Scott, and member of the
| nrpSS Qtta0hQ1 q fha TINA IN cta - 10
NeU York Herald. They were playing a
quiet game of whist TO beguile the tedious
| ness of waiting. Senator Clay came in
| sorely disappointed. SCOTS friends had
not supported him. He gave Gen. Scott a
| heavy blow on the left shoulder, denounc-
ing him at the same time in unseemiy Ian
| guage. With great eGaanimity Gen. Scott
| said:
Senator Clay, l beg you will not lay
| your hand SO heavily on that shoulder 1t
| is the shoulder wounded at Lundy's Lane -
| He took no notice of the unseemly lang
uage, nor did Mr.. Clay take the hint.
| Presently Mr.. Clay was led away by Soma
tors Evans and Crittenden. and confided to
his friends.
On the return of Senators Evans and
Crittenden, Gen. Scott said: "Mr Crtten-
den you will please do me the honor and
| fovor. in the morning, to carry note from
me to Mr.. Clay"
Crittendan was almost stunned Scott
and Clay were both his friends. He said
| Scott, | am horror stricken The code OF
honor says "A blow can only be wiped out by
blood'n
Scott replied: II care nothing for the
code. He had long furrow in his scalp,
ploughed by bullet in an affair of honor
when quite a young man, l have had
enough of bloodshed, but l must have an
apology from Mr.. Clay. lam sure he will
gladly make one"
Crittenden carried the demand for an
apology. senator Clay made it. and very
courteously, like brave man, as he was, y
said Gen. Scott to me. There was no
bloodshed That, my dear young friend,
was what l referred to in what [ said to
Mr.. Clay. did not understand his Joke.
and it awoke very painful "reminiscences
Time rolled on. In 1861 was again on
Gen. SCOTS staff, as military secretary,
with the rank, pay, and emolulents of a
lieutenant colonel of cavalry, promoted
from the rank of private in Capt Nevers
company, Seventh regiment n. Y. s. Ma
tional Guards, with which | had marched
on April 10, 1861. Some wlseacres in
Washington have declared it was not a
commission, though was in the most init
mate confidence of President Lincoln, his
cabinet, and Gen. Scott. and gave orders i 1
the name of both the President and Gen
Scott to generals and other high function
| aries. In 1861 Gen. Andrew Porter