The President and Gen. Scott.
Mr. Richardson, from Illinois, made a bold development in the House of Representatives on the 24th inst., in which he represents Gen. Scott as plainly blaming the President for the defeat at Manassas. The reader will be entertained by the debate on the occasion. In the course of a discussion on a pending proposition, Mr. Richardson said:‘ You have at the head of your army a man who carried your flag through the war of 1812, and through the war with Mexico, with a strategy unequaled in the annals of warfare. You have sought to disgrace him, and you have sought to impair the public confidence in him. He fought this battle over here, which was so disastrous to our army, against his judgment. Who caused it? You forced it upon him. And I tell you now, that unless you rally around him, the great fighting army of the North, which is democratic, will not support you. I tell you that, when you look over the list of all the military men of the earth, you will find that he is the greatest of them all. He fought the battle of Sunday last against his judgment and in opposition to the plans he had formed. The strategy of Gen. Scott was the finest ever planned, and had he not been forced to precipitate an engagement he would have won a victory without fighting a battle.
’ Mr. Curtis, (Rep.,) of Iowa.--Who upon this side, what American citizen, has impugned the character of Gen. Scott, and where is the man now who is not willing and anxious to march under his banner? Who could hope at this time to succeed that great General, who never lost a battle in the service of his country?
Mr. Richardson.--I will reply--Gen. Greeley--(laughter)-- who, I think, ought to be placed at the head of all your Generals appointed by Mr. Lincoln. He ought to be immediately dispatched to Richmond, and according to his own account he could do it.--He has presumed to command Gen. Scott, and to direct the whole movements of the army.--If we could get rid of such men we would be doing a service. That is my opinion. I give it you, and charge you nothing for it. (Laughter.)
Mr. Curtis.--It cannot be said that I, or any of my partners on this side, disapproved of the conduct of General Scott.
Mr. Richardson.--I have not charged the gentleman with having assailed General Scott. I would be amazed indeed to hear him question any military movement that General Scott makes. But when I have said that of my friend, and of a few other gentlemen upon that side, I have done. Again, I say we have forced this battle upon General Scott, and it has been lost because you have forced it upon him; and I declare before God to-day, as my solemn conviction, that if this thing is to be permitted to continue, you destroy this Government forever. I stand here in my place, and make the declaration, that if General Scott cannot conduct this war, we have nobody that can. If he cannot by strategy, skill and courage, save this Government, it is impossible to save it. On this matter I have said all I desire to say.
Mr. Blair, (Rep.) of Mo — I desire to say a few words Generals Patterson and Cadwallader were appointed by the Administration, but General Butler came hither as a Brigadier General. It was Massachusetts who first conferred that honor on him, and he was made a Major General for putting down a mob, and for the Executive ability which he displayed. I understand that Gen. Patterson was appointed by the advice and on the recommendation of Gen. Scott.
The gentleman said that Gen. Scott had been driven to risk a battle by gentlemen on this side, but nothing had been said here derogatory to that soldier. Is the Major General fit to command, if he can be forced to battle against his own best judgment, and at the outcry of outsiders? Nobody on this side has said aught against Gen. Scott. The charge came from the gentleman from Illinois, and it was derogatory in the highest degree.
Mr. Richardson.--I take it all back.--(Laughter.)
Mr. Richardson.--I repeat that General Scott had been forced to fight this battle. I will tell him what occurred yesterday morning:--My colleagues (Messrs. Logan and Washburne) and myself were present with the President, Secretary of War and General Scott. In the course of our conversation General Scott remarked:--"I am the biggest coward in the world !" I rose from my seat. "Stay," said General Scott; "I will prove it. I have fought the battle against my judgment, and I think the President ought to remove me to-day for doing it." "As God is my judge," he added, after an interval of silence, "I did all in my power to make the army efficient, and I deserve removal because I did not stand up when I could and did not." I stand here to vindicate Gen. Scott I am indebted to the gentleman from Missouri for the compliment he paid me. I desire to say for myself that I am here the last of a generation, my father and grandfather having fallen beneath the flag of their country. I, too, have fought under its folds at home and abroad, and, God willing, there I will stand till the end of my life, defending it against all foes.
Mr. Washburne, (Rep.) of Ill.--As my colleague has referred to Gen. Scott's remarks, he might also allude to what the President said.
Mr. Richardson.--I will do so. "Your conversation implies," said the President to Gen. Scott, "that I forced you to battle."--To which Gen. Scott replied--"I have never served under a President who has been kinder to me than you have been." But Gen. Scott did not relieve the President from the fact of the latter having forced him to fight the battle. General Scott thus paid a compliment to the President personally. I desire to say of the President that I have known him from boyhood. If you let him alone, he is an honest man. (Laughter) But I am afraid he has not firmness to stand up against the politicians around him.
