which were triumphantly refuted by the Secretary of War, in an argument, which for logical power has seldom been surpassed, and obtained for its author a high reputation.

The first charge made by General Scott was the want of time which was allowed him before his departure from Washington, only four days having been granted, when twenty might have been employed with great benefit to the service. To which Mr. Marcy responded that he was not restricted as to time, and that it was not until after he had reported himself ready for departure, that he was ordered away; and that instead of going directly to Mexico, his desire was granted to pass through New-York, where he remained nearly a week; and that he did not arrive in New-Orleans until 26 days after he left Washington.*

Another accusation was a refusal upon the part of the cabinet to permit one of three accomplished captains whom he had named, to act as his assistant adjutant-general, alleging that there was a vacancy which he desired to be filled by one of those persons. This the administration could not grant, first upon the ground that there was no vacancy, and if there had been, a compliance with his wishes would have produced a violation of the rules which governed the service. He then charged upon the ad

disappointments, injuries and rebukes which have been inflicted upon me by the War Department since my departure from Washington, November 23d, 1846."-Letter of General Scott to the Secretary of War, February 24th, 1848.

* Letter of the Secretary of War to General Scott, April 21st, 1848. Executive Documents, 1st session 30th Congress, vol. 2, p. 1,228.

ministration a failure to supply the necessary vessels to transport the troops from Tampico and the Brazos to Vera Cruz, and that his operations were delayed from the 15th of January until the 9th of March.* If there is any force at all in this charge, it means that on the 15th of January the army under General Scott was ready to embark at that time, and for want of transportation, occasioned by the fault of the Government, they were delayed until the 9th of March. There are two facts which conclusively answer this complaint. First, the regulars from Taylor's column, who were an important part of Scott's force, did not arrive at the place of embarkation until after the 25th of January, ten days subsequently to the time indicated by the Commander-in-chief as the period when he was ready to embark; and second, he bore testimony himself to the faithful performance of his duty by the Quartermaster General,† who was subject to his orders, and was in a position to execute them with the greatest promptitude.

The complaint which he made of being rebuked for releasing on parole the prisoners taken at Cerro

* "Relying upon them, confidently, the embarkation was delayed in whole or in part, at the Brazos and Tampico, from the 15th of January to the 9th of March, leaving, it was feared, not half the time needed for the reduction of Vera Cruz and its castle before the return of the yellow fever." -Letter of General Scott to the Secretary of War, February 24th, 1848. Executive Documents, 1st session 30th Congress, vol. 7, p. 1220.

"The Quartermaster General, Brevet Major General Jesup, at NewOrleans, I find, has taken all proper measures with judgment and promptitude, to provide every thing depending on his department for the dispatch and success of my expedition."-Dispatch of General Scott to the Secretary of War, January 26th, 1847. Executive Documents, 1st session 30th Congress, vol. 7.

Gordo, is far from being sustained by the language which was addressed to him on that subject.*

It was very unfortunate for General Scott that he brought his accusations against the administration; and so far from evincing sympathy from the American people and improving his prospects for the Presidential chair, his warmest friends felt that his hopes were blasted by the crushing reply of the Secretary of War. The opposition members of Congress who were disposed to favor the nomination of General Scott for the Presidency, expected to increase his popularity by the publication of the correspondence between himself and the War Department; while others, whose preferences were exhibited for another military chieftain, hoped by bringing odium upon the administration, to obtain a triumph over the democratic party. Foiled in their expectations, they could only express their indignation, because Mr. Marcy furnished under the call of the House of Representatives of the 17th of April, 1848, his celebrated reply to General Scott, dated on the 21st.†

On the 18th of February, 1848, the Commanderin-chief of the army of invasion was informed that he was relieved from further duty in Mexico. It is a subject of much regret, that one who had led our conquering legions to the far-famed Halls of the Montezumas, could not still retain the command

* Letter of the Secretary of War to General Scott, May 31st, 1847. The letter of General Scott and the reply of the Secretary of War can be found in the Appendix. Volume 7 Executive Documents, 1st session 30th Congress, pp. 1218 to 1251 inclusive.

until the treaty of peace was ratified. As it was, however, he had won all the glory which could be obtained in that celebrated campaign, and the position bestowed upon Butler as his successor, conferred but an empty honor.

Although a brave, courteous, and gallant officer, General Butler had many superiors in point of military skill, in the valley of Mexico. The necessity which rendered his appointment imperative, is a subject of much regret. To rank those heroic chieftains who had assisted to elevate the military renown of our country upon the sanguinary fields of Mexico, with an officer who had participated to only a limited degree in the contest, should, if possible, have been avoided. If honor was to be conferred, almost every General Officer in the valley was entitled to the position. If danger was apprehended, the profound military skill and great abilities of General Worth, designated him as the appropriate successor of General Scott.* He possessed the ardor and impetuosity of Murat, the bravery and inflexible determination of Ney, the ability and judgment of Massena, and the bearing and frankness of Macdonald.

The document signed by Mr. Trist, at Guadalupe Hidalgo, was received by the President in February, 1848, and produced at Washington a strong feeling of indignation against Mr. Trist for

*It was supposed that the President was induced to order Butler to Mexico, owing to the feelings with which Pillow had inspired the army. He was next in rank to General Scott, and consequently would have succeeded him in the command of the army, but for the presence of General Butler.

his unauthorized assumption of power. Mr. Polk submitted the document to his constitutional advisers, and after a warm and animated debate, the treaty, with certain amendments, was ratified March 10th, 1848, thirty-eight Senators voting for, and fourteen against it. Messrs. Sevier and Clifford were appointed Commissioners for the purpose of obtaining a ratification of the treaty from the Mexican Government at Queretaro, which was done on the 30th of May, 1848. The Americans soon after evacuated the Mexican territory.* The results of the war

"TREATY

Of peace, friendship, limits and settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic. Dated at Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2,

1848; ratified by the President of the United States, March 16, 1848; exchanged at Queretaro, May 30, 1848; proclaimed by the President of the United States, July 4, 1848.

"BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

"A PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas, a treaty of peace, friendship, limits, and settlement, between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, was concluded and signed at the city of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the second day of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, which treaty, as amended by the Senate of the United States, and being in the English and Spanish languages, is word for word as follows:

"In the name of the Almighty God: the United States of America, and the United Mexican States, animated by a sincere desire to put an end to the calamities of the war which unhappily exists between the two republics, and to establish upon a solid basis relations of peace and friendship, which shall confer reciprocal benefits upon the citizens of both, and assure the concord, harmony, and mutual confidence wherein the two people should live, as good neighbors, have for that purpose appointed their respective plenipotentiaries, that is to say, the President of the United States has appointed Nicholas P. Trist, a citizen of the United States, and the President of the Mexican Republic has appointed Don Luis Gonzaga Cuevas, Don Bernardo Couto, and Don Miguel Atristain, citizens of the said republic, who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective full