General Scott on military discipline.
--The following is a copy of a letter written by General Scott to Mr. Fillmore, in 1847:"Headquarters of the Army,
"Mexico, 1847.
"My Dear Sir--I have received the two letters (one from the Rev. M. Angler, and the other signed by Mr. Van Wyck,) asking, on several grounds, the discharge of Jas. Thompson, a private in the second Artillery.
- "First--He has since his enlistment reformed his habits. This is an argument in favor of his serving out his time, lest he should relapse, if discharged, before confirmed in his reformation. Military discipline highly favors reformation.
- "Second--He has become pious. This makes him at once a better soldier and better man, and fortunately we are not without many pious officers and men in our ranks; but,
- "Third--It is alleged he has imbibed conscientious scruples against performing military duty. If the man be mad, he can be discharged on a surgeon's certificate to that effect; but if he has only turned coward, we have ample means of punishing him, if he should, when ordered, refuse to fight.
