1850 American Gold Tycoon

Chapter 589 The interests of the Federation are above all else

"I have an idea." Secretary of War Scott broke the silence again.

"Scott, do you have any good ideas?" Everyone looked at Scott in unison.

The eyes looking at Scott were very complicated, some were expecting, and some were without any hope.

In the eyes of the vast majority of politicians in the office, the problem in the west is no easier to solve than the problem between the north and the south in the east. It is a dead end. The initiative mainly lies in the hands of the West. The West can flexibly adjust its attitude towards the federal government according to its own interests, but the federal government has nothing to do with the West.

Let's fight, maybe we can win, but we definitely won't be able to win quickly, and the price we pay will definitely be high. Moreover, the federal government has not even repaid the national debt of the first Mexican-American War. With the current stretched financial situation of the federal government, it cannot support a protracted war.

I don’t want to fight, and I don’t know what the next action in the West will be.

"Invite Liang Yao to come to Washington as Secretary of War." Secretary of War Scott expressed his thoughts.

Among all the western leaders, Liang Yao's influence can be said to be unparalleled, leaving other western leaders far behind.

No other leader in the West can compete with Liang Yao in influence and strength in the West, not even the number two figure in the West, the founding hero and founder of California, and the current governor of California, Fremont. Without Liang Yao's nod, he still would not be able to serve as governor in California, where the Chinese population dominates.

Scott also heard that the reason why Fremont became the governor of California was not because he won the governor's election in California, but because he won Liang Yao's new term.

Liang Yao's voice and status in the entire western region are evident.

When Americans in the East talk about outstanding figures in the West, the first representative that people subconsciously think of is Liang Yao, not the current Governor Fremont, nor the first Governor Robinson. Although their contribution to California is also great.

The most important thing is that Liang Yao is the only person in the west who holds military, political and financial power. He is also the only one who can convince the public and suppress other western dignitaries.

The problem of the west is not so much a problem of the west as it is a problem of Liang Yao.

Liang Yao's influence in the west has become so strong that his personal will can determine the choice and destiny of the entire west.

As long as Liang Yao is solved, the west will fall into a leaderless situation and fall into chaos. And for a long time in the west, no one will be able to replace the ecological niche that Liang Yao originally occupied.

The federal government can seize this window of time and divide and disintegrate different interest groups in the West by defeating them one by one. For example, support the Georgia Group or the Boston Group as representatives of the federal government's interests in the west, and then disband the Western Brigade. Eliminate the threat of western armed forces.

"But you are the current Secretary of War, and you have not made any major mistakes during your tenure." Secretary of State Lewis Cass said with some concern.

The people present were all human beings, and Scott didn’t need to make his words clear. They also knew that Scott wanted to let Liang Yao come to Washington to serve as Secretary of War, and then restrict Liang Yao’s personal freedom, cut off Liang Yao from the Western Brigade, and even the entire Western Connections.

What Lewis Cass was concerned about was that Scott's Secretary of War was doing a good job, and his sudden resignation and invitation to Liang Yao to take over Scott's position would arouse Liang Yao's vigilance and suspicion.

"No mistakes can create mistakes." Scott, wearing the uniform of a lieutenant general, fondly touched the lieutenant general epaulette on his shoulder and said firmly.

"The interests of the Federation are above all else. Besides, I am already 75 years old this year. It is also time for me to abdicate and make way for young people. Among all the current brigadiers in the United States, Liang Yao is also one of the most suitable candidates for Secretary of War. He There is no doubt about his ability.”

Before the Civil War, the United States had only two lieutenant generals. The first lieutenant general in the United States was the founding president Washington.

In the half century after Washington, no general in the United States was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. It was not until 1855, during President Fillmore's time, that in view of Scott's outstanding contribution in the Mexican-American War, the federal government officially awarded Scott the rank of lieutenant general. It took the rank of Lieutenant General Cote to break this status quo.

Scott thus became the second lieutenant general after the founding president Washington, and the only lieutenant general still alive in the United States.

Before the Civil War, the United States did not even have many brigadier generals. It goes without saying how valuable Lieutenant General Scott was.

Moreover, Scott has served in the army for more than half a century and is a living fossil of the army. Scott has participated in almost all major wars in the United States except the Revolutionary War. His rank of lieutenant general is based on his military merit. Earned slowly.

As soon as Scott said this, politicians in the office, including Treasury Secretary Howell Cobb, who had just been dissatisfied with Scott's tough attitude, all respected Scott.

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The words were divided into two parts. News of Liang Yao's army preparations for war spread to the east. Liang Yao only received inquiries and censures from the Department of War and Buchanan. Other than that, there was no response or action from the east.

The situation was very different from what Liang Yao expected, which made Liang Yao feel very uncomfortable. He always felt that something was going on when something went wrong. Unexpected calms are always the most disturbing.

Are the politicians in Washington really so busy dealing with the mess between the North and the South that they have no time to look elsewhere?

But then I thought that it shouldn't be the case. The North and the South were quarreling, but in the face of the sudden military threat from the west, they should both take action.

What's more, in the recent news between the North and the South, except for the fact that a fanatical northern abolitionist named John Brown left Kansas, the center of the whirlpool, with a dozen like-minded and experienced combat partners, and came to New York to cause trouble. Claiming to go south and plant the flag of freedom in every state in the United States is not a big news.

John Brown's move won him many supporters, but more people thought that John Brown was drunk or was grandstanding. A little guy like him wanted to get through dozens of people and dozens of guns. Free all the slaves in the South. It's just wishful thinking.

John Brown's high-profile actions aroused Southern outrage and accusations, but little more than accusations. The North only acquiesced in John Brown's behavior, and the South only threatened John Brown that if John Brown dared to go south, the bullets from the South would turn him into a hornet's nest.

This incident can best be described as loud thunder and light rain. The two sides are still in the talking stage and have no intention of taking action.

Even the northerners themselves thought John Brown was a bit whimsical and unreliable. Although the politicians in the northern free states supported John Brown's ideas, they only gave him verbal support. No free politicians or capitalists invested in John Brown, provided John Brown with arms, and formed an armed force to go south.