Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-02-09
CHARLES DEWEY.
CONGRESS AND GEN. TAYLOR.
Correspondence of the Baltimore Patriot.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 81, 1871.
l am at loss for words with which 0 speak of
the proceedings Of the House of Representatives.,
yesterday, in relation 10 the vote of thanks and
the presentation of IA Gold Medal to General
Taylor for his brilliant achievement in taking
Monterey
The proceedings of the majority of that body.
in relation to that brave, gallant aud successful
officer, stand out. apart from all things else, aud
speak for themselves! They speaA-they pro-
claim, their own degre iatlon,
The victory at Monterey is unparalleled In the
history of military campaigns. IN tins any 9th
country. None of Napol"on's brilliant VIC
tories can hardly compare with it And yet, be-
cause the brave old General, who led army
on to that horizons victory, happens To be inclin
ed to Wing principles, with all or nearly ali the
other officers of the army, who distinguished
themselves at the battles the Rio Grande and
at Monterey, the dominant party in the House of
OF Represe natives at Washington refuses TO
award him a vote Of thanks and the usual Medal
rendered for victories not to compare with this,
without coupling the same with conditions and
qualifications winch make III" act vote of cen
sure. rather than one Of dpprob9tion,
Has II come to this-tiat brave. patriotic
and true hearted General, who wrote to the War
Department, Just before the battles Of the slh
ana 9th OF May, that # the enemy met him, he
should fight him, whatever might be his force;
who did ght aud conquer that enemy, and there
by saved the Administration and the country from
/ dIsgracci who afterwards led army to tri-
umphant storning Of Monterey, when he had
tfftfi~l'ti TN llf the amount OF supplies
that he Ought to have had for such a hazardous
undertaking, ana who made the attack At the
time and under the circumstances 10 Sars The Id
niinistrafion. Has It come TO tins, ask, that
such i triumphant, successful and gallant Hero
cannot have naked Of thanks and Il Medal
awarded to him, by Congress, because he hap
pens TO be a Wing. and because the Adnlinistra-
ton, which ought to be eyerlastnglv indebted to
him for his victories, has neglected TO furnish him
with the supplies necessary and adequate 10 the
enterprise il had ordered him on
" hefe would have been the popularity of this
Mexican war, and trhaf would have been the pop
ularitv Of Mr. Folks Administration in regard to
it. if General TAYLOR had lost the battles Of Patio
iAo ami Reseca de Ia P0ia02 The one would
have been condemned both at home and abroad
unjust and not calculated t. be successful
while the other would have stuni IN the nostrs
of this whole people!
By winning the hard fought battles alluded to-
Gen. Taylor ann the brave officers ana men in
his command, gave tone and character to the war
/ and placed Mr. Folks Administration upon high
ground IN regard TO IT! BY achieving the more
difficult and brilliant victory of Monterey he still
kept up the crcait and standing Of the Admins
tration He SAYS. in his letter to General Gaines,
that he made the hazardous attack in order TO
save the Administration, The Goi OF Battles
defended and protected him. ana he came forth
from the desperate siege conqneror worthy Of
the praise and honor of the whole nation! 1t
was the most brilliant achievement on record,
And how has he been rewarded for thus serv-
ing his country and saving the Administration
Ave, h9tr' lie is st upon. fnaligncd. abused
revileG and slanlered b. the cohorts of the Ad-
mnlstratIon both 10 aHl out Of Congress- A nd
now, when a friend, relative and brother officer
OF his, who has also been il-treate8 by this Adj
ministration, deems II but fair to publish his pr-
vate letter. giving GIspassOnate, plain, truth
ful statement of what he as done IN the absence
of such supplies as he ought 10 have been fur
nisheG with, out comes the President of the Uni
/ ted States with an old obsolete order of the Ar
my. intrnatlng that the publication Of this letter
IS an offence punishable by dismissal from the
service, This Mr.. Polk has condesce nded to DO
while his partisans in Congress have meanlv de-
MED TO the glorious Old Hero the customary ote
! of thanks and medal. for his mastery victory a,
Monterey which has never been denied to othel
Generals and TO Commodores who have gained
signal victories over our enemies.
What inducement is there. what will there be
for a brave and patriotic man 10 enter the army,
or If IN it to remain there and light for his coun-
try and win brilliant victories if he to be treat
ed for II General Tavior has been,
But II cannot be that the resolutions which,
have passed the House Of Representatives on
this subject, will pass the Senate their present
shape. That BODY cannot far forget itself nd
the dignity which belongs TO its character as to
sanction such procedure against so brave and
great man as Cen Taylor. No, il cannot be
A vote of thanks qualified, and medal, he
could only return to the source that rendered
them, with or without comment, as he nigh. de-
terrnine.
I firmly believe that the proceedings Of the
House of Representatives Yesterday will max
Zachary Taylor the candidate for the Preside ncy
notens rolens! The people viii have it so. They
cannot and they will not see so brave and eff
Gent and good a man so mesnly and shamef fully
treated Ny firm opinion is ,ha. no politica
cliques or intrigues can prevent it. When the
PEOPLE rise up in their might they uiHhavs thing
their own way.