Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-11
Gen. Taylor and the Administra-
ton,

II will be seen by referring to the Congress
sional proceedings, that the Senate has erpamged
the censure cast upon GEN. TAYLOR by the locos
in the House. The vote was strong one-two
to one. For review ofthe conduct of the admin
istration in reference to Gen. Taylor, we COM
mend the reader to the following article, from
the Providence journal:
When the President, in his annual message,
studiously omitted oil mention of Gen. Taylor,
it was at once suspected that the brilliant a
chevements of that gallant soldier on the Rio
Grande, constituted q crime objectionable in the
eyes of the administration. The hint which
this omission gave to the subordinate leaders and
organs of the party, was followed at once. The
organ praised him family, and doubted and ques-
toned, and hoped he would do what, from the in
adequacy Of his supplies, it was plain he could
not do; and the lesser lights that revolve around
the Union, reflected Faithfully the rays of the
central orb, But if the battles of the Rio Grande
were objectionable, the victory of Monterey vas
outrageous. 1t was an act of insubordination, all
most of mutiny, against the administration, end
the praises that were showered upon the gallant
old soldier, fell like gall and NORWOOD upon the
administration. The Union grew palmer, and
the distant organs coarser. Mutterlngs were
heard in Congress. Some adventurer in syco-
phancy suggested that the credit of Gen. lay
lor's victories belonged really TO Mr.. Polk and
gave some ngeniously ridiculous reasons to prove
it. But this ambition quite overleaped ITSELF
The discomfort and alarm Of the administration
increased. They tried the Lieutenant General
scheme, which was secuted out of Congress
They took Gen. Scott into favor, and sent him
TO the scene of hostlllties, concednp TO
their fears of another General, what they had
refused in justice 10 himself The contemp,
with which the project for Lieutenant General
was rejected, and the universal Indignation which
was expressed at the design Of placing civil.
ian over Gen. Taylor, showed how deep an i'm
preston his services had made upon the public
mind. Prudent maignity would have taken
some other method than open hostility, TO break
down man the strength Of whose position was
30 manifest; but prudence enters into the coun-
ellis oil the administration, quite as lite as gen.
eroslty or magnaninhty.
The friends of the administration denounced
Gen. Taylor openly and in direct terms in the
House Of Representatives. Men who had never
seen regiment in the field criticised his con.
duct, and passed judgment not only upon the
general plan of his operations but upon its mi
mute details. The letter from Gen. Taylor TO
Gen. Gaines, a confidential communication from
one soldier to another, written without any in D..
tention Of its being made public, and for the
publication of which Gen. Taylor was no wov
responsible, was seized upon as an excuse for a
more direct blow. An obsolete regulation which
had never been enforced, and which no ore re-
garded, which has not been printed in the last
official publication OF the army regulations, was
hunted up and paraded in the newspapers as
censure upon Gen. Taylor. Yhat which has
been permitted and praised in every subordinate
officer of the army, was held up as a grave Of
fence In Gen. Taylor, even though it was done
without his consent, and plainly against his wish
es. By the publication of this regulation the
administration have placed themselves in very
awkward predlcament The regulation requires
that an officer who violates it shall be dismissed
from the service" BY the manner in which thew
have brought it forward, they are Committed n
enforce it; TO order Gen. Taylor to be tried bv
Court Martial, and not only Gen. Taylor. but
half his officers of every grade, for there are
very few Of them who have not continually VIC.
lated the regulation. If they do less than this
it will be plain backing out, an abandonment
of position which they have taken with great
deliberation. We should like to see the recep.
ton which Gen. Taylor, ordered home for trial
would meet in New Orleans and through the
country, and then we should like to see Jane.
X. Polk, with all his Official power and patron
age, pass over the same ground, and through lht
same population. The difference in their recep
ton would be lesson which demagogues woul,
long remember.