Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-05-08


the most unworthy and discreditable that
ever disgraced the Journal of Legislative
body, and took occasion at the time so TO
known by him, and by every body, to con-
tain statements Of facts wholly foreign TO
the subject, and which at least one third Of
the House believed to be directly and fatty
false. This was a repetition of the unwor.
thy trick played off by the same party in
the act of May last recognizing the exis-
ience of the war.
As to Mr.. Thompson's amendment we
hardly know how to characterize it. II
was quite competent to Mr.. Thompson TO
withhold his support from the vote of thanks,
if he did not think thanks deserved; but
when proposition was before the House
to pay tribute of respect to soldier, to q
man with whom honor is every thing, and
who feels reproach as wound, to insert
in such proceeding a fling contumely, in
the form of doubt, or proviso. is pro.
ceeding which we cannot conceive how Mr..
Thompson could propose, or House of
Representatives adopt. But all this was TO
derogate from the Wing General, who had
already been pronounced unfit TO be entrus.
ted with the command Of the Army. 1t
was to stigmatize Gen. Taylor, to break
him down, and crush at once his rising and
dangerous popularity. Thanks to the jus.
tice of an overruing Providence. all these
miserable inventions have returned with
ten fold bitterness and thousand new
stings, "to plague the inventors"
How poor, how cheap, do the actors in
these scenes now look! How much must
they be ashamed of what they have said
and done What would they not give 10
obliterate the record Of their speeches and
their votes!
Gen. Taylors military feats have been
quite distinguished. With as much pro.
priety as those of almost any other man
they may be called "prodigies." But Gen.
eral Taylor, it is clear, was not born to be
himself the victim of "prodigy." An ca
gle, towering in his pride of flight" was
not doomed to be "by housing owls hawk
ed at and killed."
Let us now follow these "Resolutions of
Thanks" into the Senate.
They were taken up in that body on the
Sd of February. Mr.. Speight moved to
strike out the prouiso moved in the House
by Mr.. Thompson; saying with great pro.
priety, that "he was not willing TO present
thanks with one hand and censure with the
other" Mr.. Sewer and Mr.. Bagby advo.
Gated the proviso, as they disapproved the
terms of the capitulation of Monterey
Mr.. Archer put very significant inquiry:
HE desired to know why the Senator, (Mr.
Sevier) was for connecting the subject of
the capilulation with the resolution of
thanks?" Mr.. Crittenden spoke at length
against the proviso, as did Mr.. John M.
Clayton. Mr.. Crittenden shrewdly sug-
gested that "Senators here were endeavor.
ing to qualify the matter so as TO 60 against
General TAYLOR, or in his favor, according
as the tide of war or the tide Of politics
might turn" Now, this was the exact truth,
not only in regard to certain members of
Congress, but in regard to the Administra-
ton ITSELF The Administration meant to
leave Gen. Taylor in such position that
if successful, they could claim the merit to
themselves, and, if unfortunate, might throw
the blame on him. But to proceed with
the vote of thanks:
Mr.. WEBSTER said he regretted exceedingly that
when they were about to tender tribute of res.
pect to q military man abroad, any thing should
occur, or any thing be proposed to be connected
with it, which would break the entire unanimity OF
Congress To be valuable, the tribute Of respect
must be unanimously bestowed. 1t must appear
10 now from genefal senSe VI VIVA was uue W the
occasion and to the officer; and always, as far as
he knew, or as he remembered the hi story CT the
Government, he believed the thanks of Congress
when rendered at all to military man, were ten
dered by distinct proposition, free and cleal
from all other considerations whatever Propriety
and the gracefuness belonging to the occasion re-
qured that they should be rendered. He held in
bis hand q resolution which passed this body last
year. 1t was in these words
That the thanks of Congress are due and are
hereby rendered to Major General Zachary Taylor
his officers and men, for the fortude, skill, enter
PRISE and courage which distinguished the late
brilliant military operations upon the Rio Grande
He proposed to frame resolution in
these very words, and to adopt il, so as to
make it real substantial tribute of respect
TO Gen. Taylor and the army under his com
mand. And he had only further to say
that he could vote for no resolution, in tn,
present state of things, which contained
any sting towards Gen. Taylor, or any
censure upon his conduct in any respect
or which implied any doubt or hesitation
He desired to leave out every thing o
that nature; and he did not suppose tina
gentlemen could have contemplated the ten
der of the thanks of Congress to Gen. Tay
lor in a manner to be acceptable to him
that is, in O manner expressive of the unar
imous consent of Congress-with such pre-
visions as were inserted here by way
preamble or dissertation upon the Mexica
war. He would vote for nothing whc
in any shape tended to bring in questo
the course pursued in the conduct of th