The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-07-22

"HiSh PSuCudtcc INSTANTLY tuC uui uSCSt ooDJSS'
and measures its length aud breadth as. if by
intuition, General Taylor vel has that order Of
intellect which more slowly but quite as surely
masters all that ID engages and examines all
The combinations Of which the subject is sus-
cepible. When he announces his conclusions
you feel confident that he well understands the
ground upon which he plants himself, and'you
rest assured that the conclusion is the deduction
of skill aud sound sense faithfully appliedito
the matter in hand. II is this order Of mind
which has enabled him, unlike many other of
6cers of the army, to attend 70 the wants Of
Instantly BY so using those means az his dis.
posal as - surround himself in his oldage with
q haDdsome private fortune, and TO be blest with
an almost perfect constitution. / would to day
prefer his advice in any matieraof private in
terest--would take his opinion as V the value
Of an estate would rather follow his sugges
tons ia . scheme where property or capital was
10 be embarked--would pursue more confident
y his counsel where the management Of an
army was involved Or the true honor of my
country was al stake, than thateof any other
mani have ever known. i regard his judg
ment as being frstrate al everything from a
horse trade up 70 trade in human life upon
the field of battle. IN
20. He is0 firm mum, and possessed of great
energy Of character. Il were waste Of time
10 dwell upon these traits Of his character, for
career has afforded such abundant
examples Of his exercise Of these qualities as
10 render them familiar 70 every citizen who
has ever read or heard Of the man. In his
army they are daily exhibited, and stand con-
spicaously displayed in every order which
smanates from his pen. III III a, 'ifs''
4. He a benerolent man. This quality has
been uniformly displayed in his treatment or
he prisoners who have been placed 10 his
power BY the vicissitudes Of war;. No man
who had seen him after the battle Of Buena,
Vista, as he ordered the wagons To- bring ID
The Mexican wounded from the battle. field,
and had heard him as he at once cautioned
his own men that the wounded were 10 be
treated with mercy, could doubt that he was
alive to all the kinder impulses Of our nature.
The indiscretions Of youth he chides with pa
ternal kindness, yet with The decision which
forbids their repetition and the young men Of
his army feel that il is a pleasure to gather
around him. because they know that they are
as welcome as though they visited the hearth.
stone Of their own home, and they are always
as freely invited to partake Of what he has to
offer, as if theywer under the roof Of father.
His conduct in sparing the deserters who were
captured at Buena Vista, exhibited, at the
same time. in remarkable manner, his be-
nevolence and his judgment. !" Don't shoot
them, said he ."the worst punishment will
infict is to return them to the Mexican army ~
When Napoleon said 10 one OF his battalions,
/" lnscribe i on their flag: No longer Of the
army Of Italy.'" he used an expression which
was deemed SO remarkable, that history pre-
served it for the admiration Of future ages vet
il was not more forcible, as an illustration OF
his power, in touching the springs Of human
action, than is thato Of Gen. Taylor illustrative
Of the manner 10 which he would make an
example for the benefit Of the army.
$. He i a man of business habits. never
have known Gen. Taylor to give up day to
pleasure. | have never visited his quarters
without seeing evidences Of the industry with
which he toi1ed. If his talented adjulant was
BY papers 50 was the General. And
though he would salute a visitor kindly and bid
him with familiar grace to amuse himself until
he was at leisure, he never would interrupt the
duties which his station called him 10 perform.
When these were closed for the day, he seem
ed 70 enjoy to remarkable degree the vivacity
Of young officers and to be glad to mingle in
their society. AS conversationalist do not
think Gen. Taylor possesses great power. He
uses few words and expresses himself with
energy and force but not fuendy. His Ian
guage is select. would say, however, from
my knowledge Of the, man, that he Isl entirely
capable Of producing anything in the shape Of
an order or letter which has ever appeared
over his signature, and IN saying 50 much l
understand myself as asserting that he is a mas
Ter Of his mother tongue and can write about
As effectively and handsomely as he can fight.
Such then is the picture of the man--not Of
the General-who won upon my esteem. l
am not in the habit Of eulogisins men, and
have indnlged on this occasion because / dlesir.
ed 70 describe TO you with the exaclness Of
truth those qualities which, combined ia Gen.
TAYLOR, made him appear % me as n fsrst-yntc