Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-06
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
HoNoRs TO THE BRAVE.

malice or madness Of party, in our Legislative Halls
would have reached the pitch Of injustice of voting
virtual and public censure of the aged Hero of the
hard-fought fields Of Pao Alto, Resaca de la Palma,
and Monterey, the person who should have ventured
such prediction would have been regarded as a
lunatic. Yet truth, often strange than fiction,
has seen this monsirous improbabiity and this high
injustice realized in the proceedings of the Repre-
sentatives House of Congress on Saturday last, of
which The reader will find history in the proceed
ing columns.
In the resolutions passed by the House on
tina, day, and converted, by those who as party
are at once the supporters Of this war and the
enemies Of him who has won all its battles,
into wanton censure, our readers will find a
singular illustration of that bad propensity, of which
the history of the ancient Democracies afford SO
many examples, which disposes men to perse-
cute those whose fortune il has been to serve their
country with success, and to merit and receive a
wide public esteem.
The need of legislative thanks had already been
conferred upon the inferior actions by which Gen.
Taylor first drew upon himself the popular admit
ration and rose into a reputation that might make
him as dangerous to party at home as to the enemy
abroad. And, although the capture of fortified
city, defended by still superior numbers to those he
had beaten in the open field, be, of course, far
more brilliant exploit than the two of last spring.
yet it had thus far received no acknowledgment like
that willingly voted while his name was compare
lively new, and regarded, perhaps, with party CON-
placency, as one which might aid in eclipsing a
previous military fame, then the object of political
dread
Certainly, distinct enough indications had been
for some time appearing in the government organs,
here and elsewhere, and in occasional speeches on
the floor of Congress, that I" Rough and Ready's' y
victories were disturbing those in power, and thai
Gen. TAYLOR was. endearing himself to those who
brought on this war, by no means in proportion as
by his valor and conduct he was redeeming its
Illegally or retrieving its i'll management But no
body had yet imagined that party repugnance would
venture 10 go the strange length gone, and not
merely fail to offer the reward of public thanks due
to such acts but absolutely attempt to turn the re-
ward, when moved by others, into a censure COM
plstely cancelling it. or, rather, making it direct
reProof, for fact approved by the military council
assembled on the spot to consider Of ia fact oil
which the Congressional censurers cannot pretend
to be in condition to Judge half so well-nto
which, indeed, they have not deigned to inquire
Gen. TAYLOR, it is very we'll known, is so far
from being party man. that he is scarcely poll
hclan, except that he simply prefers as man un-
ambitious and conservative in temper, system OF
order 10 one of agitation, policy of restraint to
one Of boundless license, Of caution TO headlone
experiment., of preservation to destruutvism. If
then. Wing, he is only SO in his instincts, his cha
racter; and should have been as lirle looked upon
politician by one party as he was by the other
His titles were those of the brave, and brilliant, and
patriotic solder only; and unhappy is the country
where those titles do silence all party jealousy
check all umbrage of mere faction at exploits with
out which the counry's arms would have been dis
honored, and that faction itself ruined by war as
unsuccessful as il in its beginning inexpedeni
and illegitimae.
The reasons, it is now evident, which made the |
Administration and its supporters contrive and ex-
ecute method for avoiding to employ the arms OF |
one great soldier, lest he (already POPULAR should
win successes which would make him an invincble
public favorite, have now turned themselves upon
a second; and as Brdgewater, Chippewa, and
Lundy's Lane forbade Gen. ScoTT to be sent to
command in Mexico, so Palo Alto, Resaca de la |
Palma, and Monterey mark Gen. TAYLOR out for
disgrace, be inflicted on him under the first
pretext Here, the pretence Of anill-judged capin-
laton was TO serve the same noble and patriotic |
purposes against one veteran as plate OF soup"
had served against another. Such are the rewards
which this war party is extending, not merely TO
the man marked by former exploits fttest to
serve the country in contest but to the very man
10 whose achievements this war Of theirs owes its
only reputation, the only public pleasure with
which it can be regarded
In all history, is at loss to find parallel
for such sreturn of services as this 1t in Fable
only-now fabulous no longer--that one meets any
thing equal. The Emperor of Lilliput and his d-
mntve courtiers and council are, in their exhib-
ton Of gratitude for the military services OF Capt.
CULVER, the only case seen at all approach
ing this present effort to dishonor, after having
lately attempted to supersede, Gen. TAYLOR.
Our readers, who have not been so accustomed
as TO refer TO the annals of Lilliput as con-
stantly calculating the manners, habits, and morals
Of politics and politicians will allow us to suppose
that they have not read, or have forgotten how,
when Capt LEMuEL had lived some time among the
mannikins, the Emperor of diminutves wanted