Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-04-17
SATURDAY, APRIL II, ls47.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ARMY.

While the whole country is filled with rejoicings
at the brilliant successes which have distinguished
the American arms, studied attempt is made by
the adherents of the Administration, in some in
stances boldly, and in others coverlly, to snatch the
merit of those from those to whom it pro-
pery belongs, and claim it all for the President and
the Administration To this end, three or four for
mdable columns made their appearance in " the
Union" of Tuesday evening. The Union, in
deed evidently carries its purpose little further
than a mere demand for praise, and honor, and re-
nown 10 the Administration. Its commentator of
the President, made in the usual style of that pa
per-hat is to say, made by mere repetition and
accumulation OF euloglstic words and phrases-is
interspersed, here and there, with hints, not to be
misunderstood, that Mr.. Polk is again TO be pre-
sented 10 the Democracy" of the country as a
candidate for the Presidency. OF this we care lit
tie; and the country, we presume cares as little.
But for whatever end or object the attempt is now
made to clothe the Administration, its head or its
members, with honors truly and deservedly belong
ing to others, il is purpose TO expose that at
tempt to the utmost of our power, and to call down
upon it the just Indignation of honorable men.
If we can prevent it, such birds shall not strut in
borrowed plumes.
Before proceeding to the consideration of some
particular occurrences, we have or two general
remarks to make, by way Of preliminary expla-
nation.
In the first place. then, 1t is known that great
majority, doubt least three-fourths of the emi-
nent and distinguished gentlemen in the Army are
Wings. Not, indeed, that they take any part in
political contests, which their official station leads
them, not improperly, to avoid; but that they are
Wings in sentiment, judgment, and feeling. They
believe that, in general, Wing principles the
true principles of the Constitution, and Wing policy
the true policy of the Country.
1t is still more generally known, indeed it is
known universally, that Gen. ScoTT, the Chief in
command of the Army, and Gen. TAYLOR, who has
distinguished himself SO greatly, are both Wings,
Constitutional American Wings, in all their opn-
ions and sentiments.
In the next place, it is known that Gen. SCOTT
has already been once strongly supported as Whig
candidate for the Presidency and it is known, too
that after Gen. TAYLoR's brilliant achievements
last year on the Rio Grande, great many persons
in the country, some of them of much considera-
ton and influence, knowing the General to be
sterling Whig, were quite disposed to bring him
forward for the highest place in the gift of the
People.
And, in the third place, we have to say, that after
all the various specuations upon the real n1otiues
which led the President and his Cabinet to plunge
the country into this needless war; by far the most
rational conclusion is, that they were nstigated by
halfPhrenzied purpose OF gaining renown to them
cnlu hy-r
and pushing it forward to combat and to victory.
But now comes the predcament. The army is,
essentially, Whig army Its Generals are Wing
Generals. If there was to be fighting they were
to do it; if there TO be victories they were to
win them. Was the Administration vain enough
and weak enough to suppose that it would gather
up for itself all the honors of successful military
operations, and obscure the names of those eminent
military men who must be the immediate agents
and authors of successful military achievements
This precisely the vanity and weakness, and the
oblique and unjust purpose, which accompanied its
motive for war. War, necessary or unneces-
'sary; war, for our honor and glorifcation war,
the misforunes of which, if there shall be misfor-
tunes, may be ascrbed TO others, and the glory of
which, if there shall be glory, we can grasp en-
tirely for ourselves: :" this short sentence in our
conscientious belief, forth truly the motives of
the war, and the real objects and purposes for which
1t was brought on the country.
In short, President-making-to secure the sue
cesslon to Mr.. Polk, TO other politician of
the same stamp, by the acquisition of territory
and of military glory the original moving,
burning stimulus, that led the Administration to
plunge into war.
After these preliminary remarks, we now proceed
TO show, by clear and connected facts that from the
first the conduct of the Administration has been
marked by ceaseess jealousy of the Wing Gene
rails in command of the Army.
General TAYLOR has been the especial object Of
this jealousy from the day on which he drew his
conquering sword in the battle of Palo Alto. This
can easily be made apparent. In his Annual Mes
sage al the opening of the last session Of Congress
the President speaks in terms sufficiently high Of
the importance Of the victories of Palo Alto Resa-
ca de la Palma, and Monterey, and in terms also
sufficiently complimentary to the Army, in the ag-
gregats, both regulars and volunteers, but he says
nothing Of ZACHARY TAYLOR. General TAYLOR
commander-in-chef though he was in all these we'll
fought fields, is not named.
Does IN hehpve that this wnnd have been