The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-01

There were some other matters which he would ike
much to discuss did the time admit of it. Last May the
President had sent TO Congress volume of dispatches
containing matter sufficient TO induce it TO pass the bill
recognising the existence of the war; and making poyi
sion to prosecute it. Well the House passed the bill
The President had moi asked the House to declare
against Mexico the ground OF all her injuries to
citizens but only to say that the war existed But the
gentleman from Mississippi [Nlr JACOB THoMpsoNl HIM
self offered resolution declaring against Mexico
that ground. His a bold and manly one, (as
his course here had always been and yet his proposition
could get but forty votes in its tavor and yet 1T was
SAID, with an efronery unsurpassed any occason that
Congress had declared the war, and the grounds Of
. on our II ia Da n not s the oe ss
said the House had declared Ii false; the adj
minstration would not venture to declare war:
\ Mr. DOUGLASS replied. He said he had risen for the
purpose of submitting few remarks in reply to the hon
orable gentleman from Massachusetts, especially directed
TO that part in which he charged deliberate design
y, TO do injustice to General Taylor He (Alr d. had
been unable to discover upon what ground-upon what
authority any member on that floor could make charge
oil that kind He knew nothing in the history OF the
course OF this administration towards General Taylor
that could justify any such charge. When their diff
Guilty first with Mexico, and Mexico threatened
I treat certain acts declaration OF General Taylor
was selected to take charge of the army of occupation in
the western part OF Texas Certainly that act OF selec-
contend evnced any hostility 1t was high and honor
able command conferred upon General Taylor vontari
y He was then only colonel OF the line, with breve
commission as brigader general He continued in that
command and, after the battles Of the sth and 9th, what
did they find as evidence of hostility on the part of the
administration? The gentleman said that after these
prostratng Gen. Taylor
Mr. ASIIMUN lin his seat.( Before those battles.
! Mr. DOUGLASS Before those battles, he said, the
administration had formed the design of prosrating Gen.
Taylor
Mr. ASHMUN. If the gentleman will allow me- |
will State precisely what did say 1t was this: that
before those battles there was mysterious givngs-ou
that any disasters occurred Gen. Taylor was to be made
a sacrifice.
took it before afterwards He wanted to try the gen
tleman by the recor-by known, fixed facts, that could
not be gansayed and see where was the evidence to
sustain the truth of that charge, the evidence to us-
~ any man in the eyes of the world to say that he had
pretex for such charge against the administration, or
against the democratic party Or against any honorable
man. Those battles fought, and what did the add
mnlstraton do Immediately upon the news the Pesi-
dent OF the United States sent to the Senate nomination
OF General Taylor as major general OF the United States
Mr.. FICKLIN here and intimated desire to ad-
dress the chair.
Mr. DOUGLASS I cannot be interrupted Why was
that done twas done mark of appreciation by the
President of the United States of General Taylor; to
confer the honor signal mark of his confidence OF
dong that he gave brevet to General Taylor placing
HIM thereby above other officers in the United States
army who held older commssions- rank in the
evidence the part of the President of the cabinet
that breye of hostility The gentleman said the hos
hty had been formed before but the victories hushed it.
Let them what evidence the democratic party gave at
that time of hostility to General Taylor resolution of
thanks was brought forward in that House he recol-
lecied right by democraand passed UNANIMOUSLY re-
ceiyng every democratic vote in that House, giving the
thanks of Congress to Gen Taylor for his military services
and all that after the base design had been formed of sacr-
hclng him! Was not that strange way Tor party to
show its design OF sacrificing man, by rendering sol
vote Of thanksby comforting the highest honor in
the face of the world, that their power
fer on mani Was that the way it chose to execute that
base design of sacrificing a general! What next'
Why, when that declaration of passed TO which
the gentleman had referred, resolution passed pro-
ydng for the creation OF an additional major general IN
the army and devoved, of course upon the President,
under the constitution, TO select and nominate that major
general Who was selected Did the President select
the highest in command? The highest officer Gen
era Gaines--nex to General Scott, who major
general Did the President select General Gaines Not
come to General Wool. Did he select General Wool
No. He passed General Wool. Did he Sc
my, No He passed over him and several others,
till he got down TO oone OF the line, with brevet
generalship only, and took Taylor and raised him
their heads and made him full major general OF the
army who had commanded him for forty years.
Yet in the face of that act done by the President Of the
United States with the concurrence OF his cabinet and
approved and sanctioned by the democratic party, the
gentleman had the hardhood to charge base design
icng General Taylor sacrificing hima conspiracy to
sacrifice him He (Mr d. wondered if the gentleman
would not like to be sacrificed in the same way He
asked if the military in the army would like TO
! be sacrificed in the same way Take colonel and
make him major general-take inferior officer and
put him over his superors and brother officers heads
that the evidence OF design the part OF the admin
sratlon and the democratic party to sacrifice Gen Taylor
But things had gone on, and General Taylor retained the
| command of the army. The administration had given
him their unlimited confidence. There had been act
OF hosthtyno act of unk Understanding he averred
up TO that hour to Justify the charge But the gentleman
stated another evidence of this hostility 1t because
he found in the 1nteligencer of that morning. the
Unon-for it was in both papers-an old army order
vived, prohibiting the publication of private letters, and
Il tl,t,
army order adopted in 1925 and had always been
in existence since, but by some cause omitted in the pub
LEGATION of ISL Because that repubGshed
and sent forth to the world, the gentleman discovered
conspiracy, rather the evidence of former conspira
cy, to sacrifice General Taylor. And how did he
was undoubtedly intended for him. Where
the evidence What evidence there that that army
order intended to apply to General Taylor Why,
because, he SAID letter of General Taylor had been
Gently published which violation of that order
Well if General Taylor had publishe letter in viola
ton OF standing army ORDER was It not time that his at
tenton called TO the fact and that he required
to conform TO the regulations of the army? All but he
said General Taylor did not publish the letter That was
the very point to which he (Mr d. wished to bring him,
MIR Al If General Taylor did publish the letter, by
what right did he say that the order intended for him.
The order intended solely for the who violated
it, If Taylor did not violate it, by what right did they
was not right that his attention should be called to it
And il he had violated tiff he had violated the orders OF
his superorswhch supposton would be that he had vio
lated his oaha suppostion that he Mr d. repealed and
denedyet if he had he (Ar d. asked if the admins
traon had dealt kindly with hm-merey drawing the
him from the service, violation Of that order would
reouirp There was ATTEMPT dismiss him There