Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-10
Gen. Taylor'S Letter.

operations he has won for himself the al
most universal respect of the American
people, and no one but regrets an occur
renee which would in any degree tend to
destroy the confidence which has been re-
posed in him.
Recently the papers have been publish
ing private letter addressed by General
Taylor to General Gaines, and which first
appeared in the New York Express. The
papers throughout the country are filled
with comments on said letter most of the
whig papers justifying both its writing and
publication, because they hope to manu-.
facture some political capital from it. Yet
the democrats are not alone in censuring
the writing and the publication of this let
ter.
We give below extracts from several pa
pers, of both political parties, and ofno po-
litical party in reference to the subject
The following is an extract from an ar
ticle in the Pittsbergh American, paper
which advocates the nomination of Mr. Nc
Lean for the Presidency:
! "Of the late letter Of Gen. Taylor, less
can be said in defence. There is weak
ness about it, to say the least, altogether
unbecoming the high rank and responsible
station he holds. Indeed we know of
nothing to palliate or excuse it. As the
General in command on an important
campaign, he commits to the mercies of
others, detail ofintended operations, every
purpose of which should be guarded with
the most scrupulous secrecy. 1t is an
offence, which if done by any officer with
a doubtful purpose, should subject him to
the severest punishment. But when done
by the commanding General in levity, or
negligence or ignorance, must be regarded
as the heighth Of imprudence and evidenc-
ing an untitness for his trust. But Govern
ment had already superseded him in com.
mand, and it would have consulted It's true
dignity in resting satisfied here for this act
indiscretion, and passed to the better and
more commendable part of his conduct
which they should have kept more generous.
ly in remembrance. His indiscretons
should have been forgotten, and the victories
of the army which he commanded, land to
the merit of which he may justly lay claim,
only remembered
Gen. Taylor's friends quote the example
of Gen. Washington for the letter writing;
but they forget that Gen. Washington
never wrote or published intended plans of
his command, unless to the President or
Congress. No matter how full his private
letters may have been of the past--there is
nothing to be found in any of them of the
intended future"
The New York Courier and Enquirer,
whig paper, edited by James Watson
Webb says:
"The publication of private letter from
General TAYLOR in relation to the course
of the administration towards him, is alike
unjust to that gallant officer and Injurious
to the service. That General Taylor
himself will disapprove this wholly unjustifi-
able revelation of his private thoughts
cannot be doubted-and although when
once given to the public, we did not feel at
liberty, from the interest attached to such a
letter, to exclude it from our columns, we
none the less regret that it should ever have
got into circulation.
"The motives assigned, of desiring to
vindicate Gen. Taylor against the assaults
of the administration party, savours at
once Of presumption, and in military sense,
Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS inasmuch
as the defence of Gen. Taylor, if delence1
he need, might safely be confded to the
discrimination we'll as gratitude of the
people of the United States and insubordi-
nation in military sense, inasmuch as it
presents the commander of an army in ON
attitude of complaint, if not DEFIANCE, of
his lawful superior, the President of the
United States.
''In making these remarks we by no
means mean to be understood as disputinp
that Gen. Taylor has been unjustly and
disingenuously dealt with by the admisis.
tration. But to this conclusion
the public opinion would not fail to come.
without any such appliances, as this viola
ton of the confidence of friendship brings
to bear upon it.
"Now, those who profess to believe that
the conduct Of the armies of the country
ought to be confided exclusively to the
political friends of the Executive, will point
with triumph to this letter, as evidence that
political feeling does erist in The army, and
that the political distrust, to which Gen.
Scott referred in his ill advised correspon.
dence last year with the Secetary of War,
prevails alike IN The camp Of Monterrey.
sit is in this point of view, that the in.
discretion which promoted the publication
of Gen. Taylar's private letter is to be-
specially regretted, since it furnishes some
thing like pretext to charge the army
with partyssfeeling; charge tao which most
assuredly it is not liable, but which has o Il
seeming truth in the sentiments of such al;
Ietter as this; a letter ohich zoe must, IN all
frankness say, A COMMANDER IN THE FrELDl
SHOULD HARDLY VENTURE TO WRITE ATtl
ALL tr ~ HI