Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-07-07
Letter from Gen. TaylOr.

Gen. Taylor has at length spoken out
upon the subject of the Presidency, and
precious little encouragement does he give
to those rampant federalisti who at first
nominated him for President, merely be-
cause2of his supposed availability. The
man is too honest, entirely. to submit to be
the candidate Of such party. He has
been fighting for his country, because he
thought his country right, and exerting
himself to terminate the war honorably and
justly, while the whig party has been de-
liberately pursuing course directly cal
culated to defeat the object for which he
was struggling. Their hypocrisy is un-
parallel in even presuming to mention the
old hero as their candidate, after denounc-
ing him and the war in which he is engag-
ed, in the manner the federal press have
done. But, read the letter addressed to Mr..
Taylor of Cincinnati. Here it is:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF OCCUPATION, }
Camp near Monterey, May ls, 1s47. {
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter with the enclo-
sure of your editorial, extracted from the
''Signal'' of the 18th April.
At this time, my public duties command
SO fully my attention, that it is impossible
to answer your letter in the terms deman-
ded by its courtesy, and the importance Of
the sentiments to which it alludes; neither,
indeed, have the time, should feel my.
self at liberty, to enter into the few and
most general subjects ofpublic policy sug-
gested by the article in question. NV own
personal views were better withheld till
the end of the war, when my usefulness as
a military chief, serving in the field against
my the common enemy, shall no longer
be compromised by their expression or dis
cussion in any manner.
From many sources I have been ad
dressed on the subject of the Presidency
and do violence neither to myself or t.
my position as on officer Of the army, by
acknowledging to you, Us have done t
all who have alluded to the use of my nam,
in this exalted connexion. that my services
are ever at the will and call Of the country
and that am not prepared to say that
shall refuse, if the country calls me to tn,
Presidential Office, but thatI can and shall
yield to no call that does not come from III,
spontaneous action and free will of the ma
ton at large, and void Of the slightest q
gency Of my own.
For the high honor and responsibilitie.
of such an Office, l take this occasion to
say, that have not the slightest aspiration
a much more tranquil and satisfactory life
after the termination of my presen: duties
awaits me, I trust, in the society of my
family and particular friends, and in the
occupations most congenial to my wishes.
In no case can permit myself 10 be the
candidate of any party, or yield myself to
party schemes
With these remarks, trust you will
pardon me for thus briefly replying to you,
which do with high opinion and decided
approval Of the sentiments and views en-
braced in your editorial.
With my wishes for your prosperity in
life, and great usefulness in the sphere in
which your talents and exertions are en-
barked, beg to acknowledge myself
Most truly, and respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
z. TAYLOR,
Maj. Gen. U. S. Army.
JAS. w. TAYLOR, ESQ =, Cincinnati, o.