The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-07-27
JAcKsON's OPINION OF TAYLOR.

persons, says the Philadelphia Saturday Courier
that five days before General JACKSON closed his
earthly career, he signed document which he had
csrfuily written DUNG his retirement al the Her
mitage, in which is given his opinion Of the military
character Of oil the Generals who served or com.
manded in Florida during the seven years war with
the Semnoles, which must include Generals Scot
Jtssup, Tayt1r, Worth, Gaines. aad Cinch. As
opinions various rs 10 which military chieftain
the Presidential chair shall be offered the retire
ment of PIesi!ent Polk II is to be doubted that
| a document Of the kind alluded to would create q
perfect CONFUSION in political circles, if published
Just previous TO the next election as we learn from
those TO whom the almost sacred document was
confded, will DO the case.
II is an old saying. that '1he labors of the
dead do follow them," and the saying has
been declared to be truth by the spirit Of inspi-
ration. The labors of General Jackson during
his wonderful life, were.-to make Presidents
Of these United States. Those labors, it ap
pears, have followed him, though dead, aud
his admirers are preparing the way to reveal
his opinion in relation TO tae successor of Mr..
Polk. There is no Disgusting il, that the opin,
ion of the dead Hero will not be without It's
weight upon the mass Of the present Demo
cratic party, Of which he was the founder and
the head while living and Of which he Is the
tutelary Saint, now that he is gone. When
alive, Gen. Jackson's voice made two Presi-
dents. and though they were the very worst in
the line of American Chief Magistrates, still
he placed them in power There is some ex
r.
cuse for these bad selections--Mr Van Buren,
and Mr.. Polk-when we consider the charac-
ter of The Old Hero, for though an excellent
and never-failing Judge Of men when permitted
70 exercise his own judgment. he was liable,
from the frankness and simplicity of his ma
ture, TO be imposed upon by the designing. l.
is history, that he was the prey, from the hour
that he came into the Presidency up to the
day Of his death. OF wicked, INSCRIPTIONS
politicians, and this fact, SO well established,
overthrow on more than one occasion, the
otherwise powerful influence of his great mind
upon public opinion. But it revived again in
1874, and he died in the possession Of the full
confidence Of the successful party Of that year.
About the time that President Po.k refused
to commit the conduct Of the War with Mexi.
co 10 the hands Of General Scott, an article
appeared, originally, if we remember Alright,
in the Nashville Union, The organ Of Mr.. Polk
in Tennessee, protesting 10 give the opinion OF
General Jackson, just before his dsath, as TO
the proper person, fitted by nature and educa
lion, TO lead the armies OF he Republic in the
event Of war with Mexico growing out Of an
uexing Texas. That article was republished
with appreciation in the Washington Union and
all the leading Democratic papers OF tie coun-
| try. We have not file Of the Presidents
Washington Journal by us or we would re-
produce this extraordinary statement, Ithow-
ever proiessed TO give conversation between
The relator and Gen. Jackson upon the subject
Of Texas and the apprehended war with
Mexico. The relator asked the old chief, who
in his opinion, was best fitted in the United
States 10 conduct our military operations
against Mexico, il war should break out in
consequence Of annexation. The General is
made TO reply somewhat in manner follow
ing: Eve do not possess 10 give the words OF
the Larrator) D " There is an old farmer living
on the coast Che Banks Of the Mississippi
near Baton Rouge, whom nature and educa
rion have peculiarly fitted for this great work
His name is Zachary Taylor, Were Presi
dent, and war should break out between us
and the Mexicans, would make him com
mander in Chief of our armies in Mexico, ind
entrust TO him the sole conduct Of the war He
is the only man in the country whom | would
select" Shortly after, or simultaneous with,
the appearance Of this account Of Gen. Jack
sons high opinion Of Gen. Tay lor-and sub
sequent events have more than justified this
| opinion, high as i, is represented to have BEEN.
to Colonel Taylor. then Brigader General by
Brevet, was assigned the command by Presi
dent Polk Of all our armies in Mexico. In the
eyes of the Democratic party, the pushing
aside Of Gen. Scott, to whom its leading wri-
ters gave the soubriquei Of Marshal Turenne
in derision Of lis "hasty plate -of-soup" letter
TO Mr.. Marcy, and the promotion Of Colonel
TO the chief command in Mexico, were sanc-
toned, because Gen. Jackson had the foresight
to discover Gen. Taylor's high qualities, and
Mr.. Polk the wisdom 10 use that discovery.
This very conversation Of General Jackson
with the intimate friend who gave il out, was
cited by the Democratic Journals everywhere,
in defence Of Mr.. Polk for his course towards
Gen. Scott, when he was censured by the
Wing press for keeping the Hero Of Chippewa
cooped up in his Office at Washington.
It's no, our purpose on the present occasion.
10 refer to Gen. Taylor's loss Of the Presidential
confidence and the final Substitution of Gen.
Scott in the chief command in Mexico--all in
opposition 10 the opinion Of the dead Hero OF
New Orleans. Our object in referring to the
matter is to recall the attention Of the pubic 10
the above high opinion which Gen. jackson
had of TAYLOR before he fought his Mexican