Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-04-29

But pay me terms of honor, cold and sickly
lie vented them most narrow measures lent me
When the best hint WINS given him, he not took il
IN hiI Ii rrnrr Liz l,nih %

When the best hint given him, he not took it,
Or did it from his tccth."
A short historical narrative will best illustrate
and confirm these remarks
The President sent his Annual Message to
Congress on the 9Th of December. In this mess
age proper justice done the army, as we have
already said, with the invidlous and gross excep
ton that there was studied omission of doing
honor to theCommander in-chlef by mentioning
him by name. But when was the army to be
thanked by Congress? And who was to per-
form the agreeable duty of proposing the vote of
thanks? Usually, there are enough not only
willing, but eager, to perform that grateful task
1t belongs, of propriety. to some leading man OF
the majority some member connected with the
appropriate branch of the business of the House.
But ,oho. Of all the Administration members,
sprang to his feet? tcho rushed to the tribune,
IN the name OF Congress and the country, to ten
der an honorable testimonial to skilful and sue
cessful General, and gallant and patriotic ar
my? Those who were loud for the war, where
were they? The lovers of acquisition, and glory,
and conquest, they who spake Of visiting the
Halls OF the Montezumas, where were they all
when distinguished victory by a Wing General
was announced?
A"Whig General" Aye, that brings on the
fit again. Thou stickest dagger in me, Tu-
balw "A Wing Gereral--a man already dan
gerous and formidable to our party-must we
thank him? Let us thank M. Pok-let us
thank he Secretary of &p-let US thank our.
selyes--let us thank any body else but let us
be in no haste to thank Gen. Taylor"
Congress remained speeches. on the subject
Of vote of thanks until the 10Th of January,
when Mr.. Cooke, a very respectable Wing men,
Der from Tennessee, moved for leave 10 introduce
the appropriate resolutions. The leave was re-
sisted, for time, by the usual resorts to side
l. 1 b,,, enc llu for IN obi
ment tor the day, the leave was given, and the
resolutions were introduced and read. There
upon Mr. Faran, Democratic member from O.
hio, Immediately moved to attach to the resolu-
| ton, by way of amendment, a declaration that
| " the war was commenced and forced on us by
| Mexico, and was continued by Us in defence of
| the honor and vindicatlon Of the just rights of
! the United States, assaed, as both had been, by
repeated and fragrant acts on the part of Meyl-
CO, of insults, outrages, and finally Of invasion
of one of the States of this Union" Any man
Of proper self-respect would have blushed, one
would think in proposing to sufiX such decla-
ration as this TO vote of thanks But there is
reason to think nevertheless, that it was done
upon concert. The object was TO alter the pro-
posed vote of thanks so that Wing members
could not support it. But Mr.. Thompson Mis-
sissIppi wished to go further. Mr. Faran's prop
osilion would do, as a trap for the Wings, but
there was no sting in it Tor General Taylor So
I Mr. Thompson proposed an additional declara-
ton, viz. ct that nothing herein contained shall
be construed into an appreciation of the terms OF
the captulation of Monterey" This, 1t was
thought, would hit the Wing General full in the
| face. Whether this TOO was part OF the result
! of party consultation, or whether it only was
that MIR. Faran and Mr.. Jacob Thompson had a.
| greed to hunt in couples, the former gentleman
| Immediately accepted the proposition of the lat
| ter as an amendment to his own; and bic
as it may seem, Mr.. Cookies very appropriate and
Just resolutions. botched and dlsfgured by these
additions, actually passed the House of Repre-
sentative of the United States! We could moi
but regard this proceeding as one of the mos
unworthy and discredllable that ever disgraced
the Journal of Legislative body, and took oc
casion at the time so to represent IL. MIR. Fa
rams amendment was known by him, and by ev'
cry body, TO contain statements of facts wholly
foreign to the subject and which at least one
third of the House believed 10 be directly false
This was a repetition of the unworthy trick play
ed off by the same party in the act of May las
recognising the existence of war.
As TO Mr.. Thompsons amendment we hardly
know how to characterize it. 1t was quite CON
petent to Mr.. Thompson to withhold his supper
! from the vote of thanks, if he did not thinl
| thanks deserved; but when q proposition wal
before the House to pay a tribute of respect to
| soldier, to a man with whom honor is every thing
and who feels reproach as wound to insert il
such proceeding fling, Il conlumely, in tht
form of doubt, or a proviso, is proceedln!
which we cannot conceive how Mr.. Thompson
could propose, or House of Representatives a
dept. But all this was 10 derogaie from the Viii!
General, who had already been pronounced unfi
to be entrusted with the command of the army
1t was to stigmalze Gen. Taylor, to break hin
down, and crush at once his rising and danger
Gus popularity. Thanks TO the Justice of an over
ruling Providence, all these miserable inventions
have returned, with tenfold bitterness and thou
sand new stngs, "to plague the inventors"
How poor, how cheap, do the actors in these
scenes now look How much must they be a
shamed of what they have said and done! VIVA
would they not give to obllterate The record o
their speeches and their votes
General Taylor's military feas have been quiz
distinguished. With as much propriety as thos
Of almost any other man they may be Gale,
"prodiges." But General Taylor, it is clear
was not born to be himself the victim Of "pro
digy." An eagle, towering in his pride Of flight,
was no: doomed to be "by housing owls hawke'
at and killed"
Let us now follow these " Resolutions o
Thanks" into the Senate.
They were taken up in that body on the Sd O
February. Mr.. Speight moved TO strike out tn
pr0DiSO moved IN the House by hlr. Thompson
saying, with great propfety, that "he was no
willing to present thanks with one hand and
censure with the other" Mr.. Sewer and MI
Bagby advocated the proviso, as they disnpprov
ed the terms of the capitulation of Monterey
Mr.. Archer put very significant inquiry: II
desired to know why the Senator (Mr. Sewer
was for connecting the subject of the capltula
ton with the resolution Of thanks" Mr.. Crit
tenden spoke at length against the prouiSo, us di
Mr.. John nj. Clayton. Mr.. Crittenden shrewdl
suggested that Senators here were endeavorn
to qualify the matter so us 10 go against Genera
Taylor, or in his favor, according as the tide c
war or the tide of politics might turn" Now
this was the exact truth, not only IN regard I
certain members Of Congress, but in regard /
the Administration itself The Administrative
meant to leave Gen. Taylor in such Il positIo
that, if successful, they could claim tire merit t
themselves and, it unfortunate, might throw tn
blame on hlm. But to proceed with the vote {
thanks:
Mr. Webster said that he regretted exceedingly that whe
they wec about tender tribute of respect milta
man abroad any thing should occur thing be propose
TO with 1t, which would break the entire
inv of Congress TO be valuable, the tribute of respect
be unaniinous bestowed II appear flow from
era sense of what due the the officer
and always as he knew, no remembered the hist
nv of the GovefnmeGt he believed the thanks of Congress
when rendered all to military man. rendered by
distinct propositions free and clear from oil other consider
tons whatever POpery and the graceiuness belonging
the occason required they should he rendered.
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