Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-09-29
THE TELE GRAPH.
C. L. SHoLEs, EDITOR.
Tuesday, September 26, IS4S.

GIN TArLoRs HoNEsTY-We hear a great
deal from the WING papers about Gen. Taylor's no.
nesty. 1t seems TO be a quality peculiar TO the
General and is used apparently, TO distinguish him
from Clay, Corwn Webster, and others of that par
in the vulgar deception of the term, but doubtless,
the wings mean something more than this, If they
mean any thing, when they talk about Taylor no.
nesty. They mean probably that he is remarka-
bly, candid straightforward, and witha consistent
old gentleman If this is what they do mean, let
us look at him little in this light. The General
is large slave holdes; no one denies this. He is
10 favor of the Wlmot proviso SO say these men
who claim him to be honest. The Wilmot provi-
SO proposes TO prevent the spread of slavery beyond
New Mexico. Now, why should Gen Taylor wish
to keep slavery out OF California and New Mexico?
We can think of but reason, and that is because
slavery is wrong? Well then, it appears from this
that Gen. Taylor thinks slavery is wrong in Cali
fornia and New Mexico. BY what rule of honesty,
then can it be made to appear hat what is wrong
in these distant territories is right in Louisiana
Will the friends of this old gentleman explain this
singular phase of honestly We can conceive of no
other reason than the one we have mentioned viz
hat slavery is wrong, which could induce Gen.
Taylor TO oppose its extensions and in view of this
fat unless we admit right and wrong to be ques-
ton of geography, by what rule of morals can we
admit Gen Taylor TO be honest when in the con-
of 81, Te 81 IL
bracing lie of principle, or is acting lie in his
daily life These friends who support him for no
other reason than because he is honest, and claim
him 10 be Wimot proviso man, put him right in
TO this inconsistent, dishonest position Now there
is such thing as a man being honest in wrong do
ing but the hone-ty of a man who thinks one way
and acts another, we cannot comprehend.
But his friends will plead for him, force of cir
cumstances, as an excuse for his beng slavehold
er. Slaves are his wealth, he lives off them, they
buid:palaces and buy carriages, for him. By them
heis enabled to laugh at that vulgar command about
eating his bread by the sweat of his brow and can
enjoy his ease, and all this kind of thing. Now
you would not have him. say they give up all these
things, for mere principle, simply becauee he thinks
it wrong. 1t is asking too much of sacrifice from
poor human nature. We know il is asking con..
derable in the light Of the worlds wisdom. but then
Old Zach, you know, is honester than every body
else, and more can be expected of him than others
Indeed, we believe we recollect something about an
individual now living in the neighborhood of Sagi-
nav, Michigan who did all this, and never laid
any special claim TO honesty But even admitting
the force of the excuse for Shareholders generally
it does not apply in the case of Taylor The deed
Of sale TO Gen. Taylor Of his slaves and plantation
in Louisiana, we believe is dated in 1e43, but five
years ago. 1t would seem then that these slave
relations of his were voluntarily assumed after he
had arrived at years of maturity. Gen Taylor
was familiar with this whole north western country;
its broad area OF freedom lay open to him. from
which to select home at government price; but
he turned his back upon it, and sought slave terri.
tory, and there at an expense of nnety-fve thou
sand dollars seated himself on sugar plantation and
surrounded himself with slaves. And all this time
he thinks slavery sucn wrong, that its extension
can by no means be tolerated And yet Old Zach
is 10 be made President because of his honesty Old
Zach is an honest man, and so are his northern idol
ators, all, all honest men,
Gen. Taylor looks vastly better in his southern
than his northern aspect. At the south his friends
Indignantly deny that he is in favor of the Wllmot
proviso. He is honest say they, ant cannot preach
one thing and practice another. They tell us it is
absurd to suppose that man situated as he is sur.
rounded by slaves, and continually purchasing
them, can be opposed to the extension of that in
stitution. 1t is a kind Of honesty they can't COM
prehend in that region of country, and it ought not
TO be comprehended elsewhere.