Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-10-12
THURSDAY, OCTOBER -, 1913.
81 am sir, very respectfully, your obodent ser
ropt UZ TAYT,OR


1t thus appears that although Cen Taylor said to
the editor of the Sgnal-"I approve the sentiments
and views embraced in your editorial" he did not
mean any such thing! but meant only TO express his
respect for the independence of the Signal editor IN
having opinions of his own and maintaining them.-
Would that some of the Generals supporters, herea-
bouts had as much respect for independence of opin
ion as he has.
Thousands have become committed for General
Taylor upon the ground of his reply to the Signal ed
itor. 1t was, remember, among the specially
assigned for his adhesion by leading editor in this
State, who long held out against the nominations and
to show how important he considered this evidence he
has kept the two extracts standing in his paper ever
since. Will he or will any wing editor inform his
readers that this evidence has entirely failed. We
shall see.
But some one may say this letter to the Tuscaloosa
Monitor was dated last November; and since that
time Gen Taylor has written the Allison letter, and
stands on different ground My reply is, that since
the Allison letter written, and since Gen. lay.
lor was nominated by the Philadelphia Convention,
he has written to the editor of the Monitor, author
ling hun to publish the letter in question. The
letter may, therefore, be taken as an expression Of
his views at the time he authorized its publication.
Thus, them he n0w deems 1t important to dlsclalm
the imputed sentiment that he thinks the extension
beyond the Rio Grande of the Ordinance Of 1887, an
object 'too high and paramount to be bated by Pres
denta veoes." He will not permit it to be inferred
that he thinks the Ordismhce of I7SI, Uhe Wimot
Proyiso) ought not to be badled by vcto That in
ference has been strenuousy insisted by his North
em supporters; but he now comes out and says to
thenl--yOu mistaken; mean no such thlng. Oh
must not understand me as giving any assurance--ls
You supposed did nmy letter to the editor of the
Signa-that will not "batle with ayeo" bill con-
tanning the principle of the Ordinance Of 1857.
Such is the position in which Gen. Taylor nor
bip,cof off
committed for him upon ground thus, at length, pos
! lively dIsayowed by him. No matter how much it
embaTasses his Nonhcrns trlends--hc must get South
ern notes.-the votes of the slavery eXtenslonists
That ne cannot do without the disavowa which thus
takes away main prop on which his Northern sup.
porters have so long, and so confidently rested.
spoke in my letter to Mr. Gidding5 of Gen. Tay~
os position in regard to slavery as it then appeared
to me find very strong confirmation, not only in
this letter to the Tuscaloosa Monitor, but in the rea-
ton that Gen. Taylor permits himself tosustan to the
Charleston meeting and nomination, to which | have
referred. With that nomination. the President of the
meeting sen-as he said in his letter to Gen. Taylor
the preamble and resolutions of the meeting, $50
fully explanatory of its views" he says "as to need no
comment" We bound to presume that reply
would not have been given, without attentive
sideration of the Preamble and Resolutions thus spe
officially and emphacay referred o-.tme for which
was evidently taken, the reply dated fourteen
days after the transmission of them.
8 Let III now look into the Preamble and Rcsolu
: tons. The Preamble, among other things declares:
i awe know him one whose lot has been cast ii
that portion Of the Union now decrled, and sought to
be trodden down. His INTERESTS ARE OUR INTLH
: Esrs We know that he must feel the lawless char
acter of any attempts to interfere with our property
: directly or indirectly We know that he must fee
the senseless camor that is raised to disturb pos
session of that property, as violating the law either
God or man. We know that in this great, paramount
and leading question of the rights Of the South, HE Is
OF Us-HE IS WITH US and is FOR US. We
know that to hesitate or faer in our support o.
one SO closely connected Nth as, spirit and IN inter
1t est would be wlully needless Of the appeal which
IT the position of our State makes to patriotism"
i. The following are among the resolutions OF tbs
a meeting
IS Resolved, That the Democracy of Charleston Dis
h lrct now assembled, are satisfied with the true in
e tegrity undoubed frmness, and mcorruptblG patri
d otism of Zachary Taylor; and under his adnlnstra
ton they feel assured that the rights of the State
ID will be respected and preserved; and they cordla
co lcur in the nomination of him Tor the Presidency
is this Union, which has been made by the people c
ID the United States, irrespective Of parties, and inde
ut pendent of politicians.
y. "Rcsolved, That with such a leader, we may hop
h TINT the dangers which surround us may be happii
a. ayeted. But if this hope is disappointed we shall
ut tegry of our whole country, under his direction VIII
has already amouncedto the enemies OF his countl!
,r that "Gea, Tay!or neUer sunenders."
ID The italics and small capitals are my own.
~. Now what does Gen Taylor say to all this? H
~ uters not word of dissent The meeting say "w
know that he is of u.s. and with u.s. and for u.s." The
- say this in the face of the uth and the country. o
he came they to take this responsibility Of saying "W
know" And how dared they to say this to Gener
il, Taylor for it sent to him with the nomination.
a. if they had not good reason to know And why,
a they had no reason to know, did not General Tayl
say to them-GontIemen, though | shall feel muC
obliged to you for your votes, must in all tranknes
say that you have assumed to know what IS not tru
:! But no; he says no such thing. On the contrary
rt expresses his "protound gratitude" ana "heartit
thanks for nomination, accompanied by such {
al expression Of the confidence which was Based
A. Would he have given such reply to q nomlnatlon
~ Free Soil Convention in Vermont, Qf ConventN
II deserving that name could give him nomination
r. accompanied by a set of Free Soil Resolutions, sa
r ng-"we know that he is with us aud for uS!' al
80 adding that "with such leader we may hope that tn
Nv threatened extension of slavery "may be happily
a., verted" Should he receive such nomination, Il
w. companed by such resolutions, and give a reply ii
is of "proiound gratitude" and "heartelt thanks" woU
f not the Whigs" claim that it should satisfy us Of
ba Free Soil principles-even though he should say
W. accept without pledges? | have no doubt tn
ia would and yet they profess 10 see nolhlhg Ill HIS
" ceptanco of the Charleston nomination, any mann
identifying HIM, in sentiment and feeling with
, authors
have referred to Gen. Taylor's letter to the edit
ed of the Tuscaloosa Monitor for one purpose;-let
now call your attention to it for another There is
in sentiment in its last paragraph, of such an extrao
it nary character, that cannot refrain from pass
ess comment on it. 1t is, thl "unti it may become
ion "oicia duty" to give his "opinions on political qIc
to TONS" his 'opnions such matters are neither
cessary nor important"
on had supposed the public officer to be the peopl
the agentthe representative of their principles so Il
tut when they invest him with power ii is, that he may
limited Of course by the Constitution not his W
on. but theirs; and that, therefore, they have right
IN know, beforehand, what his sentiments are and wi
lint he intends to do. If it be otherwise, we may as
hat have King as President.
so Now what is the import of the last paragraph OF
de- letter to the Monitor?-What its real language tot
n people of the United States? ut is Of no importon
ons that yon know anything about my opinions On poll
as cal questions, until declare them officially, All y
ing have to do is to VOTE, will do the thinking, a
"declare" to you "my opinions" when come to
my President"
red et M bov start at this for il is really NOTHING nc