Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-02-10
Remarks of Or. Ford,
Upon The Resolution inrting General Taylor to risit
Indiana.

tPOt Inc ReSOtu1tpH uniting UeHcFu IuysT W ttSH
Indiana.
Mr.. SPEAKER-SIR: am called upon to cast a
vote for against the resolution giving TO General
Taylor invitation to visit the State OF Indiana.
Now sir, If | ever honest in my life and acted
from pure and holy motives, do it in the vote am
about to give. No sir in this Assembly or In
this State no matter what may be his political oPln-
ions thinks of General Taylot than myself look
upon him, sir. great military chieftan, and as
such am proud TO claim him American Gener-
oil and an American citizen. and not for any consider
alton would by any of mine do anything To take
gem from the wreath Of laurels that entwines
the old hero's brow. sir, have noticed and admired
his many hard fought battles upon the plains and hills
of Mexico. from Palo Alto to Buena Vista. in all of
which he displayed great courage and military ac-
qurements; aud what troops, sir, let me ask did more
to rescue the great and memorable victory gain
ed at the battle Of Buena Vista-than did the Indian
lans. None, sir, must be the reply of every
impartial historian who is willing to do them justice
for their services upon that bloody occasion But SIR
let me again ask you what troops have suffered more
from misrepresentation growing out of false reports
of the battle of Buena VISTA than does the Indiana
troops The reply, sir must be none, half so much
Then, sir, until General Taylor wipes from Indiana
the dark and foul SANDER placed upon her by his
port of the battle of Buena VISTA sir, Indian
an and as an American citizen, never, sir, never
can give vote inviting him to come and partake OF
that he by that report intended wllfully stgmaize
and place our brave and honored sons in false
light before the world, but such, sir, is the result
and such it will remain until he alters his re-
port of that battle. Now, sir, what the facts
Behold the second Indiana troops standing firm
the oaks of the forest, delivering twenty rounds
of the most dreadful and destructive fire ever shot
from enemy's gun without culver in their ranks.
General Lane observing their exposed condition and
seeing them moved down by the balls ofhe enemy like
stubbe before The fire, he determined TO advance their
column out of the range of the enemys guns, but
he was about giving the order, he discovered alter
ing In the ranks, and to his dismay and modification
he beheld them retreating without knowing the
at the time, and until 1t had appeared by the report
that they had fled in disgrace and left their gallant
Colonel who asked permission to fight in the Missis-
sppl regiment. This report, sir, WAS denounced by
the lndanans saying they ordered to retreat by
COL Bowles, and that too, three times before they
would obey the order. General Lane ascertalnlng
these facts asked for court martial to enquire into
tie conduct OF Col. Bowes that the facts might be
come at but General Taylor refused, saying ''that
the Colonel of the regiment was presumed to know
the Conduct OF his troops better than any one else
Then. sir, General Lane finding that he could not get
court martial granted him. asked for court Of in
quiry TO investigate his conduct upon that occa
sion, which granted and from the evidence pro-
duced Ill that court of inquiry, 1t proven positive
y by at least dozen good and honorable men, that he
Col Bowes did order the and repeated it until
the third time before they would obey Now, sir, all
that ask is, that General Taylor may correct his re-
port 10 correspond with the facts established by this
court of inquiry, and am willing to go for the reso-
luton but the friends Of General Taylor refuse to
couple this request with the resolution and therefore,
sir honest representative of injured, out
ragged people, cannot vote for the resolution. But, sir
let this report be corrected and with out stretched
and extended arms will wish to meet the old hero and
give hi p hearty welcome to my beloved but much
injured State. know sir, that il is said the contra
dcton of the report of the court MARTIAL sufficient
without any further contradiction from General Tay-
or but this, sir, is not the fact. Go into any of the
States of this Union, and you will hear the citizens of
those States saying, that this court of investigation
all farce and if it not true that the I'd In
danians did on that OCCASION General Taylor
would say so. You see, sir, that he stands at the
head of the heap, and not if every officer in the
army to pronounce this report false you would
hear citizens of other States and States too who had
men upon that battle field that exhibited four times
the cowardce of any lndanian saying that the report
correct. Now, sir look at it Just in this way
let for this resolution without any provlso In
it, requesting General Taylor to correct his report,
and by that vote endorse the report myself Sup
pose, sir, that an individual was to write letter to
friend of yours saying that you had committed acts
which should for call down the scorn and con-
tempt of society upon your head and that by this let
ter you had been held up to the world as dark and
loathesome contamination society, but afterwards
ascertain what he had written was incorrect,
but still would not inform the world OF the fact, so
that you might be restored TO your former standing
say sir, could you look upon this man as friend
could you or would you be willing to extend to him
the hand of fellowship think not, sir. This sir,
is parallel case with General Taylor and the I'd In
diana troops, by his report made from false state
ment he, sir, has thrown blighting and whitening
curse over the fair fame and gallant bravery OF our
noble sons, that will forever make Indiana bye word
of disgrace to all who do not know the facts. Yes,
sir, instead of browning their heads with the laurels
they are so Justly entitled to, he places upon them
crown of thorns, that plerces them at every point
Now, sir, repeat Indanian, vote for this
resolution | extend my hand TO a man and In
vite him to my home 10 participate of my hospltaes
! when he has VIGOROUSLY slandered me and mine
i No, sir while am worthy of the name of an
lndanian much | love and admire General Tay-
Tor cannot do it, not that like him less, but that
love my honor and the honor of those brave whose
/ bones Wondering upon the bloody battle
! fields of Mexico. No, sir never as long as
keep in remembrance the stars and stripes OF my
country that were carried by the I'd Indiana troops
upon that day, which ridded by the balls OF
the enemy than any other flag upon the field. Will
vote for this resolution sir. have too much love
for these stars and stripes that were unturled to the
breeze and waved in triumph the enemy that day
to say by my vote that they disgraced themselves
Yes, sir let me stand or let me fall, act from al
honest conviction that my countrymen have been
wronged because General Taylor will not correct his
report to correspond with the fact proven before
the court Of inquiry.
CONSULAR SYsrEM--A Washington correspondent
of the NeD York Herald says: