Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-06-15
GEN. TAYLoR.s POSITION.

GEN. TAYLOR'S POSITION.
Now that the nomination Of Gen. Taylor for
the Presidency by the People irrespective of
parties, the only nomination yet accepted by
the old Hero, has been confirmed by. the Ma
tional Convention assembled at Philadelphia, /
and there is consequent certainty that he
will not only be run but under the most cheer
ing prospects of success, ii becomes our pleas
ing duty to revert TO the position which he
has all along maintained in relation TO the
Presidency, and see if there is anything in it
which, rightfully considered. can or ought to
deter any American good and true, Wing or
Democrat from yielding him an honest and
cordial support
When Gen. Taylor al Palo Alto and Resa-
ca with his sword and pen carved out a name
and character which viii adorn his country's
history with as enduring a lustre any other
since the days of Washington, and the people
long tired of the rule of mere partisans, found
that in day a man of themselves had arisen
and proved himself in every way worthy OF
the highest honor they could confer upon him,
letterssand solicitations began to pour in upon
him naming him for the Presidency. To these
his invariabIe reply for long time was that
he had no ASPIRATIONS for that or any other civ
il office, and fearing that an acquiscence on his
part would tend TO cripple his exeriions in the
performance of the arduous and important du-
ties of his then position, he felt under the alb
solute necessity Of declining the new honors
rendered him.
But when after the battle of Monterey. and
the Administrators most unwanantable at
tempt to tarnish the old Hero's we'll earned
glsry By its censure of his conduct upon that
occasion, the people in all parts of the country
aud of all parties, came together in their pri-
mary assemblies and insisted upon using his
name in connexon with the Presidency, he
could no longer resist so general a call, and
reluctantly intimated that he would not refuse
TO be candidate But he at the same time
unequivocally declared
That he would have no agency in putting
himself up as a candidate, or in advancing his
election when fairly in the field.
That he would not be the candidate o
any party. or yield himself TO party schemes
That he had no longing after the Office anc
would make no sacrifice of feeling or senti
naents to reach it. He would not change hi
opinions, nor alter his views, nor lend himsel
to any man, if it should be necessary to do SO
before he could be made President.
This position Gen. Taylor has unalterably
maintained. Upon all occasions he has refuse'
in any degree to changeit, even though under
some aspects of affairs since then his bes
friends have thought that without some modi
fcation of it he could stand no chance for tn
Presidency; in that case the contest must ne
cessarily be narrowed down to one between
the standard bearers of the two great politica
parties into which the country has 50 lon
been divided. But the stern and honest oil
soldier was not to be shaken. Not Tor th
Presidency would he accept of the Presidenc
with bis hands tied b. The narrow programm
or"platform" of any Iarty. He would be til
President of the whole people or not at ALL
Upon all occasions and to correspondents
all parties has he announced this determination
In reply 10 the enquiries and solicitations of
mass meeting of the Wings in Pennsylvani
in November last, he distinctly stated, that /
''had no wish or intention TO change the pos
ton in which he stood towards the people
the country ia relation to the presidency.
the course which he had felt it his duty to pu
Eue." And again in April last, in his lett
TO the editor Of the Richmond Enquirer repl
ing to similar inquiries, which our reade
will remember, he explicitly declares
"If nominated by the Wing National Col
vention, shall not refuse acceptance, prov
ded am left free CT all pledges, and permittt
to maintain the position Of independence Of q
parties in which the people and my orDn sen
cfduty haze placed nc; otherwise | shall :
fuse the nomination OF any convention. or pi
ty."
We confess that we have admired this Ii
faltering, this unwaivering course of Gen. Ia
Tor, quite as much as any other feature of
brilliant and remarkable career. II is just {
position which for the benefit of the people
candidates ought to occupy, and which, if til
intend to be anything more than mere pal
Presidents, they must occupy. It's certain
the only one which will enable the pers
elected to be the President of the counti
Honestly entertaining these views we ha
regretted to hear some of our brother VIII
insist that Gen. Taylor should have pledl
himself in advance TO carry out the probe
and policy of the Wing party before he Y
made the candidate of that party. This p'
jon is not in accordance with the views Of
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