Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-10

which have Just described He himself
has repudiated it in every letter having ref
erence to this subject 1t is true that he
has been nominated by the Wing party; but
IT is also true that he was originally nomi-
mated by meeting composed both of Wings
and Democrats. Thousands of Democrats
had nominated him for the Presidency ue-
fore he was nominated by the Wing party.
NaturaIzed citizens and Native Americans
in all sections of the country had nominated
him before he received the nomination of
the Philadelphia convention. And now,
the great objection urged against him is,
that the Wing party of the Union has con-
iirmed the nomination which Gen. Taylor
had previously received He was nomna-
ted by the Wing Convention at Philadelphia
with the assurance that-he was Wing. In
every letter that he wrote on that subject,
he declared that he was Wing, but he IL
nIformy took the bold and manly ground,
that if elected President of the United States,
he should not consider himself the servant
or tool of party, not even of the party to
which he had been attached, but that he
should be the President of the American
people. Under these circumstances, the hon
orable gentleman from Mississippi can find no
difficulty in answering the questions which
he has propound. d with regard to the prin-
cples of Gen. Taylor. If he will examine
the principal letter which Gen Taylor has
written with reference to this subject, the
letter to Capt. Allison, he will see the
ground on which he places himself as II can
didate before the American people, Before
| proceed further, permit me to read the fol-
lowing extract from that letter:
BATON ROGUE, Anil %, lS4S.
"FErSt.-I reiterate what | have often
said-I am Wing, but not an ultra Wing.
lfelected would not be the mere President
of party. would endeavor to act indie
pendent of party domination. should feel
bound to administer the Government un-
trammcled by party schemes.
"SecOnd.-The veto power. The power
gwen by the Constitution to the Executive
to interpose his veto, is a high conservative
power; but in my opinion should never be
exercised except in cases of clear violation
OF the Constitution, or manifest haste and
want of consideration by Congress. Indeed,
have thought that for many years past the
known opinion and wishes of the Executive
have exercised undue and injurious influ-
ence upon the legislative department of the
Government; and for this cause | have
thought our system was in danger of under
going great change from its true theory.
The personal opinions of the individual who
may happen to occupy the Executive chair,
ought not to control the action of Con-
gress upon questions of domestic policy
nor ought his objections to be inerposed
where questions of constitutional power
have been settled by the various departments
Of Government, and acquiesced in by the
people.
IHird.-Upon the subject of the tariff,
the currency, the improvement of our great
highways, rivers, lakes, and harbors, the
will of the people, as expressed through
their Representatives in Congress, ought to
be respected and carried out by the Execu-
tive.
"Fourth-The Mexican wer. sincere
ly rejoice at the prospect of peace. My life
has been devoted to arms, yet | look upon
war at all times, and under all circumstan-
ces, as national calamity, to be avoided if
compatible with national honor. The prin-
cipies Of our Government, as well as its true
pulley, are opposed to the subjugation of
other nations and the dismenberment of
other countries by conquest. In the Ian
guage of the great Washington, why
should we quit our own to stand on foreign
ground In the Mexican war our national
honor has been indicated, amply vndica-
ted; and, in debating terms of peace, we
may well afford to be forbearng and even
magnanimous to our fallen foe"
General Taylor, then, stands before the
country not merely as a Wing, but as THE,
GREAT REPRESENTATIVE AND
CHAMPION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF
THE RIGHT OF MAN TO SELF
GOVERNMENT. He maintains the prin-
ciple that the majority have the right to
govern. He stands precisely on the ground
on which Thomas Jefferson originally made
party difference with John Adams Let
me quote passage from the letter ofThom-
as Jefferson to John Adams, stating the
grounds on which the Republican party of
l79s commenced its opposition to the en-
croachments of Executive power, and to
which it owed its true origin. In the 4th
volume of Jcfiersons Memoirs, page 202, we
find the letter to which refer. 1t is dated
June 27, 1913, and contains the following
passages:
"The terms of Wing and Tory belong to
national as well as civil history. They de-
note the temper and constitution of mind of
different individuals To come to our own
country and to the times when you and |
first became acquainted; we well remember
the violen; parties which agitated the old
Congress, and their bitter contests. There
YOU and | were arrayed together others
cherished the MONARCHY of England, and
we the rights of our country.
But as soon as the constitution was put
into motion, the line of division was again
drawn We broke into two parties, each
wishing to give the government a different
direction; THE ONE. 1.-THE Republican
party TO STRENGTHEN THE MOST
POPULAR BRANCH, Congress- THE
OTHER THE MORE PERMANENT
BRANCHES, AND TO EXTEND THEIR
PER MANENCE. Here you and sepa-
rated for the first time, and one party placed
your name at their head--the other selec-
ted mine"
Precisely upon that principle, Gen. Lewis
Cass and Gen. Zachary Taylor now differ,
and stand at issue before the country. Gen.
TAYLOR places himself uDon this inst min