Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-06-30
Gen. T. F. Smiths Testimony.

Gen. T. L. Smiths Testimony.
Among the officers of the army in Mexico,
who have distinguished themselves for their ex-
emplary bravery and soldiery skill, Gen. Presi-
fer F. Smith, Of Louisiana, occupies promi-
ncnt position. In the Florida war he serv-
served with great eclat under General Taylor,
and subsequently at the hard fought fight and
capture of Monterey, he gained fresh laurels
under the lead of the same victorious comman-
der. The last and crowning act of his career
was the bold and brilliant fight of Contreras, in
the vicinity Of the Mexican capitol. General
Smith belongs to the Democratic party, and in
his politics decided rs the frmest, but he does
not let his political opinions prevent him from
seeing and doing justice to the merits Of others.
In letter TO a friend he thus speaks Of General
Taylor. Testimony from such a source should
convince even the most ultra friends of other
candidates that the National Convention did
wisely in selecting General Taylor as the stand.
ard bearer orlhe Wing party.-Baitim0re Am
erican.
Cry OF MEXICO, April 9th, 1848.
Any who have visited this country
must have a horror of bad government, for here
is seen the spot on earth most favored by ma.
ture, stripped Of all its advantages and convert
ed into a hell by the vices and corruptions of
its rulers.
have great faith in our own people, how.
ever; they show their high sense ofhonesty and
nobleness whenever occasion offers.
Gen. TayIor's military exploits are not the
causes of his popularity; they are only the Occa-
SionS for the display of his sound judgment, en-
ergy Of character, lofty and pure sense of JUS
tice, and lncorruptbe honesty. He has as
much reputation for what he has written as for
what he has done, because even where the COM
position is not his own, the sentiments, motives
and feelings are; and everything he does, as
everything he says is marked by the purity and
loGness of his own character.
have never heard Of any one, however cor
rupt or base himself, that after five minutes con-
versation with General Taylor, has dared to
propose or even hint at, any thing dishonest or
mean. And no intercourse in the ordinary e.
vents of common life can give the true idea of
the loGiness of his character. | remember you
asked me at the time he was put in command at
Corpus Christi, whether he was equal to the cir
cumsances. told you Of his sound Judgment
and inexhauStibe energy as | had learned them
in Florida but did not then estimate properly,
the other and higher points of his character
In the campaign on the Rio Grande, saw him
ried under all circumstances, and he always
came out pure gold. ...
His profession that he will be the candidate
of no party will, if he be elected, be carried out
in his practce-not that his opinions on matters
orpolicy may not be those Of one or the other
marty; on most of these he is a Wing, and he is
not the man to act adverse to his own opinions;
but no party management or power can ever
lead him 10 do a mean, or whal ne thlhKs
AS soon as Gen. Taylor was furnished by e.
vents with the opportunity to display his cha
voc,or Won see that it was estimated properly
ot once and come back to the truth of the
nsonosition I started with, that believe the
peonIo will always properly measure great
men. -,
nroperlv, for they cannot always give direct
expression to their feelings, aud the least wor>
thy may have the vote without having the wish,
There has been great error commiuedin re.
! lation TO Gen. Scots no military operations In
history have displayed more military qualities
or been r,ore uniformly successful in their re.
suits. Nor have they been in any case the re-
sr,t or chance; every thing has been done in
conrormitv with plan, and the event in all
cases has been almost predicted. That sue
csssG,I General should be degraded in the very
scero of success, for complaints made not Of
him hut by him, is exceedingly strange, and
most unfortunate. Every one in the army feels
it as a disgrace