Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-07-28
A Portrait Of General Taylor.
BY A DEMOCRAT.

III a uLMuNAAIs
The following descriptive sketch of General
Taylor is by COL HUM phrey Marshall, Demo.
craI Of Kentucky. We commend il to the NJ.
ienlion Of all who desire to know, from unpre.
JUDGED and reliable testimony, something of the
old Generals character:
"My service in Mexico frequently brought
me near 10 Gen. Taylor, and was industrious
in my examination Of the actual character of
the man whenever opportunity was pres .nted
have no motive TO deceive you, and you mus
take the impressions received for what they
are worth. II desired to express in the rewes,
words what manner Of man General TAYLOR is,
should say, that, in his manner and his an.
pearance, he is one Of The common people of his
country. He might be transferred from his tent
al Monterey TO this assembly, and he would not
be remarked among this crowd Of respectable
old farmers, as a man at all distinguished from
those around him. Perfectly temperate in his
habits perfectly plain in his dress; entirely un.
assuming in his manners, he appears to be an
old gentleman in fine health, whose thoughts
are not turned upon his personal appearance
and who has no point about him to attract par.
ucuar attention. In his intercourse with men,
he is free, frank, and manly He plays off no
airs like some great men whom have met.-
Any one may approach him as nearly as can
he desired, and the more closely his character
Is examined, the greater beauties he discoscs.
81. He is an honest mdn.-I 10 not mean bv
that merely that he does not cheat or lie.
mean that he is a man that never dissembles,
and who scorns all disguise. lie neither acts n
part among his friends for effect, nor assumes
TO be what he is not Whenever he speaks.
you hear what he honestly believes; and whch.
er right or wrong you feel assurance that he
has expressed his real opinion. Ills dealings
with man have been of most varied character
and have never heard his honest name stained
by the breath oGIhe slightest reproOch.
20. He is a man Of rare good jmdgmenL-By
no means possessed of that brilliancy Of genius
which attracts by its flashes, yet, Ike the me.
Ieor, expires even while you look upon it; by no
means possessing that combination of talent
which penetrates Instantly the abstrusest sub.
ject, and measures its length and breadth as if
by intuition, Gen. Taylor has yet that order of
intellect which more slowly but quito as surely,
masters all that engages, and is susceptble.-
When no announces his conclusions, you feel
confident that he well understands the ground
upon which he plants himself, and yet rest as.
Sured that tho conclusion is the deduction of
skill and sound sense, faithfully applied to the
matter in hand. Il is this order of mind which
has enabled him, unlike many other officers of
the army, TO attend TO the wants of his family.
by so using the means at his disposal, as to sur.
round himselfin his old age with a handsome
private fortune aud to be blest with an almost
perfect constitution. would to-day prefer his
advice IN any matter Of private interest-would
mke his opinion as TO tho value Of an estate
would rather follow his suggestions in scheme
where properly or capital was to be embarked.
would pursue more confidently his council
where the management Of an army was inyoIy.
ed, or the true honor ofmy country was at stake.
than that Of any man have ever known. |
regard his judgment as being first rate AZ every
thing, from horse up 10 trade in human life
upon the field ofbatle.
"3. He is a firm man and possessed of grcai
energy Of characier.--ll were waste of time to
dwell upon these traits Of his character, for his
military career has afforded such abundant OK
umples Of his exercise Of these qualities as TO
render them familiar TO every citizen who has
--eyev heard or read Of the man. In his army
they are daily exhibited, and stand conspcu.
onsiy displayed in every order which omnatcs
from his pen.
-. lie Is benegolent mdn.-This quality
has been uniformly displayed in his treatment
OF the prisoners who have been pIaced in his
power by the vicissitudes Of war. No man who
had seen him after the battle of Buena Vis,o
as he ordered the wagons to bring in the Meyi.
can wounded from the battle field, and beard
him caution his own men that the wounded
were TO be treated with mercy, could doubt ,ho,
he was alive 10 all the kinder impulses of our
nature. The ndscretlons Of youth he chdes
with paterna kindness, yet with The decision
which forbids their repetition, aud The young
men Of his army feel that ii is a pleasure to
gather around him, because they know they are
as welcome as though they visited the hearth.
stone Of their own home, and are always as
freely invited 10 patake Of what he has TO offer
as If they were under the roof Of father. His
conduct in sparing the deserters who wero cap.
tured al Buena Visa exhibited at the same limo
in remarkable manner, his benevolence and
his judgment. "Don't shoot them," said he:
''lhe worst judgment | will innict is to return
them 10 the Mexican army" When Napoleon
said 10 one Of his battalions "Inscribe il on their
flag, NO longer Of the army of Ilay,'" he used
an expression which was doomed so. remarkable
that history preserves il for the admiration of
future ages ye. i; YES no, more (orcibe as an
illsFfation Of bic power i0nlpucbing The springs
VI