The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-10-20

addressed long and interesting letter TO the
people of that State. on the Presidential ques-
ton. The letter must strike home to the feel
ings of every patriotic heart, as will be felt in
reading the closing sentences which follow:
But here in this age of Christian light and
knowledge, In this country of practical virtue
and lofty patriotism, where the advancing glo-
ries of higher civilization than the sun ever
shone upon, are calling forth the admiration of
the calm philosophers, the profound states
men, aud the mi litary heroes of every nation
of the globe, the hero of twenty hard fought
battles and illustrlous victories the partaker
of the hardest fare with the humbest soldiers,
the euogist of every brilliant achievement ex-
cept his own, the man whom his rivals honor
and respect and his friends love and admire, Is
not worthy of our highest mark of gratitude
because, TO his other great and rare virtues, he
has added that of an enduring military renownl
Is this the sentiment of the American peo-
pie? Will it find any favor with Rhode Is
land men?
The brilliant achievements OF Gen. Taylor
! in the field have brought into view his great
and noble qualities as man, his justice and
generosity, his temperance and seif-denial, the
great and glorious sacrifices made for his coun-
try, for period of forty years, and the almost
unequalled good sense and sagacity which has
enabled him TO maintain most exact discip-
line through the heartsof the common soldiers
All these great and illustrious virtues belong
TO the man. They were made known to US
through the splendor of his military genius.
Will you do me the favor, my fellow citi-
zens, or some OF you, to inform me how the
great and Industrious qualities of Mr.. Cass and
Mr.. Van Baren have been made known 10 u: ?
1t would be an aspersion upon the good
sense OF those who nominated these gentlemen
to suppose them destitute Of great and patriot
| ic qualities. With both have had limited
and narrow acquaintance for twenty years. and
while most willingly bear testimony to their
lgentlemanly department and easy if not fat
tering manners, yet it has probably been con-
currence of extraordinary circumstances that
has hidden from my view (although both have
been in office over forty years) their great and
patriotic qualities.
Gen Taylor has been in the baCkwoods and
swamps and upon our distant frontier most of
his live-long life, exposed to the tomahawk
and rifle OF the savage, in order to protect us,
our families, and our property. His great and
noble deeds, man as well as a soldier, have
come 10 US, over thousands Of miles of desert
country. The notes in his praise have been
sweled out In one grand and sublime harmo-
ny, by men of all ranks and grades, by rich and
by poor, by Office! and by soldier, by men of
all political creeds and all religious profess
lens. No hired advocates, no chartered pres
es, no hungry expectants, joined in the univer
sal song of praise. 1t was telegraphed from
heart 10 heart through this wide, broad land
Mr.. Cass and Mr.. Van Buren,, on the contra
ry, have been in the midst of US, upon an ele
waited stage, with the eyes Of twenty millions
upon them, with hundreds if not thousands of
intelligent friends, not over greedy, but greedy
lenough--what patriotic services have they yet
proclaimed, what one exalted act have they
made known TO us? What single sacrifice do
they pretend was ever made by either? 1t is
not for me TO judge of the merit or dement, of
either Of these gentlemen. You must Judge
for yourselves. But, in answer 10 those who
would complain that the great virtues and The
great sacrifices of Gen. Taylor were exhibited
only in the camp, merely ask, the when and
tohere of the great sacrifices made by Mr. Cass
or Mr.. Van Buren,?
In fine, if mistake not the character of
Gen. Taylor partakes very largely of the plain,
straight forward, hard working, aud unpreten-
ding nature of Rhode Island men. He would
not grace ballroom like Mr. Van Buren,. nor
prove so eloquent an advocate of foreign
court as MIR. Cass. Neither is his power of u
biquity at all comparable TO that Of the latter
gentleman. He possesses the extraordinary
power of filling three Offices of great labor al
the same time, besides performing in various
parts of an unsettled country numerous extra
services, for which generous public yielded
him without inquiry most generous and fire.
que mt extra allowance.
Mr.. Cass and Mr.. Van Buren, for the last for
ty years when they lay down TO sleep had beds
Of down in palaces of marble, erected at public
expense. When they moved abroad, they
were whirled along in costly charots rivaling
the courts of Europe in form if not in splendOr
In all this there is no harm, nor is there any
merit. During this period you find Gen. Tay-
Tor walking on foot for miles; loaning his
horse TO sick soldier, sleep ping upon the cold
or wet ground night after night, his bed filled
by brave and wounded rank and file, who had
followed him to the only front where victory
awaited the American arms.
address these remarks not to your preiudi-
ces, but to your cool judgment as plain, prac-
teal, hard working Rhode Island men. II you
were In a foreign country, removed from the
influence OF our own party politics, and were
called upon 10 name the great men and ardent
patriots whose lives had been devoted 10 the
service of their country, whose names would
first rise from your hearts 10 your tongues,
Washington aud Taylor, or Cass and Van Blu
rem?
Respectfully, your fellow-citizen,
JOHN WHIPPLE.
NJ C RI