Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-10-13
The Personal Character Of General
TAYLOR.

The National fntclligenccr gives the iouoWlng
excellent letter, written by agenteman VINO
has long enjoyed the pleasure OF an intimate ac-
uuaintance with General Taylor II accords
with all tire best impressions Of the Generals
character and with the opinions of all whom we
have heard speak of him from personal know-
edge The Intelhgenccr is not at liberty to
namc the writer but states that he is gentle
man widely known for his piety and talents,
whose name, if given, would command unlNer-
sal confidence in the truth and sincerity Of his
statements
LOUISIANA, Sept II, is4s.
NY DEAR SiR:--It affords me pleasure to
Y,omply with your request that would commu-
nIcate to you the opinion which a personal ac-
uuaintance with General Taylor has induced me
TO form of bis character think know him
we'll and, without reference to recent public
events, both in Mexico and at home, which have
placed him conspicuously before the country,
shall speak Of the traits which distinguish him as
man. As you well know, keep aoof from
the strife Of parties; the heat and dust Of the
political arena have no charms for me and you
must therefore take my estimation Of the Cen
erals character as being that merely Of an hum
bic individual who, with some opportunity Of
observation, has contemplated the man, without
assocating him with either the battle field or
Presidential chair
have been sometimes not little amused by
the question, very seriously propounded, wheth-
or General Taylor was not q perfect clown in
his manners. ! doubt not that his soubriquet of
Trough and Ready" has, on this point, created
mistake. While with his Army, and especially
in the field, he lived las learn from friends
who were with him) very much as his soldiers
did; all had something to do more important
than studying the graces Of the toilet His ex-
tcrnal appearance, therefore, was rough enough !;
and think il quito probable that at Palo Alto
or Buena Vista, he might as to the outward
man, have been mistaken for one Of his baggage
teamsters. / have seen him at his own home,
when he reminded me Of plain, honest New
England farmer, in his working dress But
trough" in any other sense than that Of accom-.
modating his apparel 10 his employment, he is
not. have seen him in his military undress,
receive officially the Civil Authorities and vari-
Gus Deputations in New Orleans, and his dc.
pertinent on these occasions was unaffected,
modest, and dgui6cd. He has the element Of
all true courtesy in the kindliness of his nature
for, though constitutionally brave, he has yet
much Of the sonsibiliiy and tenderness of wo-
mans nature when he looks on human suffer-
ing. remember that when he was received in
Now Orleans, on his return from Mexico, with
all the honors that the State and City could Of
fer, he seemed insensible to the tribute rendered
to himself, in his apprehensions that, among the
thousands who crowded around the triumphal
procession, some of the women and children
might probably be injured. 1t is possible that
General Taylor may be ignorant OF some of the
points OF etiquette, purely conventional, esiab-
lished by what is called the fashionable world.
have not however, observed in him any such
want of knowledge, and, both in manners and
feeling, / should call him gentleman.
He is not a man Of many words; this may
suit, in part, from the fact that he has slight
impediment in his utterance Git is very slight,
howcver) but more, ! apPrehend. from the nat.
ural modesty Of his disposition He is man of
thought and action, rather than of speech
When, however, he does speak, he expresses
himself in few words, well chosen, and always to
the point In the familiar intercourse of private
friendship, he is less reserved, and, in such cir.
cumstances, his character will be most highly APP
preciated.
AS to his intellectual powers, his mind is far
above the common order. Its distinguishing
Characteristic is sound judgment. ! should not
deem it either brilliant or rapid in its exercise;
but it is acute and discriminating Of all the
men whom have known, none has been more
conspicuous than General Taylor for "doing his
own thinking" Possessed Of n strong, clear
head, he reasons himself into his conclusions,
and they are invariably marked with good prac-
teal common sense. You will naturally inquire
what are his attainments how far he has fur
nished himself with material for thought And
here again las in the case of his manners) great
mistake prevails. General Taylor possesses far
more information, derived from actual study, than
hundreds of those who write disparagingly of his
understanding. Ills studies have been chiefly
in history. | have been told by some of his of
fcers, who served with him for years on our
Western frontier, that all his leisure there was
devoted to reading history; and that the history
Of our own country had received his particular
attention this | believe is true. l remember
having SEEM some weeks ago, newspaper par
agraph, in which the writer traced resemblance
TO Washington in General Taylor. i was not
aware that such resemblance had ooeuned ~
others, but it had made a strong impression upon
me long ago. The truth is, that General Taylor
long tnec fixed his eyes on General Washing
ton as the model OF all that was truly great and
good; he has studied his character thoroughly,
and doubt If there be an incident of Washing
tons life, with which he is not familiar. lie
certainly is like him in the possession of the same
calm, deliberate exercise Of Judgment, and the
same intlexible integrity Of purpose. i never
knew man whom believed, in the broadest
sense OF the word, to be more perfectly honest
than General Taylor.
While OH the subject of his understanding,
am reminded Of the statements made in some Of
the papers, that General Taylor's dispatches
were not written by himself. To me such
statement is perfectly ridiculous; and those who
make it must be sadly ignorant of both the char
acter and mind Of General Taylor Rest assur-
ed that he is quite equal to the production of an
the official reports to which his name is attached
and in this State there is abundant evidence Of
the fact to be found, in numerous private letters
which were unquestonably written by him.
There is one trait of character, which, if not
regulated by great fairness and good sense, may
easily become a striking defect in any man. III
from any cause General Taylor should err, ]
think it would probably be from this. ! aude
TO the tenacity with which minds that calmly
think themselves into opinions adhere to the de-
hberate conclusions they have formed. This to-
nacity may become mere obstinacy. have no
right to say, from experience or observation, that
General Taylor would thus err. But this much
can Affirm: that no mere persuasion or entreaty
OF friends, and no abuse or threats of foes, will
induce him to swerve from his settled convictions
OF what is right, or in other words of what is his
duty; Reason builds his convictions up; moth
ing but reason will take them down. If con-
Tnced that he is wrong, / believe him to be
honest enough to say so, and to act accordingly.
In domestic life and its varied duties, General
Taylor shines prominently and, to sum up
my opinion Of him in few words, he is an unpre-
afr ata.lN HI