Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-09-29
General TaylOr's Letter to the In
dependents Of MARYLAND.

dependents OF Maryland.
The following letter was written by General
Taylor some three months ago, but has never
been published until recently:
BATON RoUGE, (La.) juno 20, lS4S.
GENTLEMEH: l have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt Of your polite communication
of the 9Th instant, calling my attention TO GER
tain statements relative TO my position before
the country ms a candidate for the Presidency,
which arc represented 10 have been made in
the Wing National Convention, recently held in
Philadelphia, pending the action Of that body,
by Judge Saunders, Of Louisiana, in the name
Of the delegation from that State; and request
ing TO be informed whether such statements
were made by my authority. have TO inform
you, in reply, that, on their way TO that Con.
vention, Judges Winchester and Saunders, Of
the Louisiana delegnton-who have been for
many years my personal friends and neighbors,
wrote 10 me requesting my views, before the
meeting Of the Convention, as TO the course de-
sired my friends to pursue in that body. In two
Communications, addressed to them in reply, i
informed them, in substance, that at my distance
from the scene it would be quito impossible for
me to give any specific instructions upon the sub
jcct; that many questions Or contingencies might
arise during the action of the Convention, the
character Of which ! could not forctell and
that they must, therefore, assume the response
bility Of acting for me that felt my honor and
interest safe in their hands, and that whatever
they should see fit to do would most cordially
approve.
substantially informed them, further, that
unless they should discover an evident DISPOSE
ton to treat me unfairly had no reason
for supposing would be the casc-I thought that
my friends should 90 into the Convention, rs
they had been selected by their fellow citizen:
for this purpose but that, having once entered
thor. If pol
nominated, to sustain and support the nominee
whoever he might be, and that hoped they
would do so, heart and soul. That was q can.
didate for the Presidency only 30 far as my
friends had chosen to make me one ; but that
having been placed in my present attitude to.
wards That subject without any agency or act Of
my own, directly or indirectly, did not fee
myself at liberty, by any such act to withdraw
myself; that my friends, in whose hands hat
ever been, could do so whenever they should Sc,
fit; and, finally, that If they could succeed il
eloctng TO that office any one better qualified TO
its duties than / was, and who was at the sam,
time honest, truthful, and patriotic, it was thci
duty to go for him and that, far from bcinj
disappointed or mortified, should hail the re
suit with joy.
Such, | think, has been the language which
have uniformly held on this subject since m,
name was first mentioned in connexion with il
cations to Judges Saunders and Winchester; bu
the above believe 10 be their substance. I'm
der the general authority, then, thus given thes.
gentlemen, j shall deem whatever statement
they may have made to be right and proper
and, confident in their integrity, and in the sin
ccrity Of their friendship for me, shall sustain
them without qualification. /, therefore, nov
take upon my own shoulders the responsible,
of the acts Of the Louisiana delegation in tina
Convention, and am prepared 10 stand by tn,
consequences, in their length and breadth.
regret exceedingly that my friends in Bali
more, whom you represent, should have thu
misunderstood the course pursued By the LOUIS
lana Delegation in the Convention, and shoulC
have imagined that had Abandoned the position
which have uniformly held in ny published
letters on this subject.
feel bound, however, to respect the opinion
Of those who honestly differ with me and
therefore, while feel conscious Of no change o
feeling or inconsistency on my part, i canno
expect or desire that any of my friends, WHOM
you represent, should do violence to their ow
sense Of right and wrong by supporting m
election, while they believe ] have changed IN
political views ask no man, be he Whil
Democrat, or Native, for his vote. take ever
American citizens interest in the welfare Of Ii
country to be as pure and as deep as my own
and haze therefore no right, and certainly NJ
deslrei 10 influence ms aeuoh ~ oi'e eAcreiSe q
the important duty of voting for the officers G
his Government
Though have no objection to your crculs
ting this communication among such Of you
friends as may be interested in it, yet / reques
that it may not be published. My aversion Il
the appearance of my name in the public print
in connexion with such subjects, is my apolog
for the request.
With great respect, gentleman, am,
Your obedient servant,
H. TAYLOR