The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-07-17

| GENERAL lAYLoR.-An intelligent OCCASION
al writer in the n. Y. Courier and Enquirer,
gives the following extracts Of letter from
the Hon. John. c. Spencer, who, while Secre-
tary Of War, was necessarily brought into fire.
auent communication with Gen. Taylor. gives
moreiust idea ofhis civil qualifications than
perhaps any thing our readers have before
seen:
You ask me 10 communicate the opinion,
which you understand has been expressed by
me, in reference to the attainments of Gen.
TAYLOR, derived from his correspondence with
the War Department during the time il was in
mv charge. Ii is very true, have often stated.
my high opinion not only of the sound judge
ment and unsurpassed discretion Of General
Taylor, but also OF his capacity as ..writer; and
when doubts were cast upon the authorship oil
the admirable dispatches which came from
Mexico under his ma me i de clared unequiv ocal-
Is NV thorough conviction that he was the au-
| thor of them Aud stated my reasons for this
conviction; that his Official letters and other
communications which had fallen under my
observation contained the same condensed Wig
or OF thought and expression the same peculi-
arites of style, and beauty, and force of Ian
puage that characterized his Mexican despa :ch-
es; aud that, from circumstances personally
known to me; | was certain that he could not
lhave had the aid i'll writing the letters and
communications referred 10, which some oil
the newspapers alleged had been rendered IL
him i'm Mexico This opinion now deliber-
lately reiterate. Youand know perfectly well
that persons who are in the habit OF literary
lcomposilion can detect the style, manner o
thought, and turn of expression OF a writer. al
iter aving been acquainted with some of his
productions, with certainty at least equal IL
, that with which an expert in penmanship car
, decide upon the signature OF one whom he ha
seen write his name.
do not mean to deny that Gen. Taylor, lik,
Gen. Washington, and like every OIher modes
y, man. NAV have lad the aid Of literary irien'
i'm looking over his Gavs$Sratches, written, a
D they must have been, under great escilemen
4 and sometimes in haste; and that friend 2'a
have erased redundant word or phrase, v
y rounded period. lfthis be evidence OF inca
e paciiy, who shall escape? IL is notorious tina
IS the writings of Washington, and PARTICULAR
his Farewell Address, underwent the revision
of Gen. Hamilton; and that the messages an
public communications ofevery other Presl
II lent have always been subjected 10 the critica
p Examination of his Cabinet Indeed. L do nc
hesitate to say that the man who will submit
:. important public papers to the public scrutin
n without the revision ola friend when it can
;" obtained, will evince more presumption tina
d good sense.
J. For forty years Gen. Taylor has been in III
i military service of the country; more than th
;" ty years of the time in garrisons and at post
&c where in the time of peace he has had abur
4, dant leisure. His habits are admitted on a
n sides to be exemplary, and he to be any thin
-, bnt an incident man. What, then, have pr
y badly been his occupation during the tedio
e DAYS, weeks, months and years OF garrison d'
IN ~? The answer to the question may be iour
ne in the rich, manly and condensed thought N
u makes his compositions models OF epistola
=" writing. And it may be found IN the signi
ur cant fact stated by the veteran Gen. Gibson
"a MIR. Crittenden, and byhim proclaimed at Pit
10. burgh, that be had been for many Years assocl
ted with Gel. Taylog IN military service, a
frequently on courts martial an OF inqul
with him, and that Gen. Taylor always DIRE
"a up the proceedings aud reports of the courts.
o, Men accustomed TO business will see The II
force Of this fact.