The State guard., 1848-07-18


 ton of this subject.
 What an cnyiable rank in the eyes ol tho world, and inc hearts of his country men. Gen, Taylor now holds Should bc rcturn from the fields of the Rio Grand and the heights of the Sierra Madrc, with what affection sand respect would ho be greeted by n,sn of all parties Himself never a politician--content ip the quiet discharge of duty and tho enjoymcnts of domestic life--and while prompt to meet the Indian foe, iu prairie or cverglade, and to stand by the flag of the country, when advanced to a foreign frontier, yet devoted, as all accounts represent him, to that homo and family, in the bosom of which the intervals of his life, thus far, haze passed peacefully and happily-wc confess that our impressions of Gen. Fay Tor arc such, that WIG should not be sur priscd if he firmly dsregarded every ac- clamation which connected his name with the presidency. Should he do so, he jeo- pards nothing of the present spring-tidc of popula Gavor--nay, moro, he takes instant rank with Washington, as an uncon- scious but eloquent preacher of the high est political morals. How much more enviablc such destiny for the evening of his days, than to cast the mantle of his military lame and private virtues over the exccsscs and corruption which disfigure the party politics of the day! He is no friend to the reputation of Gen. Taylor who would thus seek to restrict the ap- plause of the whole country to the in,eres. ted clamor of party.
 Still, as citizen of free republic, General Taylor is in the hands of Ame- rican people and we can readily tmag. inc contingency in which 1t would be- come his duty 10 assent to the demand of the country. and assume the responsibili- ties of political life. But it must be the acquisition of he co@n'ry, not of this or that set of office seekers, which will call him either from his rank or his firesde.- It must be such call as compelled Wash ington to foreso the retirement of Mount Nernon-u disinterested, the voice of the people, not the fattcries of politicians. We believe that it is in General Taylor's power, at this juncture of the national politics, to take ISDEpEN- DENT GROUND, and become the PRIEST DENT OF THE PEOPLE Our support 6t him, or of any other man, shall never be pledged in advance of full knowledge of the principles and views with which he would assume that responsible station but we may ,,;o allowed, as an independent journalist, to indicate some of the signs of the tiincs which point to the result just mentioned.
 1. The presidential canvass of lsiS is in utter confusion. Among the whigs Pttsburg meeting nominatcs Judge Me- Lean, who is also understood to be a gen. cral iavoritc of his party in the noTth-wes- tern States the anti.war spirit of New Engianl and the Western Reserve indi- catci its preference for Senator Corwin l; the southern and middle States cherish a tlncy for Scott, which only requires a vic- tory at Perotc to manifest itself; while as m under current, deeper and perhaps stronger than all is the shivalric feeling in behalf of Henry Clay, now intensified by the death of his gallant son, and which may yet determine the shape of the con- ilictng clements. The democrats arc n acondi;ion equally chaotic. In the west, General Cass has many and warm friends; Hr. Calhoun, with his compact and disciplined body-guard, stands ready to make his presidential fortune, or mar that of other aspirants in the democratic ranks; Sias Wrigh' if the New York reverse had not occurred, would have been pre-. eminent in the field, and is still tine favor- ite of many while quietly at Linden wold sits the statesman of the party, who will probably never again join the political melee, but mi sht prove more available in strict party trial than many men whose names are iicqucnly heard in the present conncyon. In the general confusion, an apprehension prevails that the election will revert to the House of Representa-. tives--a result greatly to be deplored 1; and hence the popular impulse, which chooses to adjourn the striles of parties anl the struggles of their leaders, while the country takes breath under the ad. ninistratiun of all INDEPENDENT PREsI- DENT.
 ?. X circumstance that may lead to the election of Gen. Taylor, by sort Of &C., clamaion, is the fact that the pride of the respective parties would thus be saved neither authorized to claim a triumph, and neither suffering the ignomny of defeat A long intimacy between Mir. Clay and Gen. Taylor reconcils the whigs to the political orthodoxy of the latter, although Gen. Taylor is said not to have voted for many years; while Mir. Polk, who is, and las been, as we are autloritativcly in. formed, entirely free from any intention or wish fer a second term of service, may still be gratilied to yield his seat to the successful general of the Mexican war closely identified as that war is with the success of his administration.
 3. The above considerations are subor dinatc, however, to the principles which arc involved in every presidential canvass. The country has been divided for fifteen years upon most exciting topics and il