Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1848-10-28

all Wings, to consider. whether in thi!
state of the case we can or not, we will
or not, give our vote 10 the wing nomina-
ton. | leave that to every mars cons
~cience. | have e~ndeavored to state The
case as i presents itself to me. Before
General Taylor's nomination | always
said, when the subject was mentioned by
my friends, that did not, and could not,
recommend the nomination of a military
man for the office of President of the Uni.
ted States. II was against my convictions
Of what was due to the best interests Of
the country. | stated, too, that If General
Taylor should be nominated by the whig
national convention fairly, / should not
oppose his election. 4 stand now ON the
same declaration-he has been fairly no
minated by that convention, as far as |
can suppose, and | cannot and shall not
oppose his election. At the, same time
there Is no man more firmly of opinion
that such denomination was not fit to make.
But the declaration thatI would not oppose
Gen. Taylor, if nominated liable to some
exception. If believed him TO be a man
who would plunge the country into further
wars for the purpose of ambition or con.
quest, I would oppose him, be he nomina.
ted by whom he might. If believed that
he acds a nan aUho WotId exercise his in
fuence for the further extension of The
sIdDe pouer I would oppose him, let him be
nominated by whom he might. But |
believe that he isn't a man ofthis des-
criPtion. | believe that he has been from
the first opposed to the policy fthe Mex.
can war, as improper, impolitic, and re.
Prehensible. I betiece, from the best infor.
nation 1 can o6tain-and you wil take this
as my opinion only-that fe has no dispo.
Sttion TO eTtend the sldUe territorv of he
United States, nor increase Tie Stare inf
"ence in The councils Of The nation. That
IS my opinion"
There are three candidates for the
Presidency presented to the choice of the
American people. Gen. Taylor is the
Wing can lidate, standing on the nomina.
ton ofthe wing National Convention, Gen
Cas- is the candidate Of the opposing, and
now dominant, party in this country: and
the third candidate is presented in the per.
son of Mr.. Van Buren,, by a convention If
his fellow-citizens at Buffalo, whose obiec, |
or whose main object, IL appears to me.
is contained in one Of those considerations
| have mentioned, and that is the proven. |
ton of the further increase of slavery
object in which you and I, gentlemen,
entirely concur, as far as that goes, / am
sure.-Most ofus here to day are VIII e
Massachusetts wings national whips-
Old Colony wings, and Marshfsld wings.
(laughter;) and if the whig nomination
made at Philadelphia are entirely satjsfac.
tory to the people Of the U. States, and 10
US, our path of duty is plain. But the
nomination Of the candidate for the presi. |
iency by the swhig convention IN Phila-
is not satisfactory to the wings of
MASSACHUSETTS,. That is certain and ii
would be idle to attempt to. conceal the fact.
is surely just. and more patriotic, to take
act and things as they are, and to dedulcco
'uF own convictions oflduty from what
xists before u.s. However so much yes-
and distinguished in the line of his
wn profession, or however so much estim.
bic as a private citizen. Gen. Taylor Is
military man, and q military man merely.
10 has notraining, in civil affairs; be has
erfor.ned no functions ola civil character
the constitution ofhis country; he .
e has been known, and only known, by +,
IS briliant achievements at the head Of ;
Ie army. Now the wings of Massaehu. l
and Lamong them, are ofthe opinion a
at it was not wise or discreet to go to the {
my for the selection of candidate for !
e Presidency Of the Uni,edr States. IT
the first instance in our history in which =
ly man o stnere military character has
'enproposed for that high office. Wash.
ggton had a great military, but by far a
eater civil character. He had been
in the councils of his country
I'm the earlyest down Of The revolution. >
e had been in the Continental Congress-. !
E had established a great character for u
sdom and Judgment in civil affairs AZ E
the war, as you all know, he was elected d.
member of that convention which framed =.
? constitution of the United States; and
was one ofthe most honorable tributes p
err paid to him, that by that assembly OF u
Eat and wise G. men, he was selected to tn
side over their deliberations, and had ia
maine first attached to the constitution =.
der which we 1--we. President Harrison
s g brave soldier, and, at different per. co
s ofhis life, rendered important military eli
vices, but he, nevertheless, for the greater
I of his life. was more employed in civil o.
n in military affairs. For twenty years r,
was either Governor Of a Territory, io'
mber of Congress, or minister abroad;
he discharged all the duties apper- .
hing to those Offices to the satisfaction
he country. This case, therefore--the
n~ination Of Gen. Taylor-stands by
II, without precedent and without jus.
'ation from any thing in our previous
It is on this account, / may well
lgine, that the wings Of Massachusetts
dissatisfied with his nomination.
- orc
'r0cts 0fn speech delivered in 1927. ~: