Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-08-19

that, if elected President of the Unite
States, he should not consider himself tn
mere servant or tool of party, not even o
the party TO which he had been attached
but that he should be the President of th
American people. Under these crcnm
stances the honorable gentleman from Mis-
sissippi can find no difficulty in answerin.
the questions which he has propoundedet
with regard to the principles of Gen. Tay
Tor. If he will examine the principle let
Ter which Gen. Taylor has written will
reference to this subject, the letter to Capt
Allison, he will see the ground on which he
places himself as a candidate before the
American people. Before l proceed fur.
Their, permit me to read the following ex.
tract from the letter:
':BAroN RouGE, April %, 1s4S.
"Fi1s--l reilerate what have often said.
am Wing, but not an ultra Wing. II elected
| would not be the mere President OF party.
would endeavor TO act independent OF party dom.
inaton. | should feel bound to administer the
Government untrammelIed by party schemes.
"Second-The veto power. The power Civ.
en- by the constitution 10 the Executive to inter.
pose his veto, is high conservative power; bu,
in my opinion should never be exercised except
in cases OF clear violation OF the constitution, or
manifest haste aud want OF consideration by Con
gress. Indeed, / have thought that for many
years past the known opinions and wishes of the
Executive have exercised undue and injurious
influence upon the Legislative Department of the
Government; and for this cause | have thought
our system was in danger Of undergoing great
change from its true theory. The personal opin.
ions Of the individual who may happen to occu>
py the Executive chair, ought not to control the
action OF Congress upon questions Of domestic
policy; nor ought his objections 10 be interposed
where questions OF constitutional power have
been settled by the various departments of Gov
ernment and acquiesced in by the People.
"Third.-Upon the subject Of the tariff, the
currency, the improvement of our great highways,
rivers, lakes and harbors, the will Of the people,
as expressed through their Representatives ia
Congress, ought 10 be respected and carried out
by the Executive.
"Fourh.-The Mexican war. | sincerely
rejoice at the prospect OF peace. My life has
been devoted to arms, yet look upon war at all
times, and under all circumstances, as national
calamity, 10 be avoided if compatible with ma
tonal honor. The principles OF our government
as we'll as its true policy, are opposed 10 the sub
jugation Of other nations and the dismemberment
OF other countries by conquest. In the language
Of the great Washington, why should we quit
our own to stand on foreign ground?' In the
Mexican war our national honor has been Winds
Gated, amply vindicated: and. in debating terms
of peace, we may we'll afford to be forbearng
and even magnanmous to our fallen loe."
General Taylor then stands before the
country not merely as wing, but as THE
GREAT REPRESENTATIVE AND
CHAMPION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF
MAN TO SELF-GOVERNMENT. He
maintains the principle that the majority
have the right to govern. He stands pre-.
cisely upon the ground on which Thomas
Jefferson originally made party difference
with John Adams. Let me quote a pas,
sage from the letter of Thomas Jefferson
to John Adams, stating the grounds on
which the Republican party of 1898 COM
menced its opposition to the encroachments
of Executive power, and 10 which it owed
its true origin. In the 4lh volume of JEFF
ferson's Memoirs. page 2O2, we find the let
ter to which refer. 1t is dated June 81,
1918, and contains the following passages
THE terms Wing and Tory belong to nation.
al as we'll as civil history. They denote the tenn.
per and constitution Of mind Of different indivId>
uals. To come 10 our own country and 10 the
times when you and became first acquainted
we well remember the violen, parties which agi-
tated the old Congress, and their bitter contests,
There you and | were arrayed together others
cherished the MONARCHY OF England. and we the
rights OF our country.
"But as soon as constitution was put into mo,
ton, the line OF division was again drawn. We
broke into two parties each wishing TO give the
Government a different direction: THE ONE
the Republican par,y) TO STRENGTHEN
THE MOST POPULAR BRANCH. (Con>
gres) THE OTHER THE MORE PERMA'
NENT BRANCHES, AND TO EXTENT
THEIR PERMANENCE. Here you and
separated for the first time, and one party placed
your name at their head-the other selected
NINE"
Precisely upon that principle, Gen. Levi:
Cass and Gen. Zachary Taylor now differ
and stand al issue before the country. Gen
Taylor places himself upon the just princ
pie. lying at the foundation of all republican
forms of government-th right of the ma
iority TO govern. He holds that the poPu
lar branch of the Government possesses
rights, and that he, if elected President
would be bound TO respect questions which
have heretofore agitated the country, ant
which are properly within the power o
Congress, that he will be guided by the vii
of the people, as expressed by their Repre-
sentatives. On the other hand, what say
General Lewis Cass? He denies. that tn
will of the people shall govern. He main
tains the high federal doctrines of ancien
days, that the President of the Unile'
States, with his veto power. shall contro
| Tho ,.r;u &c .ha nannle He st lands IN a. III