Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-09-13
tooRnrsrosDrsvE OF THE MOBILE nrnArp.l
GEN. TAYL0R'S POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS.
EAST PAscAGoULA, Aug. 10

- EAST PAsCAGoULA, Aug 10.
My object IN coming here was TO see the grand
review but 1t turned out 10 be all sham. No re-
view was intended, and, indeed, none could have
taken place Tor there is no ground convenient to
the camp mt Tor the purpose and of all The soldiers
here, have been informed that there are not five
hundred fit for duty
The flrst object that attracted my attention in
approaching the hotel, was cold lack" He was
clad in an undress military frock white pants, long
boots, and fine drab beaver hat, which was
squelched down On his head at an angle of forty
five degrees, the rear part of the rim resting ON
the old gentemans coat collar. | saw, without
direction, that the figure before me was the hero of
| the Mexican .war-not, certainly, however, from
anything particularly military in his bearing, but
from knowledge &c the innumerable portraits
which are scattered in all parts Of the Country
ihese portraits are by no means correct, although
they are sufficiently like him to have recognise
BILE intention. The original is better looking
The artists, in attempting impart military
tour TO the old gentleman, have exaggerated the
defects OF his face, and suppressed the parts which
! give ii character. For example, the under lip i'm
thg portrait is the main feature in the man this
| does not stand out SO as TO undershadow the nose
! -Genera Taylor is alsn not so large man as we
have been accustomed TO believe. His legs are
quite appropriate legs for his body, and sumpy
little pegs, stuck to huge Frame as the pictures
represent. Occasionally. | observed that he totier-
ed when rising from his seat, as though the expo
sure of the camp and the battle field had left upon
him its marks. But this, perhaps, is the natural
result OF age, prepossesson, for one is disposed
to associate with the fame OF the old hero that in
domtable iron nature which he has exhibited so
much throughout his long and useful life.
HIS head is large-the frontal development mas
sive-the forehead high and full-the base broad
as is the case in all famous soldiers. 1t falls off,
however, towards the crown, seeming TO indicate
n lack ,fb ooIC
should say, too, that there is deficiency of what
the phrenoligists call individuality. But nin,porfe
chronological examination must be close and care
tul to be useful. One cannot Judge of mans
brain as tree, by examining it at distance.
For the rest, the general impression made by the
old hero, is quite agreeable. There appears TO be
a total absence of seliishness in his manner. He
moves along through the crowd apparently quite
unconscious of his celebrity, and has kind word
for every who addresses him. In short, he
looks more like solid old farmer than the hero
OF some of the greatest battles of the age.
This morning rose little after daylight, when
very few were astir, except those who had not gone
to bed, and the first person saw old lack
sitting sdelong on chair, with his legs crossed
speciacles on nose, and body bent, reading news
paper, which, for its better management, was
doubled up into small compass. You have seen
a very common portrait of Franklin in a similar po-
sltlon The picture before me resembleG it exactly
lie old man seems TO be frank and without
craft He shnns N" topic, and as far as | could
a's""""r is accustomed to utter his opinions with
out regard TO politicians or newspaper eui,uIs.-
Last evening group of some dozen or more of Us
was gathered round him eagerly listening to an an
imated conversation, in which his native simplicity
OF manner was quite charming. He ran through
various TOPICS which he illustrated with excellent
sense and varied information. Speaking of the
''free soil' movement in the North he expressed
fears that it would be tle absorbing question in the
present canvass, and engrosS all other questions
He said that he considered The '.Mssouri Compro-
mise' fair and liberal line for settling the slave
question, and he willing 10 see il adopted He
DID not hesitate to pronounce slavery an evil and
bliShing in It's effects upon the agricultural and
commercial prosperity Of the South To this he
attributed the decay of Virginia and he thought it
\ would extend TO other slave States. He spoke at
some length this point, and drew many of his
illustrations from ancient history. While, however,
he regretted the system, he deprecated the foreign
attempts to abolish slavery. He thought the agi-
tation on the subject perncious TO both whites and
blacks. The two could not exist together,
and mixed race, such as obtains in Mexico, was
the greatest evil that society could be subjected to-
No plan of eIadicatlng slavery met his appreciation
unless the freed negroes could be removed from the
+ country. He would not emancipate his own slaves
except on condition that they were willing TO 90 to
Africa. To the Northern States he would not
send them; their condition there would be worse
than that of bondage. He thong hit that if the real
! ly phianthropic men of the North whose efforts to
abolish the system are restricting the privileges of
the slave, could see It's practical operation the api-
/ talon would cease, and there would be less zeal
and more wisdom exhibited in the cause As he
expressed it, they would better observe the 'eey-
enth commandment" which prescrbes that every
man shall attend 10 his own business.
/ In reply to remark made by the person with
whom he cCnve7sng, he said That most of old
party questions ,cere obsolete. He daily received
letters asking his opinion in relation TO a T. States
bank To reply 10 them were idle. for the bank
was dead and it was wise to think of RESTORING
dead man to life, as to give it new existence
In all respects he uttered sentiments which exhibit
ed his unlimited confidence In the will and honest
of the people
Gen. Taylor disapproved emphaticalIy of the spi-
rt OF conquest and attributed the present political
divisions to a lust OF conquest. On this point he
exhibited much familiarity with both ancient and
modern history, and frequently drew his lIuslra-
tons from IT, Greece, said he, lost her liberty and
nationality by The spirit of conquest. He alluded
to the reigns Of James L., Louis XIV Napoleon and
Louis Philippe, which, as the conversation became
somewhat controversial added zest 10 the discussion
and lett very favorable impression of the philoso
ply he had gathered from the history Of the past
But have not space TO write in full all the pro
mnent points OF this conversation, or to describe
several interesting events, such as the speech q
Gen. Taylor IN reply TO speech from Col. Root
who was the spokesman Of large party Of hIob
Ilans, or the many pretty women whom saw OF
the gories OF last night when the whole face Of tn,
I waters here was illuminated with phosphorescen
light, as though the world were all turned upside
down, and all the stars in the armament were Ia
king bath within the small compass that one.
eye can enclose. My object was to see ''od lack ,
and gathered enough of What saw of him to be
Iieve that he is an honest man-nUt politlc-not
frald--resoluie notwithstanding between thu