The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1848-05-05
Letter from CEN. Taylor.

BAroN RoUGE, April gid. l848.
| Carr. ]. S. ALLISON.
Dear Sir My opinions have recently been
SO often misconceiyed and misfePresented, that
| deem it due 10 myself, if MOTTO my friends
to make a brief exposition of them upon the
topics to which you have called my attentions
/ Rave consented to the use Of my name as
a ca ndidote for the presidency. ] have ire
q%ueu,Iy ayowed my own distrust Of my fitness
for that high station; but, having at the solic-.
itation Of many of my countrymen, taken my
position as a candidate, | do not feel at liberty
to surrender that position untilmy friends man
ifest a desire that I should retire from it.. !
will then most gladly do so. have no pr.
vate purposes to accomplishing party pro-
iects to build up-no enemies to punisll~-no-
thing to serve but my country.
| have been often addressed by letters, and
my opinions have been asked upon almost
every question that might occur to the writer's
as affecting the interest Of their country or
their party. have not always responded to
LlltlI tlIuIllLES " NuiIONS 10y
/ confess, whilst Ihave great cardinal prin-
ciples, which will regulate my political life,
am not sufficiently familiar with all the min
ute details Of political legislation, to give SOL
emn pledges to exert my Influence, If were pre-
sident, to carry out this or defeat that measure.
| have no c~oncealment-I hold no opinion
which | would not readily proclaim to my
assembled countrymen; but crude Impressions
upon matters of policy, which may be right.
to-day and wrong tomorrow are pehaps, not the
best test of fitness for office. One who can-
not be trusted without pledges. cannot be cons
ided in, merely on account OF fhem.
will proceed, however, now, to respond to
your inquiries.
Fr3t-I r~eiterato what l have often said-I
am a Wing, but not an ultra whig. 1felected
| would not be the mere Presidentof a party.
would endeavor to act independent of party
domination. / should feel bound to admins
ter the Government, untrammelled by party
schemes?
~Scrond-The Veto Power. The power CIV
en- by the Constitution to the Executive to in
terpose his Veto is a high conservative power
but in my opinion, should never be exercised
except in cases Of clear violation of the Con-
s~titution, or manifest haste and want Of con.
sideration ofCongress. Indeed | have thought
that for many years past, the known opin-
ions and wishes Of the Executive, have exer-
cised undue and injurious influence upon the
Legislative Department Of the Government,
and from this couse have thought our system
was in danger Of undergoing a great change
from its true theory. The personal opinions Of
The individual who may happen to occupy The Er-
%ecutige Chair, ought not to control The action o.
Congress upon questions Of Domestic POLICY, nol
oughth objections TO be %interposed, whem question
Of Constitutional power hare been settled By ho
vardous Departments Of Government, and acqoi
esced in by The People,
T,rd-Upon the subject Of the tariff, lh'
currency, the improvement of our great high
ways, rivers, lakes and harbors, the will o.
the people, az expressed through their repre-
sentatives in Congress, ought sto be respected
and carried out by the Executive.
Fourth-Tho Mexican war, sincerely re
joice at the prospect of peace. My life ha
been devoted to arms, yeti look upon war a
all times and under all circumstances, as
national calamity to be avoided ii compatibl
with national honor. The principles ofeur Gov
/ rV,n oUt nh x,al1 &C - 20 trtao a1nIntI ara nnDOs
ed to the subjugation Of other nations an
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of .other countries by cen
quest. Inthe language Of the great WASHING
TON, " why should we quit our own,t to stap
on foreign ground"
In the Mexican war, our national honor hu
been vi indicated, amply INDICATED, and il di,
tating terms of peace, we may as well atfor
to be forbearing and even magnapimous to OF
fallen foe.
These are my opinions upon the subiec
, referred to by you, and any reports or public
tons, written or verbal, from any source, dl
fering in any essential particulars from what
: here written, are unauthorized and untrue.
I, do not know that l shall again write upc
: the subject Of national politics. shall e
gage in no schemes, no combination, no i
trigues. IF the american people have not co
fdence in me, they ought not to give me th'
! SURFACES. If they do not, you know me W
I enough to believe me, when | decare that
I shall be content. am too old a soldier
murmur against such high authority.
u, Taylor.