Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-07-20
Drfrrrr0 Arttl les.
Gen. Persifer F. Smith upon Gen.
Taylor and his Politics.

Gen. Smith, it is known, is Loco Foco, but
a Loco Foco of honor. He served and won Ian
rels under Gen. Taylor in the Florida war; and
again at Monterey under the same gallant off
GER he acquired new laurels. But the GROWING
act of his military career, was his splendid and
successful assault upon the enemy at Conlreras
under Gen. Scott. lie thus writes to friend
IN New Orleans:
Cry OF MEXICO, April 9Th, 1913.
Any one who has visited this country
must have a horror of bad government, for here
is seen the spot on earth most favored by nature
stripped Of all its advantages and converted into
hell by the vices and coruptions Of it's rulers.
have great faith in our own people, howev-
er; they show their high sense of honesty and
nobeness whenever the occasion offers
Gen. Taylor's military exploits are not the
causes of his popularity; they are only the occa-
sions for the display of his sound judgment. en-
ergy of character, lofty and pure sense of jus,
tice, and incorruptble honesty. He has as much
reputation for what he has written as for what he
has done, because even where the composition
is not his own, the sentiments motives, and feel
ings are; and everything he says, as everything
he does, is marked by the purity aud loftness OF
his own character
never heard Of any one, however corrupt or
base himself that, after five minutes conversa-
ton with Gen. Taylor, had dared to propose, or
even hint at, anything dishonest or mean. And
10 intercourse in the binary events of com
mon HE can give the true idea of the holiness
OF his character. | remember your asking me, al,
the time he was put in command at Corpus
Christi, whether he was equal to the circunstan-
ccs. told you Of his sound judgment and in
cxhaustble energy as had learned them in
Florida, but did not then estimate properly the
other and higher points of his character. IN
the campaign on the Rio Grande, | saw him
tried under all circumstances, and lie always
came out pure gold.
His profession that he will De the candidate
Of no party will, if he be elected, be carried out
IN his Practice mot that his opinions on matters
OF policy, may hot be those of one or another
party;-o most Of these he is Hing, and he
is not The man 10 act adverse TO his own opin-
IONS; but no party management or power can
ever lead him to do mean, or what he thinks
wrong thing.
AS soon as General 1'ayltr was furnished by
events with the opportunity to display his char
acter, you zee at once that it was eslimal ed
properly, and come back TO the truth of the
proposition started with, that believe the peo.
pie will always properly measure great men.
do not say they will always reward them
properly, for they cannot always give direc
expression 10 their feelings, and The least worth,
may have the vote without having the wish.
lHeIe nus great error oceh coliiHltteu III re
lation TO Gen. Scott: 10 military operations il
history have displayed more military qualities o
been more uniformly successful in their results
Nor have they been in any case the result 0
chance every thing has been done 10 conform
iiy with plan, and the event in all cases ha
been almost predicted. That a successful Gen
cral should be degraded in the very scene of sue
cess, for complaints made not Of him but by him
is exceeding strange, and most unfortunate
Every one IN the army feels it as disgrace,
Your sincere friend
PERSlFER +. SMITH.