Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-09-29
sHRINKS FROM NO RESPONSIBILITY

borne by the gallant Stevenson.
SHRINKS FROM NO RESPONSIBILITY.
Old Rough and Ready, according to his
worshippers, is the man who shrinks from
no responsibility" and who has emo conceal
ments to make" Strange, however, that the
people of the United States, whose sufrages
he is seeking by every artifce TO which he CAN
resort, have as yet been unable TO obtain from
him a distinct aVoWal of his sentiments upon
any one OF the great questions that now agl-
tate the public mind. He has already written
a volume of letters, and still not passage can
be pointed to in any one of them from which
can be gathered what his sentiments are with
regard 10 the Bank, the Tariff, the Sub Treas
ury, Internal Improvements. or any other of
the great political questions of the day. And
yet this is the man who declares that he has
emo concealments :" Remarking on this mat
ter, the Washington Union says -" General
Taylor complains in his last Allison letter that
his correspondence has been garbled for the
purpose of making him appear inconsistent
and contradictory. Let us apply one touch
stone to the series; and from this sample we
may Judge of the rest. We place few ex-
tracts from them side by side -
To fumes W. Tay'or May Is, ls47.
"My own personal views were better withheld
till the end of the war, when my usefulness as a
military chief serving in the fed against the COM
mon enemy, shall no longer he compromised by
their expression or discussion in any manner"
I'VE must wait, then, until the end of the
war for his opinions. But the war has gone,
and his opinions are still pocketed up in &C his
doublet:"]
To DR.. DeLony, June 9, ls47.
THAT it is happy feature in our government
that official functionarles under it, from the lowest
to the highest station, are not beyond the reach
| and partial supervision of the humbest citizen
and that it is right inherent in every freeman to
possess himself of the political principles and opin-
ions of those into whose the administration of the
government may be placed &c; TO all of which
| fully coincide with you in opinion"
We'll, of course, we shall have his opin-
ions. Not at all ; for it turns out from the
same letter that he had not yet made up any
opinions at all on the most important political
questions. Hear what he says j
I" AS regards the second and third inquiries, I
am not prepared to answer them. l could only
do after duly investigating those subjects, which
cannot now do; my whole time being fully oc.
cupied in attending to my proper official duties
which must not be neglected under any circum-
stances; and must say to you in substance what
| h.,,o Ibo..
that am politician. Near forty years of my
life have been passed in the public service, in the
army most of which in the field, the camp, on oul
western frontier, or in the Indian country and
for nearly the two last, in this or Texas, during
which sime have no: passed one night under the
roof Of house"
How long after the war did be require tc
form before he expressed his opinions? Blu
1t turns out that in his first Allison letter, the
General is seized with fit of loquacity-yet
even Them his committee permit him only tc
say that ne has no opinion on these grea
questions. except what he adopts from Con
gress-that he will sanction whatever they
may do, and even abandon the CONSTITUTIONS
power of the veto, in Difference 10 their opin
ions. Still we are not at the end of his ron.
tradictions. Here is another -
Allison Letter, april McConkey Letter.
! %, l84s. al have laid it dowr
"lhave no concealment as principle, not to Civ
i bold no opinion my OPINIONS upon tin
which would not read various questions of pol
lily proclaim to my as icy now at issue between
ssmbled cOuntrymen." the political parties o
the country"
0a-We cannot afford TO conduct politica
discussion with paper that cannot refrain
from personalities. We therefore must de-
cline noticing in any way what is said about