The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-03


We have received by our express mail slip OF the
New Orleans Plcayune of the o5ih April The only
remarkable article which il contains, is the following
very remarkable letter oil General Taylor As 1T is, per-
haps, the very last letter which he to write upon
the subject of national potcsas henceorth he means 10
play The mute upon all great questions OF pubic IN
erest-as for the next months he means 10 be nom
commal, but throws himself upon the bind s. comb
dence of the American people"-and as not even the
wing national convention OF next June are 10 expect
further declaration of his faith, il becomes US, with due
respect yield TO the mpenetrabity OF the oracle. and
to make the most of the little and last revelations which
he make Ii the wings willing to take him
in the dark, for better or for worse, have right
complain They must manage their affairs in then
way. But the free citizens of a free country we
protest against any mans being clothed with the execu
tive powers, without knowing what are his principles
what his views of the public interest or of the con
stution-without understanding what use he will make
of the powers with which he expects be intrusted
No wonder that General Taylor has, former
sion, declared himself 10 be politician. He has been
for forty years in the camp unacquaned with the forms
OF civil lfe without experience in matters of state
without nformation and confessedly without having
studied the great questions of poy and without having
formed any opinion upon them. No wonder that he
now refuses TO promulgae his opinions, when he has
formed none. But it as strange, how any should
be willing to undertake the responsible office of navga
ting ship in stormy sea- when he has neither compass
rudder-when he has neitherexperience skill
pilot. One would think it fearful experiment. unless
he should be willing to trust himself in blind confidence
to the hands OF more sagacious and designing
The present letter exhibits singular struggle between
the OF concealment and the want of explanation
The General says he has eoncednents; and yet he
scarcely tells anything He holds opinion which
he would readily proclaim his assembled country
men; yet what great opinion does he proclaim He
says he will give pledges and he may be right in
refusing to his opinions, if he has nothing to give
but "crude impressions upon matters OF policy which
may be right to-day and wrong tomorrow" If he
has formed opinions than these, them indeed, he
gives very bad 'test of his fitness for office"
The old General plays the part of Tanlaus with his
countrymen He claims have great cardinal principles
which will regulate (hs) political life But what
they, Is his only great principle to be, that he has
but will sacrifice the dictates of his conscience to
the members of Congress !-hat he will substantially
strike the qualified power from the constitution con-
trved it for OF the great balance wheels be-
tween the legislative and executive power Is it thus
that he recommends himself to the generous confidence
of his countrymen'
He says che is whig but not an ultra wing" Well,
what sort of wing that nondescrip' Is he for strict
or lattudnous construction of the constitution '-is he
for bank or no hank ,-o what is he for! But though
a wing, he is no-party man In fact he is to be a
wing or democrat according as Congress may be
the other. He to be perfect chameleon, rejecting
they for national bank protective tariff grand
and extravagan system of internal improvements
he is SO too Ii against them, likewise is he. He is
10 be all things Congress He is TO have opinions
of his own-scarcely any upon the constution-none
upon the great interests of the country This to
us to be the only great cardinal principle which he pro-
fesses and what sort of principle is this Without
will of his own--whout exercising his own rehec-
tions-he will sign any bill, and sanction any
upon these great issues, which Congress may send
| him.
This mastery inactivity" naturally leads him to his
positionthe virtual abandonment OF the veto power
His personal opinions are be Of account-for Con-
gress has but to pass law on any great question OF
domestic policy and he will sanction it al If any
constitutional question up, he has but to that
the usHrpation has been committed for him to sanction
mus, alien ana SeutOn laws,
the national bank, &c &C., would pass muster at
The very usurpaon of the power confers and conse
crates it; and the President is to hold himself bound by
acts which his own conscience condemns transgres
sions against the constitution.
AS TO those great questions which have hitherto
tally divided the parties in this countrythe tarthe
currency-bank or no banklhe system of internal i'm
provements in all its branchesour next President to
have no opinion or will of his Let Congress try TO
fasten national bank upon for 50 100 years. ii is
all rght-the,r scH is his lar Sic uoio sic jubeo Why
what sort of President is this' We may well have
on all these fundamental questions, man of straw-a
cipher-nstead of President the head of the nation
| Upon the Mexican he leaves at sea, he does
in most other matters He gives opinion OF the orr
gn of the prosecuton-scarcey hint about the result
of the war We do positively understand whether he
is for indemny-for territorial indemnity-or whether
he is so very "forbearing" very magnanimous. that
he would make peace at once, without obtaining one
inch of terriorywithout obtaining any indemnify for
the past any security for the future Nay, at
loss to know whether he would make pay the just
claims OF our own citizens and whether he would not
abandon Texas herself the demands of the Mexicans
Shall we consider her as "our ground" "foregn
ground ,"
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