The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-09-20

/ private correspondence, ana lne appearance
over Ills signature of replies to single ant
detached questions relative to his position
before the public The letter is a connec
5 ted narrative of the series of circumstance:
which resulted in his becoming candidate
1t presents, in compact form, all the mat.
ters bearing upon the subject, and exhibits
Gen. Taylor in his proper character-Irue
to himself, t. his friends. and to his country
EAST PAsCAGoULA, Sept. d.
Dear Sr-On the 22d day of May last,
addressed you letter explaining my views
in regard to various matters of public policy,
les, my fellow. citizens might be misIcd by
the many contradictory and conflicting stale
menls in respect to them which appeared
in the journals of the day and were clrcua-
ted throughout the country. now find
myself represented and misunderstood
upon another point, of such importance to
myself personally, if not to the country at
large. as to claim from me candid and con-
necled exposition of my relations to the pub
lie in regard to the pending presidential can
vaSS.
The utmost ingenuity has bren expended
upon several letters, and detached senten-
ces of letters, which have recently appeared
over my signature, to show that | occupy
ain equvocal attitude towards the various
parties into which the people are divided
and especially towards The Wing party as
representa- bv the National Convention
which assembled in Philadelphia in June
last. II I'd these letters and scraps of letters
been published or construed in connection
! with what have heretofore said upon this
, subject, | should not now have to complain
of the speed with which my answers to Iso-
lated questions have been given up to the
raplious criticism nlthnSe who have been
made my enemies bv nomination which
has been rendered to me wllhnrt solicitation
or arrangement of mine; or OF the manner
in which select passages IN some of my let
tcrs, written in the freedom and careless
ness o! a cosh rnlIal correspondence, have
been comm' n cacdto the public press. But
rven from the context, and separated from
n serh of explanatory facts and circumStan-
ces which are. in SO far as this canvass is
concerned. historical, they are as deceptive
as though they were positive iabrlcations
address you this letter to correct the lnIus
,ice that has been done me, and the public
to the extent that | am an object of interest
to them, by this lbcraI process.
| shall no, weary You by an elaborate recital
of every incident connected with the first
presentation of my name as a candidate for
the Presidency. wac ''-'' '.. 80 -. -
the American army in the valley oi the Rn
Grande. | was surrounded by Wings and
Democrats who had stood by me IN the trv-
inu hours of nv life. and whom 1t "aS my
DESTINY to conduct through scenes oi still
greater trial MY duly to that army. AMI
to the Republic whose battles we were wa,
oinc, forbade my assuming position OF
seeming hostility to any portion OF the brave
men under nv command-aiI "t whom knew
was Wing in principle for made no
concealmcnt of my political sentiments or
predictions.
Such had been the violence of party Slrug-
ecs during our late presidential cIecti"nS'
tat the acceptance of nomination under
the various interpretations gwen to the np-
legations of candidate presented I" the
public with formulary of political prInc''
pies was equivalent almost t" declaration
| of funcnmpromSIng enmIiy to all VINO dId not
subscribe to its tcnctS was unwilling to
hazard the cffectni such relationship towards
anv ofthc soldiers under my command WHEN
| in front of all enemy common I" us all. IL
would have been un jnSt in itself. and It was
as rcpugnant to my own feelings as II was
10 nv duty. WANTED unity IN the army.
and fnrbore anv act that might sow the seed
| of diSrus, and dlScord in It's ranks. have
not nv letters written al the time before me-
but they are all of one import, and IN con-
formi,v with the views herein expressed.
Meanwhile | was solicited by my person:
al friends and by strangers, by Wings and
Democrats, to consent to become canhI-
date. | was nominated by the people IN
primary assenblics-by Wings, Democrats
and Natives. in separate and mixed meet
mos resisted them all, and continued t"
do 50 till led to believe that my opposition
was assuming the aspect of a defiance "l
the popular wishes. vel led onv when II
looked like presumption TO resist longer, ana
even then should not have done had not
the nomination been presented to me IN
form unlikely to awaken acrIm"nv or repro
ducc the bitterness of feeling which attends
popular elections. say it in sincerity anc
truth that part of the lnducement to my
,, consent was the hope that by going INTO the
canvass it would bc conducted with cando
, if no, with kindness. 1t has been no fault 0
mine that this anticipation has proved vaII
one.
After permitted myself to be announced
for the Presidency. under the circumstance
! above noticed, accepted nomination allie
nomination in the spirit in which they ten
dcred. They were made irrespective o
partics. and 50 acknowledged. No one VIII