The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-20
FIRST MEETING In NEW YORK,
IN FAVOR OF
GEN. TAYLOR FOR The PRESIDENCY.

Pursuant to public call for a meeting of friends
of General Taylor, for the purpose of forming
"Reugh and Ready Associations number of
people met together yesterday evening, at the
Madison House, corner of Twenty-hrst street
and Broadway. The meeting was small, but re-
spectacle, orderly, and harmonious,
J. w. HINTON was unanimously called upon to
take the chair, and MIR. p. JORDAN was appointed
Secretary. The chairman then fly addressed
the meeting; after which the call for the meeting
was read, and on motion was approved OF.
call was then made for
the meeting. The place of meeting was small and in
if Seats the people present amount
mounted chair and spoke follows in strain Of neat
elegant, and pleasing eoqusnce :" You are assembled
here fellow citlsens to commence great and important
work it is work OF great magnitude in which you are
met to engage. You about commencing new
in the annals of political history Hither
to the government Of country has been too much
confded to mere party politiciaus-to men who had
their own selfish views and objects to accomplish and
their own private eDds and ambition to crafty
These men have for long period Of time, taken the
management of AFFAIR." out Of the hands OF the people,
II never however, intended that the peopls should
do the election OF the Chf Magisrate yet 1t has
happened in the progress Of time that the people have
become neglectful and they have let slip out OF their
hands the power which belongs of right to them, and
pave suffered to be ueurped by selfish interested
nan snn mas az a. 70
ton Of President than the people of China have
put 1t to you'll will ask you did any know JAMES
Polk to be before the people as candidate for the
Presidency unt! after the meeting Of the Baltimore
Convention Who knew him till then? Before that
convention met the people never thought of him for
President ever thought Of him a man able to
command the votes of the country He waa however,
brought up by the vidua,s who
tom by and after wards the voting
merely nominal thing-a mere show or shadow
a thing Of course. Thus small collection OF indivduSs
at that convention made the President of the Unted
States He not made such by the people But said
Mr. H. appears to me that though this has once hap
the Presidency yet the time has passed that 1t should
happen again and, hope, Is passed forever. This
cty-it originated here. You now commencing
portion OF this movement. You are In so doing COM
meneng to think for yourselves to act for yourselves
and to throw off the manaclss party and the dcaton
of party management. They who have promoted and
taken interest in this meeting and in that to be held
on the 22d have not been influenced by private
motives. They offoe-holders they no mere
party men, They merely and simply disinterested
citizens who determined to be dictated to, but
to speak their views untrammeled by party dctation
and mansuvre Mr. H. then referred to his own former
position as connected with party and declared that he
be right, had left them when he thought they were
wrong. and was ready to go back when he should be
again convinced they right. If, he observed you
feel feel this subject then you independent
men, and prepared Independent people, to support
first mention Of the name OF General Taylor there
loud spontaneous burst of evident hearty enthusiasm
H. proceeded to ssyof all in this country he
knew or heard of more independent man than General
Taylor (Applause.) MIR H. did not at seeing the
small number Of persons present; were here few in
number it true but It did not belong to General
Taylor to feel discouraged at the smaness Of his forces
did it belong his friends fer; but like him
with few in number to fight and conquer, he did with
his noble few on the sanguinary field of Buena Vista
Immense applause) Mr.. H. said, he supposed most
persons present belonged to the party called whgs
he thought they identified with certain principles
and felt bound to follow principle, bat not therefore,
from the north SOUTH or east or west There was Mr.
H. confessed great power and influence In names they
nsensib!e; but In this movement must observed Mr.
H., abandon names, whatever they may be- which We
have hitherto been to Look to and to follow
There was no man IN the United States for whom he
had more regard and venerstion than for Mr. Clay,
none that he respected more But II we wish In TINS con-
test to obtain the victory must abandon the charm
and not be led in following them to shameful
and disast defeat There could not he believed be
any man presen in this meeting who did not feel deep
feeling Of conviction that it was impossible Mr. Clay
should succeed whig candidates in another contest
TO the Presidency He had too often led them to de-
feat and nearly to ruin But whatever he (Mr.
ii might have thought whatever he might have
wished, events had occurred within the last two
months which made 1t appear to him. that 1t was
not possible Mr.. Clay should, ought to be- ee
waited to the Presidential chair Though he (Mr Clay
those views had been dictated by the purest patriotism
yet the attitude he had taken rendered it impossible
depcy Whoever the next President might be- he would
have an important duty to perform We are now I'M
fortunately engaged 10 foreign war This war was
unnecessarily brought upon us but are in II, and,
right wrong cannot dare not retreat without
pishing the end for which have been fighting
The first duty OF the President would be TO enter
into negotiations for peace with Mexico That duty
devolved upon the President by he constitution. II
MIR Clay made President of the United States, his
first duty would be to send commissioners to Mexico
Then the first question Of Santa Anna would be, how
comes 1t that your armies in country How is
it We find cities bombarded fortresses taken by
storm, our country laid waste and destroyed? You
know this wrong you say III you say 1t is an unjust
war He would then require us to retire across the
Nueces and Mr. Clay, to consistent would be bound
to retire But suppose Mr.. Clay were to attempt to
said at Lexington, want part OF California" how
could he demand any indemnify for war which he
himself pronounced to be wrong? Would he not rather
be bound far his views concerned to give
instead OF to take ind unity for which he himself
had denounced? The position MIR. Clay has placed
himse in would render it impo,sible for him to act
with Mexico in making happy and honorable peace
Mr. Hall hereupon proceeded to review the military
career OF General Taylor and after pronouuciug high
euosy upon his energy in the various battles
in which he had been engaged in Mexico, proposed
bis nomination candidate for the next Presidential
election, which was unanimously responded to-
All hS0