Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-07-28
GEN. :TAYI0R.

Many OF the DemocratlC papers, III
the absence of every thing against the
character of Gen. ylor either public or
private, are laboring hard to make it ap-
pear that he is an iIterate man, and that
he IS not capable of writing such lettefi
as have been published over his sigma
ture. The following extract of a letter
from Hon. IonE .. Spencer, who, while
S .cretary of War, had frequent commu-
nication with Gen. Taylor, which ena-
bled him to form just ideas of his civil
qualifications, may be considered nro9-
or answer t. such cblect0- 'asHnv rhing
our readers haTe refo-e seen: " Dc"
,uH at..5.e e cGmtbunica.e re o.
F''-icr, .,Yh4shsyou understand has been
expressed by me, in reference TO the at
taInments Of Gen. Taylor, derived from
his correspondence with the War Depart
ment during the time it was N my change.
1t Is very true, | have often stated my
high opinion not only Of the sound iudg-
"a ?nt md unsurpassed discretion OF Gen.
\ Lay Tor. but also C his capacity IS
waite, nd ',Ee- d. o. Hcre cas-. up
J on he ,o"llorehD' 9t.5he -ad-airChle- dis
pa Ctes which cane from Mexico under
m NAME declared uneClivoca.iy. lay
Ihorc19h conviction that he was tie au-
tho" u thct.,. md tSta;eo my reasons
for th4s con@ictlcn: shat Ks official let
tiers aid other comm nicntions which had
id!lcr nnIUc nv ..obscr"at or contained
the a.se .condGn.et v;gCr. d thought and
/ eXpressran-the same Ft2pIiarl:ies Of style
/ and beauty, and force ot,l7GGuaGe that
characterized his Mexican di>Uat cpes ::
and that trcm circumstances personally
known . ne. was certain that he coulG
not have had the aid Ia writing the let
tcrs and coEn2micarions referred to.
WINCH some q. the papers Grr; cd had
been rendered to him IN AIcxicos This
urI-Ion ! no. deliberately. rtiicfaIe:
OF and / Know perfectly Vel rh,t per-
sons ,4l'o are in lae hatt OF literary CON q,
position can Gc,ec. ;'re style, manner OF
1hoIghl. All turr - eNprs s>Ion OF Il VIII
fer. ate. h.:"inc been acquainted with
some Of his Drod"e .ons, With certainty
) 1T least eqar.i 70 that win which ain cX-
! per. III Denn.AanshIp can decide upon tbs
( sIgrar>:Fe 4 one HON he has seen write
I biz nasfe.
8 !! do not mean 10 Jeny that General
/ TayI like Gen. Washington. and Ike
! every other modest man, NAV have bad
/ the ED Of 2 .terarv friend n l@ofino
over his. despa tones, written, IS fhey ,lllsl
have been: "Ddc- great excitement and
! Sometime ~ haste ;'and that friend NAV
/ have erased a redundant word or phrase,
or rounded Il period. # this be evidence
/ OF lncapacitv, who shall escape! IT Is
/ notorious that the writings Of Washing
! ton, and particularly his Farewell Address.
I underwent the revision Of Gen. HamiI-
/ ton; and that the messages and public
/ communications of every other President
I have always been subjected to the critical
examination of his cabinet. Indeed, do
not hesitate to say that a man who will
submit important documents to public
scrutiny without the revision OF friend,
when il can be obtained, will evince more
presumption than coed sense.
" For forty years Gen. Tay.cr aas
been III The military service Of the
country more than thirty wears &C the
inc in galrisons ana al posts, where in
= slime Of peace he has lad abuadan.
+ leisure. His habits are admitted on
81 sides to be exemplary, and he 70 be
anything bet an indolcnt man. what,
then, have probably been his -ccupa-
lions during he tedious DAYS, weeks.
months, and years of garrison duty z
The answer 70 he question may be