Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-09-22
Prom he ~ o. Pioay'me, Sept
Gen. Taylor's Last Letter.

publication OF extracts uOm MS IiNatc cOiics
pondence, and the appearance over his sigma
ture Of replies to single and detached questions
relative TO his position before the public. The
letter is n connected narrative of the series OF
circumstances which resulted in his becoming
candidate. II presents in compact form all
the matters bearing upon the subject, and exbib-
It's General Taylor in his proper character-trne
to himself, 10 his friends, and to bis country.
EAST PAscAeoUI.A, Sept 4, 1S4S.
DEAR SIN: On the 92d day Of April last
addressed you letter explaining my views IN
reeaud TO various matters Of public policy, lest
INV feow-citizens might be misled by the many
contradictory and conflicting statements in re-
spcct to them which appeared in the Journals Of
the day, and werc circulated throughout the
country. ] nov find myself misreprcsenied and
misunderstood upon another point Of such i'm
portance 10 myself personally II not to the
country at large, as to claim from me candid
and connected exposition Of my relations to the
public in regard to the pending Presidential can
vass. a
The utmost ingenuity has been expended up
on several letters and detached sentences Of let
tiers, which have recently appeared over my sig-
nature to show that occupy an equivocal ait-
tude toward the various parties into which the
people are divided, and especially toward the
Wing party as Represented by the National Con-
vention which assembled in Philadelphia in June
last Had these letters or 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 isolated questions have been
given up to the captous criticism Of those who
have been made my enemies by nomination
which has been rendered TO me without solicita-
or arrangement Of mine; or Of the manner in
which selected passages in some of my letters,
written in the freedom and carelessness Of
con6daof,a1 corroernnd anca have Iaan cotntntt-
nicated to the public press. But riven from the
context, and separated from a series of explain
atory facts and circumstances which are, in so
far as this canvass is concerned, historical they
arc as deceptive as though they were positive
fabrications. address you this letter to correct
the injustice that has been done me and the pub
lie TO the extent that am an object of interest
to them, by this iiliberal process.
shall not weary you with an elaborate reci-
tai of every incident connected with the first
presentation Of my name as a candidate for the
Presidency. / WINS then at the head Of the
American army in the Valley Of tho Rio Grande.
] was surrounded Inv, Whigs and nes"ne-~'s, :Le
had stood by me IN the trying hours OF my life,
aud whom It was my destiny to conduct through
scenes Of still greater trial My duty to that ar
my, and to the Republic whose battles we were
waging forbade my assuming position of seem
ing hostility TO any portion of the brave men un
der my command-all of whom knew was
wing IN pfineipie, ior made no concealmen
Of my political sentiments or predictions.
Such had been the violence Of party struggle
during our late PRESIDENTIAL elections, that The
aeeep,ance Oh nomination .s under the yarlou
d;J.,p rrc..n,eS 40 ,he ,,n mi ,s;,h s,r,,or,
oe n,J;t;cal nr;nc;nles was acyalert .l,oost ~
dac,ars,;op 81 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, a,'r,;,,, 80 al
who did not subscribe TO its tencts. / was un-
willing to hazard the effect Of such relationship
,shan n G.on, ~ an s,.,,,,, cS,,na,' 40 =. III
M would have hssn ,;,;s, In ;,scif and n wa.
~ rs,,uo,,t a., NJ, or,, Sesl;r,s ~ !, ,v.s =, ms,
J,,,, 1891 ,,,;,,' Z, ~ go, "a c,rh,,.
sns a., ,ha, .';,h, ~, ,is Ia. d;s,r',st ",'S
,I;.cord in ;ts ranls nave not nv Letter.
written a, tho ,ma Ief,ra me In, ,hay .ro ali
of one ;mnort. and in conform;tv with Inc view.
herein expressed
Meanwhile i was solicited by nv r.ysonal
friends and bv strangers. by wings and Demo.
crats- 10 consent 10 become n candidate. / was
nominated by the people in primary assemblies.
by Wings Der.ocnits, and Natives, in scpa-
r,ts and .s;saa ssa.;p.s, ,ras;s.,a .hss, an,
ana cnsunued w so MI led TO believe that my
oPPosltioh was assuming inc aspect Oh dehance
OF the popular wishes. yielded only when II
looked ike presumption to resist longer, and
even then should not nave done so had not the
nomination been presented to me IN form I'M
likely to awaken acrimony or reproduce the bit
terness OF feeling which attends popular cleo
tons. | say ii in sincerity and truth, that part
Of the inducement to my consent was the hope
that by going into the canvass, il would be SOY
dacted with eandor 4 not q k,,dness. IL has
been no ss, AIT of mine that his authorization has
nroved vain one
Alter / nerm;tted myself 10 he announced for
the Precedence. under Inc circumstances above
noticed / accented nomination after nomination.
in the shirt In which they were tcndcred.-
They were made irrespective Of parties. and so
acknowledocd No one who ioined in those
nominations could have been deceived as to nv
noli,ical views From the beoinninp til now /
have declared myself 10 he Wb;r On al ,,Is;,,,,
a......,,ns MN tb;s distinct avo1al nnbI;sbed
10 Tho world, / did not think that / had a riobt
~ renel nonnat;ons from nol;t;caI onnonents
snv moro than I bad a RIGHT 40 refi,se tbc vote
ofa Democrat Al tbe 'no,ls: and / nrocla;med Il
abroad that i should not reject The proffered
support of auy BODY Of nv fellow citizens. This
was INV position when in November last / re-
turned 10 the United States long before either
of the areat divisions of the people had held a