Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-22
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the philadelphia North american.
The Life and Character of Gen. Zach
ary Taylor.

The presentation of the name of General
TAYLOR as candidate for the high Office of
President OF The United States, and the I'M
usual circumstances attending his nonnna-
ton, and its cordial acceptance by SO large
portion of the people, as candidate tree
from any of those ultra party pledges so
usually exacted from competitors Tor lofty
public positions, render II equally interest
ing and important to understand the whoie
inner framework and nature, the Ei,ni, TIE
character, the principles, private and publ'c:.
lof man whssN destiny seems already 70
lhave pointed out as the next Chief Magis-
ltrate of the Republic. According to his en-
lemies-that is, his political opponents, for
1--we doubt whether Zachary Taylor has an
lenemy in the world, out of Mexico-the
study, might be expected to prove bard
lone: for SANDER and ridicule have already
been employed to represent the veteran
whose life has been passed in camps, ana
who does not hesitate to acknowledge am
equal ignorance and disregard for the con,
Iyentionalties, and to speak, the technical
forms, of politics,--as destitute of all prln-
lcipIes. if not all those faculties, essential TO
1.-THE occupant of the Presidential char;
(which it is the desire to investigate and fui-
tly understand. This notion, however, IS an
idle one. There is no deficiency, as there
has been no concealment, in regard to zen
Tayior's principles; and the best, the fullest,
and the most satisfactory exposition OF tnem
will be found in the simple narrative OF ms
life. His qualities speak in his acts; ana
his acts have been aawys great ones: his
spirit, bis mind, his sentiments, both moral
and political, his whole character are ex-
pressed, with a grand lucidness, on what is
now the recorded page of his ccuntry's ms
tory. II is for this reason that we have
Thought it expedient, in discussing, as we
mean to do, fully and freely, the qualIfca-
Ition Of General Taylor, and his peculiar
fitness to occupy worthily the chair once SO
goriously filled by the father Of his country,
to present our disquistions IN the form oil
la series of sketches embracing a general
view of his life, stringing upon thread oil
narration such remarks and reflections, IN
illustration of the subject, as may be natnr-
ally suggested by the different events as
they arise in his career. The theme is
brave one. 1t opens scenes of glory, upon
which every American can ponder with
proud satisfaction; and with none the less
Iapprobation that amid them all, the chief
and ruling actor in every scene IS PLAIN,
calm, frank, unaffected, clear-heafted A
merican citizen, who reconclies the ioity
merits of the hero with the simple virtues
of true republican.
General Zachary Taylor comes from a
sturdy and patriotic stock, worthy 10 give a
President to the United States. His father,
a son of the Ancient Dominion, a neighbor
and friend of Washington, commanded one
of the Virginia regiments during the Revo-
llutionary war through which he fought
with honor. Before the Revolution, how
ever, in his early youth, he had proved his
courage, and in the true American spirit OF
adventure, by exploring the forest mystic
ries of the great Mississippi Naliey,-then
a bowling wilderness, pasturedb by the Duiia-
10, and roamed by the savage red man.
Leaving his brother surveying lands the
site of the present city of Louisville, where
he was soon afterwards slain by the Indians;
Richard, the bravest adveDturer Of the day,
proceeded on a so litary expedition OF DIS
lcovery, westward, as far as the Mississippi
river; whence, it is said, entirely alone, he
made his way safely back TO Virginia,
through the unknown wilds of Tennessee.
At the close of the revolutionary struggle,
in the year 1885, he went second time TO
Kentucky to revisit it, to pass his life among
the scenes hallowed by his brothers. blood.
He went as an enHgrant, with wife and
three children, of whom the youngest, born
lin Orange County, Virginia, ON the 24th OF
I :.
old. was ZACHARY TAYLoR,--a true child
of the border. reared amid the perils, and
prjvations, and severe labors of every KIND
which they encountered, who, ia that day,
reclaimed the desert from the barbarian, and
founded the institutions of freedom IN the
depths of the forest.
Ii was in this hardy school that Taylor
acquainted the education and qualities, the
simple habits and manly virtues, winch
have, AT length, lifed him up TO view as one
of the renowned men of the world, and com
fmended him to the confidence Of twenty
millions of American freemeD, as worthy to
serve them, in the executive chair, as the
repre- utative of their sovereignty. Where
is the man to be found more morihy of the
honor: Did the father who so anxiously
guided his little family through the dan
gers of the ssWilderness Road'' to Ken
lucky, or the mother who bore the youngest
born in her arms, dream, in the fearful
lnighi-watches of the woodland camp, that
the helpless infant, slumbering on its bed of
Leaves, should, after the long interval of
sixty-three years, humble the pride Of Mex
leo al Buena Vista, and return from that
field of fame, to rule, three years later,
mighty republic, which, OF the early day OF
that Journey, had no constitutional exIs-
lteuce? No: il was Providence alone, which
foresees end directs the affairs Of men, that
prepared the extraordinary destiny of the
iiiule wanderer; and even President Madi-
son, relative of the family, when, IN lSeS,
he sem lieutenant's commission 10 Zacba-
nv, then a young Kentucky farmer, whose
elder brother, Lieutenant Taylor, bad just
died in the army, only deemed that he bad
secured to the country the devoted service
of another member Of patriotic family
! Thirty-seven years more were yet to roll,
before the eyes of men could be competent
to read the horoscope oil the young snbal-
Tern of the 9TH Regiment OF the United