The weekly independent. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss) 1848-1853, 1848-03-18
LETTER OF GEN. TAYLOR TO
HON. ]. r. INGERSOLL.

of the 7th ult., in which YOU say: :"
had the honor of being called on las
evening to address a mass meeting
of the Wings of the city and county
of Philadelphia. At that meeting
your name was frequently mention
ed in connection with the office o
Chief Mag istrate. | stated to thai
meeting. as had before stated ir
my place in the House of Represen
tatives at Washington, that yor
were Whig--not indeed an ultra
partisan Whig-but Wing in prin
clple." All of which is entirely cor
rect: and after the discussion which
occurred in both hou les of Congress
at the last session, growing out ofthe
capitulation of Monterey in which
discussion you thought proper to de-
fend my conduct IN regard to that
transaction, when assaied some
what ifnot entirely on party grounds
in the House of which you were a
memher-for which you have my
sincere thanks--which was done in
such a way by those who disapprov.
ed that measure, ] can hardly mag
inc how any one who was present
and heard the speeches on that &C.
casion, or read them after they were
published, could mistake the COM
plexiOn of nv politics.
At the last Presidential canvass
without interfering in any way with
the same, it was well known to ali
with whom | mixed, Wings and
Democrats,for ] had no concealment
in the matter, that | was decidedly
in favor of Mr.. Clay's election, and
would now prefer seeing him in that
office to any individual in the Union;
certainly much more at any time
tosmyself. Independent of his great
talents and long experience in gov
eminent affairs, consider his views
and those of the Wing party. are
more nearly assimilated, as regards
political matters. to those of Mr., JEFF
ferson, than their opponents; in whose
political creed | was reared, and
whose opinions in matters OF State,
have never lost sight of as well as
endeavored 10 conform to them as
near as circumstances would permit.
Although no one can appreciate
more highly than ] do the favorable
opinion hear you have formed as re-
CARDS my fitness for the first civil Of
flee in our country, (Which | consd>
er, should | reach it, is rather too
much of an EXPERIMENT. as well as
duly grateful for your aid in bringing
me so prominently before the na>
ton for the Office in question, yet J
cannot permit the present opportun-
ity to pass by without repeating to
you what have said to others in re-
gard to the subject Of the Prcslden>
cy-which is, that am nopoiitlcian.
Nearly forty years Of my life have
been passed in the military service
ofthe Republic, nearly the whole OF
which in the field, the camp, on our
Western frontier and in the Indian
territory, | may we'll say constantly
on datv-the two last in Mexico.
or on its immediate border; during
which time J have not passed one
night underline roof of a house. You
may, therefore. very readily suppose.
undersuch circumstances, | have had
but little time to devote to the con-
sideration or investigation OF great
political questions or subjects, or
to their discussion ; nor have ! att
tempted to do so, or to be mixed up
with politics, men or measured any
way, not even having voted for one
of our chief magistrates since join
ed the army, having, for the most
part, been serving or stationed be-
yond the limits Oft the States.
must say have no wish for the
Presidency, and cannot consent to be
exclusively the candidate of party;
and if am one at all, or to be made
SO at the coming election. it must be
borne in mind that | have been. or
will be made SO, by others, without
any agency ofmine in the matter. In
dependent of my wishes, greatly
doubt my want of the necessary quail
ifications to discharge the duties
properly of an office which was filled
and adorned by a Washington. a
Jefferson, as well as several others OF
the purest, wisest, and most accom-
plished statesmen and patriots OF
this or any other age or country.
almost tremble at the thoughts
of the undertaking: yet, if the good
people think proper to elevate me-
at the proper time to the highest Of
flee in their gift, will feel bound to
serve them. if not from inclination.
from principle of duty; and will DO
SO in accordance with the principles
of the constitution, as near as can
do so, as it was construed and acted
on by our first Presidents. two of
whom at least acted so conspicuous
a part in aiding and completing that
instrument. as well as putting it in
operation.
But very many important changes
NAV take place at home and abroad,