Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-06-08
From the Washington Union, Nay 60
THE APPEAL OF A TAYLOR DEMOCRAT.

In compliance with Mr. Lippard's request,
we lay the following communication before
our readers. II is a bold, animated. and stir
ring appeal to the President. We have no
doubt, with its author, that thousands of dem
ocrats were induced TO vote for General Tay-
Tor in consequence of his pledges; and we
doubt not tha, almost all OF them will ahan-
don his administration in consequence OF his
having violated these pledges.
The following letter carries force with II,
because iis main statement is true General
Taylor could never have been elected without
the Tote of the Taylor democrats, and he could
never have obtained their votes without the
pledges he gave. We call toe readers atien-
ton particularly 10 the correspondence which
passed between Mr. Lippard and General Tay-
lor during the campaign The Generals let.
ter to Mr. L has been frequently published,
bat MIR L s letter 10 the General is now for
the first time given 10 the world. This letter
sheds light upon The Generals. 1t shows
why the General wrote his letter, and hotc ii
is 10 be interpreted:
PHILADELPHIA. May 22, 1919.
Will you pardon me if make hold to say
few words with you in explanation of the
reasons which induced me 10 support you for
the Office of President OF the United States -
These reasons may also give some idea OF the
motives which swayed hundreds of thousands
OF your fellow citizens.
/ am no politician. / never yet asked for
an office. and certainly shall not ask one al
your hands. In speaking to you, do not lay
claim to any political influence am backed
by no clique; control no body of voters
only speak to you as citizen of the United
States, having no influence beyond my vote,
and The truth which utter.
In the year 1847, while member of the
Democratic Association of the county of Phil
adelphia, began the first of a series of four
works upon the history OF Mexico That first
book of the series was intended 10 comprise a
history of your campaigns in Mexico. While
writing that work, became wildly impress
ed with The frankness, the iron common sense,
the answering sincerity of your character
Sick of The warfare of parties, looked TO you
as the man who had been called by Providence
10 put an end to the mercenary bitterness of
this warfare, by assuming the position of
WAsHINGToN-not with parties, but IN the
hearts of the people
And this idea of your character, embodied
in the work to which reference is made, was
dlfused by its pages among class OF voters
entirely distinct and separate from the whig
party class Of voters who, imbued with
the progressive spirit of Christianity, are OPP
posed to the principles of the whig party, as
embodied in the history OF the wing corpora
ton OF Philadelphia, and who are IN favor of
judicial and national reform-who advocate
the freedom of the public domain and the right
of labor to the harvest of its toll. This idea
induced me TO desert my party associations,
break party lines, and advocate Zachary Tay-
lor as the candidate of the people.
In the month of April, 1913, your chances
for the presidency were vague and uncertain.
The wing politicians in Philadelphia-a: least
the most prominent of them aIl--farIy laugh
ed al the mention of your name in conneXIon
with that high office. When the Baltimore
Convention assembled, it was the earnest hope
of thousands of the democratic masses that
you would receive the nomination al the
hands of the representatives of the democratic
party This hope proved fruitless. But at
the wing convention, assembled in Philadel
phia in June, ls48, party lines were finally
broken the very spirit and front of the whig
party were crushed Henry Clay, baloted
for in the name of the whig party, failed TO
receive its votes, and Zachary Taylor, nomi-
mated I'm THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE," was
presented 10 the people without any other
platform than his independence from the spirit
and trammels of party.
Doubtless. you have often had described to
you the scenes which marked the history OF
this June convention-the dismay of the whig
politicians of the veritabie whig school-the
curses, both loud and deep, with which they
brea;hed your name-the three-foid sacrifice
of whig principles, wing platforms, and Hem
~ Clay, at the feet of Zachary Taylor.
Nomina ed at this convention amid the ru-
ms OF whigism, and nominated in the name OF
the people, the whig party did not dare to
claim you as a yer table wing, OF the true
whig stamp, until about the 5th OF July, l84S,
when news came 10 Philadelphia that Hon.
Balie Peyion had, in New Orleans, solemnly
endorsed you as a whig, and placed your feet
somewhere amid the ruins OF the demol shed
wing platform.
This statement gave inexpressible pain to
thousands of your friends in Pennsylvania -
Well aware that you had not been nominated
as the candidate of any party, certain that
you could not by any chance be elected in the
name or on the platform of the wing party.
your friends-I speak of the masses, who
loved you for yourself and for your lndepen-
dent position--received the statement OF Mr.
Peyton with an emotion that was not 10 he
mistaken or evaded. They telt that either
MIR. Peyton was in error, or that Zachary
Taylor had falsfed his often repeated pIedg-
es. Under the influence of this widespread
feeling, made bold 10 write and send 10 you
the following letter Its very abruptness OF
style indicates the sincerity which impelled lis
composition:
PHILADELPHIA, July 5, 1913.
GENERAL: Will you regard word from a
friend as impertinent or obstrusive 1t is alter a
great deal of reluctance that am induced to trou-
BILE you again but having faith in you now. as
have ever since pledged what literary reputation
possess to you in my book" The Legends OF
Mexico, or Battles of 1ayIOr"-l make bold to say
q frank word to the General of the people.
This is the case. With thousands Of demo-
Gratis in this State, depend upon your declara-
ton " that you would in no case DO the Presi-
dent of a party but the President of the people,
Ga this ground the democrats of Pennsylvania
will vote for you by hundreds and thousands.
But we are now told that you are exclusively
the whig candidate, to be run as wbig, elected as
q whig. and under whig issues.
IfIhis be the case, the State Of Pennsylvania
will he lost to Taylor and the country.
do not believe this to be the case. Those
who think with me in this county do not believe
it. Blu; to set the matter at rest, will you an
swer this letter with one line and with that line
the democratic hundreds and thousands Of Penn
sylyauia will move in body for you.
General. do no reject this appeal from man
who loves you for your battles, and the moral
h,1ln ErSI