The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-05-30
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 80, Is4s.
The Pledge Tested.

enerai Taylor Id not bound by his professions oil
no partyism and political moderation because they were
made before either of the two great parties had chosen
their candidates and because the democratic party did
not nominate and support him for the presidency We
will not conescend 10 expose again the garng ncon-
sstency and gross immortality of such It is
scarcely necessary insult our readers by repeating
what must be apparent to every eye. The argument
of the organs is unsound, if their premises
true. But their premises untrue. General Taylors
pledges were not made to the democratic party who
supported General Cass. and they cannot be avoided
because the democratic party did not endorse him
at Baltimore twelve months ago. But let this pass
We have high authority for saying that after both
the great parties of the country had nominated their
candidates, General Taylor repeated his pledges and
promises. The letter addressed to him by Mr. Lippard
of Philadelphia, and his reply, which published in
the Union of Saturday last prove this fact beyond the
possibility of question. But have still higher evil
dence We find it in speech delivered in the Senate of
the United States the 5th day of July, 1913, defence
Of Zachary Taylor" by Mr.. John NJ Clayton. from the
State of Delaware. then member of the Senate, and
now the head Of Zachary Taylors cabinet The follow
ing extract from that defence, which scattered broad
the country in the last campaign in the form of
electoneering pamphlet, shows to whom the promises
and the pledges were made. Ii is in these words:
Which, then, is the republican party? is the great
national party, composed of democrats Marazed citizens
natus citizens, and undergraduate of all parts-
,cho constitute the great 1ayor purity Of the eouay
That is the republican partyopposed the down
ward tendency OF the government in its administrato
anxious to avert its progress to monachy-and, unless the
principles OF that party be sustained, the liberties of the
country must, sooner later, fall beneath the which
has been laid their by the proceedings of
esied and intriguing which has by muzzed
caoed and tramped upon the rights of the modern de-
mocracy. When, then, call upon any support
General Taylor, do not ask that he should be merely
wing u democrat, but republican, republican
merely by profession but republican in heart and deed
democrats, naturaZed citizens native citizens and
whgs these constituted the great Taylor party of the
country" To them, the pledges and the promises were
made The net was spread wide that might "catch
birds of every feather" democrats first; nauralized
citizens next; native citizens next; and then wings
That the order of precedence in the mind of the pres
ent Premier, when he winning his way from the
Senate to the head of the Department Of State, and
placing himself sin the line of safe precedents" But
now having fixed himself in that department. his mouth
pieces say that but wings of that Taylor party
who have right TO claim the performance of the prom
Uses made by General Zachary Taylor
There is another passage in this speech bearing upon
that point, to which would especially call the atten
ton of the organs Of the administration 1t is in these
words:
There is another platform tits that Of honest man,
who says that he whg but that If elected the Pres
dency HE WILL NOT BE THE TOOL OF A PARTY
THAT HE WILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEG
PLE-THAT HE HAS NO ENEMIES TO PUNISH, NO
FRIENDS TO REWARD-THAT WHILE HE WILL
DO HIS DUTY IN REMOVING CORRUPT, INCOMPE-
TENT, OK UNFAITHFUL MEN FROM OFFICE, He
WILL NOT BE THE SUPPORTER OF THAT INFA-
NOUS SYSTEM OF PRESCRIPTION WHICH Dis
TRIBUTES THE PUBLIC OFFICES OF THE COUN-
this and all other subjects endeavor to restore the
eminent of the country the principles of the censttu
ton His platform is the constiStion all others
tery unworthy of respect The patriotism of poli-
cans which explodes deceptive party pledges is under
stood to be- Johnson defines it, the last refuge
scoundrel" There is it,e difficulty in finding and
illustrations suit the epage oil the whole volume of po
lca platforms In the action of some of the Presidents
the United States, find enough remind of
old
i 1.-THE devil sick the devil q monk would be;
The devil got well. The devil monk pas he +"
Such were the words of John NJ Clayton, esq, of
Delaware, the present Secretary of State, when he was
pressing General Taylor the noparty wing candidate
for the presidency IAen the alleged prescription of the
democratic party to furnish justification for pro-
scription by General Taylor Men of political
forbeaance to dawn upon the country; then, Gen.
Taylor "would not be the tool of party then, he would
be the President of the people, them he had no enemies
to punish, no rlendS 10 reward en, Wnlle he would
"do his duty in removing corrupt, incompetent, I'M
faithful from Office he (woud) not be the supporter
of that infamous system OF prescription which distributes
the public Offices Of the country the spols of vic.
tory" Then, General Taylor candidate before the
people for their suages and such the pledges and
the promises which he made, or which made for
him by those who spoke for him, and in his name,
whose words he has endorsed by placing their authors
high in official station The corrupt incompetent, or I'M
faithful alone be discharged from the service of the
government when "the second Washington" should fill
the chair of the Chief Magistrate. That is promise
and then there is another which says General Taylor
evil not be the supporter of that infamous system of pro-
scpton which distributes the public Offices of the
TRY as the spos of victory" Now, ask if both
these pledges have not been fasied in the short three
months since General Taylor, the head Of "the great
Taylor party of the country""composed of democrats.
naturalized citizens, native citizens and whigs'-has
filled the Office of Chief Magistrate of the Union' We
ask. if he has only discharged corrupt, incompetent.
and unfaithul men from Office" We ask, if any man
need apply to him for Office without proof of his part
san services And ask, if he does not distribute
the public Offices of the county the spols of VIC
toy" He does these things he permits others to do
them in his and by his authority-and that too,
with cold calculating cruelty which urges him to es
hv