The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-12-08
General Taylor, HIS Cabinet, ana the
PeOule.

been called to the Office with more perfect unani-
nifty of popular feeling-no one has been greeted
with sincsrer reclamation when his Inaugural Adj
dress was delivered-for the administration of no
one has mere flattering auguries been pronounced.
For the time, party feeling gave place to nobler
sentiment and prohigate political game
sers, perceiving the irresistible drift of public
timent threw up the cards, and left the people to
manage the game for themselves. So vast were the
services General Taylor had rendered the nation
so meeky had he borne his honors--so brilliantly
had he reflected fame on he shores of the old
world-so reluctantly, withal, had he awaited the
supreme honors of the republic, a sentiment of
national gratitude overwhelmed the barriers of par
ty,and he became President, as the early chieftans
Of the Christian faith became Bishops of Rome
by popular acclamation. A few of the old friends
of Mr.. Clay, on the side, long attached TO his
person and proud of his fame, made final struggle
to write his name on that eternal column where,
by force of statistics, il IN other way, the names
so written become immq1nl still larger num-
Der, who had during political lifetime obeyed the
mandates OF Mr.. Van Buren,, sort of Clothes
Faustus in urpoliucalworld, filed of'atthe lastmo-
ment from the regular opposing column, and by de-
sernng their strength from their party added impetus
10 the general movement. But these noisy displays
were only counter eddies in the great stream which,
in its irresistible sweepngs, level every bar
rier, and bnng the hero citizen to the top of the
commonwealth. From the day we proposed his
name for the great Office he fills, till his cleo
zion, entertained no doubt of his being brought
TO the post by the unbought, interrupted sufirages
| OF his fellow countrymen. common conviction
filled the American heart-that he was an honest
man (and God knows things had come to such
pass tina; we needed one)-and would be the
President of the nation, and not of party. The
country had reason TO think so, first, from his
character. During long life of public service,
away from scenes of political excitement-in the
everglades of Florida, or on the solitary western
frontIer-he had obeyed i,he orders of his supe-
riors sustained the honor of his country, and shed
for her his blood. Distinguished for a bravery as
cool as the Spartan's-a heroism as brilliant as
a Crusader'sa simplicity great as Cincn-
natus, and patriotism pure as Washing
ton's-the nation found in his character suf-
cient pledge But other, and, TO many persons,
more satisfactory, guarantees ofFSsed, by
his pords. For when this noble man, whom
the people had chosen to be its great repre-
sentative, took upon him his Office his first words
confirmed the judgment of the nation, and he de-
cared that he would not be the President of party,
but of the whole people; that he would allow no
man to be prescribed tor his political opinions that
he had no friends to reward no enemies to punish
From border of the country to another, the de-
claration was received with exultation, and many
simple minded, honest, but credulous men believed
that the triumph of party over-that proscrip-
ton was at an end-that the entire nation would
once more repose, after her ferocous struggles,
under the broad shadow Of the great tree of ma
tisnal union.
| To the superficial observer, it did for while
seem so. There were few EXPLANATIONS from any
quarter but those of satisfaction-few demonstra-
tons, except of contenment. The heart Of this
mighty republic beat to pulsatlons of JOY; and well
FOR the republic would it have been had all this
continued But a sudden, and at the time, almost
nexplicsble, change came The sun which broke
forth so plonously from the east was suddenly
ecIipaed. Itgrew dark, while it was yet day Hard
| ly ELK months of President Taylors administration
hadpassed away, before universal an alLpervading
change became manifest in the public mind Was
it in the popular feeling towards General Taylor
himselfl Had those who made him President lost
their confidence in, or their respect for the manl
Had the sentiment Ct national gratitude for his
lllustrious public services been extpguishedl Did
the people suspect his honesty or doubt his pltr,-
onsml BY no means Why was It, then tina,
when this same heroic man read the journals, he
found condemnation" Ito his party) written on
every page Why was it that in every State of
the Union, the fortunes Of the wings were decn-
mgl Why were "Taylor men, everywhere de-
feated Why was it that at last, when the cleo
ton returns were all in, the people who had made
him President by aceLamafion would not give him
members enough IN his first Congress to command
majority or cleo, Speaker II is perfectly GER
tam tina, General Taylor now found himself IN
position of embarrassment and SURPRISE and that
for some time he could not selye the mys-
terry. Unused to the tricks Of party-undex-
trous in managing the wires Of politics.
and with oil his sense and knowledge OF hu-
man nature, too honest to suspect the true cause
Of these strange developemeuis, he asked with
amazement, "What have done - His advisers
may or may not have been able to solve the prob
/ lem-but It is perfectly certain that for months
together, If not indeed tall the present hour, Gen.
Taylor was profoundly ignorant Of the true reason
why the American people seemed to be dissatisfied
with his administration.
Now, we hazard nothing IN saying that there Is
hardly any body else IN the United States, who, at
the present time, has any doubt on the subject The
! cTTuTent urPPaarityof Goa Tdyig rs, thus far,
nofhing more nor less than hc unpopulgrify Of his
oabind The people are not satisfied with it
! they feel that such men as Mr. Clayton aud Mr..
| Living 90 not represent the real sentiments Of the
man they voted for-the man who declared he
would not be the chief of party. but the President
Of the na,ion--the man "who had no friends to re-
ward, and no enemies to punish" They not only
tce this. bat they kHo,c It, and this feeling and this
knowledge have made them vote for men who viii
vote against the administration. Consequently,
unless these men give place to others who will
deem the pledges Of Gen. Taylor, he must become
the victim. There is no other mode Of relief from
the merciless party prescription of some members
OF the cabinet, except by sending to Congress the
political friends OF the men who have been pro-