The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-10-02
The Mortifying Truth.

We have repeatedly asserted that General Taylor had
devolved the functions OF his high Office upon the cab
net and that that conclave, the members of which
wholly irresponsible to the people, is tie President This
assertion has been Indignantly denied by the wing press,
and we have been grossly and rudey charged with mis-
representing and slandering General Taylor We are,
however, right And we proclaim to the American
people the fact that the duties of the presidential Office
except the signing OF papers, and other unmporan
acts haze been delegated TO the cabinet and executed
by tia body We have heretofore cited many facts
clusively proving our assertion, and among them the
declarations of Gen. Taylor to that effect And now
say that recently, in conversations not only with dem
ocras, but with his own political friends who have re-
monstrated with him in relation to the conduct Of the
cabinet he substantially avowed that he had nothing to do
Nth their aetonthat he did not interfere iriA ii, bu
that he held them responsible for their management of the
government
This is the solemn truth. everybody in this city
knows, who has any knowledge OF the manner in which
the affairs Of the government managed. General
Taylor has very little to do with the government So far
as he is concerned his Office is snecure he receiving
the salary while his cabinet regency execute the duties
Of his Office And hesitate not to affirm, that the
Cuba proclamation which the two organs OF the admin
sraon in this city sought to make the people believe
was written by General Taylor Harrisburg Das not in
fact crtten BY him. The cabinet executes his official
iuties and he sanctions the acts of the cabinet When
Mr. Clayton says in his correspondence that "the Pres
dent has instructed me" to say do thing. il
that he, Mr. Clayton, has resolved upon it, and done il
General Taylor yielding his submissive consent He
can do no other way II he has letter to be written for
the public eye, he cannot write il himself but must get
mother 10 doit II he has speech TO make, he cannot
get up decent HIMSELF &, to be heard or read but
must have else to do it. Now how is il posi-.
BILE for such to execute the great and responsible
1utes OF the presidency, which require talents OF the
first order, good education knowledge OF statesman
ship, and acquaintance with public menu
These are the facts with regard to his capacities as
President He s, therefore, not responsible for the acts
Of his administration further than his want OF judgment
consenng to be put into such position by his poli,.
cal friends, and in permitting the gross frauds tobe prac-
Used in his name by which his party attained power.
But the acts and policy Of this administration are no more
General Taylors acts and policy than they those Of
the humbes clerk in the government They are the acts
OF Messrs Clayton, Ewing, and their compeers in the
cabinet regency, and they should be held responsible to
the country And so it will be with any cabinet that
may succeed the present one General Taylor will be
obliged to devolve everything upon his advisers, who
they may be- Under any circumstances, during the
next three years and six months the cabinet will be the
President and General Taylor the ioeu tenens
siding in the White House, and regularly drawing the
salary Of President while its duties are performed by
others