The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-21
OF THE OPPOSITION.

STRATEGY OF THE OPPOSITION.
Pending the last Presidential election,
denunciations against General TAYLOR as a
candidate without ''platform' of specific
'pledges," were the constant burden of
the Locofoco press. The journals in the
interest of the party then in power could
see nothing in the published documents
which pledged him to any line of policy
about any thing whatever. 1t was claimed
for him that he could do any thing or no.
thing, as he might think fit. The Wings
were tainted with presenting to the peo-
pie man who refused to subscribe ssthe
articles of faith,'' or bind himself to an
administrative formulary. In the repeated
declarations made by General TAYLOR, that
he was Wing, decided but not an ultra
Wing, they could see no pledge or OBJ
legation of any sort. This they continued
to hold up in derision of the Wing party;
hoping thereby to sunder them and draw
from the support of General TAYLOR the
more violent and uncompromising frag-
ments. Such was their course of attack
until indications of popular sentiment be-
gun to foreshadow the result of the can
vass. Then, indeed, some of them dis
covered that General TAYLOR was an out
and-out Wing; that he was bound to the
principles and practices of the party. Es-
pecially was this asserted, in various d.
rections, upon the appearance of his second
Allison letter, and his reply to the Mary
land Independent Taylor party. They
adopted the extremes of contending that
he had made no pledges of any kind, and
that he had bound himself to the fortunes
of the Wing party.
What is their course now' Those who
asserted that he was pledged to nothing,
as well as those who proclaimed that he
was committed to the Wing party, body
and soCl, now join in one common denun-
citation against the President for having
violated all his pledges. However they
might have disagreed before the election,
they are of one accord now. They chime
in with their metropolitan leader, in say
ing, that he was at least ''pledged" to
keep the Wing party prescribed for ever,
by continuing in the hands of the Locofo-
cos all the offices of honor and trust
They will presently find out that he was
pledged to carry out the Baltimore plat
form," upon which General Cass was dis
played to an admiring people, or reproacb
him for having failed to fashion an admin
istrative policy in conformity herewith.
A recurrence to these facts is interest
ing now, as showing that the gross and de-
famatory attacks which are daily made
upon the President are part of predeter-
mined system of warfare. No matter what
General TAYLOR may do, he will be de-
nounced for it as violation of his pledges:
and those very papers which were most
clamorous in asserting, before the election,
that he had made no pledges whatever,
will contend now with equal vehemence
that he violates pledge at every step he
takes. II this is not conclusive Of pre-
concerted system of political strategy,
what can convince the understanding
From the moment it was known that
General TAYLOR was elected to the Presi-
dency, he was doomed to an ordeal of
defamation and misrepresentation. He is
to be destroyed; his character blasted and
his name blackened, as preliminary step
in breaking down his administration. 1t
will be well for the people TO bear this in
mind continually, as it discloses the rea
son of the virulence with which he is now
assailed.