The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-01

TsRRIroRY or MiSsEsor., Executive Department
ST. PAUL, July IS, 1850.

SI.TAVL, July -, 4c1u-
! IT becomes my painful duty to an
nounce to the people Of the Territory
Of Minnesota the sad and melancholy
! intelligence Of the death OF ZACHARY
TAYLOR, the President of the United
States. He died at the Executive mansion
in the City Of Washington, on the night
of the 9th inst, at halfpast 10 o'clock,
| In the inscrutable wisdom of the Al
mighty Ruler Of the universe, the chief
magistrate of the republic has been
stricken down in the midst of his earthly
power, at period in our nations history,
and at crisis in our public concerns,
when to him--the exalted head Of our
cherished ins;itutions--the hearts and
! hopes of millions were turned as to the
pilot, who could "ride the whirlwind and
rule the storm"
The grand epic Of hero's life has
been brought to an untimely close; and
the great Captain, who never met with
reverse, has sunk beneath the power
of a conqueror, far nightier than ali the
armies of the globe.
OF the distinguished deceased l need
not speak at length.
In civil position, civic virtues like
his are rare. Honest, unpretending,
straightforward, slngle-hearted, posses
sing that modest merit and noble simpli-
city, 80 often the accompaniment Of
grand deeds, and ever the characteristic
of great mind, his charac cter is drawn
in too distinct lines to be cnigmatical.
In arms his splendid successes have
shed lustre upon our land, and imper-
ishably connected his name with some
of the brightest chapters Of american
history. Bred to the military profession,
he has never abused, never sought to
stretch any military power. Passing
forty years of his life in the quiet and
unostcntatious discharge of arduous
military duty, public favor sough. him,
not he it. He labored net for glory
but glory followed him.
Gen. Taylor entered the army as q
Lieutenant, in 1908, and fought against
the Indians on the Northwestern from
tier in the war of 1912. In 1892, he
fought in Black Hawks war. He dis
tinguished himself in the Florida war,
and defeated the Seminoles at the battle
Of Okeechobee in 1886. In the Mexi-
can war, when the nation was watching
with intense solicitude the result Of his
movement from Corpus Christi, our
ears heard with aIHazement the brilliant
victories Of Palo Alto aud Resaca dc la
Palma; and with pride, exultation, and
gratitude We witnessed ZACHARY TAYLOR
carrying his country's flag, amid the
living and the dead, through the slippery
streets Of Monterey, and beheld bin
bear II victorious against overwhelming
odds at Buena Vista. In this memora-
bic campaign---so wonderful, that even
on the page Of history, to the most
glowing imagination, it seems more like
fable than fact-his courage, prudence
and perseverance, in overcoming tho
most appalling obstacles-his Spartan
epistes, which iall upon the ear like a
blast Of the bugle, modestly announcing
his successive victorlcs-ali have CON
tributed to give him a worldwide repu.
tation, and place him in the first rank
, of military commanders.
But his greatest glories were Nc
those of war-greatcr was the glory o
, his personal character. This it was, tha
in the present stormy state Of the polti-
cal atmosphere gave to the country fol
, confidence in the moderation, wisdom
, purity, and firmness Of his character
This it is, that now all that was molta
of the incorruptible mag istrate has beer
, consigned t. the ''clods Of the valley,
leads an entire nation to deplore witt
stricken hearts, a loss which seems almos
IRE reparable Not the ecidt of miliar,
! renown was the proudest distinction o
the illustrious dead, but the purity OF hi
private life, the patriotism of his public
acts, a truthiuiness which knew no dis
stimulation, a frankncss which knew n,
Oncealment.
$ Under this impressive dispensation, il
d which the Ruler Of the World speaks Z
J the Republic with such solemn signh
: canoe, teaching the instability Of human
O greatness and the vanity of human
e hopes, while it carries its keenest sor
e rows to the hearts Of the relatives q
e the late President, the inhabitants of thi
: Territory will nurture sorrow pecu
Iiarly their own.
: Many of the maturer years Of Gen
: Taylor's life were passed within on
Il borders, and he has ever felt an unaf
y tected interest in the prosperity Of Min
uesota. | may be allowed to say tina
d on taking leave Of him at Washington
Q to assume the duties in this ferri:er
|, with which he had entrusted me, he tool
s occasion to express the deep persona
;. interest he felt in this remote section @
5 our common confederacv. Our peculia
S dependence on the general government
e renders the loss of such a friend, in
:. vested with the amplitude Of high au
: thority, heavy indeed.
$ In announcing this affective bereave
n ment, as it seems proper for all publ
b bodies to suspend the ordinary career q
: their business, for suitable reelection
e upon SO great a calamity, and'to pa
J. their unfeigned respect to the memor
e of the distinguished patriot and iinstri