New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-24

but upon the agitstons resulting from political and
party asperity, could not fail to impress upon as
the o{trepeated but too seldom needed lesson Of the
vanity Of earth ard OF our deep and solemn re-
sponsbility to that power in whose hands the des-
tiny Of men ar OF nstions alike are placed.
At period like the present, however, In the his
tory Of our country,
"Wben IN ouf falhert' yet green graves,
The wsrcry Of oiauniJn raves"
when the heart Of the patriot is filed with appre
henslon for the continuance Of oar cherished lnstL
tutions when the last home Of Liberty in this West
ern Continent 10 threatened with annihilation-the
occurrence OF such an event is filed with deeper
and more solemn warning. For now threequar-
tiers of a century our Union has been preserved in
the purity Of its patriotism and the integrity OF its
institutions. Passing, as we haye done through
foreign contentious, and through diversity OF in
ternsl policy the natural incident Of form OF gov
eminent where popular opinion is the test, and
where the freedom Of that opinion hes at the found
alton OF our political system, we had attained
point Of stability which no assaults from abroad
could reach or peril. Extending, as we had done,
our dominion over an almost boundess territory,
we had found ourselves proportlonately strength
ened in the attachment Mt aud fidelity OF our people
An occasional " hsperiDg Of resistance TO the poll
cy Of the Government had, it is true, been heard
but it was soon effectually hushed into suence,
by the 10y atty Of our people 20 their loved and
cherished Union. But at length the hovlings OF ia
paticism and the threateniogs OF treason broke
upon our ears aud the Union OF the States was
threatened with disruption. At such period was
the lamented TAYLOR called TO the administration
of our Executive Government With the single
purpose OF pres CRYING the Union unimpaired, he
bad entered upon his high trust, and to the repre-
sentstives OF the American people he had declared
that whatever dsOgers might threaten IT, he
should stand by IL and maintain 1t in its integrity,
10 the full extent Of the obligations imposed and the
power conferred upon him by the Constitution"
That be would have r. deemed this pledge is ab1n.
dainty attested by long life, devoted wholly to
the service and the honor Of bis country.
Standing then, as we do, around his tomb is it
Inappropriate our psrt 70 vindicate his holy pur-
pose by pledgDg ourselves to each other and to our
country. to rebuke the spirit of fanaticsm which
would endanger our instltutions-if need be, to
cast aside the associations OF party, and rising
above every consideration but that Of duty to our
country TO stand shoulder to shoulder, in the spirit
Of conce ssion in hich 1t 1t was formed In presery-
ing and defending the union Of the states
To this sacred resolution we are emphatlcaly IN
vited nv the diving words Of our lRmented chief
~ am pre- pared have ndeavored TO do my duty
And II ANYTHING further were wanting 70 inspire
ms with courage and zeal IN its execution, 1t 10 10
be found In bis long life of sefdeDying sacrifices,
and of faithful AID disting service IN the de-
Tense of the interests asd honor OF his country.
As inculca ing this lesson, it is eminenty fitting
10 recur 10 the leading events which have marked
the career of the departed patriot. In doing so,
neither the occasion nor the time necessarily allot-
ted to this portion Of the exercises OF the day,
will permit any thing more than brief and imper-
feet all1son to the prominent Incidents Of bis ie'
and to the patriotic purposes which, without SIN
gle exception, have marked his long aud brilliant
course.
ZACHARY TAYLOR was born in Orange county,
Virginia, In the year 1854. Descended as he was
from revolutionary stock, This father having been
Colonel in the Continental Army, and having fought
by the side of w asbington at the battle of Tren-
toni and entering upon the stage OF life, if not in
the midst OF the revolution, surrounded at least by
iss thrilling associations, it 10 not TO be wondered
at that he was early mbued with those principles,
the maintenance OF which had led to the indepen-
dence Of bis country. At the age OF six years be
emigrated with his family to Kentucky, and taking
up bis home in the midst Of hostile Indian tribes,
be became familiar, from his earliest infancy, with
the CLEAN OF the tomahawk and the yell Of the saw
age In the midst If such mes, while his early
training in the precepts Of virtue and religion was
not neglected by his exemplary mother, he natural
ly imbibed from the legends Of revolutionary vaOr
as exempli6ed IN the history of bis father, ar
hest military passion; and although but little il
authentcally known of the events of his youth, al
accounts agree la describing it as Indicating Q
strong prediction for the exercises and accom-
plisbmen,s OF the soldier. IL only needed the
spark TO kindle that ardor into flame.
This was not long wanting. The firing Of the
Leopard into the Chesapeake awak ened the slam
berDg patriotism of the American people, ant
gave warning OF the collision with the mother
country, which soon followed. Young Taylor i'm
mediatey applied 20 Jefferson for a commission ia
the army and through the influence OF his fathel
obtained heutenslcy In the Seventh Regiment o
the Army Of the United States. Soon after, and
before the war OF 1919 broke out he had attained
the rank Of Captain, aud being ordered TO the
West, was emp lyed In repelhDg the border war
fare Of the Indians, which followed the surrender
OF Gen. Halls army. In the performance OF this
duty was exhibited the frat dawning Of his future
brilliant career. Having been entrusted, in 1912
with the defense Of Fvrt Hurlsop, smal aud
comparatively deienstless stOckade on the Wa.
bash in the heart Of the Indisn country, and VITA
but fifty men under his command, no undertook the
perilous and almost hopeless task.
Repulsed says one OF bis biogrsphers)in every
attack, and oted m every sratsgem, the savsges
tired the fort at midnight The screams of women
and children, The blood curdling howl Of three han.
drtd red men, and the desolating FIRE flashing
against thick iorest and black sky develo ped
the cool inuepidity Of his character He extin.
gushed the flames, rallied his handful of men, and
oy his indomitsble resistance so disheartened the
isoians that he was enabled, in the midst Of great
peru and suffering To retain the fort until he was
renewed BY superior force. For this gallant achieys.
ment he Vas Immediately breveted a major by
PRESIDENT Madison, his commission bearing date
the day on which it occurred, the 4sh Of Sep
TENDER. 1879
The War Of lSl2 was over. and was succeedei
by an interval OF nearly 20 years Of foreign as wei
as domestic peace. During this period Major TkY
LoR was employed 81 the VARGAS posts where To
demands OF the service requiced bis presence, bu
without the occurrence Of any events Of a muitar
character calculated to arrest the attention Of th
country or to mPart an interest to the biography
the soldier.
0The pext eyent Of intersst in his career occurre
during the Black Hawk War Of 1889, on which o.
caslon he a. ain distinguished himself psrticnlsrl
at the battle Of the Bad Axe where be led the Fir,
Infantry. For his important service in thls war h
wa promoted IN that year to the rank of ColORe
and was afterwsrd attached to the Sixth Infantr,
which regiment he commanded when he was orde
ed TO the scene Of the florida War. Ia this ha
Il