The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-18


out the country, due hOnOrs are paid to the re.
mains Of the deceased.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF GENERAL TAYLOR
Announcing in a postscript last week the de
cease of General Taylor, we remarked that rare
ly had we recorded with more grief the death o.
any public man. We do not wish the remark t.
be misunderstood, and shall therefore avail our
selves of this opportunity to make few general
reflections upon the Administration Of the late
President embracing specially view Of his pol.
icy in relation to the Question of Slavery.
The feelings of a partisan do not belong to our
nature Justice to political opponents is as sacred
an article in our creed, as service to political
friends IL costs US no more effort to award due
praise Jrnos5 vac G;4-. ,EtZ1g1 lAsthan to those
with whom we agree. Truth is the exclusive
heritage of no organization. Good end evil are
mingled in alI'pAfiies.
General Taylor was not above the average of
his countrymen in intellectual capacity, or dig
nifty of character; and the range Of his political
knowledge was limited. But, his Judgment was
good not liable, we think, to be perverted by any
strong bias In the selection Of his Cabinet, he
showed more sagacity, clearer insight into hui
man character, than we had given him credit for
He was an honest, upright public man, national
in his feelings, moderate in his views, sincerely
anxious, we believe, to promote what he deemed
the interests of his whole country. Though bred
in the camp he preferred peace to war, and gave
ample evidence of his freedom from the spirit of
aggression and conquest That he was firm, and
independent of all dictstion, when he had made
up his mind we have never entertained doubt.
His Administration on the whole was one Of
which Americans have no reason to be ashamed.
As a general fact the Foreign Affairs of this
country have been managed with spirit, wisdom,
and dignity; and the conduct of the State De-
partment under General Taylor affords no excep-
ton. The nation never occupied higher posi-.
ton ABROAD position secured by the promptness
with which its dignity has been asserted; the
frmness with which its claims have been enforc-
ed the sagacity with which its interests have
been provided for; the energy with which its
neutrality has been maintained against strong
feeling which needed but little encouragement
from high quarters, to provoke it to acts of gross
spoliation on friendly nation.
But, there are things to be condemned, as we'll
as things to be commended. General Taylor
yielded too much to the proscriptive spirit Of his
party, Ia relation to offce-holders. Many, we
doubt not, were displaced for good cause, but
L.. A. Ill; f,ll 10
the spirit of party.
His sanction given to the appointment of Mr..
flanagan, man every way unfit to represent
the honor Of the nation abroad, and whose con-
frmation in the Senate was effected in the most
disreputable manner, was blot on his Admins
tration.
Nor can we see any reason that could justify
his federation Of Mr. Crawford, as q member of
his Cabinet, when he knew that he was engaged
in the prosecution Of large claim against the
Government That act brought dscredit upon
the whole Cabinet.
In relation to the other Departments of the
Government, there is little to be said They have
had neither time nor opportunity to Signalize
themselves in any respect.
We come now to consider the policy of General
Taylor in relation to the great Question of the
Day-the subject Of Slavery, and its extension
This policy has been denounced by shareholders,
as hostile to their rights, and advocated by North
ern Wings as being oil that Free Soil men could
reasonably ask. On this assumption they raise
claim to the gratitude Of the friends of freedom,
and an imputation against the independent course
of action pursued by Free Soil men in the last
Presidential canvass.
We shall examine the policy of General Tay-
lor, its reasons and relations. five admit that it
is favorable nom to the cause Of Free Soil it does
not follow that it was thus favorable, when first
proposed; or that the principle on which II was
justified, was a safe one; or that the reasons
which led to its adoption furnish ground for a
claim on the gratitude of anti-slavery men or
that the course of action pursued by the Free
Soil men in the last Presidential canvass was
wrong or otherwise than beneficial. On the con-
General Taylor was adopted from motives having
no respect to the extension of the blessings Of
liberty that the principle upon which it was
grounded is not sound or safe; that when origi-
nally taken it worked evil rather than good; and
that If it favor now the Free Soil cause, il does
20, not by virtue Of its intrinsic merit, but by
reason of state things brought about by circum-
tances under the control of a Higher Power, and
~ the independent action Of the advocates of the
Nilmot Proviso
Before the meeting Of the Baltimore and Phil
Idelpbia Conventions in 1s4s, the Public Senti-
nent of the North in favor Of the restriction of
Slavery by positive law was quite unanimous,
and the Wing and Democratic organizations re-
lected that Sentiment. Those Conventions, rep
'esenting the two antagonist elements Of the Cues
ion, Slavery and Freedom, succumbed to the
ormer. The Democratic Convention Of Balti-
more repudated the Wilmot Proviso, and select
d candidate identified with the opposing Prin-
iple of Non-Intervention. The Wing Conven-
ion of Philadelphia, refused to sanction the Pro-
-iso, and selected as its candidate a man un- |
,ledged on the subject, but, from his position and
ersonal relations fairly presumed to be un-
riendly TO it,
II is needless to cay that the acts of both Con.
entions broke up the unsnimity of the North,
nd ernboldened the friends Of Slavery Extension
the South.
The policy Of the Wing Convention was that
evasion, and such became the policy of the par
:, especially at the North. Had there been no
dependent demonstration of the Free Sentiment
that section, what could have restrained the
,wnwsrd tendency Of a party acting with such
policy The secession Of three hundred
oasand voters from the ranks of the old parties,
the ground of the detection Of both from the |
use of Freedom, kept alive the Wilmot-Proviso
ntiment Of the free States compelled the edi- !