The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-26
Gen. Taylor ard his Pledges.
"Savs me from mv friends r.

Gen. Taylor ard his Pledges. 9s
"Savs me from my friends r
any man ever had occasion to utter the exclamation
which we have just quoted il Is General Taylor. in view
Of the defence made for him in the Senate BY Mr. Tu-
man Smith, the man-o work for the cabinet in par
tcuar and the wing party in general We notice in the
summary OF his recent speech published in the Republic
in reply to Mr. Bradbury, upon the subject Of removals.
that he aboed hard to show. st that The democratic
papers did NOT believe General Taylor when he made his
pledges against prescription; and second he attempted
TO prove and succeeded in the effort that General Taylor
ioas not 10 Be believed from which posulaes he deduced
very logically the conclusion that General Taylor had
broken no pledges.
That we may do no injustice to Mr.. Smith, we quote
the following extract from the report Of bis speech which
we find in his paper, the Republic. Of yesterday. Mr..
Smith says:
When he broke of Thursday, he consdering the
point that General Taylor the candidate OF the wing
party that he had proclaimed himself whig and that be
had identified himself with the principles and of
the wing party. He would prove that the democratic
and statesmen and leaders all understood General
Taylor to be wing, and that il elected he would carry
out the principles and interests ofihat party.
He read at large from articles in the Daily Union the
TdWeeky Union, the Weekly Union, and the paper is
sued from that Office during the election and called
t'The Campaign" show that General Taylor CON
opposed because
and whig who, II elected would be proscrptive
wing President He also read from address made after
the Stale election Of 1913. in Pennsylvania, by the Hon.
James Buchanan then Secretary OF State, the democrats
of Washington city, wherein that eminent man had de-
claed that democrat should lay the fa,erng JUNCTION
his soul that General Taylor whig ultra whig,
and that il elected, he would be proscrptve WING
President. 4s 3it9
We do not perceive, from the printed report Of Mr..
Smiths speech that he denies the fact that General Tay
lor both before and after his nomination by the wing
convention Philadelphia made pledges against pro-
scrpton for opinions sake. He does not deny the au-
thencity Of the Lippard letter, Of various other
letters written by General Taylor after his nomination;
does he deny the pledges against prescription, made
in behalf Of General Taylor and the wing party by Mr.
Clayton in the Senate. and by Mr.. Cnttenden in his
speech Ptsbug, which he asserted that he had seen
letter pledging General Taylor against prescription.
The facts all substantially admitted by Mr. Smith He,
substance, admits that General Taylor the letters
alluded to, and that Messrs Clayton and Crenden
rmed his pledges after his nomination But Mr.. Smith
contends that the democrats did not believe hem in
plain English they believed that both General Taylor and
his compurgaors Messrs Clayton and Crittendsa stated
untvuhs NTH regard to General 1ayors purposes and
intentions The epsnt Of his election. And therefore.
with logical acumen that eclipses Aristotle, Kant Ba
con- and all the other great logicians, ancient or modern,
Mr. Smith concludes that General Taylor made no pledges
And such the defence put forth for General Taylor and
the cabinet by their champion in the United States Senate
Well may they all exclaim, Save US from our friend"
But what sort Of defence is this which Mr.. Smith
puts forth for Gen. Taylor, considered in the forum OF
conscience According to the admissions, sub sno Of
that remarkable orator. certainly according to the stern
and indomabe facts OF the case, Gen Taylor made
tain pledges assurances, and promises, his countrymen
in order induce themhe of all ceeds and parties
in politicsto for him for the highest Office in their
gift, and the most exalted Office in the world portion.
very likely large majority Of the democratic party be-
leved that he never would fulfil those pledges and as
they believed from the fact that they knew
Gen. Taylor inexperienced public affairs ignorant Of
the first duties Of craftsmanship and OF very small
intellectual capacity and that account Of these defects
OF education and lack Of ability. he would be necessarily
thrown into the power Of the who would surround
him advisers, and who would be wings and having
confidence in any promises which proiessed whg poll
iticians might make, they did caution the democracy
against pacingany reliance n the pledges OF Gen. Taylor
because they justly suspected that the result would show
has, that these pledges many false pretences
deceive the people, and thus his election And
because they did this. Truman Smith, with sagacity and
which he undoubtedly thinks does himself infinite
credit and Gen. Taylor infinite honor as man Of truth
and veraciiy boldly before the American Senate
and the world, and afims that The democratic press pcs
right in ITS disbelief Of Gen Tdylors word THAT TT
WAS NOT TO BE- BELIEVED and so understood al the lime
and therefore Gen. Taylor nspu made pledge o pro-
found casuist o ustrious moralist Such is the po.
tent and brilliant reasoning by which Truman Smith is 10
overwhelm the enemies OF Gen. Taylor and the wing
party
But what will the honest and intelligent American
people think OF this contemplate sophstry this petty
qubbling resored TO BY the "soe leader and defender
Of the Taylor party and administration put forth to ex-
cuse an American President from the obligation OF his
word, soemnly pledged TO his countymen in order TO-
obtain their surages this the kind Of morality which
10 be sanctioned by General Taylor and the cabinet,
and preached by their Jaaotum in the Senate Z Are
men to be absoved from the obligation Of telling the
truth and performing their promises because other men
refuse 10 believe tbem Is this the system OF ethics by
which the administration and the wing party are 10 be
guided Or are such monsirous doctrines the offspring
alone Of the distorted and unnatural moral organization
Of the senator from Con1eciicutl
When we look back into the history Of this man, we
not surprised at his enunciaon OF such demoalzng
principles He made the electoneerng agent Of the
wing party during the late political campaigns account
af his He