Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-10-31
For The 7, ,eman.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

lately; with general satisfaction, | was pained to-
wards the close, to find paragraph in which
our venerable chief magistrate seemed to me. tn
sanction pernlclous popular error and RELIGIOUS
deIusIon' Will copy bis language, tahcisinc
some words to which | wish to draw Dorticula1
attention.
"The unanimity with which all classes paid
homage to his Gen. Taylors) integrity and hon
esty Oh purpose, his attachment to the interests
OF MS country, his deUoted patriotism, his energy
OF character, and his spendd achievements, plain
y eVlnce that the confidence reposed in him NV
the people was not misplaced. This striking e.
vent should teach us the nothingness ofall earth.
" splendor and greatness, and should admonsh
those who are in the service of their country so
to perform what IS required of them. that in their
last moments they may have the consolation of
being able to say as he said, q have always
done my duty am ready to die"
In the above quotation think the Governor
has failed and more than failed, of improving
a good opportunity to exert sanatiye influence
OH distempered public opinion President
Taylor had traits of character most valuable in
a man OF his station, and his death was great
public calamity. But when Lam told that the
homage paid TO his "deuoted patriotism" was u
unanimous, am constrained to declare with a
protest, my own individual exception to this una
nimty. That President Taylor had large
measure of patriotism, do not dispute. But by
what standard can we pronounce that patriotism
elevated ?Certalnly not by the christian standard.
by the standard that politicians who, if indeed
they may be said to have any standard, his pat
otlsm might be pronounced eleuaIed, and so
was Mr. Folks equally elevated. The Govern
ors public communication will exert an educa- |
tional influence on the rising generation, and he
should carefully teach them to Judge of things
by a right standard.
Gen. Taylor by his course, proclaimed to all
the world that he was capable of sacrificing the
justice, the innocence, and the reputation of his
country on the altar of military fame or person.
al qualification Had he when ordered to march
to the Rio Grande, acting in reverence of an
authority above that ofthe Federal Government.
influenced by christian principles, and unwilling
to participate in any act involving his country
in the guilt of an unrighteous war, resigned his
command, sacrificed his prospects of military
fame, and retired to private life there would
have appeared moral attitude in his patriotism
to which would have heartily applied the term
elevated appeal 10 Gov Williams himself,
whether in comparison, Gen. Taylol's patriot.
ism, as evinced by his actual course, does not
appear low and unworthy What is there in
it either Of christian principle or selfsacrifce.
that should command our admiration? Would
not selfish man, reckless of human life, re-
CARELESS ofjusce and his countrys honor. and
hirsting for military glory, have acted Just as
he did?
Our Legislature of 1916, regarded the war
with Mexico, as "wild and wicked career of
conquest" And would hardly undertake for
premium, to describe that war in other Ian
guage of equal brevity, force and truth. Gen.
Taylor, while marching to the Rio Grande, knew
he was on an Grand of unprovoked aggression
not authorized by Congress 1t was unques.
.ionaby his duty to resign sooner than enter up
on "'wild and wicked career Of conquest" and
Washington in his circumstances would have
done so.
desire that this article may meet the Gov
ernor's eye, and respectfully ask him whether
in document sure to influence the views of our
youth, he could, with paternal concern for the
correctness of their principles, considerably point
to Gen. Taylor, as pattern of eteuated patriot
ism.
That patriotism which CRIES ''my country right
or wrong" and is ready to forward any move
ment which she may adopt, "just or unjust,
righteous or wicked, is nrrrow, ignoble princi-
pie, which would aggrandze one country on the
ruins of another. Such reckless, short-sighted
patriotism, brings evil upon country as surely
as national fol and wickedness are followed
by retribution Give me the patriotism which
earnestly seeks the good ofmy own country, but
only in accordance with justice, humanity and
the general welfare of mankind and shrlnks
from all patriotism in national wrong To such
patriotism, and 10 such alone, apply the Gov
enor's epithet elevated. Are may views correct?
Again appeal to his Excellency.
Whatever Gen. Tayor's professions might be
to the contrary, his conduct showed that he thirs-
ted fol war, and he was ready to obey or DISC
bey the the orders of government, Just as obedi-
ence or dsobedience best served the purpose of
provoking the Mexicans to commence hostlities
and thus furnish pretext for carrying fire aud
sword into their country. Gen. Taylor arrived
at the Rio Grande in March, 1876, and planted
his standard there on the 26th of that month
lie svun urvvrcd battery, and on the 9th of
! April he writes informing the Secretary of War
that the guns of his battery " bear directly up
on the public square at Metamoras, within good
range for demoshiDg the town; their object
cannot be mistaken by the enemy" While ta-
king these measures Gen. Taylor was under in
/
any acts of aggression, unless a state of war
should exist" The outrage of pointing the guns
of battery over the river against Matamoras,
did not provoke the forbearing .Mexcans 10 fight.
Bu a war must be had, and Gen. Taylor was
lust the persevering man to devise and execute
means Tor compelling the .'lexcans to fight Still
under instructions TO avoid acts of aggression,
unless state of war should exist, his next meas
ure was 10 prevent supplies from coming to Mat
amoras by ordering two American armed vessels
10 blockade the mouth of the Rio Grande. He
states his object to the Secretary of War in these
words" 1t will, at any rate compel the Next
cans to withdraw their army from .uatamoras,
where it cannot be sustained, or to assume the
oAinsire on this side of the riUer. The measure
failed for though flour at .hatamoras rose to
$4,000 barrel 10 consequence Of the blockade,
the forbearance Of the .Mexicans was not over
come. But Gen. Taylor was not to be batfied.
He never surrendered. HIS next expedient was
to authorize two lieutenanis, DObbins and Por-
ter TO capture and destroy" small parties of the
.Mexicans. The measure was crowned with sue
cess, and the .Mexlcans were brought to fight
ing.
This was the first of Gen. Taylor's splendid
achievements" in Mexico The grand difficult
ty was now overcome. The desired project for
war had beer extorted. Gen. Taylor had moth
ing now to do but to cross the Rio Grande and
60 on from slaughter to slaughter, and from con-
qnest to conquest, gloriously fighting the .Mexi-
cans whose lmbecity is such, that in the opn-
ion af Nj. Thompson, formerly our Minister in
Mexico, the superiority of Americans to Next
cans is FIVE to one at least, in single combats,
and more than twice that in battle" 1t was in
fighting such .Mexcans TINT Taylor and Scott
made their splendid achievements"
The progress ofour army in Mexico was mar
kod with murder, rape, and lawless violence
The lust, rOpacity, and other base passions of