The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-05

geantry of presidential inauguration The principal
character who figured the scene was General ZACHARY
TAYLOR had been his good fortune to be at the head
Of one Of the columns Of the army Of the United States
which invaded and conquered Mexico. That column
under his command through the skill and courage of its
officers and the undaunted bravery OF the men, achieved
signal and splendid victories which shed honor upon the
American and illustrated their country with glory
In consequence Of happening to occupy the position Of
commander, and being present the occasions when
such glorious victories by the officers and SOL
ders of the army, the people Of the United States
looked kindly upon General Zachary Taylor He
had the respect and regard Of all parties He talked
Of for the high Office Of President Of the United States
He was talked of by persons belonging 10 all parties,
who alleged, the for advocating the claims Of
who had not voted for forty years, and whose po
tca principles then not known, that they de-
srous OF putting end to the violence OF party spirit
with which the country had for years been agtated and
the tranquility of society disturbed and disregarded
This military commander, entering into the spirit Of
his counmen, avowed his ignorance Of party politics.
and pledged himself that he would do away with party;
that he would prescribe man for his political opinions;
that democrats and wings fought and bed together upon
the batle-felds Of Mexico, under his command, and
that he had the regard for both, and would there
fore prescribe no one for differing with him in political
opinions In consequence Of his ignorance Of political
affairs, he proessed principles publicly, and thus he
prepared the public mind to receive and give credit to the
specious but false pretence that he would not
be the President of party, but OF the whole peo-
pie. By system Of deception, duplicity, and false
hood on the part OF his friends, unprecedented in the
annals OF American electioneering. this elected
to the high and exalted Office of President Of the United
States. and duly inaugurated, before remarked
just one year ago to-day
1t therefore becomes very proper to review the course
Of the administration which installed in his name,
and see how well be and the leaders Of the party sup
porting him have kept their pledges; the policy, foreign
and domestic which they have developed and the
cess which has attended the administration. We begin
with its foreign policy.
The first act In the foreign policy OF the administration
was the interference with the German steamship then
designed TO aid the popular cause in Europe. This step
on the part Of the cabinet important and significant
It indicated the sympahes Of the administration for the
cause Of European desposm, and its hostility TO the peo
pie Of Europe struggling for liberty and constitutional
governments.
The next important step in its foreign policy
get up quarrel with M. Poussin, the republican minister
from France. Being democrat and naturazed Ameri.
citizen who had served for years the scientific corps
OF the American army who was the friend Of America
and the admirer Of her institutions, who had written
the best book about America and her institutions that had
ever been written by man Of foreign birth. and who
had been selected account Of his friendship for
America to represent his government at this capital,
M Poussin was the proper person to be regarded with
evil and aundced eyes by the sympahzers Of European
desposms who held power at Washington in the name
OF General Taylor, and he accordingly quarreled
away by Mr.. Clayton and the cabinet on pretexts as
foolish and ridiculous devised to excuse
bad and discrediiable action.
Next came the Rey affair and the osensibls alliance
with Spain to put down an anticipated revolution in
Cuba. The circumstances Of shese transactions in the
foreign policy Of the cabinet fresh in the recollec
ton OF all to require than allusion is sufficient
say that Rey abducted by Espaha the Spanish
sui at New Orleans, acting in concert aad conspiracy
with the Governor General OF Cuba He was demanded
| by General Taylor, and sent back But apology or
rsparation then, or has ban 10 this day, demanded
for the national insult involved me and vioia
tion Of dmerican soil for a criminal purpose AT the
time that the OF Rey demanded. General
Taylor issued his proclamation for the suppression OF
the suspected Cuba revolution, and actually feet
to the waters Of Cuba with the end in view. In
the ime the Spanish consul prosecuted for the
crime Of abducting Rey, duly examined and bound
over to the district court for trial. Al the time Of trial.
grand jury, enpannelIed by officers in the employment
Of the administration, and constituted almost en-.
tirely Of whigs failed to find bill, nolwith-
standing the testimony against the consul, on
the previous examination, conclusive and over.
whelming. He was accordingly acquitted. And then
Gen. Taylor withdrew his erequatw; but somehow or
other, the fact published, or known al New o.
leans until the consul got information Of H. and escaped
to Havana Thus ended this farce. leaving DE hielibe
impression the public mind, that Rey returned IN
consideration that the cabinet couid assist ~ cutting
dowa me revolution in Cuba. and scod rescue Espaaa
the Spanish consul, from justice The bargain seems 10
have been faithfully executed on both sides
Then followed little petty quarrel between Mr. Clay
ton and the worthy and estmable Gillian minister,
about circumstance which nobody but Mr.. Clayton
would have deemed cause OF difficulty or have
noticed
Various other petty quarels also going on among
which one with the Bey Of Tanis and another with
Portugal. rejecting credit neither upon the cabinet nor
| the country.
Such briefly Is the history Of the foreign policy OF the
administration, which has accomplished nothing for the
country, but has made the administration the butt OF rd
Il