Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-07-13
EULOGIUMS
UPON PRESIDENT TAYLOR.
IN SENATE,
WEDNESDAY, July 10, 1850.

WEDNESDAY, July TO- 1850.
The Senate having returned from Witnessing the in
auguraton Of President Fillmore, and having received
his message appealing for the aid OF Congress- and de
carng his readiness to concur in measures BETTING
the melancholy occasion OF the late Presidents death
Mr. Downs rose to offer resolutions of respect. w
insert the conclusion of his remarks
His history is part of the history of his country an
therefore needs no id of friends to preserve it. Th
battle fields of Fort Harrison, of Okeechobee, PAIL
Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, and, the mos
glorious of them all Bue ma Vista, are at once his mon
uments and his eulogiums. He needs no others o
his political history this s the place nor the per
on to speak. Yet may, / hope, be pardoned sin
gle remark. The wisest and best counsels OF publ
in free countrywide in speechin the press, ant
in the balot-cannotbe expected TO go unquestioned
II would net be free country if they WERE But it
conSoatory to know that whatever differences OF Opt
mon may have existed to the policy of him whose I'M
timely death we all SO much lament hey are already
before the tomb has been closed over him, buried in
oblivion forever. He is hereafter to belong to no par.
ty, TO section but to the whole American family
and his memory will be revered and cherished by then
all alike.
But let not the tears we are shedding over our de
parted President blind us as TO the grandeur OF tn
scene in which we stand Did the world ever witnes
such before? How soon, if ever, can it be wit
messed in other countries? The Chief of Nation O
more than twenty millions of treeren is suddenly with
drawn from the world by act of God, followed by
no disturbance OF the perfect equpoise of nsttu-
TONS. The gentlemen composing the Cabinet of the
late President, after his decease, and at the ap-
proach OF midnight without osentation, quietly repair
to the residence of the Vice President and there an
nounce the national bereavement Within twenty
four hours thereafter he will have taken the oath of Of
hce without any military parade, and been installed in
command OF the ship OF State, which moves on over
the pillows of time, bright and buoyant than ever
bearing at her masthead the proud emblems of nation
al glory and greatness and presenting to the world
sublime spectacle OF the beauty and perfection of self
government
Such scene this ought to make us HAMMER and
better people. 1t should make us sensible of the
great and manifold advantages we enjoy as free and
united people Let us, then bury in the tomb of our de-
parted President all sectional feelings and divisions
and unite more in that spirit OF cordial good will
and brothery love which united orefathers in the
earlier days Of the republic Let renew before We
leave his grave our vows to support the Union, and
our determination to perpetuae constitution in all
its prmeval simplicity and purity. There is room
enough, glory enough and honours for all of u.s. while
we preserve the Union and know how wisely and pru-
IDENTIFY to enjoy it.
Mr. WEBSTER Mr. Secretary, at time when the
great of our fellow citizens enjoy remarka able
health and happiness throughout the whole country
it has pleased Divine Providence to visit the two hou-
OF Congress, and especially this House, with repea-
ted occasions for mourning and lamentaton. Since
the OF the session, have followed two
of our own members to their last home, and we are
now called upon, in conjunction with the other branch
of the Legislature, and in full sympathy with that deep
all the country, to take part in the last and due
lemntes ofthe funeral of the late President ofthe Uni
ted States.
Truly, sir, was it said in the communication read to
us, that great man has fallen among u.s." The late
President of the United States, originally soldier by
profession, having gone through long and splendid
reer OF military SERVICE had, at the close OF the late
war with Mexico become SO much endeared to the
pie of the United States, and had inspired them with
high degree OF regard and confidence, that without
solicitation application, without pursuing any de-
sious nsShs n Or tifplng lars breadth to the
right or tnr Iels Isfss .Aei ~. :,
powerful, and generous people saw h by popular yote
and voice. confer upon him the highest ciy authority
in the nation We cannot forget that, in other in
stances so in this the public feeling and car
red away, in some degree, by the ecla OF military
nown So it has been always and so it always viii
be- because high respect for noble teats in has
been, and always will be, outpoured from the hearts Of
the members OF popular Government But it will be
great mistake suppose that the late President of the
United States owed his advancement to high civil trust
his great accepabity with the people, to military
talent ability alone. believe, sir that associated
with the highest admiration Tor those qualities possessed
by him, there was spread throughout the community a
high degree of confidence and faith in his integrity and
honor and uprghtness as man. believe he was es-
peciay regarded as both firm and mild man in the
exercise of authority; and have observed than
once in this and other popular Governments that the
prevalent motive with the masses Of mankind for con
ferring high power individuals, is confidence in
their mdnesS, their paternal, protecting secure, and
they feel themselves to be under the control and protec
ton of sober COUNSEL of impartial minds, and genera
paternal superintendence.
Isuppose sir, that ever happened in the very
best days of the Roman republic, when any found
himself clothed with the highest authority in the State
under circumstances repelling all suspicion oper
sonal application, all suspicion OF pursuing any crooked
path in politics. all suspicion of having been actuaed
by sinister views and purposes than in the of the
worthy, and eminent, and distinguished, and good man
whose death now deplore. He has left to the peo-
pie of his country legacy in this: he has lett them
bright example, which addresses itself with peculiar
force to the young and rising generation Tor it tells
them that there is path to the highest degree OF re-
nown-straight, onward, steady without change or de-
Walton.
Mr. Secretary, my friend from Louisiana (Mr.
Downs) has detailed shortly the events in the military
career of General Taylor His service through his life
was mostly on the frontier and always hard service
often in combat with the tribes OF Indians all along the
frontier for many thousands OF miles. 1t has been
justly remarked by of the most eloquent whose
voice heard in these houses, that it is not in
Indian that heroes celebrated but that is
there that they are formed The hard service, the
discipline, devolving upon all those who have great
extent of frontier to Defend and often with irregular
troops of their own, being called on suddenly to enter
into contests with savages to study the habits OF savage
life and savage war; order to toresee and overcome
their stratagems-all these things tend make hardy
military character.
For very short time, sir, had connexion with
the Executive Government of this country and at that
Time very
between the United States and the Indians the bor
ders, and war was actually raging between the United
States and the Florida tribes; and very well remem-
Der that those who took counsel together on that occa
sion officially and who were DESTROYS OF placing the
military command in the safest hands, came to the
conclusion that Mere was no man In the service more
fully uniting the qualities of military ability and great
personal prudence than Zachary Taylor; and he was,
of course appointed to the command.
Unfortunately his career at the head Of this Gov
eminent was short For my part, in all that | have
seen Of him, have found much to respect and moth
ing to condemn. The circumstances under which he
the Government, for the few months he
at the head oft have been such perhaps not to give
to him very favorable certainly not long opportu
nifty OF developing his principles and his policy, and to
carry them out; but believe he has lett on the minds
of the country strong mpression-hrst OF his abso-
Lutte honesty and integrity of character next, of his
sound practical good sense; and, lastly of the mild
nes Kindness and frendlness of his temper towards all
his countrymen
But he is gone, He is no more, except in the force
Of his example Sir heard with infinite delight the
expressed by my honorable friend from Lou
isiana, (Mr Downs,) who hassust resumed his seat,
when he earnestly prayed that this event might be used
to soften the animoses, to aay party examinations and
and restore fellowship and good feeling
among the various sections of the Union. Mr.. Secreta
ry, great is loss to-day, if these nestimabe and