The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-07-16
OLD ZACHARY.
Tho Twelfth President to Have
Monument.

Tho Twelfth President to Have .
Monument.
A Washington correspondent of The
atlanta Constitution writes: 1t seems
probable that the bill providing for the
erection of an equestrian statue of Gen.
Zachary Taylor. twelfth president
of the United States, will pass.
during the present session. At all
events it has had the start and advan-
tage of favorable recommendation
from the joint committee of both
houses of congress on the library.
The monument business has been
somewhat overdone, and Mr.. O'Neill,
of Pennsylvania, is authority for the
statement, as member of the Joint
committee. that the monument to "the
hero of Buena VISTA will be the last
to be recommended at the present ses-
sion. The sentiment in favor of an
enduring tribute to '.Old Zach" over
came even Senator Hoar, who had inti-
mated that he meant to do all in his
power to call halt on the matter of
monuments, and in the committee he
joined Senator Voorhees, and others
in favor of the proposed monument to
President Taylor.
Gen. Floyd King. of Louisiana, q.
Georgian by birth, and a son of Thom-
us Butler King, is an enthusiastic pat
ron of this bill His father, along with,
Mr. Stephens and Gen. Toombs, advo-
Gated Taylor's nomination instead of
Clay as the whig candidate in 1848.
Taylor's nomination was, in fact, o.
Georgian movement. Mr. Stephens had
more than any other man to do with it.
Gen. Toombs and Mr.. King went heart
and soul into the movement. They,
were actively assisted by Abraham Lin
coin. then whig member from Illinois.
The bold conception of throwing aside.
he idol Of the whig party and putting
the old soldier to the front was worked
out mainly by five or six of the younger
leaders of the party in the house. among
whom Stephens and Lincoln were espec-
tally active. The nomination of Gen.
Taylor and his success after CAM
paign which these young leaders push.
cd with great vigor, gave the,n, of
course. powerful influence with the in
clip ent administration. During the
brief period from Taylor's ina1gura-
tion to his death the Georgia trio, Steph-.
ems. Toombs and King, were among.
the most trusted of the counselors of
the president
President Taylor attended the cere-.
monies ut the laying of the corner
stone of the Washington monument,
and ON that occasion, by exposure to-
the weather. contracted the illness
which terminated his career. He died
just as liis administration was shaping
its policy. A few years ago MIR. Step,
hens. in II newspaper controversy with
IhWrlow Weed, threw much light upon
the aim. and purposes of President
Talyor. which no man understood bet-
ter than the Georgia statesman. About
the beginning of Taylor's administra,
ton Gcorgia's influence in national
politics probably touched its highest
point.
Howell Cobb became speaker of the
house of representatives. He left con,
gress to be elected governor of George
on the issue of the compromise meas>
IRE of Henry Clay. On the same issue
MIR. TOombs became senator and Mr..
Stephens loomcd up us a candidate for
the presidency. Stephen A. Douglas.
in his speech delivered at Atlanta in
1860. divulged the plan which had been
cherished by the Young wings of
nominating MIR. Stephens for president.
George w. Crawford. of Georgia, was
secretary of war under both Iaylor and
Fillmore. The close connection of
Georgia with the Taylor adninis-
lration naturally awakens an interest.
among Gcorgians in the proposed mon-
umcnt Gen. Marcus Wright, of Ten
ncssce. says that his state is in favor of
this tribute to the soldier president.
Kentucky had too many gallant sons
nndcrtile old man in Mexico to feel in
different to his monument Morrison
and Logan. of Illinois. were both with
Taylor in Mexico. OF Georgians, now,
in congress, Senator Colgutt is the
only one who served in the Mexican
war.
Mr.. Theodore Mills, son of the late
Clark Mills, has the only cast of Gen.,
Taylor that has been preserved, and he
will probably be selected as the artist
of the statue.
Gen. Floyd King is an eminently
proper patron of the bill to erect this
memorial. His father was one of Gen.
Iaylor's closest and most valued
friends. Gen. King is native of
Georgia, state TO which Gen. TAYLOR
owed his nomination, and he represents
in congress Louisiana, the state which
gave Taylor to the country as its
twelfth president.