Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-18
NEGLECTED GRAVE
BURIAL PLACE OF ZACHARY TAI.
LoR I'm KENTUCKY.
Recalls Some Interesting Facts About
an Almost Forgotten President
and Jefferson Davis.

From the Hartford Courant.
Every now and then, thuogh at longish
intervals, the Kentucky newspapers become
conscious OF Zachary Taylor's neglected
grave. This is one of the times. Certainly
the neglect Is not creditable. Taylor was
Virginia born. but his childhood and boy
hood and young manhood were passed in
Kentucky. 1t was from Kentucky that he
went into the army. The flower Of the
Kentucky youth served under him In Mex
ico-a circumstance to which we owe
O'Hara's immortal verses. Kentucky gave
him her electoral votes in 1s4s and he is
the only President buried within her Dor
ders
The other day a member of the Kentucky
delegation in Congress. Swagar Sherley of
Louisville, introduced a bill providing for
the proper care of Zachary Taylor's grave
at the expense of the United States. Sew
eral Kentucky newspapers comment on Mr..
Sherley's move in the matter. The Column
bia Spectator says:
This recalls similar bill passed by the
Kentucky legislature appropriating the
paltry sum of 500 to repair the monument
and very small annual sum to care for
the mound But Governor Beckham vetoed
this bill on the ground of needed economy,
and signed another of much larger
amount for a statue to be erected to Sem
ator Goebel."
The Louisville Herald quoting its Column
bia friends comment, remarks about the
twelfth President:
In this state he resided. He loved it's
soil and its people. Here, too. lived his
lovely daughter who married Jefferson
Davis, the able and brilliant, though un-
fortunate, president of the southern con-
federacy. Taylor IL dear to all the south.
HIS name. sacred to patriotism, should not
be defled by association with that OF Goe-
bel, tainted by partisanship. The Ken
lucky machine may neglect the spot that
holds the hero's ashes. but the spirit Of
Kentucky manhood watches over remains
SO precious.
Elopement.
When Jefferson Davis courted Sarah Tay-
lor he was soldier OF twenty-seven-seven
years out of West Point He had served
with distinction in the Black Hawk war
and had been commissioned first lieutenant
of dragons. Sarah's father, then a colonel,
strongly objected to the match; Davis re-
signed from the army and ran away with
the girl. The result was an enhancement
between the two men that lasted for years.
Colonel Davis brilliant service in Mexico
brought General Taylor completely around.
ITaditlon reports that he said his daugh-
ters Judgment in choosing a son-in-iaw for
him had been very much better than his
own. The father-in-law and son-in-law be-
came firm friends. Years after the recon-
Citation, and after General Tayior's cleo
ton to the presidency Sam Houston Of
Texas-fancying that the general had re-
Elected injuriously on the soldiership of the
Texans under his command in the Mexican
campaign-made a personal and bitter
speech In the Senate. That was June 90
1850 President Taylor Died July o, that
year. August S, that year, Jefferson Davis
of Mississippi replied in the Senate to Sam
Houston of Texas. 1t was one of the most
eloquent speeches he ever made: his heart
was in 1t. Near the close he said:
Davis Reply.
81 have endeavored to suppress all per-
sonal feeling. 1t is true that sorrow sharp
ems memory, and that many deeds of
noblest self-sacrfice, many tender associa-
lions, rise WILDLY before me. The rude as
sault on my old commander. whose deeds as
soldier were a thing apart from his polit
ical life. has pointed tho defense prin-
cipally to that assault l remember the
purity of his character, his vast and varied
resources which made him always the best
informed man in his camp of all of which
was passing around l Eemember the i'm
menSe responsibility under which he acted
at the battle of Buena Vista, where he was
recommended by his senior general to re-
tire to Monterey. He then found himself
with handful of men opposed to 210O0
veterans marshalled against him. 81. +.
Around him stood those whose lives were
in his charge, whose mothers. fathers and
children would look to him for their return
other flelCs-some who were eager for the
combat, without knowing how direful 1t
would be-immediately about him those low
ing and beloved. with such confidence In
their commander that they but waited his
beck and will to do and dare. On him. and
on him alone, rested the responsibility OF
meeting the crisis. 1t was in his power to
avoid 1t by retiring to Monterey. there to
be invested and captured, and then shelter
Ing himself under his instructions. He
would not do it, but cast all upon the die
to maintain his countrys honor and save
his country's flag from trailing In the dust
of the enemy he hid so often beaten, or
close the conqueror's career as became the
soldier. Under these circumstances,
on the morning of the 23d, that glorious but
bloody conflict commenced. 1t won for him
a chaplet that 1t would be a disgrace for
an American to mutilate. and which it were
an idle attempt to adorn."
Kentucky is not duly careful of her repu-
tation when she Is careless of her trust as
custodian of Zachary Taylor's grave. Con-
gresham Sherley's bill ought never to have
been needed, but II the alternative is a con-
tinuance of the present neglect the bill
ought to pass. 1t Is not fitting or decent
that the grave Of the twelfth President OF
the United Staets should be neglected.