Last Illness and Death of General

Taylor*

On the 9th of July, 1850, the "Compromise Bill" being under discussion, Mr. Butler of South Carolina was addressing the Senate, but gave way to Mr. Webster, who rose and said:

MR. PRESIDENT,- I have permission from the member from South Carolina to interrupt the progress of his speech, in order to make a solemn and mournful suggestion to the Senate. The intelligence which within the last few moments has been received indicates that a very great misfortune is now impending over the country. It is supposed by medical advisers and others that the President of the United States cannot live many hours. This intimation comes in a shape so authentic, and through so many channels of communication, and all tending to the same result, that I have thought it my duty to move the Senate to follow the example which has already been set in the other branch of the national legislature.

At half-past eleven o'clock to-day I called at the President's mansion to inquire after his health. I was informed that he had passed a very bad night; that he was exceedingly ill this morning, but that at that moment he was more easy and more composed. I had hardly reached my seat in the Senate when it was announced to me that the fever had suddenly returned upon him with very alarming symptoms; that appearances of congestion were obvious; and that it was hardly possible his life could be prolonged through the day.

With the permission, therefore, of my honorable friend from

* Remarks in the Senate of the United States, on the 9th and 10th of July,

South Carolina, who, I am sure, shares those feelings on this occasion which quite disqualify us for the performance of our duties, even in this very important crisis of public affairs, I venture to move the Senate that it do now adjourn.

The Senate accordingly adjourned.

On the next day, July 10th, the following message was received from the Vice-President, Mr. Fillmore :

"Washington, July 10, 1850. "Fellow-citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: "I have to perform the melancholy duty of announcing to you that it has pleased Almighty God to remove from this life Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States. He deceased last evening, at the hour of half-past ten o'clock, in the midst of his family and surrounded by affectionate friends, calmly and in the full possession of all his facul ties. Among his last words were these, which he uttered with emphatic distinctness: I have always done my duty; I am ready to die; my only regret is for the friends I leave behind me.'

"Having announced to you, fellow-citizens, this most afflicting be. reavement, and assuring you that it has penetrated no heart with deeper grief than mine, it remains for me to say that I propose, this day, at twelve o'clock, in the hall of the House of Representatives, in the presence of both houses of Congress, to take the oath prescribed by the Constitution, to enable me to enter on the execution of the office which this event has devolved on me.

"MILLARD FILLMORE."

Mr. Webster then submitted the following resolutions:

"Resolved, That the two houses will assemble this day in the hall of the House of Representatives, at twelve o'clock, to be present at the administration of the oath prescribed by the Constitution to the late VicePresident of the United States, to enable him to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President of the United States, devolved on him by the death of Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States.

"Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate present the above resolution to the House of Representatives, and ask its concurrence therein." These resolutions having been unanimously agreed to, Mr. Downs of Louisiana, as one of the Senators of the State of which General Taylor was a citizen, made a feeling address to the Senate on the melancholy event, and concluded by moving the following resolutions :

"Whereas it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States, the Senate, sharing

in the general sorrow which this melancholy event must produce, is desirous of manifesting its sensibility on this occasion: Therefore,

"Resolved, That a committee, consisting of Messrs. Webster, Cass, and King, be appointed on the part of the Senate to meet such committee as may be appointed on the part of the House of Representatives, to consider and report what measures it may be deemed necessary to adopt to show the respect and affection of Congress for the memory of the illustrious deceased, and to make the necessary arrangements for his funeral.

“Ordered, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate the foregoing resolution to the House of Representatives."

Mr. Webster then addressed the Senate as follows:

MR. SECRETARY, At a time when the great mass of our fellow-citizens are in the enjoyment of an unusual measure of health and prosperity, throughout the whole country, it has pleased Divine Providence to visit the two houses of Congress, and especially this house, with repeated occasions for mourning and lamentation. Since the commencement of the session, we 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 tone of affliction which I am sure is felt throughout the country, to take part in the due solemnities of the funeral of the late President of the United States.

Truly, Sir, was it said in the communication read to us, that a "great man has fallen among us." The late President of the United States, originally a soldier by profession, having gone through a long and splendid career of military service, had, at the close of the late war with Mexico, become so much endeared to the people of the United States, and had inspired them with so high a degree of regard and confidence, that, without solicitation or application, without pursuing any devious paths of policy, or turning a hair's breadth to the right or left from the path of duty, a great, and powerful, and generous people saw fit, by popular vote and voice, to confer upon him the highest civil authority in the nation. We cannot forget that, as in other instances so in this, the public feeling was won and carried away, in some degree, by the éclat of military renown. So it has been always, and so it always will be, because high respect for noble deeds in arms has been,

and always will be, outpoured from the hearts of the members of a popular government.

But it will be a great mistake to suppose that the late Presi dent of the United States owed his advancement to high civil trust, or his great acceptableness with the people, to military talent or ability alone. I believe, Sir, that, associated with the highest admiration for those qualities possessed by him, there was spread throughout the community a high degree of confidence and faith in his integrity, and honor, and uprightness as a man. I believe he was especially regarded as both a firm and a mild man in the exercise of authority; and I have observed more than once, in this and in other popular governments, that the prevalent motive with the masses of mankind for conferring high power on individuals is a confidence in their mildness, their paternal, protecting, prudent, and safe character. The people naturally feel safe where they feel themselves to be under the control and protection of sober counsel, of impartial minds, and a general paternal superintendence.

I suppose, Sir, that no case ever happened, in the very best days of the Roman republic, when a man found himself clothed with the highest authority in the state under circumstances more repelling all suspicion of personal application, of pursuing any crooked path in politics, or of having been actuated by sinister views and purposes, than in the case of the worthy, and eminent, and distinguished, and good man whose death we now deplore.

He has left to the people of his country a legacy in this. He has left them a bright example, which addresses itself with peculiar force to the young and rising generation; for it tells them that there is a path to the highest degree of renown, straight onward, steady, without change or deviation.

Mr. Secretary, my friend from Louisiana has detailed shortly the events in the military career of General Taylor. His service through his life was mostly on the frontier, and always a hard service, often in combat with the tribes of Indians along the frontier for so many thousands of miles. It has been justly remarked, by one of the most eloquent men

• Mr. Downs.

whose voice was ever heard in these houses, that it is not in Indian wars that heroes are celebrated, but that it is there that

they are formed. The hard service, the stern discipline, devolving upon all those who have a great extent of frontier to defend, often, with irregular troops, being called on suddenly to enter into contests with savages, to study the habits of savage life and savage war, in order to foresee and overcome their stratagems, all these things tend to make hardy military character.

For a very short time, Sir, I had a connection with the executive government of this country; and at that time very perilous and embarrassing circumstances existed between the United States and the Indians on the borders, and war was actually carried on between the United States and the Florida tribes. I very well remember that those who took counsel together on that occasion officially, and who were desirous of placing the military command in the safest hands, came to the conclusion, that there was no man in the service more fully uniting the qualities of military ability and great personal prudence than Zachary Taylor; and he was appointed to the command.

Unfortunately, his career at the head of this government was short. For my part, in all that I have seen of him, I have found much to respect and nothing to condemn. The circumstances under which he conducted the government for the short time he was at the head of it have been such as perhaps not to give him a very favorable opportunity of developing his principles and his policy, and carrying them out; but I believe he has left on the minds of the country a strong impression, first, of his absolute honesty and integrity of character; next, of his sound, practical good-sense; and, lastly, of the mildness, kindness, and friendliness of his temper towards all his countrymen.

But he is gone. He is ours no more, except in the force of his example. Sir, I heard with infinite delight the sentiments expressed by my honorable friend from Louisiana who has just resumed his seat, when he earnestly prayed that this event might be used to soften the animosities, to allay party criminations and recriminations, and to restore fellowship and good

Fisher Ames.