Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

330 TAYLOR S MODERATIONo
of the Republic, had it continued a little longer, would have
planted commerce and the useful arts upon her soil in a manner calculated to insure their growth.
Up to the period of the withdrawal of the lIexican troops
from the NIorthern States, the j as gladii had been the only
authority acknowledged and respected within their borders.
In the clash of contending arms, the laws of the country (at
all times speaking in a feeble tone and often to the perversion
of justice) had remained perfectly silent. General Taylor's
dictun, settled many disputes, and the enemy never had
cause to complain of the prompt decrees and stirrup verdicts
he often enunciated. From Palo Alto to Buena Vista lihe
had prohibited all wanton injuries to the Mexicans in person
or property, and never failed to punish the perpetrators of
them when detected. And indeed, as we have before had
occasion to remark, his scrupulous sense of justice and generous leaning to the side of the vanquished, sometimes c'aused
the scale of his own soldiers " to kick the beam," when the
complaints of the natives were light and false. NWith the
ill-fated IKing tHenry VI., General Taylor might truly have
said"I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands,
Nor posted off their suits with slow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their woutrnds,
My rmildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs,
My mercy dry'd their water-flowing tears:
I have not been desirous of their wealth,
Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies,
Ntor forward of' revenge, though they much err'd."
Though fully authorized to levy contributions for the sup —
port of his army, the only pecuniary burden he ever imposed
upon the Ml~exican people, was a tax to indemnify his govern