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Letter from Zachary Taylor to His Excellency, Wm. Owsley, Jan. 24, 1848.

BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 24, 1848.

SIR — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's letter of the 12th inst., enclosing to me a copy of the preamble and resolutions adopted by the legislature of Kentucky, in which they have been pleased to invite me to visit that body during its present session.

I beg to assure you that this high evidence of the kind regard which exists towards me among my fellow-citizens of Kentucky, has been received by me with emotions of the liveliest gratitude; and I have to request that you will convey to them, through this distinguished body, my profound acknowledgments for so unmerited an honor.

A just sense of my obligations to your patriotic State and a recollection of the many old friends and acquaintances that I have among you, strongly urge me to yield to the flattering request contained in the resolutions before me: but I regret to inform you that the circumstances under which my present leave of absence was obtained, render it so clearly proper in my opinion, that I should remain in or near this place until I am again required for duty, that I am constrained to forego this pleasure.

With my best wishes for your health and success through life, I have the honor to be, with great respect,
Your Excellency's obedient servant,
Z. TAYLOR.

To His Excellency, Wm. Owsley, Governor of Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky.