Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-05-06
Rse9eesaossU SgaJe6g~
Thursday .Eo,1ttltg, .Nay ;.
MR. VAN buren,,

We hope that we not without tina. first and
most amiable trait of humanity-sympatfy for those
who are in the hands of misfortune, and i
capable Of the bsscness of exultng the fallen
whether tate, or folly, or crime, has produced the
overthrow We publish the essay which follows,
taken from the New York Evening Journal, in no
spirit of malignity towards MIR Van Buren-who
has fallen, not from any height, bat from his high
blown hopes-faen, no more to ave those hopes
reanimated-but to aid in INJECTING upon him
that atonement which he owes the Country. To
him belongs the paternity of the p-n for ''impro-
wing the condition of the Press" by connecting it
with the Treasury-the rewarding of forty or fifty
editors compensatng them for political service
dered and holding in the tenure of their offices,
mortgage their independence-He it was, who
recommended the system of 'punishing' the free
dom of opinion, by the removal of those officers
who in the of their rights as free men, had
voted against Gen. Jackson-under soft and
smooth exterior, he was the undoubted principal adj
vocate Of proscription" and the author of the null
Hilarious attempts in variety of shapes, to introduce
at Washington that and regular nomination
machinery which he had welded so successfully
in New York, and the effect of which was to be-
to drill and counterm arch the people of the u.
States by such words of command as he and a few
L
to issue. For these sins, he owes heavy &C
cpuntabllity, and will not be permitted to escape.
TO MARTIN VAN BUREN-NO. S.
S1R-You have turned your back upon those who
first brought you into notice, and dragged you from
obscurity BY their patronage, Sir, and under their
nusnices you were enabled to make successful
speculations in landed property, which placed you
beyond the reach of Indulgence These substantial
fruits of your apprenticeship o politics, remain in
your possession. You therefore cannot complain
hat, trade
lucrative 20 you Be contented, sir with these e.
wards which are infinitely beyond your merits:-
retire upon your estates; think no more of those
dazzling phantoms, those spectres that have haunted
your ambition. Reflect upon the lesson which you
NAV peruse your own history, and more especially
in the last act of your political existence You have
heen forced forward sir, before your tIrne and be-
yond your capacities; and you have broken down for
want of bottom.
Your partsans were determined that he American
neople should be noculatec with pdnbureniSnl, and
chat whether would or not, you should be
med down our We have submitted to the pun
ishment we have swallowed the obnoxious draught,
we passed through the different Stages OF this
political gangrene. and thank God have got rid of
the ;ncub1ys and survived the experiment. You
not the first humbug that has bamboozed a credulous
world, and then exploded into atoms You are MOI
The first upstart that has sprouted forward by mush
room growth upon the otbed of political favnritIsm,
and then been doomed to death sudden, and
exit as speedy your apparitlon had been uneXpec-
ted
If YOU had had the true stamina and nerve in your
compositions if sir your ambt on had been made of
"sterner stuff you could have borne the of
YOUR friends Bat the spurious materials OF which
YOU are wrought the natural teebieness OF your
mind (maupre all your cunning and jesuItry) and the
superficial requirements of an understanding that
never had been cultivated and never was susceptible
of cultivation, placed you under Disadvantages that
could not resist the seductive incense of adulaon,
nor the mawkish fattery Of your parasites.
Your vanity too exorbItant, and your resolu-
ton too weak to repudiae the glittering bauble of
hat eyhIlnrated hopes, nlaQdeneQ
and intoxicated your brain with dreams tantas
teal, and visions chHmerica and extravagant,
than ever entered into the conceptions OF maniac.
Do not accuse me, sir, OF insulting you in your
misfortunes If should do so, would at least have
the merit of having you for an example For how
often it, sir, during your short lived dynasty
that you dared TO prostitute the scepre of power into
a rod of vengeance upon those to whom you was
uersonally innical, and whose only CRIME was that
thew dared to doubt the onnpotence of your genus
and to dispute the validity of your pretenslons?
Was it not you, sir, whose unceasng endeavor
since your accession the Cabinet has been to alien
ate by every means in your power the affections OF
the President from those who had ever been his firm
and devoted friends? Was it not you, cir, Who strove
to wean the heart of the President from these org-
nal and early friends this vanguard ofthe democrat
c party, who had stood by him IN the hour of need
and IN the day Of danger, who were foremost in the
light and bore the brunt Of the battle? And where
was you sir at that eveDtful moment? Fighting IN
the ranks of Opposition, and connecting scurrllous
lampoons IN the columns of your Argus against the
peace and reputation Of General Jackson! And
where was you, sir, at the beginning of the second
great contest which terminated IN the election of
.4ndreto Jackson! You, sir, who talk pahetically
now of your devotion TO him. Why, sir, until you
was absolutely dragged down the irresistible current
of public opinion, you mcanly skulkng behind
the screen of nan cOntmitt1t And then you sneaked
forth from your hiding place, and your first act was
TO cringe for pardon like a mental criminal ut the
feet Of that illustrous whom you saw; IN spite
Of your cowardly attempts assassnate his political
reputation, destined to be, had he lived, the
master spirit Of the age And when death enamel
pated that great statesman from the troubles OF the
world, you, who had been the foremost TO prosecute
him while living the first to scatter aurels
upon his tomb and shed hypoCrItical tears for bis
loss And long indeed will be remembered as ap-
plicable TO that homogeneous scene the fable OF tne
oltonrf, who thought to obtain immortality by beCon-
ing pail bearer 10 the giant. TAMMANT.
The PREs1DEHT AND THE VETo.-Nonc car
have forgotten the triumph and exgltation witt