Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-06-11

We have great pleasure In laying before our
readers the following communication. 1t com
mends itself to careful perusal, not less by fell
city of style, than by nice discrimination OF cha
racter. Martin Van Buren's portraiture IS to the
life, done. as the reader will readily admit, by
the hand Of q master We hope 10 near again.
before long, from our correspondent.
The original formation was odd enough. Even
as combination it was heterogeneous; but when
the President was pleased to designate 1t as nnt
Imagined that some OF the gentlemen thought,
that they would rather have remained in their irac
tonal condition, than have been blended In such
an inteaer. Leaving to the President, however,
the full beauty of his mathematical allusion, 1t Is
worth inquiry what identity there Is IN the habits,
the capacities and principles OF the five gentle
men i'm question, that should warrant so mystic
r,ous an incorporatiou?, While they acted togeth-
or il was understood that they stroye to keep
apart: and il is only at the moment of flying
asunder, tl,at we learn the strength of the cohe-
sion. Who then and what are these men that
cannot exist ,osether--nor be useful apart?-
What Siamese affinity Is there, that prevents Mr..
lngham from repairing Lighthouse, unless Mr..
Eaton, at the same time, sign an Indian Treaty.
Let them for moment pass in array before us
20 some of them the distinction of the company
will be reward enough.
First-as to Mr.. Van Buren, have never
heard any one deny to this gentleman credit for
Tor capacity--nor have heard any one say that
he was bad. His early obscurty and his emerging
from il, have in themselves nothing peculiar
Were the incidents solitary, as they would be in
Europe. they would De striking, but, in this coun
try t!.ey sofu, The history of eminence. Of po-
l;teal, as we'll as of judicial fortune, each man
here is his own artiiicer. He was found, at the
outset OF his course on the verge of that profess
sion which leads 10 the highest hOnors of the com
muni,y. II was at period when the State Of
New York presented mass Of conflicting inter-
ests-lastrated by much talent The regular
aud steady excitement, grown out OF the poll
tics of the United Stairs, was varied and embit-
tered by many Earring and conflicting influences
by personal teuds, by local distractions; by
odd unions and unnatural responsiveness that
gathering for common cause, resembled that of
highland Army, with different plaids aud dis
eordant music. For scenes like these, the young
Lawyer left the philosophy of his profession. and
soon manifested that he was prompt, laborious,
shrewd aud ductile. He was resolved to earn
promotion by hard service as subaltern. A word
dropped to him could be repeated or withheld
could be masui6ed or diminished could be as
serted or forgotten. In word, he formed an
unofficial link between leaders--no man more
convenient and few in the result more able
Was coalition to he formed--he himself could
give the first hint to the reluctant material. Was
il To resolve itself into the same material again
he himself could withdraw the cement. A
word seasonaby understood or forgotten-Opi-
aiou real or imputed--indiydual wishes judicious-
~ placed as totayerse each OtheS-or (all great
men are patriotS) a masnanim0uS sacrifice to the
public necessity-these or any one of Them, could
10 hatr bol
previously an acceptable amity-a strife as SER
viceable as had been the truce. These are scenes
wherein the agent soon usurps the place Of the
principal.
lie that is long trusted. becomes the equal of
the one who trusts him-the more if the secret
he burthensome to the conscience. A very few
wears brought consideration and rewards. He
took a place among the Elders. The mortifica-
tions atterding patronage received. we're repaid
by the capacity TO nfict the same in return. As
speaker and thinker in the councils Of the
State, few surpassed Mr.. Van Buren,. He was
iaborioas and useful. and If he did not always
convince. sure TO be felt. There were few
of the reiguing parties that would not have hail
ed HIN as an auxiliary; and there were few, how
ever opposite and disc0rdant, that at one time or
another, had not occasion to do He was at
times the adviser Of Mr.. rompkins-at times the
supporter Of MIR. Clinton. His zeal in behalf of
the latter gentleman, was ardent. apparently ge-
nervous, aud equaiied only by his subsequent zeal
against him. During the latter part oil the life
of that truly great and magnanisnoe, man, Mr..
Van Buren, held in the State a divided empire
viii. hin-nor was his power the less, because
the operations Of it were unseen. bis onward
career brought him 10 the Senate of the United
States. His early efforts there were marked, If
marked at all. by ability and discretion. He
stood committed to no special system, or at all
events committed in no way that did not admit
Of easy mutation. At the proper season he threw
himself into opposition to the Administration of
Mr.. Adams; and few better proofs can be given
Of his steadiness and sagacity. than the undeviat
ing fixture Of his gaze upon the Office he lately
filled. At the time Of appointments, it is is said,
that his previous history did not render HIM en-
tirely acceptable to the President of the United
States. This evil, if it existed, was soon sur