Litchfield enquirer., 1832-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL.
REMARKS OF MIR. POINDEXTER, IR ihe Senate, OR Afr. VdR BareR's Nomination.
 First tSOO paragraphs omitted.

to the political movements Ofthe various par 1 ties which have cOntended for power within the last five or six years, that Mir. Van Buren entered the lists as the friend of Gem Jack son, long after the commencement ofthe ad- niDistration of President Adams. Prior to that event, he had lent his influence to a can didate between whom and Gen. Jackson there existed the most deadly hostility. The administration of Mr. Adams had no chormS for Mir. Van Buren, and after due delibera- tiOn, and a .' 'judicious' estimate of the prObs able results, he became the advocate of Gen. 1 Jackson for the Presidency, in opposition to
 the incumbent, whose prospects for re-elec l ton were overcast with doubt and uncertain ty, and from whom he could expect no favors, either for himself or his friends. The capitol which he brought into the stock of political
 influence then operating on the Presidential election. was supposed to give him claim tO the highest distinction, in the event of the suc- cessful termination of the struggle. Accord ingly, he was placed by Gen. Jackson at the head of his constitutional advisers, prefrrring him to other distinguished gentlemen, whose support was of longer duration, and, to say the least, equally efficient, and whose talents
 would bear an advantageous comparison with the most enlightened statesmen in the world
 Thus promoted and hattered, yielding, as he did, the Executive arm of the nation, permit
 me to ask what was the conduct of MT. Van Buren, then Secretary of the Department of State ! Was the honor and welfare of the
 country, or the purity of its character, ob- jeets nearest to his heart Was his mind free from the bias of undsciplined ambition or was he exclusively devoted to his own ele- vatiOn, regardless of the means, or of the hon.
 or of his venerable chief. and of the integrity of the party which brought him into power
 cannot answer these grave questions by any thing which falls within the scope of my own
 personal knowledge; but if there be truth in facts which have been detailed to me by men of the first rank in the nation, and which l am bound to believe, until cOntradicted by ev- idence still more imposing, his whole course
 was marked by systematic tissue Of dark and studied intrigue, which, in its consequen. ces. swept into chaos the elements of that pa triotic band who fought the battle, and gain ed the splendid victoryin 1928, which placed on the brow of the hero of New Orleans the civic wreath of this grateful country. Dis carding all personal considerations, for have neither revenge aOr political aspirations to gratify, and if ! had, they would not enter these walls, to influence my deliberations in matters of national concern, ask only the lights of truth, to guide me, to a decision which shall accord with strict and impartial justice, and secure to me the appreciation of an enlightened people, and what is still more precious, the smiles of an approving con. science. %.s
 If, then, the friends of the nominee deem the Information which l have received. and on which, for the present. must rely, inac: tion, ] invite them. urge them, in justice to thsir friend, to rescue him from every shade of suspicion which may be cast on him, by the appointment of committee, to be cho- sen by this honorable body, who shall be charged with the duty of collecting all the testimony which can be adduced, either for or against the nominee, and making faithful report of it to the Senate; and if tho result should be such es to satisfy my mind that the nominee is innocent of the unworthy conduct which has been ascribed to him, my vote will be given in favor of his nomination, with more real pleasure than can feel in obeying the dictates of duty, by denying to him my sup port. To such committee, am author- 1 xed 10 furnish the names of several gentle.
 men, high in the confidence of the country. l wno areready to testify, ,on oath if re tquired to all the facts which they have authorised me 70 communicate to the Senate on the present occasion, in much more enlarged and salis- { factory manner, than it is in my power to
 give them. But must be permitted to re- 1 marx, that lf this invitation is declined by the friends of Mr. Van Buren, my vote must be
 recorded against his nomination, confding as
 do, m the honorable sources from which my
 information is derived. forbear to dwell on
 the novel and extraordinary character of the
 instructions given by MT. Van Burcn to Mir.
 McLane. our late Minister to London, on the ' subject of the opening of the West India
 trade. The views presented of, the nature
 and character of these instructions, by other gentlemen, leave me nothing to add but the expression of my deep regret that, under any circumstances. the Secretary of State, acting, either under the influence of his own passions or preJudices, or by the instructions of the President. should deem it compatible with the dignity of his station, or the elevated Character of his country. tn approach the throne of a foreign monarch in the style of snpplication, asking favors on the humilia,ing
 assurance that the party to which he belong
 Cd, exercising the powers of government,
 were better entitled to his tender mercips than
 their predecessors in office, who, it seems.
 had been guilty of the crime of demanding,
 under color 0f right from his Majesty, con
 sessions in favor of fAmerica D plerce which
 n more enlightened administration recently
 brought into power by an 0verw helming ma )orlty of the people were ready to abandon as
 unsounded ''pretensions." Such an appeal
 was unnecessary, and unworthy of a states,
 man representing the interests and honor of