Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-26
SPEECHES IN CAUCUS.


inc meeting to express his sentiments, and he in
tended to be heard. Mr.. p. then alluded to some
remarks OF his at 4 former meeting, which ha
Deeh considered Incorporate: But he had the
lcclcrs extended to discover the public sentiment
nc was not one of those who pretended TO have
ict the public pulsc-but he was fully assured of
inc course which was best for Virginia. lie thought
tic present an important crisis, and in the
he should take lie should lot fear the scvcring of
the Jackson party-ior that had been done already.
pennsylvania had gone i'll body from u.s. and o.
tncr distractions OF the party had occurred. He
dd not feel required TO go with the Jackson party
under present circumstances. He was guided
by the principles which General Jackson once
avowcd. He had searched the stream to which
the gentleman from Hanover alluded at the last
meetings but he had searched in vain. The pa
t'otic current Of State Rights had been almost
drained.
Mr.. ROANE rose to explain. He had said in
the former conversation that he came here pre-
pared to make all necessary sacrifices of his pri-
vate wishes or personal feelings for the republican
Par'y-ahd that he came here prepared to throw
himself INTO the patriotic current of public scnti-
mcnt III the gentleman from Montgomery did
not see fit to do the same he was sorry for it,
Mr.. PRESTON resumed. He did not consider
the current which carried along party the patro-
tic current of Virginia. The current of the party
commenced in drop of ink 1t had been in al
most every case where its strength had been cx-
crtcd, almost irresistible. But the cause of State
Rights had become sinking cause, and was no
longer connected with what is called the Rcpubli
can party. He considered this the last struggle
for State Rights, until that in which they would
be defended with the sword. Tie was aware that
such declarations as these might throw him into Il
minority Tor life; but he did not dread it, and was
determined to pursue honest course. The gen.
tcman from Campbell had correctly stated that
| our expectations have not been fulfilled by Gene
raj Jackson-that we have been disappointed
and the close affinity in which he was placed with
| man known to be hostile to all the principles of
| Virginia, did not strengthen his cause Mr. p
said his schoolfellow from Buckingham had stated
that he would rather vote for the Devil and Gene
| raj Jackson than for John Sergeant. But Mr. p
thought if they followed the ''patriotc current"
they should have the Devil in the Chair
So far as we know, Mr.. Martin Van Buren, has
been opposed to our MISUNDERSTANDING by his
former acts, he was in favor of Internal Improve
ment by the Federal Government, and of the Ia
riff. Why, was it not well if such were the case
to take up the nomination of Wilkins or that of
Richard NJ johnson? II was clear that the proceed
lngs OF this Meeting. were to end in the support of
Van Buren,, although many might not perceive
the sea into which this ''patrotc CURRENT was to
discharge itself Mr.. p. then entered at large, in
| TO an examination of the public life of MIR. Van
| Buren,, observing that he voted in the Senate of
| the United States for the establishment of toll
gates on the Cumberland Road; and went on pill
grmage to the South, to purify himself by touch
| ing the body of William Ii. Crawford: having eff.
fectcd his publication, he aburcd his former OPT
mons on Internal Improvements, and asked par
don for his offence. He the originator of the
scheme to distribute the Surplus Revenue among
| the several States-he was the instrument of ma
| king the Tariff of 1898 Bill of Abominations
&c.-Mr. p. abjurcd Henry Clay, but Mr.. Van
Buren, was scarcely less Objectionable than Mr.
Clay, on the subject of the Tariff. He detailed
| some circumstances tending to establish the fact
| that Mr.. Van Buren, the protector of the
scheme to distribute the public Revenue. He had
no intention to allude to circumstances which oc-
| cured i'll Washington last ycar-but he declared
| that Mr.. Van Buren, had not performed one act
with which he could agree. The circumstances
OF the times seemed to threaten an important cri-
7 IL
arms against the encroachmcnts of the General
Government on the rights of the States, or as he
supposed it was called, Notification, a doctrine
which he believed many looked more favorably upon
now than ten days ago. The meeting ought to
act at once on this question-t was the worst of
| policy to leave open the nomination of Vice Pre-
sldent. fthc blank proposed in the resolution of
the gentleman from Petersburg left open
Martin Van Buren, would write his name in
| 1t. He was also opposed to the conditional promo
sition OF the gentleman from Powhatan. He was
| In favor of the nomination of p p. Barbour and
he DelleVcd he would receive the vote of the State
After the speech of Mr.. p " Daniel
| Mr.. PRESTON replied observing that a few re-
marks OF the gentleman last up required an an
swer. That gentleman had said that the course
OF argument which he had taken in support of the
| Prctcnsions of MIR. Van Buren, not voluntary
but forced upon him. If so, Mr.. p thought the
| gentleman ought to feel much obliged to the gen
| tcman from Campbell and himself for the oppor-
tunlty they had afforded him to dsgorge his
/
there by mere accident. The gentleman had
| brought into his system of warfare a variety of
weapons, IRON n pocket pistol up to heavy ord
nancc-and MIR. L. could not but congratulate him
self at having furnished the spark TO explode this
array OF artillery. If the gentleman intended to
| found any argument the change of OPT
| mon OF Governor Hamilton and Mr.. McDuffic
it was to be regretted that Mr.. Van Buren, could
not claim the benefit of the statute of limitation
| Tor changes In his opinions, equally violent and
| inconsistent, and in much shorter tmc.--Mr. p
believed that gentlemen who attended this Caucus
| tour years ago were not so much animated by the
general thrill" of which the gentleman from Rich
| mond had spoken, as he would now have us be-
llevc The gentleman admits that he does not
agree with Gen. Jackson in all his opinions and
the gentleman from Campbell has said no more.
| mat the former came here prepared to advocate
| Mr.. Van Buren, seemed cvidcnt-as upon very
| slight provocation, hc told us he would bring Mr..
V. b. into court, which he had done, and read a
speech of his to prove that Mr.. Van Buren, enter
tarnS the true State Rights sentiments. The
| speech OF MIR. V. b. Il question of
| order, and doubtless prepared for the press
like most speeches which are written out
| and publishcd.-But he did not look to Mr.
Van Buren's speeches, but TO his votes. They
were the best tests of his sentiments. AS to the
demand made by the gentleman from Richmond
Tor the proofs of the charges against Mr.. Van Blu
rem, MIR. Z. would refer TO the ENQUIRER i'm which
Mr. V. B s votes were recorded. Mr.. Z. did not
come to the meeting armed, prepared TO IN axe
speech, nor did he anticipate tho necessity of
bringing proof Of his assertions. On the subject
of the distribution Of the revenue, lie had living
witness at the table, and he would ask the Secrc-
tary whether Mr.. Van Buren, not i'm favor Of
the plan to distribute the revenue among the
States7
Mr.. RICHIE Oeavo having been rrantcd) said
that, his honor Inc did not know chat Mr.. Van
Buren, was favorable to the plan Of distributing