Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-20

caucus, was judciously employed in what Noal
calls putting the screws" the simple were caolcti
inc interested, touched; the timid frightened; unit
"t last, majority being secured, tho Caucus wa
Called and even Gen. BroJnax (who in the frs
caucus deemed it so difficult to proceed until Con
gross had acted) found it a very simple matter t,
oegin and finish the business, without the. Appor
tionmcnt Bill,
lHls shows what time and cxcrtion can do, an,
gives the index to the policy of leaving the Vic,
President undcsgnatcd. Possessed of the party ma
chincry, having enlisted largo portion of the
General Assembly which exercises SO much infiu
ence over the opinion of the Country, in the cause
with Press possessed of prcdominating infiu
ehce' all the otlcc-hodcrs and expectants hard n,
WORK from this until November, public opinion
cannot iail by that time, 10 he moulded to tho
wishes OF tho few who have at all former times
regulated it, ~
lhe result of this Caucus, if, las We declare ga
crcdiy our opinion isl tlnt result be equivalent to
the nomination of Van Buren,, more forciby than
all former examples, demonstrates the irresistible
power OF party machinery, in n few skilful hands.
VINO does not remember, that in the preceding
session OF the Legislature, Van Buren, man could
not be found; and that if some were suspeefed.
all shrank from the avowal7 Who does not
Know that at the beginning of this session. it was
pretty much the same case? 1t will be pretended
that his rejection by the Senate, has wrought
the rapid revolutions; but this is not the
true cause few mon, half a dozen at most,
whom circumstances have invested with the con-
trout OF tho machinery of what is called
the Republican Party, have done it all; and
mad 1t been any other man than Van
Buren,, these gentlemen could equally have
accomplished their task. 1t is Il difficult
task to describe by words the modus ope-
randi; but there is fortunately, no necessity for
1t. Every observing man in Virginia knows
that the Richmond Enquirer has long possess
cd the ability to make any man a republican
or federalist, favorite, or the reverse, at the
sovereign pleasure of its conductor. 1t, and it's
two or three coadjutors here, take a fancy from
whatsoever cause, hope, to Van Buren,; they
sound his praises through its columns; they invest
him with every qualification which their expert.
ence informs them. may captivate popular imagi-
nation; an opposer of James Madison and the war,
they dub him Republican from his cradle; a dcci-
ded Tariff man, they extol his Southern attach
ments; voting for Internal improvements, even to
the assertion of Federal jurisdiction over the soil
OF Virginia, they pronounce him State Rights
man, of the true kidney! What avails that he is
the reverse of all this? The Richmond ENQUIRER
says differently, and that is sufficient to disprove
the archives of the Country. Mr.. Van Buren, thus
held up by the power which wheels and counter
marches public opinion at will, naturally becomes
what tho operators wish TO make hun. He fnds
many opponents at frst but they gradually yicia
IN DETAIL az the screws of the party machinery arc
applied with more and more vigor; or if any hold
out to the last, they feel the hopeessness of CON
tending against an organization, as impregnabIe
to their attacks, as ITO an idea which we have
before used) the Macedonian Phalanx would be to
raw militia
1t will not be assumed; no man would have the
dismgenuousness to alledge it; that Virginia is
attached to Van Buren, that the people at this time
know or care much about him; much less that
they have required measures to be taken equivalent
to his nomination Vice President. That they
will enlist for him is probable if not certain; but
they will obey the impulse of the representative,
not communicate it; and it is thus again made ma
nifest, that few men in Richmond, can bcstow
the suffrage of Virginia upon whomsoever they
please.