Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-02


He is contrasted on the present occasion with
| an individual, whose claims to your confidence
rest, either on an indscriminate hostility to, or
an equiyocal support of. every principle and IN
terest which has been justly held dear BY Virgi.
mans.
You are required at this critical juncture Of
our country's affairs. to do homage to the man,
while YOU denounce his messures,- Ito elect to the
second office Of our government, political enc
my, who still bears the arms Of his hostility in
his hands, and wears the laurels. fresh on his
brow, which were won by his inveterate and re-
lcntless opposition to your rights, your interests,
and your principles.
We would ask you to pause, ere you commit
yourselves and your country into such hands,
and to scrutinize the political character OF him,
for whose ACKNOWLEDGEMENT alone you are requir-
ed to sacrifice so much.
Mr.. Van Buren, has advanced to that age, and
has filled those stations in public life, which ge-
nerally stamp the political characters OF men un-
alterablv, either for good or for evil. He may,
therefore, be fairly Judged by his political acts
and fairly condemned
At an early period of his public career, we
find him pursuing course of systematic and in
discriminate hostility to the favorite measures
and men of Virginia. During the last war, when
all the energies OF our government were scarcely
equal to the shock Of external force, and the in
trisues of domestic faction; when every patriot
was posted in the tented field. or anxously de-
liberating for his country's safety. MIR. Van Blu
rem was found in the ranks OF an insldious Oppo'
sition to Mr.. MadisOn's administration, OF which
that war was the leading measure. This oppo-
silon was carried to extremes by some of the pro-
minent politicians of New York and New Eng
land The memory of the Blue Lights and the
Hartford Convention, would endure forever as an
abiding stigma on our national character, were
it not eifaced by the glorious victories which our
armies and navies achieved, despite the insidous
treachery of some of our politicians. In No
vember, 1919, a ticket Of Presidential electors
was formed by the legislature Of New York (of
which Mr.. Van Buren, was then member) with
the avowed purpose Of defeating MIR. Madlson's
re election and the war. This statesman. who
| is now held up as the mirror of republican or
thodoxy. voted throughout for that ticket.
In 1920, the celebrated Missouri question was
deliberately conceived and concocted by some Of
the leading politicians of New York. and the le-
s,slature of that State instructed Rufus King as
their Senator to insist the terms of admission,
which he subsequently, proposed. Mr. Van Bu-
rem was then member of the Senate of that
| State, concurred In this course, and voted Tor
| Mr.. King under these Instructions.
| In 1922. we find Mr.. Van Buren, IN the Sc
nate of the United States. His debut in that
body was sisnaized by his support OF bill,
which proposed TO erect toll gates on the Cum
! berl and road, to collect tolls. 81. within the ju-
risdictiun of the States. and to appropriate the
sum of $4,000 to the repair OF this work OF ma
| tional Improvement This bill did not become
law, because it was arrested by the veto Of Mr..
Monroe, on the ground that it was unconsttu-
tional. Acriated by the same principles, we
have seen Mr.. Van Brren more recently, as a
member of Gen. Jackson's cabinet, declaring to
members of Congress, that "it was Impossible
for the President to veto the Mayssllle road bill,
because the principle, in some way or other, had
been sanctioned, by every administration since
the commencement of the sOvernment''-and be-
cause ' it might lose the votes OF several States
| to the administration" 1t has been said, Ton
good authority that Mr.. Van Buren, finally APP.
proved this act of the President, and professed
his concurrence in the principle of the Vet" Mes
sage. II this be so. we submit to candid pub
lie, to judge when and ,rhy he changed his OPT
MON, as facts shall warrant.
| In 1897, when the protective or " American
SYSTEM (as it has been falsely termed) had been
already carried to the extreme Of prohibition as
to many articles Of prime necessity. aud when
that course Of systematic extortion anal pupder
had become thoroughly organized, oy the union
of all the interests which were TO be enriched
by its operations, Mr.. Van Buren, a.lvoca'ed aud
voted for the tariff bill which passed. the House
of Representatives, and opposed all attempts to
mitigate The enormous duties proposed on salt
and other articles Of absolute .ne,es>it'.
| Mr.. Tazevell. Mr.. Macon. and other Sena-
| tors from the South, whose constituents had felt
the grievous aud heavy curse Of this - American
System" and who then complained of its ,ntole-
rabe burdens. made frequent and unavaing ef-
j forts to lay the bill of 1897 on The tabe-to re-
commit it to the Committee on Manufactures.
with instructions to inquire whether its duties
were not prohibItory, &c. Mr.. Van Buren, vot-
ed throughout against all these attempts. with
the unrcenting aud inexorabie friends Of the pro-
tective system. Atlength. another motion was
made to lay the bill on the table, and Mr.. Van
Buren, being absent from his seat. there was an
equal division Of the Senate, and the motion was
carried in the affirmative by the casting vote Of
the Vice President.
Fearing that the accidental respite which was
thus gained by the Southern States, for one short
year. from the oppression of that bill, might be
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