Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-01-19
MR.. BENTON'S LETTER.

Whose
| " A. who sh,uii say, an Sir ora.ie -
| ''"N (Shokspeare.
We were reminded of this quotation from he i'm
mortnl bard by Fell Marshal Benlons u General
| Orders TO the party of which he seems suddenly
TO have reached the rsnk OF commandment chief
and towards winch he assumes the pierogatiyt OF
| Dictator. Having been nomin ,,ej, as we SOM
time since app.,scd our readers, by the Van Buren,
Convention in Mississippi, as mkt Wee President
Of tho Urit,d S'aes, he at once saw that he would
he clog 10 the ticket which, If oil things else
were favorable, would ensure its dcfcat-"nd he
therefore, making n virtue Of necessity, promptly
declines the protTcfed honor Had he paused her
| his letter might have escaped Comment but he
SEXES reason to admoniSh the Southern nnd
Western friends Of the administration OF The I'M
portance Of railying upon 'Ir Van Buren, as the
successor OF Gen. Jackson, ex ong the talents and
character of that gentleman, endorsing his politic"
principles n.rrat,ng the principal events of his pub
lie career and vindicatns him from The imputal'ns
of his opponents Mirlin Van Buren,, endor Sod by
Thomas II. Benton Ii is fortunate 10 have an
| endprser, in time of need--but MIR. Van Buren,
might weIi dsre TO be rid of such an one as the too
celebrated Mtss ,urian NJ. Benton, we imagine,
expects be Secretary of State under The Van Blu
req dyn ,sy and he regards the certainty of that
appointment rs u full lulvalent for The nPpartn
self sacrli Of deolnins the NOMINATION TO HE Wee
Presidency; which, had 1t been accepted, woulh
have been Indignantly TT buk d by large portion ri
The Jackson party themselves, whn beng pure and
honest men, req IRE purity ami honor IN those
who demand their sulT. ages for tho high offices OF
the Republic
Personally" (says MIR. Benron) Mr. Von Bl-
rcn " is 'natiaekabc for the wh lie volume OF his
private life contains not single act which requires
explanation or defence" This may be true:
least, me have no means Of controverting II, though
We have seen CHI rgcs alleged against him. OF IN
sincerity and treachery to his fl, nls, which, Ike
come of he numerous allegations against MIR. Bon
tons own character, admit, Il, they he true, OF nei.
Tier . exrlara ION nor dcfrncc"-Flis person /
character, however, may, FOR anght that We care,
pass unscru inv d. II is political Office that he
seeks. and We willing to tesl hrs claims to that
nttce by his political sentiments and his political
acts.
Mr. Benton lays particular stress on the s'renu
nus support, given by Mr. Van Buren,, in 1912. on
his first entrance into public life, To the war parry
New York. headed by Gov. Tompkins at,lbu.
ting mninly TO his exerlions the success ofthat par
" in the council, Of the Empire State. Is this
true Ii may he, that in the earlier stages Of the
war Of 1919, Mr. Van Bnren was a member "f The
war paty-but did he continue curing the pro-
.ress and up TO the termination Of that contest
he did not. Long before the cl1sed-in1ccd
IN tho most gloomy period Of that struggle, when
defeat utter defeat of ldad forces had filled the
country with dependency our treasury was
empty and the mos, e1travogunt Inducements ncld
ont to lenders OF money, failed 10 reIlenish u-and
when, but for the cheering notes of victory whrh
ever AID anon reoched from the ocean, the whole
land would have been shrouded in gloom here,
then, was Mr. Van Burenl Was he not m tho
ranks Of the monsrcl peace party, composed of
buelight tories, honest ftderalss and disappointed
republicans, WHO all rallied under tie banner of De
Witt CLINTON, an sought, by appealing, through
the calames of he war 10 the passions Of the peo-
pie, TO force him into the Presidency, in opposition
to our own venerated Madison2 Did he not thus
weaken and divide the Republican ranks, at a peri
cd when fidelity to his party was demanded MT
more by 'l't'ca honesty than oy love OF country
And # tins be IS no. the vivid sketch of his ex
erllons a, tina, period. drawn in Mr. B:nIo,'s lctcr
a mere 6gment Of that genemans Imagination,
resting upon like shadowy basis as the oft .ciled
Z" East Room lelc,"-a coinage from the same pro-
life mint ! U"qiesonabiy 1t Us. Mr.. Van Ru-
rem mus, erase from The DIS Of that day. his ac-
tive agency in bringing forward Gov. CLINTON as
the candld,e of the neece party, in opposition to
Mr.. Madison, before he can have any claim to the
support Of the Republican party the score of his
services ct that perio' Bit this can never he done
Ills efforts 10 all and ubet the enemy, by dividing
that party, dlslrsctIns their councils aud palsyins
their energies, and thus forcing them either 10 pro-
seculc the csnicst under treat disadvantage or ne
sot'a'e dlsh"norabe peac" stand IN bold relief
against HIM in the his,o of ,hat memorable crisis
"A crisis when the gold passed TN ough the cruel.
BILE, and was separated forever from the dross-
when true patriotism slgnaIized i,sell by unwaver.
ing hdel'y and gigan'lc cxertons, as lis hollow
| counterfeit staggered and fed
MIR. Benton next brings forward Mn Van Flu
rens views on Tho Tariff questions alleging. tina,
although he voted for the tariff of 1928. vet that he
was opposed 10 II personally, and supported i, "
| because he was Instructed so to do WeU-,his
may lie so; although we have no other evidence Of
It than Mr.. Benlon's assertion, which. in our est,
nation, is no evidence at ALL Let it, therefore, PASS.
Mex comes the National Bank TO which. wear.
told ny Mr.. Ben'on, tina, Mr.. Van Buren, has been
long opposed. To this, VIC ailegc, in answer. Tim,
the came OF Mr.. Van Buren, is sisacd to a pe.,;,on
OF the citizens Of Utic,, praying the Mmhcr
Monster to locate of its branches in that ci
ty. II his opPosition to that ins,i ution were air,
cere, NO lid he have acted INST II he Lel,cveJ n
I" bo tho mschievons and dangerous. mon
ster" now picture by himself AMI his. friends
| should he MOI. as an honest man and a co SIS
| tent and prudent politician, have cnde.vored
o restrict us operations and cob6ne lis -,
| hncnee within the mar owcsi coss,ble linn.
Add yet, we find HIM and no, on lin, Inn,
Thomas II Benton also and even Andrew ] ck,op
| himself, the Hercules Of his dav.-nert,oniop the
| ncrciess monster to extend its hr,,rh.. and ,h,.
70 strike 'n fanss deeper in tho body poliIc, "a