Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-10-27
POLITICAL
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Pplef, one VI ibe Wbig candidates loT Else'
lors,e ,bs People " hAsyI.sp
During il,e es0ysss preceding tbs elecii.g'
~ 1874 illeW weJe iour esDdldeiss ~ fbe
6eld, naglsly, Genersl Jackson, NJ, Adams,
M cpwmrd BDd NJ, flgg Al Of ibese
gfDflglDeD slOOd before abe PeODle DppD lbeif
Own peTsoDH mrUls, fEcepi M CTsgipd,
gbo sas brought ovi under the l0lPo'lgg
sHDeii0D Ofa Congressional caucus st wash
iBgiOD, ibu.pUlDg mover ~ WHICH WAS bsfiD
Van BDreg, pbe PsOpie failed ~ elsct ibsT
PreslJeDl, and Gen, Jackson entered lbe
House Of RspTese Distlges, ,b0cked by ~ cleo
lpgsl yoiss, M Adams by ~, gDd hr, CIgw'
ford by So NJ, Clay being PEclgded, Jbe
IIOuse, voting by states, eODifTed The Pf"sl-
dsDcy on NJ, Adams 10 dsr9gsiIoD a. u was
strongly lDsisted,0f The superior ORet 0' DeO'
Jackson, Mr., YRD BgreD yeb"meDuy urglpg
'Ibe eleeij0g ~ Nr, E~wfprd, whose night,
according 10 the iule proposed, was far iDte-
TioT 10 eiber, ! beg the fact % be remem-
bsJed, that, st the election by The House ~
1874, Mr.. Van BureD sUeDDo1sly advocated
the choice Of Mr. Crawfprd with bis 8, votes,
10 opposition lo Gen. Juck,0D, rho came re-
eOmDeDded by ~.
AfteT the efeetiOD Of Ir'lt, the contest for
the. .sncreediDg Presidency was maiOtalDed
. between General Jackson and Mr. Adams
a contest which you well remember, for who
can forget ni Wr. Van BureO then the
leader Of powerful party ~ New York
Tbe sBlmoslty and rIucOr Of party strife soon
reached o fearful height. snJ pervaded tl'e
whole Union from one extremity to the other
The Dlan could scarcely be- found ~ seven
eiteslwh had NOT taken sides. and who was
not eagerly engaged 10 maintaining the side
he had taken. To this remark, however, Mr.
A. Ill.
tons. From 1924 tn ie27 they stood aloof
from the contest. The election was now
rapidly approaching. and the immense vote of
New York was contemplated with the deep
est solicliude IN every quarter. IL was felt,
moreover. that Mr.. Van Buren and his non-
coInmittals. take which side they might, would
carry with them the vote of New York, and
that the vote of New York must decide the
question of the Presidency. The decision of
the contest therefore was in the hands OF Mr..
Van Buren,, who. with his whole party, still
forbore to declare themselves. Standing
apart from the contest, they viewed the fear
ful strife Of the multitude around them with
the seeming indifference of men having no
concern in the struggle, aud no possible IN
terest IN the result. They printed moi syl-
liable they uttered not word, indicating the
slightest preference for either party. A
ttfuugcT WOulu nave ~hplie~tuih ihat, q
the strife as all anhappy family quarrel. they
intended, upon some tit opportunity, Ia come
IN as peace makers, and heal, by their friendly
counsels, the dlssensions Of the People.
At length Mr. Van Buren set out froru
New York on a tour OF observation to the
South. He remained a day or two IN Wash .
ington, Aud then passed on to the Carolnas
and Georgia. Now, what new lights he
received on his lnurney, | will not take upon
ine to affirm; but this much Is notorious To all
America, that, fastening back to New York,
he gave the signal to his train bands, and i'm
medately. from rhc Atlantic to the Lakes,
they broke forth IN one Simultaneous hurst of
deafening abuse of Mr.. Adams and his friends.
which continued without abatement Ia the
day of the election, and has not Ceased to the
present hour. But mark the sequel Gen
eral Jackson trlumphed, and Mr.. Van Buren,
was made Secretary Of State.
Here let me pause. The perfect organiza- +
tion of this faction wheeling to the right or
left, or resting upon their arms, or changing
in solid column, at the word Of comnand-is
of itself subject of no little novelty in a
nation of peaceful republicans, and might af-
ford matter for grave reflection, were not the
mind irresstibly impelle6 beyond it, to the
sul graver problem, by what means, and
through what persuasives. was this wondcr rful
organization effected? That il was Il vast
conspiracy, formed and concerted for the sole
purpose OF taking into ITS own keeping the
Offices and salaries of the Government, great
and small, aud Of excluding. by the mere
power of combination, all other citizens from
the hope or prospect ut participation In them
that the consp,rators recognised no peculiar
principles of policy, no maxims of Govern !
ment, no rules of right or wrong, but held
themselves free to profess. as occasion might |
require, just such principles, maxi,ns, and
rules as might, from time tn time, best suit .
the objects Of the party-that these articles
of compact were distinctly understood and
agreed upon beforehand-and that every man
had given to them his full consent and ap-
probation-are facts Of which no rational
mind can doubt. Il
But the mystery Of the phenomenon is still
nexpaned. The point which puzzles me
is, how so msnv freemeD, spread over so wide
a space, proud of that equality which they had
been taught to regard as their inestimable
birthright, could be approached, with tie i'm
moral and debssing proposal to seize upon
the Offices, the power, and the money Of the
State, and, by combining the distribution Of
the plumber to their own body, virtually ex-
clude every other freeman from those COW
enanted privileges, for the enjoyment Of
which his fathers fought aud bled, as wei rs
their own. And when thus approached, how
could they be persuaded, corrupted and case
hardened against all the natural suggestions
Of conscience, patriotism, and honor? \
Bat the worst aspect of the case was the
open, the nvowed, the shameless effrontery
with which they proclaimed their turpitude.
The contest was one which, in the firm belief
OF tho great mass Of the American People,
involved principles that were vital, and upon
the triumph ofwhich was to depend the puri.
~ " not the very existence Of our most