Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-19

Ike lltu
: on ,I,s uu.stic.i va might adj his inslrr
declaration in his letter 10 the Singer meeting IN North
- ns late IL the year l,i! Blu. we 1oftrar 10
culnry. turtle. upoa this luc, convinced that Il" candd
- ,;, I,rsc evidences i,'i"rc him, doubt that
Ills ,brct:nm least !, groundcSa and that Mr.. Van
HuTcnHs np;n;rus non THIS subject arc in unison viii,
iu,se Of Virginia.
I'd Mr. Van Barren is charged with having voted Cor
the tariff of 5i aud les IN relation ;his subject,
has been ataiedn tile highest authority {Mr. Butler
ctcr 10 Mr.. Garland in lSj) that Mr.. Van Buren, 8
PERSONA! feelings have been at all Zines adverse TO TIE
high tariff policy BIZ: his constituents were general
~ ntayur of protective duties and his course in The So
nate of the United States faithful representative
was strictly in compliance with thris sentiments &C.
cordng!y, find him giving silent vote IN favor 81 the
tariff OF 1925, and for that oil l5a5 ic is known to hay"
voted IN consequence of express instructions from the
Legislature OF New York. gotten up, no diH!, IN cen
sequence Of speech made by him at Albany en- The oh
of July lS47, which he expressed ms serious ieurs
that the friends of protective duties were urging thr
measures with too nuc! ea!ernrss And III That speech
lie openly spoke Of the Tariff political mauru-
vre aud SAID that it ga measure proceeding
more from the closet Of the politician than from the
workshop of the manufactured But, tor his opinions
upon the subject Of tn" Tariff, we will quote ms own
language extracted from his letter to the Sh9cco
meeting in 1882: &" The protective system aud It's PRO-
pcr adjustment became subject OF frequent and neces
sary consideration whilst formed part Of the Cabi-
net and the nanrr III which the President proposed
to carry into effect the policy IN relation TO mposs re-
commended in his previous messages, has since been
avowcd with that irankucss which belongs To his cha
!Tu this end lc recommended "a modification
oMc Tariff 7ohh saOH'd rrodncc reduction u the re-
to the grants Of The Government, and an adjustment
efmc.d4y upoU IMPORTS 'rk ricso tn tQam justice in
relation at nHtioni interests md he c0uneTaction
q tarq!gH f'oicY So tr as may be Injurious 10 osc
intcrcsts. In these sentiments | fully concur, and
have been thus explicit i'll the statement of them, tina,
there may be no room for misapprelcnsion to my
views upon !tlc sui jcct.'
Here then, is expression of Mr. Van Burcns Opt
Mons upon the Tariff. from his own lips, and we think
| all iIIutr
favourable to the tariff and acting under the instruction
Of the Legislature of New York i'll le! ic was in duty
bound TO have pursued the course lie did Let be re-
liembrGcd that he gave silent vote both occasions,
and situated he was, he could not have done less.
Sd. is also objected to Mr. Van Buren,, because he
voted in lo2O in the Senate OF New York. for rcsolu.
ton nslructing MIR. King TO vote for the Missouri
St'ction; and ais" voted III The Convention of that State,
III lo2 permitting free people of colour to vote. Sure
~ these votes have but little to Ito with the guai
cation Of Mr. Van Buren, for The office Of President Of
the United States; but it is duty to lay before you
the fact in relation to both Of these votes, 10 guard
you against the misrepresentation Of his opponents.
In January lc2G, Governor Clinton, in his annual
Message, caic;l Tie attention Of the Legislature of
New York 10 the question OF admitting Missouri into
the Union. with the right bold slaves. An expression
OF the Legislative opinion earnestly recommended
In cumpaucc with this recommendation the House Of
representatives, OF al State adopted resolution instruct
ing their Senators and Representatives IN the Congress
ITO oppose the admission State in the Union of any
Territory not comprised within the original boundary Of
the United States without making The prohibition OF slave
r. therein Indispensable condition of u'!in:Sinn.-
Inc Senate of New York c0iicurred i'll this resolution
without division or debate, aud among them MIR. Van
| Buren,; though 1t vas not brought before the lie.
ssEaingc hy his agency still hc must be regarded as hay
ing c"ncurrcd therein. And il IS rrTlarKablc fellow
cltiZrns, that as member Ut Tie New York LrrIs-
iaiGrr. he should have asserted To all opinion. which
at that Time was not only the common sentiment
u has State, but the universal sentiment of tie
whole Of the nons!avvh holding States Of the Union -
Ii this opinion n! Mc Van Buren,. expressed by silent
vote wE:!2 he member OF The Legislature Of New
York, Is 10 dSTna!y linn candidate for the Prrsl
drncy, III what light ought to regard lc act OF the
Legislature Of Virginia herself, passed December the
Hth, lTc-, in which she confirmed the ordinance for the
Government Ct the North Western Territory (now
comprising The States OF OHIO, lntiaua and lllinus
which contains article declaring, There shall be
neither slavery nor involuntary scrv!tude in the said
Territory:
In relation to Mr. Van Burrn's vote in the Conven-
tion OF New \ ork, the facts may he briefly stacd-By
the old constitution Of that State, no distinction was
made with regard 10 colour in The qualification of voters
In the Convention in ISL proposition 10 restrict the
tight 81 v"ting 10 wiLc citizens. rejected by
o. D.; to -. lur. a, rlnqurnt debate preceded this
rreclion but it does not appear from the journal that
Mir Van Buren, participated in tho debate at that stage
OF 1t; but he voted with the majority, who subsequently
gave the right CT von Ia these persons of colour only,
who had jrcchoid cStuc IN and ecorth $3.50 and rx
cmped then! om taxation until their tight ts vote &C.
crutd while the White vcter only required to he
tax payer and TO lie liable to work the highways,
and lo the performance of military duty. His reasons
cr concurrlng III this arrangement, give you IN Ills
own language at The tne: Mr.. Van Buren, said he
had voted against total exclusion for lie would nj"
draw revenue from them, and vet deny to Their! the
right Of suffrage. But this proviso met his approha-
ton. They were exempted from taxation un; they
mad qualified themselves to vote. The right was not
denied, to exclude any portion Of the community
vino will not exercise the right of suffrage in its pu
riiy This held out inducements TO industry, and
would receive his support" The obvious pIIncpl"
upon which MIR. Van Buren, here voted was, that taxa
ton and representation should 20 hand in hand; and it
is well known that lie resisted all attempts to reduce the
qualification OF the coorrCd voter, TO separate line
principles OF taxation and representation. Hence. upon
the motion of Mr.. Eastwood 10 strike out 2U and 10
insert Sl0O as the value OF their freehold, he voted
against IT, and sustained throughout The highest quallti
cation The effect g" THIS Arrangement Was to exclude
all tho worthless part ui them from votimg and greatly
to restrict their l'gts iii this respect irun What they
were under the Ok! CunstiIuoD: and III practice il has
operated almost total exclusion Of them ;hr polls.
But, however privilege Il" this sort gt he regarded
IN Virginia, or IN slave holding State, yet all know
how different public sentiment upon such subjects in
the non slavrhu!dng States. And strange may mp
pear, II Is nevertheless the fact, that in neTbUrring
State OF Nrrlh C@r":na Tree negroes have always been
entitled TO vote until within tic last twelve months,
wh'm her new Constitution went into operation.
These then fellow citizens are the popular objections
!n'st usually urged against Mr. Van Buren,. We know
that they wall Uc pressed upon you again at the polls
With all t!;r misrepresentation which tic most cnbcf
cd hatred can cngendcr. We know, too, that efforts
~" "'c ~ ueuuce from tHeSc Two EoteS, BFta
10 years ago III his own State Inference prcjudCIa
to hlin IN Tic South But let il be remembered that the
Missouri compromise has settled that question forever
and That there Is probability that again oc
cur; and that bis the New York Convention
related only 10 question oil State policy, with which
We have nothing to. do We aware, too, that
great etiutts have been, and will no doubt continue
10 DC made, to prejudice Mr.. Van Buren, in your est.
nation by hOdlng him up Northern man; and TO
give colour to this mode OF attack, you must have or
served tic extraordinary crtons oi his opponents 10
connect HIM with the movements Of The abulIlunists
But IL is most fortunate for hn, and for the cause Of
truth adG. 5dshcri tat his friends the Norlh aud in