Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1836-07-13
Mr.. VAN buren, AND THE WAR.

An editor in the state of New York, not far
from the Goncsee river, fruitful at invention,
gives the following as u resolution offered by
Mr.Van Buren, in the Legislature of 1811-12: n
Resolved, That the war is impolitic and dis
astrous; and that to employ the Militia in an
ofensiUe irdr is unconstitutional"
That time was months before the declaration
of war, and the legislature of which Mr.. Van
Buren, was not a member. He first took his seat
as Senator, at a special session of the New. York
Legislature, for the choice of Presidential Elect
ors, in November, lSl2-and from the commence.
mcnt of his legislative career, gave to all war
measures the most decided and vigorous support
The declaration of war was June ID, 1912; and
the legislature of lSl2.13 was the first Of which
Mr.. Van Buren, was member.
During the special session of Sept. 1914, says
record of that time now before us, "Mr. VAN
buren, matured brought forward and defended
in debate, some of the most energetic war inca
sures ever adopted in this country. OF these,
the most prominent was, AN act to authorize
the raising of troops for the defence of the state,
which passed both houses, and being approved
by the governor, [Tompkins,] became a law OH
the Oath of October, 1914. 1t authorized the
governor to place at the disposal of the general
government $4,000 mon for two years, to be rails
ed by suitable classifcations of tho MILITIA of the
state but with such improvements in its details
as to avoid many of the inequalities and other OBJ.
jelDionable features of the former system fmitia
drafts" In an address, recommending the re-
election of Gov. ToMPKINs, in 1913, written by
Mr.. VAN buren, and adopted by the state conven-
ton, after recounting the tyrann;c acts of Great
Britain for series of years, in impressng our
seamen, and compelling them to be abused and
tyrannised over by her petty midshipmen, in a
life of the most CALLING servitude, &C., he says
"Under such accumulated circumstances of
insult and of injury. we ask again, what was
your government to do? We put the question
not to that faction which misrepresents the gov
eminent to the people, and the people to the gov
eminent; traduces one half the nation to cajole
the other--and by keeping up distrust and divi-
sion, wishes to become the proud arbiter of the
fortune and fate of America, mot to them, but
to every SOUND HEAD AND HONEST HEART in the
nation it is that we put the question,--what was
your government to do Was she basely and in.
gioriously to abandon the rights for which you
and your fathers fought and bledl Was she so
early to cover to the nation which had sought to
strangle us in our infancy, and which has never
ceased to retard our approach to manhood? No:
we will not for moment doubt that every man
who is in truth and fact an American, will say
that WAR, AND WAR ALONE, WAS OUR
ONLY REFUGE FROM NATIONAL DEoRADATIoN,---
OUR ONLY COURSE TO NATIONAL PROSPERITY"
Mr. VAN buren, can never DO injured by fabri-
cations, like the one quoted at the head of this
article. They can have no other effect than to
show, that his opponents arc hard pushed" for
weapons with which to destroy or injure his
merted popularity.