Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-12-22

message p'nccs him. When a high public
functionary has brought himself to excuse
by shallow aud daspcabe subtcrfuge the
abandonment of his own leading principles,
if his enemies have ground OF triumph,
there still remains to his friends this conso.
lalion, that the future can subject him to
no worse humllintions than the past.
In direct connection with his notice of
the late elections, he tells US that "Me
national 'cW is The supreme lo,o Of The
repubhc and on aHsujects tciHtin The limits
oC his constitutional potcers shouM be Jaih.
fully obeyed by Tie public SeruanL" That
| this was Mr.. Van Buren's doctrine, hal
been 50 often trumpetcd forth by himself
and his friends tina, it was well known to
the whole nation. 1t was ,hercr re by no
means strange that great anxiety should be
felt by his supporters, and degree Of
curiosity by his opponents, a TO the man
ncr in which he would conslrue the "su-
preme law" as expressed in the late elections
Let US not be misunderstood as to the
grounds Of this anxiety and curiosity
The question was not "what will Mr.
Van Buren's course be-" but "what will be
his erasion?" Neither friend nor foe was
SO stupid as TO imagine that he would hon
esily act according to bis avowed principles.
His character was too well understood TO
leave such bundcr possible.
Anxiety and curiosity are alike quoted
by the message. The evasion expected
by all is there presented. Aud what is
this child Of Mr.. Van Buren's ingenuity,
the shift, the subIerfuge, by which he
shuns the requirement Of his own great
principle? 1t is this: that the result Of the
eieciionS 'cas olring TO the influence Of banh
capital that The Wigs prerajied because
The banks, being liable to The forfeiture Of
their Charters Ceared the hostility Of the
Fan Buren party, and that therefore tie
VUOttC }CttL iDIS NOl UluNDCSCu.
The stupidity Of this argument nigh,
claim remark did it not exhibit qualities
much more obnoxious it is both FALSE
and sLANDERous.
First it is false. Let US turn our at,en,
ton to New York. Had the banks Of that
State any thing to fear from the Van Buren,
par-y' No man believes this least OF all
Mr.. Van Barren, and it requires singular
hardhood to assert it. The facts in the
case show such assertion TO be completely
absurd Nearly all the banks are indebted
to that party for their charters; prominent
men Of that party own very large pro-
portion Of the stock; and that party too
has uniformly treated the banks with kind.
ness and Partially. Did not the Van
Buren, Governor and Legislature of New
York willingly and promptly legaliz9 the
suspension last spring. Can Mr.. Van
Buren, believe that there are ten men in
New York who ever dreamed that the
banks had anything 10 dread from tina,
party? Even The stupidity which could
assert this should nol in fairness be charged
with the absurdily of believing it.
1t is -lmpudently and con.
temptbly sianderou. 1t virtually charges
the free voters Of the states whose elect
ions have been held, with corrupton-wi,h
being brought over by the banks, The
People of the West, of Massachusetts, of
Maine, and of New York will not forget
the consummate duplci,y which is capable
Of nlterng a, The same time honed words
about the "nalional will" and sanderous
inpnta,lons against those by whom that
will is expressed. Mr.. Van Buren's asser
ton that the late elections are not to be
taken as an expression Of the public will
in regard to his sub-lreasury scheme is
enthusiastically hypocrllcal, In what
way does Mr.. Van Buren, expect 10 learn
that national Will which he so much
reveres' If he is always to impuic (as 10
the present cascl adverse politica changes
to unworlhiness or corruption in the PEG.
pie, and therefore to assume that such
changes do not express the public VIII,
wha, let us ask will be the practical oper.
alton Of the Wanted rnio that the pubic
servant is to obey the public will,
Mr.. Van Bureaus course in his matter
makes il too evident that it is at length
the misfortune Of the country to have Il
President who can resort to shallow aud
doceltrul evasion to escape the nconven.