Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-08-24
WHO Is JOHN SMITH!

WIN 10 JollN CMI1 IL
This question has been so often asked OF /
late, and " ilh such apparent sincerity, that i
we have much regretted the lack of the |
requisite information to answer the inquiry. |
1t is indeed surprising hat those who nomi-
mated Mr.. Smith should not have anticipn.
ted this inquiry, and provided an answer
for it. A committee endowed with fertile 4
imagina,ions, would, no doubt, have done
the Hon. gentleman great justice, and OF
the same time, have relieved us from an
irksome and thankless task. But pe can
not dodge the responsibility. Our readers
are entitled 10 such information as the ma.
ture Of the case admits.
From the flppant remarks of the Senti
mel about the republican candidate" some
have been led to suppose that Mr.. Smith
is really democrat, while others assert
that he is an old federa!ist ,-olhers still,
that he is Wing. an antmason, an abo-
litionlst, &c. and yet the Circumstance Of
his having received nomination and being
supported as VaDBuren man, rather gives
a coloring Of probability to a report that he
is. just at present, little leaning that way,
though this, we observe. is stoutly denied
by the Express. So that, after ALL the
question returns, " What is John Smith
And for the purpose of answering this in
quiry, we propose to introduce the Address
Of the democratic convention in 1884, as
we find it recorded in The Sentinel. Allud.
ing TO Mr.. Smith, the address says, he is
"A man Of fair character in private life
"--but Of the old federal par,y-the oppo
g nent and REVlLER of Jefferson and
" .Mcdison-the STRENUOUS OPPO-
"SER of the last WAR, and found EXERT
cling all his influence to thwart the govern
"ment in the prosecution of it; and if we
mayjudge from his past political course. he
has mol discarded The principles by which
=" he was then governed. democratic
".4ddresS Aug. 1884.
This is the testimony Of democratic
convention composed Of the leading men
from all parts Of the district men familiar,
it is 10 be presumed, with Mr.. Smiths
character and early history. But 10 this
the Franklin Journal demurred, whereupon
the Sentinel of the next week added the
following clencher:
Sc John Smith was opposed to the last
war. has al,oays been rank Jederahst,
and If he did not live 10 oppose the cleo
",ion and administration of Thomas Jeffer.
"son, he has nevertheless rendered himself
"equally culpable with those who did, by a
"sealous opposition throughout his ,chole
"poLtical career, to Jeffersonian principles.
Twin the writer or the Editor of the Jour.
"nal deny this' Why has the writer Tin
"the Franklin JournaD with such Jesuit
seal 6ncss passed over the charge of Fed
'eraiism made upon Mr.. Smith in the
address. Does he think that the Dem,
"ocralic Freeman will be deceived by this
''puerle attempt at white washing his
former political character, and by it be
"drawn into his supporl' Was he not the
"zealous coadjulor Of the Hon. Benjamin
"Swift during the last war and do the
leading parlsans of Mr.. Smith consider
"men who deemed it unbecoming mora
"and religious people TO rejoice at GU
VICTORIES" "good Democrats ,"-Sentine
Aug. Is, 1884.
Such was the significant inquiry of thu
SEN in 1884, little dreaming, we pre-
sumo. that it would be called upon
10 prove that this same "reviler of Jeffer
son, one who deemed it unbecoming NOR
al and religious people to rejoice at on
victories" was indeed "good democrat.
but thus saith the record. And did tn
sentinel and the democratic address spea
the truth in 1884! Ifso. then is the prob
lem solved, and we mey inform,he next ma
VINO 'n'errogates us, thu, the Hon. job
0"'h " has ways been rank federalis
"a rev'ler of Jefferson and Madison,
strenuous opposer of the last war, q ma
who deemed it unbccoming q morn, an
religious people 10 rejoice a, our yic,c