Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-08-20

at the last session. Some surprise has been ex-
pressed, and doubts appear even to be entertain
ed Of the correctness Of his declarations that the
plan was not seen by me, or submitted to my
consideration, beioia it was communicated to.
Congress. Those who take this view of the sub
jeci, entirely overlook the fact, that such is al
most invariably the case on all similar occasions:
and that in replying to calls made upon them
by either branch of the Legislature, the heads
Of Departments act for Congress, and not for the
President; except only on occasions where his
acts are brought in question. The impractiea-
blity of pursuing different course, if even it
were otherwise desirable, will be appreciated,
when it is considered how very numerous these
calls have recently been, amounting as they have
done to two hundred and twenty at a single ses-
sion, independently of those made on the Presi-
dent himself, and of letters from Committees re-
qulring gleat research, and the preparation Of
voluminous documents. Unfair as these animad-
versions arc thus shown to be, this has not been
even the worst aspect IN which they have been
presented. We have been compelled to see,
not, should think, without shame aud murtif-
ca lion on the part of every ingenious mind, what
ever may be his political preferences, the names
of respectable citizens subscribed to statements,
that had in my annual message expressed my
appreciation of plan, which not only never had
|
until more than three months after the message
was sent to Congress; and an attempt to prove
the unfounded assumption by the publication OF 0.
garbled extract from that document, with its true
meaning folsihed by the suppression of material
part. Nor was the ayowed object of these extra
| ordinary proceedings less remarkable than the
acts themselves, being nothing less thar an at
| tempt to fix upon me the design of establishing
a standing army of two hundred thousand men,
for political and personal purposes. If l had
| been charged with the design of establishing a.
mong you, at the public expense, menagerie of
two hundred thousand wild beasts, it would not
have surprised me more, nor would il, in my
udgmen., have been one jot more preposterous.
| am, fortunately, gentlemen, not over-sensitive
| to attacks of this character, and have, withal,
| an abiding confidence in the n diligence of the
people, which renders them proof against all such
attempts 10 deceive them. If understand nv
own feelings, my chiefregret in witnessing such
degrading exhibitions, arises from a considera-
tion oGlhe opinion, which foreigners, who have
not the same reasons to respect our political in
stitutiOns that we have, are likely to form of the
character of our people, when they see that con-
spiruous men among US can promise themselves
any advantages, from attempts to delude their
fellow-citzons, by means of such monstrous abb
surdities This regret is, however, l confess,
materially diminished, by the conviction that
The people will in the sequel, as they have here
tolore done, convince those who attempt in this
manner to operate upon their credulity, of the
folly of seeking TO accomplish, in this country,
political objects by such discreditable means.
l have the honor to be, gentlemen,
| Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
M. VAN BUREN,.
To Messrs. John .. Cary, A. G. Hudgins, Thos
Jones, and GA. Cary, of Elizabeth City
county, Virginia.