The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-06-18
Correspondence Of the New York Courier.
WASHINGTON. Nav ~

L.
Mr. Van Buren, during the War of
lsl2.-Itis frequently asled-what was
the policy pursued by Mr. Van Buren, du-
! ring the war Of 1872! His friends boldly
reply, he was the Jealous advocate of
that measure, and supported the Admin
lstratlon of the General Government, in
its prosecuuon.-llis opponents speak
doublingly, and give evidence in their an
swer to the lnterrogatory OF want of cor
rect information on the subject. Nor is
this strange or wonderful. The actors
in these scenes of those by gone days,
are rapidly passing off the stage of life.
Another generation has sprung up. Men
born after that war was declared may now
be in the councils Of the nation; and thou
sands of such are amongst the most ar
dent, and are OF an age TO be the most eff
tfcen in the mighty political struggle
that agltates our country. They are
older than a majority of those gallant
spirits which commanded our battalions
i'll the battle fields of the revolution. and
shed lustre upon the land of their nativ-
lily. No mans position is more easily
defined than Mr. Van Buren's in 1912.
A very few historical facts which are
matters of record, will remove all doubt
on this point; and however much they
may be obscured by sophistry and meta
physical refinement, they stand in bold
relief, placing him in the ranks of the
opponents of the aCdr and Mr. Midison,
and the champion of the .'peace party"
candidate for the Presidency, selected
and nominated by the New England
heightened Federalisis, designated, in
those times, the EsseI Juuto.
In April, 1912, MIR Van Buren, was
elected d member Of the senate of the
State of New York. The whole country
was then convulsed with the question
|of war or no war with Great Britain
In those days the Democratic party des-
|lgnated presidential candidates by con-
gressinnal caucuses. Theywere the testof
party men. In this way Mr. jefferson
had been tWice nominated and elected,
and Mr. Madison once. On the 23d OF
I May, 1912, Mr. Madison was nominated
a second lime, by the Democratic mem
bcrs of Congress. He was, selected by
them as the known and acknowledged
war candidate.
: On the 18Th Of May, seUen days after
1.-The nomination OF Mr. Madison, tile New
England Federalists, with certain, dislin-
gulshed federalists of the State Of New
d Y DIRK and elsewhere, held caucus in
Broad street, in the city Of New York;
Their deliberations resulted in nomina-
lung what they termed a .speace parry"
candidate for the Presidency, in opposi-
ton to MIR Madison, the ..war party
candidate. On the 18th June, l5 y,
war was declared against Great Britain,
and from that time until the meeting OF
the State legislature on the Sd Of Novem-
Der following, Mr. Van Buren, denounc-
led the war and its authors. He was ac-
lively engaged with the Federalisis in
Idisparaging Mr. Madison, and in unliriDg
efforts 10 defeat his; re election.
AT that lime the Legislature of the
State Of New York chose the Presiden-
ltial electors. Mr. Van Buren, was a mem
|ber OF the Legislature. The Electors
lwere chosen viva voce. Each member
rose in his place and read off the ticket
for which he voted; the clerk taking dc wn
the names Of the persons voted for, and
l|by whom. and then entering them npou
1.-THE Journal There could be no mis-
take, therefore, as to whom the members