Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-31
Communication.

fifty. 1t announced previous TO the time appointed
for their county convention that the great the patr
otto, the disintcrestcd democrat" c. p Van Ness
who has received from the U. s. government over
$1,000 and who because the Legislature of Vermont
preferred another to himself to represent the state in
the Senate of the United States turned his coat and
wagcd war; not only with the people of this state but
all who opposed his insatate thirst for Office would
deliver to the good people of Grand Isle county, his
| ever notable Woodstock speech. Impaticny did the
office holders and Office seekers with few rcspcca-
BILE farmers await the arrival of his democratic macs
to; but mark the chagrin and disappointment which
filled their bosoms, and the modification depicted in
their countenances when he announced that he should
not deliver his old Speech but conine himself princi
paly to slanderng the patriotic Harrison and oulog
zng, in his opinion, the almost immaculate Martin
Van Buren, and his federal followers He commen-
ced his stump speech by assuming the premises that
Martin Van Buren,, commander in chief himself one
of his aids and their followers, were the true democra
cy of the country: that the farmers, mechanics and
laboring class of community, constituted the grand
corps of democracy; while the opposition consisted
of bank arstocras, merchants, lawyers &c. having
near all the wealth Of the country concentrated for
the purpose of misunderstanding moncycd arstocracy
Now, sir, would inform Mr.. Van Ness that we have
no banks, bank directors nor stockholders in the
county of Grand Islc,hat we are exclusively farm
ing county--that we obtain living and support
our families by manual labor, principally by agro,-
ture; and yet we will convince his honor that we are
independent recmen not to be dictated nor influenced
by office seeking sefstyled democrats and that we
will give greater number of wing votes in Soptcm-
Der, and a larger ma orty for Harrison in November,
than was ever given in this county Who l would
ask the gentleman, encouraged, foscrcd and brought
into existence the pet banks 1t is fact well known
to every intelligent man that from 1880 to 1885, during
the reign of Andrew the first, state banks not
only doubled, but bank capital nearly quadruped and
that during that period, the party in power claiming
all the democracy had maiortcs in the legislatures of
the greater part of the states and yet Mr.. Van Ness
Evckc would attempt to cast the odum of the
mushroom growth Of the banks, on the shoulders of
the Wings. can assure the gentleman he mistakes
the intelligence Of this community, if he expects thus
to dupe us. In eulogizng Mr.. Van Buren, as the
prince of democracy, he pointed us to no ono single
act OF his deed of valor greatness no benefits per-
formed by him for his country, which should enttle
him to confidence or induce us to support him for
the office Of chief magistrate of this nation Nay,
nothing but the mere assertion of Mr. Van Ness that
his brother Dutchnan was democrat, and forsoo,h,
we must support him. He denounced Gen. Harrison
as having military talents save personal bravery
and declared he possessed no qualification necessary
to fit him for the Presidency But, friend Stacy, we
farmers of Grand Isle county are in the habit of think
ing for ourselves and ofbelieving such men Thorn
as Jefferson James Madison, Gov. Shelby Winfield
Scott Gen Gaines Col. Miller, of Massachusetts,
Col. Croghan and Richard NJ Johnson, all of whom,
have borne honorable testimony to the civil and mill
! .,ry talents of Gen. Harrison, rather than the bold
assertions and dcnuncatons, unsupported by evil
dcncc, of such oliccseeking pretended democrats
c. P. Van Ness. The only charge made by Van Ness
against Cen HARRISON which he attempted to prove
either by newspaper slang any thing he called evil
dence save his own ipsodlxit, that Gen. Harrison
while Governor of Indiana, approved Of law, and
voted for a similar law when senator in the legsla
ture of Ohio, authorizing the sale Of white men into
slavery. This thousand times rcfutcd SANDER Mr.
Van Ness, for wan, OF like materials congenial with
his nature, would urge az reason why we should no
support the Hero of the West for the Presidency. J.
Mr.. Van Ness will take the trouble to examine tn,
law complained of by him, he will find that the cu
prt or person whose services were sold, stood in thu
relation of all apprentice to his master. What! Is
possible Mr.. Van Ness, that you have after ransack
ing all the old federal newspapers and anti-war argu
ments been enabled to discover that Gen. Harrison
was in fault for preferring that poor man. havn!
committed inferior crime, should stand in the rea
ton of apprentice his master protected from abus
, or i'll treatment by the same law which guards tn
rights Of an apprentice and there labor until he pay
the fine and cost, rather than be immurcd, while h
lives within the walls of an American bastile, o
county jail? Wonderful discovery! but do not thnl
any Wing would envy you the profits should you OBJ
1 tain patent right.
> When MrVan Ness was about to conclude his pc
lltcal harranguc, his prompter the breakwater mar
whispered patriots and neutrality law" in his
y Whereupon, Mr.. Van Ness presented the Kinderhoos
i or as the great champion and friend of the patriot!
: and himself second only to Martin; for "when h
away of TO Spain, he wrote to the city of Wash
+ ington about patriots" He denounced Scott an
Wool as wings and spies for Sir John Colburn.
am not an advocate defender of the conduct
: Gen. Wool on this frontier, for most heartily do
II despise it; and equally do contemn and despise Il,
authority under which he acted emanaiing as it die
l. directly from the President Wool said he acted undt
d private instructions from the Secretary of War. TIL
truth this he tool in the hands of the Pres
dent to do his dirty work, and never as yet has III
President Secretary censured him for his conduc
nor denied that he discharged faithfully the duties il
/ cumbcn upon him. an inferior officer, receiving
: instructions directly from the Secretary of War.
t, Mr. Van Ness acclaimed against the neutrality Law
i said he was opposed to it--decldring at the san
time, that Martin not to blame for its passage
He said, Enough false as his and Van Burens CLAIM
Is to Jefersonian democracy that the whole wing del
e CATION in Congress from Vermont voted in favor
s. the law Not satisfied with stating this fasehoc
il once, he repeated it again. l would ask Mr. Va
Mr. Ness who hut Martin Van Buren, called on Congre
to clohe him with authority put down the patriots
'e Who but Martin Van Buren, informed Sir John Co
y burn that secret societies formed by the pato
;; in the fall of 1888, along the frontier from Maine
N Lake Michigan And who would ask, but Mart
s. Van Buren, denounced those brave but unfortuna
~ heroes-who, in their attempts aid the patriots
: throw off the British yoke fell into the hands of Il
British authores-as unworthy to receive the ri
IL the sympathy or commscraon Of any worthy cItiz
et of the United States. l would advise Mr.. Van Ne
III to go and preach the patriotism of Martin Van Bur
en- to the King to Sir John CoIborn and Allen McNal
:" and abuse the intelligence of the people of Il
frontier by urging upon them the claims or preenso
of Martin Van Buren, to patriotism.
To conclude, we farmers and mechanics of Ora