Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-03

pnpl 10 UuIlIlN lII tlilh 49, - -
q Adams and Henry Clay, and passed IN Congress oy
,heir friends. This indiscreticn in South Carolina, IT
was believed by many, had been occas'oned ny a per
sonal difference between the then Wee PRESIDENT, her
;1pstrious SON, John G.. Calhoun, and the President
There was certainly no occasion TO nullfy, Tor inc RE
sidenth had recommended a reduction OF tie arm, Wnich
doubtless would have taken place IN due season. Inc
COMPROMISE Act, however, before lncntioncu, scltiea
the matter, and rendered imperative tue provisions OF
. hill drawn from the Proclamation, and passed by Con-
rross To enable the President 10 collect the revenue
Il is not my purpose, now, to enter INTO any views on
the observation-disclosures will deny tilat the ifeslaeht
should have had power TO collect the revenue ana en-
force the l~aws-deny this power, and the Union IS DIS
solyod Rrt il IS said, the law must be Constitutional,
10 command obedience; then, who IS to say, II is Con-
stitutional. There are twcnty-slX parties TO The fcde-
raj Compact.-If it rests with the States TO say when a
law is Constitutional, and the doctrine OF acquiescehce
he rccopnized bv the other members OF the Compact,
tben no law could pass the Congress OF the Y. 5, that
wouId not be imperative in some one OF the States, II 1t
should be lis interest to nullify-thus, setting aside that
most important provision IN the Constitution, which re-
ouires that all laws should be uniform throughoutthc u
s. IT'S true, there were contained in it some abstrac-
t;o,s ohout the origin and powers Of our Government,
which were disavowcd by the President as soon as he
discovered they were liable TO misconstruction-all
hands at the time (but a very small party) approved
its object, the collection Of the revenue and the pre-
vcntion of dissolution which then seemed so near al
hand-but after all the danger was over, the Federal
lists, true to their vocation, set about to foment a spirit
of disaiection to the Union, i'll the hope to drive from
mower those whose influence alone prevented them
from taking possession of the Government. | have
thus hastily called to your recollection the history OF
the measures which are so frequently made the theme
of Wing clamor and complaint-not that they have
any practical relevancy to the measures of the present
Administration, but simply to expose the injustice, the
malignity and demoniac vindictiveness OF the Federal
party towards the People of this country; yes, say,
| have required to these measures, with a view OF
showing that those who are now continually drag
- Al. -. a.. ..,,, tr ,n,t IN inrIln"
are dragging up false issues predicatcd upon a want
of intelligence and justice in the people, and con-
victing themselves of downright hypocrisy and contu-
macious insolrncc, against the supremacy OF the popu-
lar will: but supposing this Administration now upon
its trial (which is not a facD for these alleged misde.
mcanors, with what sort of grace and show OF justice
conld our opponents urge them as objections; When
these measures were enacting, MIR. Van Buren, was
Vice President Of the u. She presided over the Sc
nate, and was never called upon for an expression OF his
opinion officially, except in cases where there was n tie.
Judge White and MIR. Rivcs, however, were Senators,
and us such, BY their speeches and votes, sustained al!
these obnoxious measures; yet the one wasa Wing can
didate for the Presidency in opposition TO Mr.. Van Blu
rem NJ the last election, and the other is now the leader
of the Wing party in the State and Legislature o! Va.
have shown YOU, Mr.. President, that the admit
nistration of the elder Adams was essentially mo-
n%archcal; that the younger was trcadlng III the loot
steps of his father--tllat when Gen. Jackson came into
office he had to undo what they had donc-lad to re-
padiate powers the" had claimed and believed essential
10 make ours a strong consolidated National Govern
ment--that accordingly, Internal Improvement, the
Tariff and a National Bank, were successfully over
thrown-that the collateral measures necessary to ac-
complish it, were approved BY the people-that Mr.. V.
Buren, was elected on a pledge to continue the same
policy to tread generally in the footsteps of 'his pre-
decessor that he has proved true TO his pledges and
done nothing as yet, for which he should be condemned
BY the people. This brings me to the consideration OF
his claims for a reelection in lSi0 to the Presidency
- H. n - g. ,rl,,l 10 ln- nv Ia, ,,.pornl wish M
I his friends and the custom of the country, become Il
candidate-atter which shall endcavor 10 pay my re-
spccts, more III detail, to the course and conduct OF our
opponents in reference 10 the various political questions
oi the day; in other words, 81 will carry the war INTO
Africa" where, unfortunately for themselves and the
country, they are now TO be found battling in behalf Of
fanaticlsm.
Previous to the last Presidential election, various OBJ
jections were urged against Mr.. Van Buren,, all of
which were explained to the satisfaction of the people,
and the result was, his triumphant election by a very
large electoral and popular vote, constituting a majo-
riiy over all the multiplied and various interests
brought in competition with him. This election, it
should seem, when %notlirg bad been done to fortify
the objections to HIM, would, of itself, haze been enough
to silence AL cl&mor and complaint, so far rs they were
a"uccrned. II is a wcll-cstabl;Shcd principle Of Justice,
That no man shall be tried twice ioi ne s""'~ III ~
Once arVutttcI, always rnHuorsIt. How very UNJUST,
then, in our opponents still to urge the same objections
10 Mr.. Van Buren's rc-election they did to his election
Ito try him twice for the same charge before the same
iurY, more especially as there is not 4 solitary lot oil
additional evidence upon which to found a conviction,
but so far from if, every thing TO weaken their faith in
the guilt of the accused. What were these objections:
! will state in as few words as possible. lst. 1t was allcg.
ed that he was opposed to the administration of Mr.. Ma.
olson: voted against him by voting for MIR. Clinton in
1872; that he was opposed to the war with G. Britain, and
was a Federalist. I'd. That he was opposed TO the ad,
mission of Missouri without restrictions as to slavery
within her limits. Sd. That he was in favor of free
negro suffrage in the State Of New York. 9Th. That
he was in favor of Internal Improvements by the Fede.
raj Government. 9TH. a protective Tariff. 9th. A
National Bank. 9TH. That he was an Abolitionist. 9Th
That he was 4 Northern man. 9Th. A Roman Catholic
10. The nominee of Andrew Jackson. Upon each OF
these charges Mr.. Smith made some comments, and
read evidence to disprovc them; he then demonstrated
that Mr.. Van Buren'had violated no pledge upon which
he came into Office, but on the contrary had more than
+ realized the expectation ofhis friends. He skctchcd IA
pidly his views of the Sub-Treasury, which he charac.
terized as the 'club of Hercules in the hands of the
people TO CHECK overgrown monopol!cs; in con junction
with this subject he alluded to Declarations and Expen.
dItures, charging both to the enemies OF the Admins.
tratlon; he then went through the testimony, making
it appear that Gen. Harrison was a Federalisi of the
reign of terror: a Bank, Tariff and Internal improve.
ment man; Il latitud.narian Of the very !ooSest school;
he then traced his cnnncNion with political Abolition.
ISM; and after some allnsion to his vote in the Legis.
gIslature of Ohio for selling white men, he said, "But
Notwithstanding this mass of evidence, men of intelli.
gence and truth, asscr! before the people, that he is
guilty of none Of these things; but, on the contrary, is
a Jefersonian Rcpublican-no Aboitionist or kin 10
onc-that he is the poor mans friend-eats apples
drinks cider-cracks clIesnuts-cocks his feet up agains,
the mantle of his og-cabin-conversc most agrccably,
and blows equal to a North wrstcr. This is the cant,
now, sir, of the dcccitful party-of that party born OF
Apatc, The tabled Goddess of the ancients, who prcsi-
ded over the mysteries of Dccepton.-Having impru.
pently arrogatcd to themselves, under the auspices OF
Messrs. Clay 4 Co, for the last ten years, cal! the Ia.
Tents and all the dcccncy' of the land, they are Row
heaping PclIon on Ossa, adding insult 10 injury, by
woolng those they have heretofore stigInati2cd as 'sthc
rag-tag and bob-tal!,' as though they had not the intel
ligence to discern, or justice TO condemn their hollow.
hearted professions. But, sir, ! understand, he does
not live in Il log-cabin, but in a splendid mansion, on a
large farm, lying on the North Bend of the Ohio river,
and worked by the very men, no doubt, he wished to
purchase, under his famous vote for selling white
men. admit, he is a very good Whig-poor mans
friend, as he IS for selling them in slavery-but,
SIR, he is not a Democrat, poor mans friend
What are his principles, sir, and what is the rea-
son the Harrisburg Convention did not accompany
4 10Th. q. iir,. ilnn,. =