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

Mr. Van Ness has taken especial pains 70
abuse Gen. Harrison iornot coming forward, and
giving written plei s-s to every wApre- snap
per that sees fit TO annoy him with letter, about
some local and unimportant question. In his
letter to the New York Legislature, Gen. H.
thus defines his position
My public lie not a short one, is before tn.
country. My opnions on important subjects, have
been expressed from time to uinc us those sub ec,s
have ailson and since my name has been mentioned
among those from whom n selection might be made
for the Office of President have in several letters to
friends, fvlIy and frankly ayowCd nv sentiments
Farther than this, cannot suppose intelligent persons
could desire me to 60 The people of this country do
not rely on PROFESSIONS, promises and pledges They
know; that II candidate Is gnprncpled lie will not
s'ruple to give any pledge that may be required Of
him and as little VIII he hesitate to violate it.h-Har-
risons letter to Mc ~ York Legislature.
This doctrine, Mr. Van Ness denies. lie con-
tends that i, IS comparatively immetcrial what
a mans life has been but what will he pledge
himself to, now Pledges are the test, and il
he decline giving them on the eve of the cleo
ton, he should in no event be trusted. This
is his position Now let ms measure Mr.. Van
Ness by his own rule, and see how it works in
practice. In lS26 he was a candidate for the
L. S. Senate but strange as it may seem, the
people had doubts as TO his political integrity.
They could put their finger on no overt act Of
his, and yet they had their doubts.
'Thc reason why they could not tell,
But this they knew and knew full well,
They did not like that Doctor Fell"
Being themselves friendly to Mr.. Adams. they
were determined to elect none other than a
friend OF the administration to the Senate, Ac-
cordingly Mr.. Van Ness came forward with his
plc3ges. He wrote to numerous individuals in
different parts of the state, whose influence he
thought it necessary to enlist assuring them Of
his cordial friendship for Mr. Adams, and pledring
in the strongest terms, his support to the admin
istration These letters are now in existence,
and can be produced. In addition TO this he
came out in his message to the Legislature before
the election, with the following clencher, which
if believed, ought to have put to rest all doubt
on the subject
"our country steadily and rapidly advances in her
march 10 tnat elevation, winch she appears destined
to reach and which contribute to the highest happiness
as well as the greatness OF a nation The admins
tratlon of her government has indeed, passed from
the hands of the last revolutionary ratriot who will
ever direct her course But it is a source Of GREAT
FELICITY, that the succession has fallen on
! STATESMAN and a PATRIOT of the present
! day, whose TRAN SCENDANT TALENTS, exton-
sve experience, and PURITY or CHARACTER
furnish an UNFAlLlNG PLEDGE, that under his
guidance her progress, TO say the east will be unn.
pared and untanshed.'-I IAN NCSS'S Speech to the
Legislature oct. 1925.
There was nothing equivocal about this. 1t
was as full and explicit as language could make
it. Noil, the election came on. But, O, those
blaming doubts" Notwithstanding Mr. Van
Ness's pledges, majority voted aealnst him,
and another was elected. What then! Why
this man, literally covered over with pledges,
comes out openly against the administration,
denies that he ever was in reality friendly to
Mr. Adams, and that he only pretended to go for
him, for the sake of keeping on the right side OF
the people Hear him;
1t is certainly true, that have heretofore been in
! favor of Mr., Adams, and that am now opposed TO
| his reelection.
When the contest for the success ion 10 Mr., Monroe
| commenced | acknowledge that had some GiHc,,H,
| i'm coming 10 a conclusion in far0r of Mr. Adams
both on political and personal grounds, The political
| objections were that he had deserted one marty onI
ioned another and did not fully possess The co rs"
| dence of either consequently that he would bo c
rinually sulectcd, on the one side 10 mputa,;or
insincerity in his npostacy and on the ober -, vi
plants of overcharged hostility nnainst thoso I'm
whom he had abruptly separated himself Tho.e t oH