Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-07-28
COLUMBUS DEMOCRAT AND THE
ROOE CASE.

HUE CASE.
Van Pdren's sanction Of Negro Testi-
mony,1n the trial Of white men is work
ing wonders against his administration.
a is a fire brand in the camp, bomb
shell exploded in the ranks. 1t shows
that the same thoughts, feelings and predi.
lections in favor Of the dear black race,
which governed his conduct in the Mis-.
souri, question, still hold their place in the
bosom Of the "northern man with southern
principles. 1t further shows that those
feelings and predictions are ready to
show themselves on all occasions, though
; by stealth as it were when action is abso-
lutely necessary, and there is no chance
= for lodging. Principles which lie near
ones heart will now and then steal their
way to the light SO as to be visible. Van
Buren's sanction Of negro testimony in
the case of Lieutenant Hooe, shows WISH
bly, the existence ofthe same propensites
IN favor Of the negro race, wkich governs
the movements the abolitionists. Feel
ings which are dearly cherished will some.
times vent themselves so easily and nat
urally, that the blighting influence which
they will have on ones prospects is who'll
ly unperceived-so it is in the Hooe case.
Van Buren, cherishcs the principles invol-
we'd in his sanction Of negro testimony so
q dearly, that wiley as he is, he permits them
to creep to the light from the secret re.
cess Of his bosom, where he had endeav-
CURED to conceal them since the Missouri
question, wholly unconscious that south.
ern men would recognize them as the
identical principles Of the abolitionists.
All democrats of reflection have seen with
regret the abolition blunder into which
Van Buren, has fallen and every pen has
been engaged in smoothing the matter
over. The puny editors Of the Democrat
have tried their skill in the matter in their
last paper.
They must have written their article in
that paper before they had got the usual
instruction from the file leaders of the par.
ty,to know what they ought to write. Like
all needless apprentices who venture upon
The work before is cut out for them, they
have spoiled the job. So far from mend
ing the matter for the President they have
absolutely condemned him past redemp-
ton. They have the assurance in the first
place to assert that the negro testimony
was legal evidence, and that it has Away:
been admitted on such occasions anC
would have the public to believe that Var
Buren, did right in sanctioning the negro
testimony because such testimony was le
gal and that it has always been admitted
In the very next breath they refute thi'
their own position and show that such ties
'timony was not legal, and that it ought no
to have been admitted. Ignorant no doubt
ofthe force Of their own admission, and o
the import of their own language, they de
clare, in the very paragraph in which the
contend for the legality of the negro test
mony that Van Buren, determined onl
not to interfere, when he ascertained ths
the testimony which .Hooe objected I
may be entirely rejected without affect
ing the sentence Of the Court" plainly i'm
porting, that if the testimony which Hoo
objected to, could not have been reiecte
without affecting the sentence of the cour
Van Buren, would have interiered. In tn
next paragraph also, they repeat that Ii
President refused to interfere, only b
cause the negro testimony was immatera
thereby showing that If the testimony ha
been material Van Buren, would have il
terfered and reversed the sentence of II
court. These editors show us yer
handsome sample of President, VIII
would have interfered with the sentence
the court, had the negro testimony bee
material, Notwithstanding that testimon
was legal, and has been always admittet
Tn, At Is in few words ifthe negro test
monv had been material, Van Bure
would ba> Q interfered the law Iegallzin
the tes,imOn, to tho contrary nOtwitl
standing.
These Editors nuss regard the Pres
dent as above the law, anu as having 4
a
prorOgative Of violating the h" 2.
pleasure; an error into which men o. tue
calibro are very innocentIy betrayed, :
Inc nuniberIess violations ofthe law con
mit,ed by tho administration, which II
cards neither constitution or laws, henS
these Editors suppose that law has