The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-09-03

were bought by the President, through
his immediate agent, +. L. Smith, and on
the President rests the responsibility.
From the Madisonian.
The President of the United States has
written an elaborate letter, four or five
columns long, in answer to several ques-
tons put him by John B. Cary and 9TH
ers, of Elizabeth City county, Virginia,
relating to Slavery, National Bank, the
Tariff, Internal Improvements, and the
plan for the 100000 United States Militia
Force. He answers on the first four sub
jects by referring to and quoting extracts
from his letter to Sherrod Williams, and
Mr. B. F. Buffers letter to H. A. Gar
land. The only novelty in it relates to
the militia scheme, and his answer exhi-
bits degree of warmth. if not passion,
which is quite unusual for Mr. Van Bu-
rem. and which proves that he is very
sensitive on the subject. His object
seems to be to throw off from himself the
responsibility of that scheme, and he
therefore undertakes to make his readers
believe that the plan was not "seen by
him, or submitted to his consideration,
before it was communicated to Congress.
This is an impossibiHty, and the public
will take the Presidents assertion, we
presume, for all it is worth, and no more,
when they recollect that Mr. Poinsett's re-
port is addressed to the President, and
dated the Both November, 1889, in which
the scheme is developed, and that Mr.
Van Buren,, subsequently, in his message,
viz: on the Oath of December. 1889, ex-
pressly stated to Congress that 81 cannot
recommend too strongly to your consid-
Grafton the plan submitted by that officer
for the organization of the militia of the
United States''
1t will be recollected also that the Sc
cretary of War is not a legislative officer,
but one Of Mr. Van Buren's Executive
officers, and his reports are to Mr. Van
Buren,, and form part of his message.
The President has involved himself in
a dilemma. He has either made an ''as-
sault upon truth" or he has shown most
culpable carelessness in recommending to
Congress an unconstitutional scheme
which he knew nothing about! He may
take either horn of the difficulty.
THE STANDING ARMY DODGED!
It is well known that Mr. Van Buren,,
in his last annual message, told Congress
that she could not too strongly recon-
mend the plan Of the Secretary Of War,
Mr. Poinsett. for reorganization of
the Militia of the United States" That
plan was accordingly laid before Congress
by the Secretary, and Immediately pub
lished to the country. 1t was received
with almost unanimous and indignant
condemnation, as scheme of Despotism
and Oppression. VIRGINIA was espe-
cially earnest in its depreciation. What
was to be done Back out or Dodge,
as usual! Two or three white-washing
Reports were made in Congress, and i'm
mense numbers of them were printed for
circulation at the expense of the People
These Reports take the ground that the
President had nothing to do acith the matt
ter, notwithstanding his explicit endorse
ment of the PLAN above quoted, and shirk
the whole responsibility upon the Secre-
tarv, who meekly consents to shoulder
the load But let US hear Senator PRES.
TON tell the story:
The Richmond Wing says that Mr..
Preston in his speech in Petersburg, in
contrasting Gen. Jackson and Van Buren,,
referred to Vans skulking on the Army
Bill. 1t was most admirable scheme a,
at first, and he could not too strongly
recommend it to Congress; but when Old
Virginia began to protest against and to
denounce it, he began to tremble and
skulk from the responsibility. "Here,
Points, here! Kidnapping his fingers
and whis,ling Points up as he would :
spaniel. (--"I did not do this, did l!
Please tell the gentlemen and ladies who
did," Points, with great humility ant
innocency Of aspect. responded as desired
81 did 1t 20
| One may imagine, but ne language cal
describe, the ludicrous effects of this rep
resentation.
GREAT GATHERING IN N. YORK
I The New York Wing Convention
held at Utica, on the 18th inst, was wor
thy of the Empire State: il was the Lar
gest Convention that has ever yet bee
seen in this country, with the exception
of the Young Mems National Convention
at Baltimore and perhaps the South Yves
teru Convention just held at Nashville
The following is an extract Of a letter fror
;; Utica to the Albany Evening Journal:
{ This has been the proudest-brighte.
day of my life! Never-no never, hav
before seen the People in their majesty
Never were the foundations Of popul;
sentiment SO broken up. The scene
from early dawn to sunset, has been on
:. Of continued. increasing, bewildering e.
thusiasm. The hearts of TWENTY
FIVE THOUSAND FREEMEN ha,
been overfowing with gratitude and gla
ness and joy. II has been day Of Jut