Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-22
WIN. HENRY HARRISON,
HON. G. P. VAN NESS on TIE STUMP.

According 10 promise in our last, we proceed
To rive some account Of the stump speech OF Mr..
vpn Ness delivered at this place on Thursday,
the 1lrh inst; md we crave the indulgence OF HE
reader for doing this somewhat nj length. The
truth is, the honorable ex-governor ox.judge, and
ex.mnster, has a particular set of arguments aud
misrepresentutions-most gross and dlshohorabie
misrepresentation, some Of them,-whch he is
dealing out far and wide and in order to show
IN the modest self-electioneercr somewhat in his
true colors and thus TO counterfeit the effect which
he is aboring TO produce, we are obliged to 90 in
TO details. 1t will be found TINT the hero of the
stump is ingenious, not ingenious - liberal in as
seriions not in facts-n short, he has all the quail
tiles of crafty, sophistical aud wordy special
pleader, and is not exempt from the common full
ings of that particular class in the profession, viz
a lack of keen sense of honor and of stern re.
gard for justice and truth. But to proceed with
the speech, The prominent points of which we
shall give, with such comments of DIR own ms the
case demands.
Mr.. Van Ness nro,iSced himself by assuring
the audience that he had not come TO exhibit pic
ture hooks or sing soDgs-he was no moune-
bank, no singer. A very harmless attempt at wit,
surely, SO far as the Wings are cencerned--but
perhaps not quite so harmless as to himself 1t
must remind us of that passage of VIII Shakes
peare, wherein It's said that he who
hath no music in his soul,
Is fit for treaSons, strdtdgenrS and spofLs,'-
"a description so fullyverfed in the political his.
tory of our orator, that it would require but a
slight stretch Of fancy TO suppose him actually to
lave sat for the happy portrait. Well, singing
was not Mr. Van Ness purpose; by no means.
He came to talk of grave matters, of principles
and questions on which hang the country's hope.
so he said and with compliments TO the can.
dor, the intelligence, and the patriotism Of his an
dience, he commenced with what purpored to he
history of political parties. Parties began, he
said, with the revolutionary war; and among tina
hand of patriots who fought and bed to throw
off the British yoke. Borrowing the language q
n late address of the locofocos of the New Yorl
Legislature, he boldly averred that portion ofih,
patrio,sof the revolution fought merely for indie
pendence Of the British wn and not for the lib
eriy Of The people,; they went for separation Sror
Great Britain, only to erect monarchy herr
of which they were themselves TO be The head
.4lerandc, Hamilton, (the aid of Washngton,)
and John adams, lone of the Committee whic
reported the Declaration Of Independence, AN
who mos. eoquently advocated it,) were ulon
named among this class of hypocrilica patriots
and the evidence against them was mere au
sion to,a solitary extract from speech Of Hami
ton in 1887 to an extract from work of job
Adams written before his election to the Proeider
cy, (perhaps before the revolution, the time W,
not specifically ard TO an "expectalion or hope" e,
pressed hy John Adams, after his election TO ii
Presidency, that the time would come when Il,
reditary President and Senate, or al least for lie
would lie deemed necessary for the happiness
the American people. Such was The evident
adduced TO substantiase this wholesale SANDER
the patriots of the revolution. We object not
it, SO far MS Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Adam
are concerned; Vet them stand or lml by ii
character which their whole lives will give
theu, whether il be monarchisis or republican
let Mr. Van Ness describe them as he pIeases: b
we protest against his attempt, n, this late day.
charge the indiscretions the errors, or the sins
Hamilton and Adams indiscrinnately upon Il
fathers and actors in The revolution. Why-tl
was the very SANDER which the British tories
1915 most indusriously used, us weapon TO u
down tile wings of the revolution and, to say
least, it is a remarkable coincidence that The sal
foul SANDER should be used to put down the viii
of 1910! But to continue MIR. Van Ness arg
ment: The same division of parties conlinued a
was exhibited at the adoption of the constitute
81
head, aud Madison and others 10 secure the sc
ereignty Of the people; il was continued after ,
adoption Of the consultation, when Hamilton q
The federasss att empted 10 secure, by usurpati
or Authoritarian constructions of the constitute
the utmost possible extent of federal power Il
Jefferson and the democrats resisted these
iemfts. And here comes tie conclusion of /
parade ofpretended hislory Jefferson said
Van Ness, 10 The head aud founder of oau Tme,
ing his loeofoco bearers,l political faith A
what were the differences? Oh-our opponer
the wings, are all lederalists and monarchist:
the Hamilton and Adams school! Nor was
left to mere Inference: Tor The orator directly n,
red that 'the )ederatisis had often changed Il
nnmes--being iederasis in 1888, national rep
lcans in 1882, and now, now, SAID he, Il bell
they are Democratic Tippecanoes.' 1t was
that Cornelius p. Van Ness described The mai,
~ OF the people of Vermont-,he very men '
pIaced him upon the bench ard in the gubern,
rial chair. 1t was the yiper's gratitude in k
but fortunately the sting WIS wanting For
is this man, thar thus, at one fell swoop, hurls
associates and followers of JONAS GALU
EZRA BUTLER HrNpv OIIN AAnoN IRIj
SAMUEL u. CRAFTS, DUDLEY CHASE and NJ
RICHARDS into the abyss Of federalism and at
same instant draws out MARTIN CnIrrrNl
STEPHEN HAreHr, Amos W. BARsUm, and /
associates and followers, and makes ,boo,