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


and other expenditures incurred BY the nation
in maintaining his establishment while in their
service. How does the conduct Of George Wash.
nrton contrast on this subject with that OF
Martin Van Buren,! Washington and Van bu.
rem! Bless my soul, what falling on Loud
auqhterl Yes. What fall was there, my
Then you, and |, and all of us
fell down. After looking back down the long
line of illustrous worthless who have occupied
the Presidential chair in this country, is it not
enough to make the heart of patriot bleed,
and to cover his cheek with bushes to see in
what that illustrious line ends! What has
Martin Van Buren, ever done? Who can tell
me? can inform you, sir ; he has not only ta-
ken trenty fire thousand dollars in gold and sill.
rer for his annual salary, but he has compelled
the people to pay for HEMMING HIS DISH
RAGS into the bargain. Why, sir, he knows
no more of the honorable high-minded feelings
Of the patriot than he does of the hardsn'Ps OF
a soldier. think can tell about all ne knows
upon that subject; and it is expressed ~ '"e
mighty prayer Of an lrishman impressed as
marine: ssGod be thanked that ! never killed
any body. and that nobody never killed me!
God bless the world and huzza for the navy!
Loud laughter. lido not see why it is that's such
a nation as this should ever have made 81 much
of so small a pattern Of n man. He never origi-
mated any thing to benefit his country; he new
er fought to secure her glory; he has don't no.
thing but plot to elevate himself; and yet here
are VEAL thrown into turmoil about one little
man, as if he was hero or statesman-as il,
in the hour Of his country's extremity, he had
been the first to face her foes and present his bo
dy to their bullets, and when her danger was
past, had retired like another Cncnnatus, to his
plough, and had shonc yet more in all the peace
full virtues of private life than he had before
shone in the field. Placed by the side Of Hurt
son, what is he? and what has he done? Let
him read General Harrison's letter to Bolivar,
when that pure. minded patriot pointed out to
the great Liberator the path of true glory and
immortal fame, recommending him to take
Washington for his model, and to become, like
him, the father of his country. This would have
sent him down to posterity with shining brow.
Mysoul reioices that we are at last going to have
President something like the Father of the
Revolution. Why did the American people ad-
vance General Washington to the Presidency?
Because he had been the Father OF his Country,
living and acting only for her. Why did they
then choose the elder Adams? Because he had
been the eloquent defender Of independence;
because his living words had stirred the fire and
blood in the hearts of his countrymen, and had
inspired them to do and die in the cause of free
dom. Why did they make Jefferson their Chief
Magistrate? Because he had been the eloquent
writer Of the Declaration of Independence. And
why Madison? Because he had been the able the
profound eSpounder OF the constitution. Why
Monroe? Because lie was the last of that band
of worthless who had shed their blood in our rev
dictionary struggle. With him ended the revo
utionary race. Why had they then appointed
John @. Adams? Because of his long diploma
tic experience, his known political wisdom
Why Jackson? Let New Orleans answer. Ane
why Martin Van Buren,? Echo answers, why
It is true he put on General Jackson's coat, ane
drew on his heavy military boots, and tried t.
straddle into his footsteps, and that is bout all
had a mind to turn the attention Of th.
committee to u description of Martin Van Blu
rem, by his loving friend and cousin, Alexander
H Everett, of Massachusetts,, but will not DE-
friends here point out any one act he ever die
to benefit his country-let them lay their fnge
on one single bright page in her annals which
has ever been illuminated by deed of his. Whel
we would talk of Harrison, we can say, and sa,
truly, to all the people of the Northwest: he wa
father to your country. He saved it from
savage foe. He made all the Indian treaties b,
which you hold your lands in peace, and he pro
NOTED the improvement and we'll being of al
your settlements after he had first rendered
them secure. Under his government there wa
no Indian war like the contest in Florida, hatch
ed in fraud and prosecuted in reckless mprov
| idence The Indians themselves admitted tn
fairness and equity Of all his proceedings. The,
could rely on his word. they trusted his SINGER
! ity; no army was there to march to remove then
| from the lands they had sold to the white man
they retired voluntarily and peacefully. Blu
how is it now? You cannot negotiate sing
Indian treaty, but what your democratic con,
mssioners turn out to be such fraudulent ras
Gals that the Indians all complain they ar
cheated, and being themselves, for the mos
part, men of uprightness and jntegrity, the
become indignant at the wrong, and set you
power at defiance. What was the history o
your Greek war? How did it originate, an,
were you not obliged to remove the Cherokee
by the bayonet, .!lus compelling them to oh
serve treaty they had never made? Is thcr
not at this hour storm brewing amongst tn
Winnebagoes in the Northwest, because, ljk
the Seminolcs, they were cheated in treaty
1t will MT do to saddle the blame of the war
upon the Indians; and, when charged with al
the millions you have spent, to say; we can
not help tit is not our fault. You could ha v
helped it, and it is your fault. Your own abom
Unable frauds and expressions were the cause O
the war, and you are justly chargable with eve
ry dollar it has cost the people.
But, sir, must come back Tor the present t.
the odd grudge.' the expenditure for tn
palace. On the I'd of March, 1897, Congress
passed an act directing 'decayed, out of repai,
or unfit for USE furniture 10 be sold, and tn
proceeds of sale, and so much of a sum as til
President may judge necessary, not exceedin
), $4,000, to be invested in new furniture for tn
!, use of the President, (the elder Adams.) l
December, 1900, the Government was remove
to its permanent seat at Washington, but b,
: fore it's removal, viz, the Oath of April 1906
the sum of 900 had been granted to pr,
:, vide furniture for the house erected IN Wasl
ington for the President, to be expended by III
heads of State, Treasury, War, and NAVY
The furniture was subsequently increased b
three several appropriations of Sl4, 900 each
acts passed Sd March, 1905, I'd March. 1890
!. and goth July, 1913, respectively. There ha
therefore, been expended on the furniture
> the Presidents House from the time Of its fir
: occupancy in December, 1900, up to the D
Rod of its destruction by the British arm
: s57, 900.
: shall not descend to the basement story
the palace, and remark upon the furnitu
e which appertains to the numerous rooms pr
vided for the stewards, cooks, and other SC
wants, but content myself with the single d
! claration, that all the arrangements upon Il
basement story are in exact harmony with Il
|. style and magnihcence displayed in the 9th
u stories of the palace.