Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-17
To THE prRIIc

Of 10Th July last, promised to satisfy the publ
that Mr. Van Buren, Opposed the late war uni
|, public opinion drove him into its support" hav,
Also IN the controversy with Mr. John A. Parker
made and repeated the declaration, that had hear,
MIR. Van Buren,, in 1912, express his opposition Z,
the war. To the proof OF this am also pledged
And to these matters now invite attention.
This publication has been long too long, delay
ed, and so far as am Individually concerned,
could be content TO let II rest, but duty to my
friends, who have so generously sustained me, Tor
bids my silence, even ut this late period. IL u.s. per
haps, due 10 myself that should state the re ason,
OF this long delay. Having appealed to Mr.. Van
Buren, TO do me justice upon the subject let bound
in honor, and as simple justice TO him. to make nc
publication until he should have had full time to 10.
ply to my appeal. For reasons well known to hin,
and his friend Dir. vandcrpoel, my letter to him
though written the LIST Jpnc. did not reach his hands
until the 23rd Juy-and | supposed, that about
the LIST September was as carly as could properly
conclude that he did not intend to answer. On the
3rd September, was attacked with fever which
prostraled me Tor the whole month, and from which
have not yet entirely recovered, being, until thi.
moment, much enfeebled, mentally and physically.
No positive proof OF the deelaulions of Mr. Van
Buren,, In my presence Is proltssed to be offered
nor could Il reasonably lie expected. When the
difficulty Of rccolecting, even for month who were
present at any particular conversation, IL rcncu,.
beredihe difficulty, very nearly spproximalng inn
possibility, OF so reeolleeng. after lapse Of
| y thirty years, will be readily admitted by ALL
But, in the proof which viii be offered OF his uni.
/ form opposition To the war throughout the summer
and as late as November 1919, connected with his
prevaricating refusal TO give plain honest answer
TO my plain honest question, will be found, IL is
hoped, sufficient evidence to satisfy all candid men
OF the truth OF my declaration.
The evidence TO be offered being volumnous, and
the existing necessity of abbrevaung this article as
much ms possible, will offer sufficient apology for
the psucIty Of comment, IN which the writer will IN
dulge, upon the facts submitted. Having given the
evidence, and barely sufficient comment, properly TO
connect the facts, he must leave il his readers To
draw the proper Inference and supply the necessary
argument. That the evidence is yolumnous is ow-
ing TO remarkable trait in the character OF MIR Van
Buren,. All who know him well, know his remark
able care and success in Towering up his track"-
So that II is extremely difficult, after a few years
to commit him 10 any particular policy course OF
action.
MIR Van Buren,, in his letter TO r. NJ. T. Hunter
Esq Of 7th August, 1910, admits that he supported
De Witt Clinton for the Presidency in 1872 IN op.
position TO MIR Madison. This support identified
him with the opponents of the war; and having
acted with the party opposed TO the war, he must
be Presumed to have been himself opposed to it,
The country was then divided into two great par
ties, between whom the lines distinctly drawn.
The Federal party opposed commercial restrictions,
the war, and MIR Madison. and was denomna:ed the
Peace party" while the Republican party sustain
ed all these, and was styled the "UGr pariy.'-
That the parties Were thus designs ted, is evident
from the whole tenor OF the Richmond Enquirer
Throughout tHe year lSlz. Let one quotation. SUI
nee. Richmond Enquirer, November 10Th, 1872
The Democratic Republican or War party maio-
rity over the Federal Peace party in Pennsylvania
on the Congressional ticket, is more than twenty
i've thousand votes" These two parties were full
y and fiiry arrayed against each other in q fierce
and desperate struggle for the Presidcncy-,he
War party sustaining Mr. Madison-the Peace
party Mr. Clinton. Richmond Enquirer, November
ID, lsl2-"The FederaliSts'' peace pariy) "spare
no efforts to Gust Mr. Madson--but in vain. They
H..
SONS" In this contest, MIR Van Buren,, with the
Peace party, sustained Mr. Clinton.
Moreover, MIR Madison opposed expressly
because he was IN favor of the War, and MIR Gin
ton sustained because of his opposition to IT, Album
dant evidence OF this fact is found the addresses
and resolutions OF public meetings, and Ia the anti
eles IN the newspapers OF that period. a few ex-
amples are submitted. Clntonan meeting at
Little York, Pa, declared ground of Opposition
10 MIR AladsOn ihlG he had "pfecipiiaels aud rash
~ Urged Congress 10 declare iear;" and they re-
solved TO sustain MIR Clinton. because "unike Mr.
Madison, he tcas friend 10 Peace and Commerce"
meeting OF Cntonian PeGeraiSts at Hudson, N.
Y, at the very door and under the very eve Of MIR
Van Buren,, adopted Il resolution grossly denuncia-
tory OF the war. The Republican members of the
Legislature of New York, who nominated Mr. Gin
TON o:Signed as reason for supporting him, that
his election would promote the peace of The Union.
The committee appointed by that meeting, in their
address to the people OF the United States say that
they support him (Mr Clinion) because "his Ad-
ministraton would aim at reviying the almost eN.
pIrIng commerce Of the country" and because ITO
regain peace would be his study--to retain it, his
desiIe."
The Clinonian press, almost unanimously, de-
nounced MIR Madison and the War. Take one
specimen from New York paper, under the eve,
and thought TO be under the influence of MIR Van
Buren,: Madison has begot war-war begels ebts,
and taxes aEd bankruptcy" sc. "ClinlOn will be-
get peace" sc. Add TO this the declaration OF II.
G.. Oiis, leading FederaIist and Peace mao, made
IN a speech at n town meeting IN Boston, and re-
ceIved and greeted with loud and long puudils that
the Federal party would sustain Mr. Clinton, be.
cause he was opposed TO commercial restrictions
offensive and French nliia nee" and no room is
left TO doubt Of the grounds upon which Clinton
was sustained. OF all these things, Mr. Van Buren,
must have had perfect knowledge. They passed
Immediately under his eye; and lac must be pfesum-
ed to have sustained Mr. Clinton upon the same
grounds. IL is also, with some confidence, submit
Ie that no publ; meeting, no public address, and
public journal Of that day. can be found adyo.
eating the claims OF Mr. Clinton, upon the ground
Of his being in favor Of The war at all much less in
favor Of mere decided policy towards Great
Britain.
When, in addition to all this, the general noto.
rous truth IS remembered, that at that period the
cause OF MIR Madison was completely identified. with
the War, and the cause Of MIR Cln,on as complete
ly identified with Peace, il is difficult, il not mpos-
slbe, to reconcile the support OF MIR Clinton with
advocacy of the War.
Bot BENJAMIN +. Butler, Esq'r, the intimate
friend and pToiege of MIR. Van Buren,, in the Every
teeth Of all this evidence, has said IN his letter TO
Hugh A. Garland, speaking Of the members Of the
New York Legislature who nominated MIR. Gin.
ton-"The great mass Of them, so far from being
"opposed to beIlgennt measures against Great
"ButGin in favor Of more decided policy than
chad been pursued towards her. In regard to Mr..
ivan Buren, this was peculiarly the case" (tlol-
lands Life Of Van Buren,, page 90) This state
ment Mi Van Buren, IN his letter to MIR. Hunter be-
fore alluded TO, sanctions and endorses. How does
It compod with the lacts2 Mr.. Clinton was nomi-
mated on the 29,h May, 1912. On the LIST June, Mr.
Madson's Message, urging the declaration OF war,
was communicated 10 Congress, and for some Time
before that, the policy Of Mr. Madison had been
well known, not to stop short o. full and ample re-
doss, war. So, that, at the time Of the nomini-
ton, they could MOI, by possibility, have b,en 10
favor 81 "mOre decided policy" On tho 18th
June, War was declared. This was the most decided
policy within the range Of possibility to ndopt-the
"uliima ratio regum." So from that time they could
not have been IN favor of "more decided policy"
and the assertion that Mr.. Clinton was supported as
moro decided wnr man, is utterly unfounded, and
IS shown 10y the facts themselves, to be false. Bot,
unfortunately Tor the credit Of Mr. Van Burcn and
his ptoicge Mr. Batter, the members Of the ~. Y.
Legislature, who nominated Mr. Clinton, set forth,
as one reason Of their nomination, that they were
"saisfed that his elevation TO tligt station, will
greatly promote TuE PEAcE, the prosperity and
"tho porm1noncy Of the Union,' (see Richmond
enquirer, June 10Th, 1921 while they say not one
VOID pf their approving ga more decided policyrI
towards Great Ilrithin Nor did they sion here IL,