The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-09-23

A'ahison alone, TO counterbaanCe any ma lOrity by
which Mr. Van Buren, could have carried the state.
How lar this conviction was well or iIl.founded,
Il Is not now relevant to enquire; it is enough that
It prevailed, honestly and sincerely. lie then Mr.
Van Buen was reelected by the vc'e of Virginia.
without whose vote he could not have hecn re-
elected, and it was manifest and could be judicial
ly established. that he was Indebted for his Viz
gna ma jority to fraud the question passed from
man TO man, what was to be done' What was
the remedy' Would the American people sub
nit to be ruled by IL majority, carrying the point
by fraud? Ought il TO be submitted to If such
n precedent were acquiesced in would it not be
repeated, and deluged as our country always was,
and would annually continue to he 10 II constantly
angmentng extent, by imm gratons of the most
illiente classes of Europe, should we not speedy
be at the mercy ofhim or them who could embody
the great number Of mercenares 10 drown the
voices of the true and real American people! lf
the Constitution and Laws afforded no redress,
ought not the people TO take redress into their own
hands, ms casr was presented when submission
to the wrong was n tac accomplishment of free
Government. and Virtual slavery Such were the
questions agl'ated at that moment of excited feel
ing and painful suspense.
Gentlemen of the bar were consulted as 10 the
legal course which ought to be taken if Mr. Van
|
It could be made TO appear that his ma joriry in
that there was no legal redress whatever, and that
the returns of the Presidential Commissioners
were final and conclusive, and could not be looked
behind. If these Commissioners, nhnmcd by
parllzen zeal, had arnulled the Constitution, and
permitted aliens, non residents and ali others to
voie-or, if brlbed with federal gold they had cx-
clnded Wings altogether from the polls, and sur-
Tered none but their opponents 10 vote-and if all
this could be established beyond controversy or the
ability Of single human being to question il still
we were tod that the law could afford no relief
and the decision of the returning Officers, that is
the Commissioners, who unassaab'e and could not
be set aside. The commissioners indeed could be
punished, hut their act, which might and most
probably would subvert the institutions of the coun-
try, could not be reached or remedied. | was as
tonished then, and can hardly now believe this to
be so but 80 was told by respectable legal au-
| tholy, a President chosen by such means would
as cllec,ually be President, as Gen, Washinglon-
The farther opinion was expressed that if military
force was employed to control the votes of the
people, the violence would be cured BY the return
Of the Commissioners. | humhly submit these
matters to the country and the Legislature, as
did before IN November, lSI0
menl, were still farther inilamed by the assurance
that the laws could afford no redress for the mon
slrous crime of srangling the voice of free Peo-
pie by corrupling the ballot boxes, if i, should e.
ven be demonstrated that it had been committed.
In this state Of feeling three individuals who hap
pened to be together, in'erchanged opinion, found
an entire concurrence Of sentiment among them
selves, and hastily arranged the heads of plan fol
rcdrcSsing the wrongs of the country by securing
the person Of Mr. Van Buren,, previous To Its nau-
gurhllon. Three things were to precede putting it
in execution: l. The election ofNlr Van Buren,
2. That he could not have been returned without
| the vote Of Virginia. 3. Proof carry ing positive
and undoubtcd certainty with il, that his majority
in Virginia was fraudulent, These prelmnures
ascerlalncd, twenty persons, men who could de-
pend on one another were to be admitted INFO the
association under the pledge of secrecy and fdeli-
~. Ten of the number were 20 proceed 10 Wash
nglon in l's, steamboat giving out that their OBJ
)ect was punt Of amusement, TO witness the mp
preaching Inauguration. II was imagined that
there would be little difficulty in finding an nppor-
iunry Of conveying Mr. Van Buren, on board by
sira,agcm or force, and this done the boat was to
run with all despatch 10 AIbcnure Sound, prevl-
Ously agreed upon as tie destination. There the
ten were to be met by their associates, and Mr.
upper Districts Of North Cnrolina, Cornwals's
" most lebeious People in Amerlca," and whom
we knew to he now ~ slaunch wings rs their Ia
Tiers were in 1850. Arrived there. n manifesto
was to be published addressed 10 the American
People, declaring the motives and objects Of the
net, and the ycinagc assembled and appealed TO-
| Mr. Van Rnrcn himself was to he treated with the
greatest possible respect and courtesy compatible
with safe custody. The manifesto was 10 demand
n new election and the restoration of the rights Of
| the majority.
The next northern mail brought confirmation IF
a great Wing victory, and Of course the pan of
abduction and all thoughts of it were abandoned
! Whether il would have been executed if the events
had fallen ont, the anticipation Of which led to lis
conception, Is beyond my power 10 know. be-
liove it would have been, Tor although it was en-
braccd in passion, HAT passion was not likely To
cool by witnessing successful Fraud in the enjoy
men, Of its spells. Passion. by such a spectacle
was Ear more likely to be iniamed than paciied
md to pass into gloomy resolve and vindcii,e az
ton, and Patriotism would have come TO the aid
| Of its reasoning.
| What consequences might have followed il j.
still more impossible 10 know. We believed how
ever, that those consequences would not he blood
v, that the good sense and moderation Of the A.
merriam Peop'e won'd sue win US and requne
that to he done which we demanded and tina, the
most 'alu'ary effects would ensue IN guardin. more
carefully the purity Of the elective franchise and in
arrcslng The growth Of Election fraud md corrup
lion. within few years advancing with the most
alarming rapidily, and threatening to subject, the
will Of the American People TO be unnsirncied
population of ireland and Germany seeking home
on our shores.
4 = Il f.l
medltated action. If That was good the actors were
irresponsible for It's consequences. believe il
good then, when much excited, and believed it so
still. when the Indignation Of that day is supp'ant-
ed BY another class Of political feelings which
makes me regard their predecessors with a very
different eye-whcn ireacherv md ingratitnde
cause me To view "Van and the Sroils system
with comparative affection. ! satisfied myself it !
was right bv n very simple process Of reasoning.