The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-05-17
Frou the N. Y. Express.
THE VAN buren, MANIFESTO.

THE VAN buren, MANIFESTO.
The SAGE OF LINDENwALD ON THE TAR.
IFF.-Mr. Van Buren,, in all his co.nmuni-
cations addressed to the "dear people," ev-
er reminds one of that eloquent and plausi-
bic friends Of afflicted Job, who was SO re-
markable for darkening counsel viii
words" He seems 10 be beiiever 10 that
definition Of the term language, which the
satirist gave,-a GIFT 10 enable man thereby
to conceal his thoughts. The more immi-
nent the necessity of correct information to
the enquirer, the more impenetrable is the
meaning of the reply; the more direct and
simple the interrogaiory, the less categori-
cnl is the response.
We have seen witness put upon the
stand, before now. TO testify before jury
concerning the facts ic pending case,
whose conduct while under the screw of n
cross-examinsiion is very like that Of Mr..
Van Buren,, while replying TO the Commit.
tee of The Indiana Stale Convention. The
witness has no objection to reply, but he will
take his own time, and must then have his
own way, in phrasing and explaining his
testimony. Being told TO 60 straight for
ward. and tell his story, he says, "Certain.
ly, Sir, am ~ and then on he goes. as be.
fore, giving The Court, and the Bar, and Ju-
ry. and auditory very Interesting narra-
tive of events. and incidents, and opinions,
altogether irreevan: to the subject matter
of the questions be is pretending 10 answer ;
till human patience can endure no more,
and the sly rogue. having carried his point
Of bamboozling his interrogators, by telling
them everything excepting thnt which they
alone wanted 10 learn, is hidden to come
out of the witness. box, and go about his bu.
siness.
Full one half of the seven moral columns
filled by Mr.. Van Buren,, in his recent ex.
position of political opinions. is occupied in
Q labored argument against United States
Bank as if The question 10 which all this
was reply wns anything more than mai.
ter of form. on the part of,he Committee, so
far as he was concerned. And what he
vouchsafes TO say upon the more important
inquiry Gust now relative TO the Tariff
bears about the same proportion. in meas
ure. 10 this long and gratuiIous bank TRADE,
as did Falstaff s poor penny. worth of bread
to "such an Iniolerable quantity of sack"
Rut having pushed off the matter as long
as he could find a decent pretext for doing
so, (like the clever witness alluded to- he
is forced al last 70 say something, or TO seem
to say something, upon the subject matter
ofthe enquiry he was pretending TO answer.
And wha, does he say, or seem TO say1
A lit:le against, and little for Tariff !;
something adverse 10, and something in
favor Of the principle of Protection bit
here upon one side, and Bit there upon
tie other n rare piece of Mosaic, with no
Two stones alike, yet all TO a casual obser-
yer. looking like very fine article of bijou-
terie. These pro and con passages are the
bold outlines, The light prominen. points in
the composition The shades are delicately
worked in with what the artist calls "neutral
tints," and,-whiie they baffle close exaini-
nation by their individual minuteness. SO
subtly are they blended,-givo superb fin
ish TO the work, in the estimation Of The cas-
ual and uncriiicising render.
This portion of the letter of Mr.. Van Bu.
rem is evidently intended TO please three
classes of readers those who believe in the
constiiu,ionaliiy of Protective Tariff
those who believe in the principles of una.
dultera,ed free trade. and those who cannot
exactly tell what they do believe or desire
in the premises. OF course it occurs that @
portion of the letter is pro-Tariff, SECOND
is anti.proiective, and a third is on both
sides OF once. for aught any body can see
10 the contrary upon perusing the paper
We will cite few passages under each Of
these heads, in proof:
TARIFF. ANTI-TARIFF.