Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-01-19
WATCAMAN & STATE JOURNAL.
FRIDAY, JAN. 10, 1914.
WITNESS AGAINST VAN BUREN,

A WITNESS AGAINST VAN BUREN,.
Mr.. o. A. Brownson, (says the Burlington Free
Press,) whom our readers will remember as among
the most jealous and efficient of the advocates of
Van Burenism in 80, and whose plain speaking
communications TO the Democratic Review re-
Gently led to his exclusion from Tho Iuges Of that
periodical, has commenced tho publication Of
new Quarterly, OF which the first numbers just
issued. The leading article, OH Demagogusm,"
discusses at considerable length aud with scorcE-
ing severity, the character and pretcnsions o!
Narin Van Buren,.
Mr. Brcwnson thus characteristics the despoiic
JacoLin Club, which manages tho Van Buren,
putty, ID seeks TO control the democratic party:
"Sefshness thus becomes time server; seeks
not for truth AMI JUSTICE but for what is popular
asks not, What is right but simply, Whul will
the people sny' Il has no opinion Of it's own.
IL runs alhwnrI no popular prejudice; tteads OIL
none of the peoples corns is nOn-commttidL on all
points which the public mind has not commit
tel ITSELF and is iutoerant to all nciplcnt errors,
for they may become popular TO morrow. II is
prudent, sleek, decorous. 1t Inns no rough edges,
no angular points, and thruss its elbow Into no
mans ribs. Its face has settled smlle aud its
voice is Soft gentle and nsinuatng. Ii is catn,
dispassionntJ, mld, deliberate. 1t is free from
rage, from hurry, and "bides lis time II it fails
to-day il will succeed to morrow. The sober,
second thought of the people, will set all right
and place il al The top Of the ladder"
Well may the writer aid, We draw here no
fancy skeich. We are, unhappily, painting from
the life"
"This system, if we have rightly learned it, and
han IL inti,t
socia,es Of the Distinguished chO is at present
lis most brilliant Representatives is in substance ths
In Republican Government every thing must
be done by means Of party. Oar first effort, there
fore, must be 10 get and TO keep our party in the
majority. We Inust pever oppose any measure
likely to throw it, to keep it in the minority.
Having determined that all is to be done
by and through inrty, aad that primary duty
is 10 labor for the organization and ascendancy Of
our pury the next Thing TO be insisted on, is, iide
y to the party, and strict adherence to its usages
the surrender Of all individual opinions, convic-
lions aud preferences, TO the decision Of the party,
which decision, he il understood, is always TO be
effected by the aforesaid politicians who have hold
OF the crank. This throws the whole business
into the hnnds Of central committees, and do
prves the great mass OF citizens of all free voice
in the determination Of measures or in the selcc-
ton OF candidates. To keep the ranks of the par
~ full, to prevent members from brcnking AWAY
made to the lowest and most corrupt passions of
the human heart. The Individual who shows
himself uneasy or disposed TO kick ut the party
traces must be denounced, thrown over md de-
cnred 10 be un enemy. and no longer entitled TO
the confidence of The party. Thus, men aust be
kept in the parry, and faithful 10 ils useges, decis-
ions and measures, but through fear that, if they
assert their independence, they will lose their shure
Of the "spoils"
Mr.. Brownson lien goes directly al Mr.. Van
Buren,:
"And here, we mus, be permitted to say, is a
strong reason why the American people should
pause and deliberate long before eleyating Mr..
Van Buren, to the high Office from which they so
Indignantly e]ected him in l640
e 1t CANNOT be denied that Mr.. Van Buren, is the
most conspicuous representative Of party manage
meni, in this country. The system itssI has leen
perfected, and, to no inconsiderabe extent,
founded by him and his more immediate political
associates. He is intimately connected with il |;
owe, 10 il all The political elevation he has euer re-
cered and relies upon Il alone for his restoration TO
the presidency. He has no hops but in it's influ.
ence his restoration would therefore, be direct
sanction of the system by tho American people,
and 20 far towards fastening IL upon the country
beyond The reach of future remedies. In this
view of the CASE the reelection Of Mr.. Van Buren,,
whatever his personal worth, would be n danger
ous precedent, and a must serious public caIsn
ity."
In speaking of Mr.. Van Burens defea, in is4o
Mr. Brownson says:
"Considerate men, who stood by Mr.. Van Bu-
rem, and made no inconsideruhle sacrifices 10 sus
tain him, felt that all was not lost my that the
gain, might possibly, in the long run, overbalance
the ioss. Mr.. Van Buren,, they felt, of
the way =; and this, i'll itself, was no trlng gain.
Hope sprung up afrest, and in the buoyancy Of
their hearts, they were disposed TO treat him with
all tenderness. 10 tread lightly his faults, to for
get the injuries he inflicted on the Republican
cause, and to a,agnify, much possible, his
virtues and public services. But the re-
| appearance OF Mr.. Van Buren, on the stage chang
cs The whole aspect of affairs. He comes not
alone, but as the chief OF band, the country had
devoully hoped was dispersed, never TO be col
| lecled again. He comes as The representative Of
The same old corrupt and corruping system q party
tactics. foowed by The same sirarm Of greedy spos
men, Nth their appetite for plumber shdrpened by he
)tw years abstinence they hare been forced, through
the remains Of The original viriue and patriotism o.
the country, 10 practice. Crafty his wishes, re-
store him TO the place he is personally soliciting
and we lose all that was good in The defeat OF the
! Republican party OF lS40 aud retain only the evil
we restore what, with an almost unheard Of effort
| tho country had thrown of, aud place the Repub-
| ican party in The condition in which II mas! BE-
def'aied again or The country be inevitably ruined"
Mr. Brownson's testimony deserves additional
consequence from his standing in the loco
foco party. What he says Of Mr.. Van Burent
entire dependence upon party machinery and po-
lilcai management for his success in public life
is VIGOROUSLY true. Not loss is his sketch o
the gang Of hafpies who are enlisted under MIR
Van Buren's banner, and are looking to his re-
election for another four yenrs' spoil from The
public treasury.
Having Introduced our readers 10 thus muci
from The vigorous AMI plain u eaking MIR. Brown
son, we cannot do better than by adding still an
other extract. lie understands the modern Var
Buren, democracy thoroughly; and having hat
the honesty TO denounce ii as fatal to the wei
being OF the people, We fancy nobody will lie at
loss TO guess why this able writer has been driver