The Arkansas banner., 1844-05-22

 great conservative principles ln the Constltu- ton. Let him succeed in striking from the Constitution the veto power, and we have consolidation in its place-all the powers ot the government will be concentrated Ill the legislative department-the checks and bal- ances of the Constitution destroyed-our re- publican system totally changed-and the days of the boasted liberties of America will be numbered. Let us preserve the Constltu- ton as it is; we have been born and raised under it; 1t has protected our lives, our pro- perty, our liberty, and our reputatlon; under if we have. as a nation, in little more than half century, grown and prospered until we are the pride and boast of the lovers of H. berty throughout the world Let us keep 1t as sacred instrument, which was purchased with so much patriotic blood, and sanctioned by the great Washington himself Let us re- gard the man who would :be willing to be elevated upon its prostration, as being oppo- posed to our form of government, and un- worthy the sulrages of free people,
 1 am also. grateful, when hear gentlemen declare hostility to exclusive priveleges and immunities Yet, regretto hear those same individuals declare for Bank of the U. States; when, by the charter of a Bank, exclusive privileges and immunities are granted to few, which are not granted to all. regret to hear them declare further, that they are for Mir. Clay for President, because they expect this corporation to be establishedby his elec- ton, and thereby those exclusive privileges and mmunities secured to a few individuals. The force of the language used by gentle man was certainly understood by them; oth erwise, they would not have ventured such declarations; and if understood, there is degree of inconsistency in the position that cannot be reeonciled. Truly, exclusive pri- vileges are against the principles of our go- vernment, and the Democratic party are op- posed to them they go for the Constitution as it is-no superiority acknowledged-all American citizens-all equals, and that the people are capable of governing themselves without fcticious aids. Upon this foundation the democratic principles are all based
 Ihaye, gentlemen, noticed these few promi- nent questions, leaving others of thrilling im- portance, because the limits of an address of this kind will not allow full inyestiga- tion But before l conclude, you will a! How me to notice a few of the old exploded charges against Mir. Van Buren, which have beelA Reiterated here--charges that have no chara Ter in that part of the union where the scene Is laid.
 It is said that Martin Van Ruren, of New York, Is the Democratic candidate for the Presidency, and that if Mr. Clay had been guilty of going against the best interest of the country, that Van Buren had been more gull i D1a,,,-, tL, l,o tod T,, 1 the convention that met in New ' orli, on the 21st day of August, 1891, to reverse the 1 Constitution, to restrict the right of voting to property qualification Mir. Van Buren is not now the candidate of, the Democratic party, but hope he will be, because l look upon him, as being one of the most profound and philosophie statesman thatis in the union better prepared to sit calmly in the midst of the intemperance and storm of party ex citemeft than any other man-directing the i ship of State safely between Scylla and l Charybdis-and taking correct view of every great question, and doing ample jus tce to all parts of the country. But l deny that he was for property qualification to enttle man to vote, and the plainest his l tory of this subject will be the most conclu- sivc0nswer. Under the old Constitution of l New Y ork, that the convention had met to amend, 'sfreehold estate of the value of l S250 over and above all debts charged there on, was necessary to enttle 9 person to vote l for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Sen ators Members of assembly were chosen l by persons paying taxes, and possessing free i holds of the clear value of $50, or renting tenements, of the value of S5.o The prin- ciples which MT. Van Buren advocated, and which were adopted by the convention were i far different. He contended that any person who paid taxes, or labored on the highways, or were liable to perform military duty, should vote for all elective officers of the State government. This is extending the un- restricted right of suffrage as far as it has ever been contended for by the most liberal in any l country.
 Thus, gentlemen, the charge is without l foundation, and am much surprised, that any man should urge 1t, because 1t evinces a want of that information every public man Is presumed to possess-a knowledge of our distinguished men, and the parts they have l taken upon great questions. It is charged, also, that Mr. Van Buren voted in this same 1 convention, for free negro suffrage. A his tory of this case will also be sufficient to sa- tisfy all.
 Under the old Constitution free negroes were authorized to vote upon the same terms that white men voted. Mir. Van Buren was anxious to destroy this right But he lived in a free State, and neither the convention or citizens would then allow this right to be taken from them entirely. Mir Van Buren consequently, urged that free negroes should not vote unless they had been for ''three years citizens of the State, and for one year before the election seized and possessed ofa freehold of clear value of $250, and had been rated and paid tax thereon.n Under this provision the free negroes were exclu-