Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-01-26

the history of our Presidential contests.
OF the 26 States composing the Union he
received the votes of but seven, and all oil
these Except one) among the smallest OF
the Coniederacy of the 294 votes of the
Electoral Colleges he obtained but 60; and
of the popular sulfrages, a majority of H.
900 out of the free and enlightened citizens
of America who voted in the election, gave
in their accumulated verdict against him.
1 And vet, in the face of this solemn finding
of the great inquest Of the body of the ma
4 tion-while the echo of the general voice
which pronounced it has not yet died upon
the cara bold attempt is made to induce
the people to take back their own settled and
well considered judgement, and in elevating
again to the highest Office of the Republic
the individual whom they have SO recently
and deliberately dcposed pronounce fla
grant sentence of qualification and incom-
petence upon themselves. know not in
what light other minds may view such a
proceeding but to me it seems a contempt
uous sporting with the sovereign constituent
cy of the country sheer mockery and
insult TO the public intelligence.
And by what means is Mr. Van Buren, 10
be again presented as the legitimate and an
nointed candidate Of the Democratic party :
Not certainly by the will of the great body
of the party, who we have every reason TO
believe, deprecate and deplore the madness
aud folly of the act but BY the secret and
invisible agency of sel-cons;iiuted c0nciaces
and caucusts, controlled with absolute sway
by few bold and adrot political managers
! IL. tbot e ho nd
viduals composing the party throughout the
Union could be Intercepted, upon their coir
dire, TO say whom they would prefer as the
Presidential nominee of the party, three
fourths of them at least, and probably a lar
ger proportion, would unhesitntingly declare
their preference for some new candidate
And yet, in utter contempt Of the popular
sentiment of the party, and disdainfully re-
jecting the only equitable as well as practi-
cable mode of arriving at the will of the ma
jority through the medium Of fair, equal,
and uniform popular representation in the
nominating convention, the friends Of Mr..
Van Buren, (holding on TO that old machine
ry of party discipline and subordination, de-
rived to them from the cunning order Of the
Jesuits through the bloody Jacobinical
SIuDS vi 1NOhOiutiOudiy ny
one or two active spirits are enabled to sup
press the will and control the movements OF
vast and entire bodies Of men) imperiously
declare that he, and he only, shall be the
candidate of the party. Is it not time that
honorable and patriotic men, as they respect
the dignity of their own character, the priv
ileges of freemen, and the sacred principles
OF Republican Government should unite in
one generous and virtuous struggle to over
throw, effectualy and forever system
which, if now submitted TO, must finally
convert our noble popular institutions into
the worst of all dominations--that of an
inscriptions and sordid party oligarcby.
And what are the wise and benignant
measures of administrative policy which are
promised us as the fruits Of Mr.. Van Bu-
ren's restoration? A return to the glories
and blessings of the sub-Treasury system
renewed war upon the currency, com
merce, and business of the country Just
at the moment when, by the mere fact of
the Withdrawal Of the hostility of the Gov
eminent, and that UiS medicdtrir nature
which is inherent in the energies Of free,
enterprising and industrious people, all the
business pursuits Of the nation are regain
ing their prosperity and activity, and the
currency and exchanges of the country are
finding their proper and natural level, every
thing is again 10 be thrown into confusion,
and we are to be replunged into a chaos of
wild and pernicious experiments simply to
signalize aremorseless party triumph, in the
contamination of measure openly at war
with every great practical interest of the
II Al. l..
by natural and necessary connexion, all
that long train of congenal abuses which
so ingloriously illustrated the era of Mr..
Van Buren's former administrations multi
piled schemes for extending Executive pow
er and Presidential patronage; profuse and
prohigate expenditures of public money So
the impunity and protection of faiihless pub
lie officers, purchased by the merit of their
party services; new brood of defauIers Of
the Hoyts and the Harrises-a race the en-
tire disappearance of which since 1910 is
one of the proudest proofs of the Justice
and necessity Of the change then decreed
by the voice of the people. But it were
vain to attempt an enumeration of the tenn
ing abuses that must ever attend the funda.
mental heresy Of Mr.. Van Burens political
system, which instead of regarding govern
ment as high and holy trust for the good
of the country, sees in it nothing but job
to be administered for the benefit of a par
ty, of which the President is the head and
grand aimOner.
Now, would ask, what is there to be
apprehended from Mr. Clay's election,
which ought TO have the weight of feather
in the scale, when compared with the fatal
and destructive evils, poisoning the vital ele-
ments of republican freedom and virtue, as
well as the essential sources of national
.,a-it.. L L....a.. Il