Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-04-11
Martin Van Buren, and the War.

and their name is legion-brought against
Mr. Van Buren, by his INSCRIPTIONS and
vindictive assailants, that Of having opposed
the late war is well known to be prominent;
and even here in our own town, though oil.
ten proved 20 be utterly false from the rec.
ords of history, the wbig organ has recently
shown itself to be SO regardless OF truth as
to repeat the accusation. y GaSetts, ipT't
seth.
We have SO thoroughly exposed the trick
cry and deception Of the Gazette, and SO
rddled the democracy Of its favorite VAN
buren,, that its editor has lost his temper.
and become snappish and snarling. 1t Is
ever so, with those who are chagrned by
defeat, and overwhelmed with confusion
and does not therefore surprise as. The
greatest libertines often affect purity oil
heart and feeling, the more surely to ruin
their victims; and the most INSCRIPTIONS
liars sometimes tell the truth, to establish
if possible, character for veracty.
1t is not our intention to handy epithets
with the Gazette, because in the first place
we prefer facts ana arguments. and in the
second place, we have no occasion to be
brought into notice by talking valiantly.---
That is not our forte, and if it will do the
editor Of the Gazette any service, we shall
willingly admit that he can affect more
courage, and backyard with more dexteri-
ty than we can.
We shall however take the responsibility
of pronouncing his statement an unqualified
falsehood. We never asserted that Martin
Van Buren, opposed the war, because we
knew, that in 1913, after the war had grown
into popularity, and the people were rally
ing around their country's flag, to resent
British outrage and insolence, that he gave
in his adhesion to the war party. We
charged that he supported and voted for
DE WITT CLINTON the PEACE CANDIDATE, in
opposition to JAS. MADISON the WAR cANDI-
DATE. We repeat it; when our commerce
was seized and captured by french and
British cruisers in our waters-our flag dis
honored by British nsolence, and the war
whoop Of the mercenary Indian, was sound
ing on our Western borders, then Martin
Fan Buren, was rallyng his forces in favor
Of the peace candidate. And here we chal-
lenge the Gazette and and its whole corps Of
loco foco advisers and assistants, to show
the contrary. We defy all of them to pro-
duce particle Of evidence, to prove that
Martin Van Buren,, did anything, ,crote any.
thing, or spoke anything in favor Of the war
until the Democracy Of the country had
overwhelmed him and his federal allies, by
War was declared ion the 18th Of June 1919
and the same men whose votes had carried
the declaration of war, through Congress,
had two months previous,--on the 18th of
May. nominated jas. MADISON, as the demo.
cratic candidate. IL. CLAY, VIM II. CRAw-
FORD, JNo. TALIAFERRo, GEO. NJ. BIDB, JER-
EMIAu MoRRow, r. M. JOHNSON and others,
composed the caucus.
We care not for the letter Of Co.. Stone;
| he IS rs liable to be mistaken as any body,
and besides If we mistake not, he too, sided
with Mr. Chnton's supporters. That, how
eyer is Of little moment as regards the con.
duct Of Martin Van Buren,. To show that
we are right and that Col Stone IS wrong,
when he says Van Buren, only gave "a
languid support" to the peace candidate, we
shall quote an extract from letter Of BENZ.
+. BUTLER Of New York, to HuGu A. GAR.
LAND Of Virginia. M Holland in his life OF
Mr. Van Buren,, edition Of 1885, which has
been authenticated by NJ Van Buren,
adopts as his own, the account given in
that letter, Of Mr. Van Buren's course in re-
gard to the nomination of De Witt Clinton,
and his course in relation to the war. AT /
page 90. of the "Lfe" Mr. Butler, as quot
ed by Mr. Holland, after stating the fact OF
Mr. Clinton's nomination to the Presidency
on the 29th of May, 1912, says:
'Mr VAN buren, was not then member /
OF the legislature, nor was he in any way
connected with these proceedings He,
however, concurred in the propriety of sup.
porting the NOMINATION thus made and ac-
cecpted, and, at the session of the Legislature
held In November, 1912, in conjunction
80" 'haJoi'Iy Va thc RepuOilCdn members /
OF each branch, he took decided part in sun.
port OF Presidential electors, ,cho ,rere uoted
TOR astricndly to Mr. Clinton, and who ulti.
mately gave him the vote of the State
Here we have the historical fact admitted,
that Martin Van Buren,, "took decided
part in the support Of De Wit Cinton's
pretensions to the presidency. And il must
not be forgotten, that Mn BurLER's letter
was prepar ed and heraded forth as an cleo.
pioneering document That BENJAMIN T..
Butler was afterwards M Yam Buren's
Attorney General, and that Hugh A. Gar.
land was elected Clerk with salary OF
$4,000 per annum, by loco foco House of
in Dec. 1882
What was the political character of the
movement, is 10 some extent a matter of
opinion; and on this head, Mr. Butler does
not agree with some other political critics.
The Washington Globe, journal whose or
thodoxy in loco fccoism. is not less firm than
Mr.. R,ffI he