Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-14
Whole No. 95l.

btHtIdl JdchoOn dOInlnSlId'iOn, puSHs
not to be repulsed from the enjoyment OF that
which he was willing 10 call boon, or a priv
ilege, on account of the mlsbehavor Of Mr.. Ad-
ans administration. That was the sum and
substance of il all.
Wen, gentlemen one of the most painful du-
ties that ever has deyolyed on me as Represen-
tatye or Senator Of my country IN Congress,
Was 10 refuse my assent Ia the confirmation Of
Mr.. Van Burcns subsequent nomination ~
Minister To England But conceived il IN be-
q new thing IN this country, or IN the diplomatic
history oi any other country, that when new
party happened 10 come INTO power, II shouH
repudlatc the dongs Of ils predecessors IN ITS
intercourse with foreign powers. 10 1bandOs
a ground Of right held and maintained for years
and consent 10 receive what was sought as q
privilege or boon held To be undignl6ed, uI,
worthy Of an American statesman, derogatOfy
to the national American character. When It
happened that | entered the department uf
State, under General Harrison, ! found many
things which could have wished 10 De other
wise. But did | retract any thing that my
predecessor had advanced! Not PARTICLE
not jot nor title. | took the case as he lei;
it, and should have held myself disgraced if
had not. Suppose, for instance, with regard
10 the boundary treaty with England, hal
said TO Lord Ashburlon, pray, my Lord.
consider that we are more sensible people than
our predecessors Only reflect how much more
amable, friendly and humble | am than Mr.
Forsyth ever was. aud therefore accord to ~
this or that boon" What would have been
the public feeling! need not say.
But. gentlemen, as 10 this subject cf resis-
tance To the slave power | would by no
means do any Injustice to Mr. Van Buren, and +
if he has come upto the opinions laid down IN
the Buffalo platform, ! am glad Of 1t. Aud
Of his own party, or what has been his party
he IS much The less dangerous candidate VI ibc
two But looking al his course and conduc,
while he was President Of the United States,
am amazed that he should be found at tbs
head Of panty, claiming, above all others, In
be the friends of liberty Why, what Was tho
first thing for him Ia declare, icr havii Z been
elected to the Presidency, but that II Congress
should pasp a bill TO abolish slavery IN the Dis
irict Of Columbia, he would veto 1t. That ~
the frs, instance ] am acquainted with ola vet,
in advance. in his inaugural message, n 1887.
Mr.. Van Buren said
Z" must GO into the Presidential chair. tl"
n-eXibe and uncompromislng opponent @:
every attempt on the part OF Congress In abol'
sh slavery ~ the District of Columbia, aRanst
the wishes of the slayehOlding States, and also
with determination equally decided to resis,
t,ie slightest interference with II IN the States
where 1t exists" And in his Inaugural he
adds - submitted also 10 my fellow citizcrs
w.lh ful'ncss ana irankness the lsaeOHs hlch
led nae to tins deterninatira.
The result authorlses me 10 believe that
they have been approved and are contided IN
by majority of the people olthG United Sia,cs.
including those whom they In;s, Immediately
affect.
y now OILY remains to add that no bill con
fictlng with these views can ever receive my
constitutional sanction
There is his declaration.
In the next place you know and remember,
that Mr. Van Burcn 5 casting vote was given
in the Senate TO measure of very doubtful
propriety, which empowered posimastcrs Ia
open the mails to look after and suppress any
documents IN opposition to slavery. VIII not
say tina, Congress has no right to pass such a
law. but its passage certainly indicates cutie
sufficient degree of Difference 10 the feelings
aud wishes of the South. Let NE not be
misunderstood. 81 far as regards the life aud
property or our Southern fellow citizens, 80
far as they may be actually endangered, So far
agree that il may be proper for Congress To
exercise lis legislative powers to prevent any
such result.
But gentlemen. no fna1 in This country hus
exercised a more controlling influence over The
conduct of his friends IN relation 10 this very
matter, than Mr.. Van Bnren. ] take II that
one oi be most lmportant events IN our recent
history mas been the annexation of Texas.
And as to Mr.. Van Buren,. where was he then
Where was he lie had formerly been at the
head Of the " "spos' parly---he was not then,
at least ri the head of the " free soil party.
And every friend Of Mr.. Van Buren. III Con-
gress, So FAR as ! know, support this scheme
of Annexation The two New York Senators
favored lt---and allow me to say that no men
but the Wings, no PARTY but the Wing party
and say tins to the whole world opposed
that measure of annexation. There was T."
body or party but the Wing party, which Eriu-
y and steadily resisted that anuexaiion.
And Now thcy--ihc gentlemen "a, Buffalo
talk about the dicia,On of the slave power.
Ihcy talk of it--l don't They talk d tho
triumph of the South over the North. There
Is not one word Of truth in il. ] say upon my
conscience, that evil O. the influence Of the
slave institution Is. the North has borne her
full share and part IN that evil. Northern votes
have been given for every instance of projected
slave increase. And gentlemen, We talk Of
the North-but there has been no North, II
least for years past. think the North star
has at last been discovered, but up TO the close
Of the late session Of Congress there has been
no North.
We have read in Pope
ASK where's the Norlh-st York tits on the
Tweed,
In Scotland at the Orcades and there,
At Greenland, Zenbla, or the Lord knows
where"
| And if it is meant to inquire-''Wherei tho
North t'-lf bv the North il indicated hun,
solid. substantial resistance 10 the extension vt
Slayery--if any such place ever existed, II
was-ihe Lord knows where. do nOi.
In the year 1914, the Democrats Of the
North, the friends Of Mr.. Van Buren, let IN
Texas. All the Wings in the Senate, with
one or Two exceptions, resisted that annexation
Ten Southern Wing Senators voted against
il aud only two for it. But those Southern
Wing votes against the scheme Of annexation
were overrowered by the votes of the Free
State Democrats. New England Democrats
among the rest. II II had not been for these
New England votes, Texas would have been
out Of the Union to this day. II New EnPlahd
Senators had been AZ true 10 the ,ausc OF Liber-
IA l.as