The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-09-14

sluer tllat We are fnOIe ISuO rant tIdu our pre-
decessors, and consider how much more anna
less, that would have dishonered my country.
But on this very subject of the extention of
slave power, would by no means do the least
injustice to Mr.. Van Buren,. lido not mean to
say that there may not be very good reasons
for those of his own party, who cast their vote
for Cass, TO vote for him; for think him the
least dangerous of the two; but, in truth, look
ing at Mr.. Van Buren's history and conduct,
| am amazed to find that he should be placed
at the head of party protesting to go beyond
all other parties in its friendship to liberty
Why, the first thing MIR. Van Buren, did after
his election, was to declare that if Congress
passed any measure or decree interfering with
slavery in the District of Columbia, he would
veto their proceedings-theIonly instance with
in my knowledge, where the President under
took to veto the proceedings of Congress fore
they were passed. Laughter) Yet he did it.
shall go into the Presidency, he said, with
the determination TO resist all such interior
ence, and if Congress pass any law on the sub
ject, l shall meet it with the exercise of my
constitutional power. In the next place, we
know, and remember. that MIR. Van Buren's
casting vote was thrown in the Senate for
law OF very doubtful propriety-that of author
isine, post-masters in the slave States, to open
the mails for the purpose of detecting incendi-
airy publications. | do not see that Congress
did not possess the power to pass such a law
but only that il was such an extraordinary
law, made for an extraordinary purpose, and
that il received Mr.. Van Buren's sanction. So
far, however, as respects that--so far as any
thing that endangers the liberty or property Of
the South is concerned, so farl agree that there
may be great propriety n such a regulation BY
Congress, as shall prevent such results. But
gentlemen, no man has exercised a more con-
trolling influence of his friends in this country
than MIR. Van Buren,. take it that the most
lmportant,or one ofthe most important, events
in our time, tending TO the extension of slave
~ and its everlasting establishment on this
continent was the annexation of Texas. In
1914, where was Mr.. Van Buren,? Let me
ask, where was he? He had been at the head
of what is called the spoils party, but he was
not at the head of the free-soil party. (Laugh-
ter.) Every friend of Mr.. Van Buren, in Con-
gress. as far as know, supported that measure.
The two Senators from New York supported
1.-THE representatives in the House support
ed it. Allow me to say that no one resisted
it but wings (Applause) And say in the face
of the world say ittoall men connected with
the Buffalo Convention, without expecting to
derive any benefit from it, that here has been
no party in this country which has firmly and
sternly resisted the slave power but the wings.
| Applause. Why look at this very question
of the annexation of Texas. We talk of the
dictation of the slave power-at least they do
II don't. ldOn't allow that any power die
tates to me. We talk of the trium ph of the
South over the North, but there is not word
of truth or reason in the whole of it. l an
bound to say tina think, ofall the evils in.
flicted on us by this accession of slave terrific
ry, the North has borne its full part North
ern votes were cast in fu proportion in botl
houses Of Congress, in every instance. for the
Acquisition OF territory, and the influence Of
slavery in our national councils. We talk Of
the North. There has been no North. l think
there would be North, but up to the recent
session of Congress there has been no North in
regard to political questions. five mean when
we speak OF the North, part Of the country
united in firm sentiment against the further
extension of slavery; if there has been such a
North, it has existed where know not. Why
on this very question of the admission of Tex
as, the North lei in Texas. The democrats OF
the North let her in. All the Wings in the
Senate, with one or two exceptions, South and
North, resisted Texas. Eleven Southern SEN
ed BY the Democratic votes of the freeStates-
| New England among the rest. Yes; if there
had not been votes for the admission of Texas
from New England, Texas would he out at
this day. II New England had been as true
against Texas as the Wings of the South were,
Texas would remain Texas still. And there
are gentlemen will call them-three
are four votes from New England by Mr. Van
Burens friends, democratic menbers--one from
Maine, two from New Hampshire. one from
Connecticut. One of those gentlemen had held
a high Office under Mr.. Van Buren,; all his
friends. They voted for Texas, and let her in
TO the Union in opposition to Southern wings
aud Northern wings. That is the truth. my
friends. When Northern members of Congress
voted, in 1918, for he Missouri Compromise,
against the known viii Of their constituents,
they were called dough faces. am afraid,
fellow citizens, that the race Of dough-faces
will be as perpetual as the race of man. In
1914, as we all know, Mr.. Van Buren, was
candidate for the Presidency by the Democrat
ic party, but he lost the nomination at Balti-
more, and we now learn by letter from GEN
Jackson TO Mr.. Bntler, that Mr.. Van Buren's
claims were suppressed, for after all, the South
thought the accomplishment Of the annexation
of Texas might be more safely trusted 10 South
ern hands. We all know the Northern por-
ton of the Democratic party were friendly TO
Mr.. Van Buren,. Our neishbors ofNew Hamp
shire, and other places, were Van Buren, men;
but the moment il was ascertained that Mr.
Polk was favorite of the South, those friends
of Mr.. Van Buren, in the North all caved in
Mr.. Van Buren, himself wrote letter very
complimentary of Polk and Dallas, and found
no fault with the nomination. Now, gentle
men. if they call dough those who voted
for the Missouri compromise, what epiihe, shall
pescribe these men mere in our New England,
who were ar ready not only to change and