Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-26
THE BARNBURNERs.


a week ago on the doings of the Buffalo Conyen-
ton. Those remarks, we must admit, were not
penned in complimentary mood. When, how
ever, the Post takes them exclusively to itself and
its party, it does, by doing give them particu-
lar application that was not intended. The point
of them was supposed rather to affect the recussnt
Wings, the Iertium Guilds, whose appearance in
that Convention, and whose sanction of its proceed
ings, astonshed us much more than did that Of the
Barnburners.
If the "Post' had merely disapproyed oG our
remarks upon the proceedings Of the Convention,
we should not have rejoined. Its dissatisfaction
with them is not unnatural. But the POST with
for themselves, has misrepresented us to its read
ers in this: we had represented " the election by
the People of all civil officers in the service of the
Government as a contemplate appeal to the de-
magogsm of the country, as it is. The Post re-
presents us as applying this remark to I" the aboi-
ton Of all unnecessary Offices and Salaries This
proposition, as part Of the Buffalo Platform we do
not regard as contemplate. II is merely claptrap.
But the POST follows up its Misrepresentation
with the following remarks:
.We knew already that the Inelgencer, and those for
whom it speaks desire TO retain the prerogave Of bestow-
ing offices OF honor and emolument the hands the Ex
ecutive at Washington. The the Executive has
give his parans the be gained by that herd who
struggle for party ascendency in order possess the places
and salaries he is empowered to besow. This concena
ton of the appointing power Washington also increases
the importance and spendor the of Government and
fills it with continual throng Of suors and clients"
That the Editor Of the" POST is not an attentive
reader of the National Intelligencer we know from
late complaint of his that editorial essays
too long for his reading. Yet to suppose that he
is not aware of the groundlessness of the imputa-
ton upon that journal, and upon the Wing party,
contanal in the above extract, would be gross con-
tempt of his intelligence. All politicians know at
least, if the Editor of the Post does not that the
continual effort of this paper has been to the
public attention to the dangerous increase of Exc
cutive patronage and power, inducing alarming
usurpatons of Legislative authority, and effectively
perverting and breaking through the plainest in
functions of the Constitution.
1t is to prevent the perpetuation of these abuses,
which would certainly necessarily be the effect of
the election Of the Democratic Convention cand
date for President, that the Wings have determined
to place in the Presidential chair Gen. ZACHARY
TAYLOR, who is pledged, in the event of his cleo
ton, to scrupulousy respect the Constitution and
the Laws.
In resisting these abuses, the Integencer has
had no aid from the Evening Post. That paper
has indeed occasionally protested against the
iniquities perpetrated by the means Of Execu-
tive usurpaion, as in the of the annexation of
Texas but it has been content with the exertion
of protesting and then has tamely submitted to- and
even in some instances countenanced and upheld,
the detestable Mexican War, with all its train Of
atrocities. And in the " Platform y of the Buffalo
Convention, what constitutes the shame, no less
Of the seceders from both the Democratic and the
Wing parties, is, that the whole series of perfdies,
usurpations, and violenccs, which originated, con-
summated, and followed the Texas Annexation, and
which constitute the volume Of the Nations History
for the last four five years, wholly passed
by as if they had been transactions Of an anedilu-
Wan age. This is the more scandalous in Con-
vention which has nominated Mr.. VAN buren, as
its candidate for President, since, if there be any
incident of his public life which will bear down has
name with honor to posterity, it is besides his re-
fusal to be instrumental in bringing on war with
Great Brittany his opposition to the annexation of
Texas; his yielding the former of which points
would have secured his reelection TO the Presidency
al the election Of 1910. And il was, beyond dis
pute his course in the latter case, which caused
him to be thrown overheard by the Baltimore Con-
yention Of 1874. That, in the face of such facts,
the Buffalo Convention and the Evening Post should
discard vital issues such as these, substituting for
them such as popular election Of postmasters, re-
venue officers land officers, departmental clerks,
&C., and that other Of offering premium out Of the
public treasure (the public lands) to idleness, in
ertness, or improvidence in individuals is surely
strange enough TO justify the surprise which we
have expressed at it.
That the Barnburners should have resored to a
separate organization, holding to their formerly
professed principles, because Of the contempt of
their rights by the Baltimore Convention, so far
from finding fault with, we consider as redounding
to their credit II is only when they cast off all
their old principles, and come before the People
clad in a suit Of bran new ones that we are moved
with some part Of that sentiment towards them
which is not possible to wholly suppress towards
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