Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-09-22

ought not to be repul ed from the enjoyment OF
that which he was willing to call boon, or a
privilege, on account of the misbehavior of Mr..
Adams's administration. That was the sum
and substance of it all
Well, gentlemen, one Of the most painful du-
ties that ever has devolved on me as a Repre-
sentative or Senator of my country in Congress,
was to refuse my assent to the confirmation of
Mr.. Van Buren's subsequent nomination as
Minister to England. Bat conceived it to be
new thing in this country, or in the diplomat
ic history of any other civilized country, that
when new party happened TO come into power.
it should repudate the doings of its predeces-
sors in its course with foreign nations. To
abandon ground of right held and maintained
for years, and consent to receive what was
sought as right befare, as privilege or boon
now, held to be undignified, unworthy of
an American statesman, derogatory to the ma
tional character. When it happened that en-.
tered the department of State, under General
Harrison. found many things which | could
have wished to be otherwise. But did retract
anything that my predecessor had advanced D.
Not partice-not a iot nor title. took the
case as he left it, and should have held myself
disgraced if had not. Suppose, for instance
with regard to the boundary treaty with Eng
land, had said to Lord Ashburton, "Pray, my
lord consider that we are more sensible people
than our predecessors only reflect how much
more amiable, humble, and how much more
friendly to Great Britain, am than Mr.. Forsyth
ever was, and therefore accord to us this or that
boom" What would have been the public feel
ing! need not say.
But, Gentlemen, as to this subject of resistance
to the slave power: would By no means do
any injustice to Mr.. Van Buren,, and if he has
come up to some of the opinions laid down in
the Buffalo platform, am glad Of it. And of
his own party, or who has been his party, he is
much the less dangerous candidate of the two
now presented to us. But looking at his course
and conduct while he was President of the Unit.
ed States. | am amazed that he should be
found at the head of party, claiming, above all
others, to be the friends Of Liberty, and the OPP
ponents of African slaveryat the South. Why,
what was the first thing fer him to declare, after
having been elected to the Presidency, but that
il Congress should pass bill to abolish slavery
in the district of Columbia, he would veto it.
That is the first instance am acquainted with
of "A veto in advance. In his inaugural mess
age, in 1887, Mr. Van Buren, said
81 must 90 into the Presidential chair, the
inflexible and uncompromsing opponent of eve
ry attempt on the part of Congress to abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia, against the
wishes of the slaveholdng states, and also with
determination equally decided TO resist the
slightest interference with it in the states where
it now exists" And in his Inaugural, he adds
I" submitted also to my fellow-citizens with
fulness and frankness the reasons which lee
me to this determination.
/ The result authorizes me to believe that the,
have been approved and are confided in by =
majority of the people of the Urited States, in
Guiding those whom they most Immediately af
feet.
1t now only remains to add that no bill con
fcting with these views can ever receive NY
constitutional sanction"
There is his declaration.
In the next place, you know, and | remember
that Mr. Van Buren's casting vote was given il
the Senate to measure of very doubtful propri
ETY., which empowered postmasters to open tn
mails, to look after and suppress any document
in opposition to slavery. ! will not say tina
Congress has no right to pass such law, bn
its passage certainly indicates quite suhcien
degree of Difference to tine feelings and wishe
Of the South Let me not be misunderstood
So far as regards the life and property of on
Southern fellow citizens, so far as they may b
actually endangered. so far | agree that it ma
be proper for Congress to exercise its leglslativ
powers to prevent any such result.
exercised more controlling influence over tn
conduct of his friends in relation to this yer
matter, than Mr.. Van Buren,. take it that on
of the most important events in our recent ms
tory, AS connected with the question OF the eA
) tension of Slavery. has been the annexation /
Texas. And as to Mr. Van Buren,, where wa
he then-thrce or four years ago-in regard
that very subject! Where was he lie Ia
formerly been at the head of the "spo'ls par'
he was not then, at least at the head ct u
" free soil " party. And every friend OF Nj
Van Buren,, in Congress, so far as know, SUI
portcd this scheme of annexation. The Nv
New York Senators favored 1.-THE Kepresei
ta,ives from New York supported it-and allo
me to say to every body connected with or llke
to he Influenced bv the Buffalo Convention tll
i, no men but the Wings, no party pat the WIN
party,-and say this to the whole wor'd,-o
: posed that measure of annexation 1i'ere WI
no body or party but the Wing party, which frI
!, " and steadily resisted that annexation.
And now they-the gentlemen at Buffalo
talk about the dictation Of the slave power
d They talk of it, don't. They talk of the t
r umph of the South over the North. There
;. not one word of truth in it. say upon n
c con science, that evil as the influence OF Il
r slave institution is, tine North has borne her II
share and part in that evil. Northern votes ha
been given for every instance OF projected sla
) inc ease And, gentlemen, we talk Of the NoI
. but there mas been no North at least, not
q wears past. ! think the North star has be
II discovered, but up to the close OF the late 81
e sion of Congress there has been no North.
IL We have read in Pope
Ask where's the Nor,h-at York t on the Twee
In Scotland at the Orcades, and there,
H. AtGreenland. Zemba, or the Lord knows wher
If And if it is meant TO inquire" Where is
ID North ?"--if, by the North is indicated a COZ
r. try exhibiting firm, solid, substantial resi-
ance to the extension OF savety-if any su
i'd place ever existed, it was-the Lord kno,
is where-l do not.
he In the year 1874, the Democrats of the Nor
I'd the friends Of Mr.. Van Buren, let in Texas
O. the Wings in tho Senate, with one or two
X ceptions, resisted that annexation. Ten Sou
o. ern Wing Senators voted against H., and OF
I'd two for It. But these Southern Wing vo
g. against the scheme of annexation were ov
s. powered by the votes of the free state Der
70 Gratis w-England Democrats among
al rest. If il had not been for these New Engli
en- votes. Texas would have been out of the I'm
ed t, this day. IfNew England Senators had b,
in as true to the cause of liberty and the codn
st as Southern Wings were, Texas would now
III, Texas still. There were four New Engl;
of gentlemen in the Senate who supported the
mr. mnistration in this measure, One from Mai
hit two from New Hampshire, and one from c
rh nec,cut-one of them had held high office
of der Mr.. Van Buren,. They-these four mel
he voted for the proposition, and to let in re
nd against the votes and wishes pt the Sont ern
in Northern Wings. This is the truth of the II