Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-10
tFor tho Waterman and JournNLl
POSITION. Of VAN BUREN,
"Tl,d I served my country with half the zeul
served Slavery I should not IN mine ago
uav haa IA. - shall 0dgDfgd.

# was the opinion of all nen-evon Of his
his friends-thot Martin Van Buren, was, as he
is. a cold.hearted, selfish politician. That pro.
found thinker Dr.. johnson, affirmed, ihat no
man changed his political opinions after Jorib
unless influenced by some selfish motive. Mr.
Van Buren, has passed that age, and has made
sudden approximation towards doctrines gener-
ally sustained by The Wing party. We would
not speak busshly Of such a remarkable CONVEX
sion--it is to be commended il sinccre-but still
he is not far enough advanced in the doctrines
+ of freedom to meet the with hearty ucquicscence
of the always-sraght- Wings CLINTON
was wont To call him I" a political Grimolkin-
purrng over petty schemes housing over SIMS
ter stratagems." Has he changed? 1t is at
least curious to see where the man stood once,
who is now set up as the champion par excellence
of Free Soil.
Eighteen months previous to Jnckson's cleo
, ton, the Richmond Enquirer published letter
from Charleston, s. c. dated May, z, 1897 con-
tanning the following words:
"Our friend Van Buren, has at length recon-
ced nearly all the most important larrlng
claims and interests. General Jackson consents
$ to accept OF the Presidency OF the United States
$ PLEDGING himself invioahlv to SUBSERVE
. The PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH, and to re-
sign at the end pf four years. Martin Van Blu
i rem to serve rs Secretary If State under General
jackson, and a, the end Of four years to be nom
n mated and supported for the Presidency; with
perfect understanding that he will pursue the
Southern policy" Sc.
: AS long as Mr. Van Buren was in office, it is
needless TO say, these assurances were carefully
. redeemed.
In his inaugural address he threatened to veto
s. any bill which might be passed abolishing slave
Z ry in the District of Columbia. For reasons
satisfactory" to himself on this point, he remains
= unchanged-he has not protested recanlatlon,
y however, on any point. Read what VIM. Leg
get, one of his New-York supporters, said on this
c subject:
alt would seem that we have elected Mr.. Van
Buren, to the office of President for the mere
purpose that he may be the slave mas'e. in chief
4, and negro uverseer. lie pledged himself to
. exercise his veto power against anything which
~ Congress might do toward the abolition OF slave
10 y for the next four years. without even pretend
SIS ing that it was beyond the constitutional com
O. potency of that body TO act on the subject. This
- threatened Use Of the veto by man standing on
Il most indecent abuse Of power of which any a.
al merican President was ever guilty"
s. AS Secretary of State, Van Buren, addressed
C.. p. Van Ness, Oct. %, 1899, our minister ic
" Spain, urging him TO DO all lac could to persuade
ne Spain to make peace with the South American
" -, Republics lest they should aid in freeing Cuba
10 from Slavery!
IT. Considerations [sa,d Van Buren, connected
Id with certain class Of our population, make 1t tho
or interest of the southern section OF the Union tina
no attempt should be made IN that island Cuba
or to throw off the yoke Of Spanish Dependence
&c the first effect of which would be the emnncipa
" lion of Il numerous SLAVE population, which resul
ny could not but be scnsibiy fell upon the shores o
gn the United States"
3D. Again, in writing to cur agent in Mexico, HI
wv cautioned him TO oppose the baneiul spirit 10
cmancipationl designed 10 be introduced ant
propagated in The island Of Cuba"
mt In 1882 Van Buren, lnbored successfully t.
,t rs mike Creas Brasa pay for cargo of slave
N. which, being shipped to 60 further south, query
to Texas p on the voyage got shipwreckcd, and
landing on an island under British jurisdiction
60 they were declared free, on the principle that
de man is free The moment his foot touches BIRTHS
III soil Should we not blush to accept of goll
ior paid by British monarch to an American Pres
ident, as a satisfaction for granting to these I'm
fortunate blacks that liberty which our laws dc
ny? Yet Van Buren, said cur laws permittc
on such traffic, and he added that they were "reas
A enable larS,"
lie The casting-voto of Mr. Van Buren,, Will
ers Vice President, in favor of that Post office bl
III which authorized every southern postmaster t
tn reject and destroy all scch newspapers as in hi
ma judgment might njure the cause of Slavery, nee
ity only be alluded to- Could man do that no
and hope to be elected to the Presidency?
In 1896 and 1897 abolition presses and lee
turers were frequently put down by nobs an
ted riots. One editor was shot MIR. Van Buren,
ous his message, true to the South, took the side
Az the rioters, and would have silencod free discus
ion sion if he could have done so. lie said"
oil, reckless disregard of the consequences Of the
Dia, conduct has exposed individuals TO popular il
dignation."
The murder by the mob and its lawless vi
less is, in honied phrase, "popuiar Indignation
les but the peaceable utterance of free thoughts
'us' very reckless" very Could special plead
en- make n more admirable version? Has the cha
IN acter of southern "popular Indignation" chan
'er- ed:
hig In the case of the .qmi,tad negroes men WI
can before they were irrevocably passed into 4
was clutches of slavery, had by their own coura
AND recovered their liberly--Mr Van Buren, show
the an unreasonable desire TO oblige slave deale
ton live where they might ESering the whole C
next ccutive influence Of the government to obtair
decision against the innocent captves, The Ora
pus, by Van ~sbrens order, was stationed
New-Havcn to siezc and deliver them over
vel instant death in Cuba; but the eloquence of A
rep ans and the integrity of the Court prevent
anal this great crime on the part of the President
nave What does the New-Yorks Barnburnor's CO
cted science now say of this act perpetrated while
'rth was in the sunshine of his popularity as "nor
ern man with southern prnciples'"
1t is true that Mr.. Van Buren,, in the first
vowal of his principles which may hereafter
aoct honor uDon his sagacity as statesn