The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-31

mace, and of Mr.. VAN BuREN's late speech,
it looks very much as if the I" indispensa-
BILE" reunion of the Barnburners and Old
Hunkers were somewhat impracticable.
If the present Administration pursue, as
they will, prudent and moderate measures,
the Locofoco party, as national party, As
dissolved forever-and there will grow up
great administration party strong in the
Democracy of numbers, which will secure
to the people of this republic an honest
Government for twenty years to come.
The old party of defaulters and REGULATORS
will never see land again during the pre-
sent generation.
But we have detained our readers too
long from the perusal Of the first chapter
in the History of the Dissolution of the
Locotoco party.
From the Union Of 26h Jtly, l849.
"The New York Epsning Post speaks of the
senior editor of the Union being disagreeably affect
ed by the speech of John Van Buren, at Cleveland {,
collect what long apprenticeship we have served
In the editorial line, and how many scurrious at
tacks we have received for forty6ve years, he would
scarcely suppose that had been very disagreeaby
affected by any thing which could emanate from
the lips of Mr.. John Van Buren,. This young
Hotspur of New York; has charged US with two
or three changes of position which we have made
in that time. We should have been fortunate, in
deed, if we had not once twice changed our opin-
ion of men, and of measures, (not great prin-
ciples,) in that long period of time. We venture
to say that few politicians in this country, if any,
could withstand SO severe ordeal Of their con-
slstency. But certainly gross Of inconsist-
ency does not lie at our door. In 1896, we bad to
vindicate Martin Van Buren, against the course Of
the New York Evening Post, which had involved
him by its own abolition notions, and expressly
against his own anti-abolition opinions, in the
charge of aboltionism and now Martin Van Buren,
is just as violent aboionist as the Evening Post
itself!
"John Van Buren, has dragged in the venerable
name of Silas Wright into his attacks upon us. He
represents Mr.. Wright as censuring our want of
stability. Upon one point, we have no doubt Mr..
Wright was of opinion that he had some cause to
complain of us. Every man in Virginia knows
how warmly we supported Mr.. Van Buren, on his
election to the Presidency in 1885, and how strenu-
ously we urged his reelection in 1910. But when
defeated by General Harrison we determined to
stand up for Mr.. Van Buren, in 1874 Every Vr-
ginia politician knows how strongly we supported
him in the spring of that year against the friends Of
Mr. Calhoun; and when they found themselves in
minority in the State, Mr.. r. Nj. T. Hunter, in
the finest and most liberal spirit, came forward in
the State convention to offer the olive branch and
pledge themselves TO support Van Buren,, throwing
upon his friends the responsibility of carrying out
our common republican principles. Those who
witnessed the scene will recollect in what manner
address m hail
ture, and to accept the responsibility.
although we were subsequently defeated in the
spring election, yet the friends of Mr.. Calhoun still
determined to stand by Van Buren,, provided he
should be found true on the great Texas question.
The very evening of the day on which this pledge
was given, Mr. Van Buren's ant-Texas letter
reached US. 1t decided his lot. 1t was evident at
least that Virginia would then go against him. We
communicated the true situation of things to Mr.
Van Buren,, with more pain than we are now will
ing to express, backed with number of letters
from republicans of high character to confirm the
statement The very next day we made similar
communication to Mr. Wright, at Washington,
enclosing very strong letter from one of the
strongest democrats in the State, and showing that
if we took Van Buren, for our leader we should be
certainly defeated. These letters, with the Shoe
koe resolutions, which had been prepared at an
elite meeting of the most distinguished Democrats
in Richmond, and which, at their request, we pre-
scented on the same evening to the Shockoe Assoc
citation, were received with bad grace by Mr.
Wright; and he wrote US, in as civil terms as he
could employ, that it was an act which we should
rue to the last day Of our life We have never re-
pcnted one moment from that day to this. On the
contrary, had we consulted his feelings, had the re-
publicans of Virginia madly persisted in the pom-
nation Of Mr.. Van Buren, at Baltimore, we should
have been certainly defeated Mr.. Clay would have
been elected, and the brilliant administration
which adorns our annals, which has contributed so
much to confirm the triumph of republican princ-
Piles, and to shed so much glory upon our country,
would never have existed For the part which we
conscientiously took at that important period, we
have never been forgiven by the Van Buren, clique;
and to this cause We in part indebted for the
last outburst of the vindictive feeling which was
poured forth the other day at the Cleveland Con-
venon by the Hotspur of the clique"