The true Democrat., 1857-05-26
From the Washington Union. DistYihr1tion

Since the Know Nothings have revived the question of the distribution of proceeds of the sales of the pubhc lands amongst the several States, everything tending to elucidate the for. mer measures of distribution will be read with interest by the people. Let the democracy everywhere beware of this insdous. impolitic and unconstitutional movement It is a scheme of Know Nottingham. The party itself was originally organized with the hope and the ex pectatlon of drawing off from the democratic party sufficient number of our incautions men to enable them to beat us. It is the same po- Hey now. They start question through which they ar.fuly appeal to the mere feelings ot interest and Selishness of the community. By this sratagem they hope to detach from our ranks some whose respect for principle and adherence to the SC tied policy of the party are not quite proof against every temptation.- Especially is this the case in Virginia. Under the pressure of heavy, but not insnpportable taxes, bound for the support of her great svs- tenn of internal Improvements there may be some few who would be willing 10 look to al most any source for relief. The appeals of the Know Nothings are made especially to such persons. The authority of some of the great est names belonging to the political history of our party is quoted by them as sanctioning the doctrine of distribution. They have used the name of MT Calhoun as being in favor of the measure without knowing his true reasons for supporting the resolution to deposit the surplus revenue III the treasures of the several States but not thereby to consider it or to make it an act Of distribution These reasons are given in the following interesting letter of Gen. Duff ureen, to which we call the special attention of our readers:
 10 the EhtOr ?f le Union:
 It Is sometimes permitted to individuals of humble station to give detailed explanations of
 facts and circumstances indispensable to a right understanding of matters in controversv- Chance having placed in my hands the Raleigh Register containing the speech of one of the candidates for Congress in Virginia, l find that the chief issue in the pending elections is the distribution of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and that MT. Cahoun's opposition to it, as proposed by Mir Clay, is attributed to personal rivalry and political jealousy, and that this charge IS urged by assuming that the ap- propriatlon of alternate sections in aid of rail- roads in the new States, and the transfer of the public deposits from the pet banks to the trea- surleS of the several States, were acts of distri- button, properly urged as preccdents, iustfying that now proposed.
 As was the intimate personal friend of Mir. Calhoun, and advsed and consulted with him at the time, and know the views and motives which induced him to advocate the appropria ton of alternate sections in aid of railroads and the transfer of the public deposits, and as these views and motives, when understood, will vim dlcate him from the charge of inconsistency in his opposition to Mr. Clay's distribution scheme, now revived by the opposition in Virginia and North Carolina, l, with your permission, will briefly review few facts connected with the issues in question.
 Mr. Calhoun was the author of the dcclara- ton of the war of 1912, and, by the energy and force of his character contributed as much or more than any other member of Congress to Its vigorous prosecution and successful terni- nation. tie was Iu Congress what Jackson was In the army, and thus became identified with the popular feeling. He was emphatcallv the man of the people, and as such, was elected Vice President Ill l02t: when Mr. Adams was electet President by the vote of Mr. Clay. as was charged, regardless of the popular prefer ence for General Jackson. In the canvass of 1928, Mr. Calhoun and his friends took an ac- tive part in support of General Jackson. in op- position to the reelection of Mr. 4 lams. and was again reelected Vice President by a popu lar vote 50 decided as to identify him with G.n Jackson.
 Mr. Crawford, of Georgia, had been can dldate in 1921, nominated by the congressional caucus, and as such was actively opposed by the friends of Gen. Jackson, and Mr. Adams, as well as by MT. Clay and Mr. Calhoun. Mir. Van Buren had been his active partisan. In the casvass of 1928, after it was aScertained that Gen. J ackson would be elected. Mr. Van Buren united ill his support and in the orgau- Zation of the cabinet was appointed secretary oi State. In 1929, during the first year of Gen Jackson's first term, he was nominated by the editor of the New York Courier and Enquirer, then hls partisan, as candidate for the success sion Tn 1852. Upon the meeting of Congress. ID December, 1929, it was ascertaiued that Mr. Van Buren could not get the support of the party, and he and his partisans resolved to run Gen. Jackson for second term, and a part of their tact cs was to induce Gen. Jackson to be- lieve that Mr. Calhoun would be candidate in 1852, and that 1 would support him with the influence of my paper, (the Telesfph) Mir Calhoun was next, If not equal, to Gen. Jack son in the affections of the eope, and Mr. Van Buren saw that he could not inherit the larty influence but by breach of the personal and party relations between Gen Jackson and NIT. Calhoun, and hence the iutrsues which resulted in the dissolution of the cabinet, and the creation of tine Globe newspaper. as the organ of the combination. General Jackson was re elected in 1852, and Mr. Van Buren. having been nominaed by party convention gotten up for tnat purpose, was elected Vice President. The Day mcut of the national debt left surplus of near forty millions H. the bank of the United States as the depository, which surplus, 1t was seen, would he increased by the accruug revenue. Having superseded NIT. Calhoun with the party by the nomination for Vice President, Mr. Van Buren saw in Mr Clay ms chef competitor for the Pres !encv in 1856; and, Knowing the relations between Mr. Clay and the bank of the United States, he saw that the power and influence of that bank would be eXerted in support of Mr. Clay; and that, by seizing upon the public deposits, and distributing some forty millions ot dollars into local banks, with the prospect of a, much more to result from other accommodations of surplus revenue, he would cause the seizure and dlstr- button to become a party measure, in which the whole power and influence of the pet banks would be enlisted in his support as the party candidate. With this view, he induced General Jackson to go to Boston, where he met d caucus of Mir. Van BuIen'S partsans, of whom the late David Henshaw and Mr. Poiusett were two, ID which the measure was discussed and agreed upon, and the ink was scarcely dry upon the diploma by which Mr. Webster and his partSans made General Jackson d doctor of laws, before he issued the order for the removal of the deposits.
 It was supposed the removal would compel the bank of the United States to cartail her discounts, and that the consequence would be monetary crisis, rendering the removal uu- popular To pre> eut th.s the secretary of the treasury, by order of the President, instructed the pet banks to discount freely on commercial laper. This enabled the bank of the United States to enlarge the line of her discounts; and the failure 10 obtain renewal of her char ter made 1t necessary to sell out her branches, that bank did enlarge its discounts and sold her branches, receiving payment chiefly in the notes of the pet banks. This accumulation of local bank paper enabled the baltk of the L. States