The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-12-15
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM HARTFORD COUNTY.
A Review of the History Of the Demo-
cratic Party-Continued.
BELAIR, MD, December 18th, 1888

BELAIR, Nd, December 18th, 1888.
Editors Union During the third year of Presi-
dent Jackson's first administration, 1881. and
after the dissolution of his cabinet referred to in
my last letter, he appointed Mr.. Van Buren,
Minister to England. When Congress assembled
in December of that year his nomination was
acted upon by the Senate. II appears that Mr..
Van Buren,, while Secretary of State, had made
some very bitter enemies among the adherents of
the administration by certain instructions that he
had given Minister McLain at the English court
in relation to certain negotiations with England
respecting the Colonial trade of that country. He
was openly charged by Senators with having dis
graced his country by this official act and the de-
bates upon his confirmation were very bitter and
acrimonious.
Senator Chambers, of Maryland, said "That
Mr.. Van Buren,, in his instructions to Mr.. McLain
on the subject of the Colonial trade, has violated
the honor of the nation, has wounded its high and
elevated character, has evinced disregard to the
interests of the American people-nay, has insult
ed that people in the person of their Government,
has attempted to promote the objects of party
amongst us, and has disclosed total ignorance
of the proper principles and feelings which should
adorn the diplomatist."
Said Senator Clayton, of Delaware: 81 consider
the late negotiation respecting the West India
trade with the English nation as the most humil-
iating to our national pride that has occurred in
the annals Of our diplomacy. The Minister was
sent with instructions to fawn and beg as boon,
at the footstool of a foreign power, what we were
entitled to as right, and to abandon and de-
nounce as untenable pretensions' what had been
always before insisted upon matter of justice
to our country. He was positively directed to
consider his own Government as justly assailable
for too long and too tenaciously resisting the
rights of Great Britain Sir, this Minister did
as he ordered to do. He 'entreated,' and
appealed, ard begged, and prayed, regretted,
aita ID and. bo,.a IN haa
fessed we had been in the wrong, instead of re-
pelling with dignity the insolence and sarcasm of
the British ministry, until the contemplate boon
was granted and the national character effec-
tually degraded. Let this Minister take his place
in the Treasury; but let not 'him' who gave these
instructions succeed him at the Court of St.
James, again to beg and Solicit and degrade
in the eyes of Europe, by laying before the world
the state of our domestic differences at home"
Said Senator Foote of Connecticut: "No care
full observer, who has noticed the proceedings of
this administration from its commencement, who
is not fully convinced that there had been behind
the throne power greater than the throne itself,
which has directed most of its movements. / am
fully convinced that the whole System of proscrip-
ton owes its existence to Martin Van Buren,.
That the dissolution of the Cabinet was effected
by his management and for his benefit, and that
the hand of the Secretary Of State may be traced
distinctly in another affair of private character,
which has produced an alienation between the
Executive and the Vice President"
Said Senator Holmes, of Maine al am against
this confirmation, because he has humbled us in
the eyes of foreign nations He has surrendered
the rights of his country to Great Britain to
tain his party. 1t is the first time this country
was ever thus degraded, and I would it should be
the last"
The great Senator Hayne, of South Carolina,
after criticizng the official acts of Mr.. Van
Buren,, particularly the instructions to Minister
McLain about which so much had already been
said, and the part he had acted in the dissolution
of the late Cabinet, and the alienation between
the President and Vice. President Calhoun, said
at is possible may be deceived, but if so, can
only say that so strong are the convictions under
which / am acting that if l were juror in the
box, sworn to give a true verdict between Martin
Van Buren, and his country, should feel myself
constrained TO give that verdict against him."
The Senate refused to confirm his nomination
and President Jackson was compelled to recall
him. Then commenced the greatest struggle that
had yet taken place in the Democratic party for
the next Presidency, and who should be second
on the ticket General Jackson was the successful
candidate for President, and Mr. Van Buren, was
given the second place on the ticket. They were
elected in the fall of 1882, and took their seats
the 4th of March, 1888. This was the commence
ment of Jacksons second term, and in my next
shall have occasion to refer to several very i'm
portant sayings and doings Of some of The great
est statesmen and orators of that or any other
period of our history, and will show how widely
estranged some of Jackson's earliest supporters
were forced to become to him by his course dur
ing his second and last administration.
RAMBLER