Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

jealous of one another; armed for mutual aggressions; loaded with taxes to pay armies and leaders; secking aid against each other from foreign powers; insulted and trampled upon by the nations of Europe; until, harassed with conflicts, and humbled and debased in spirit, they would be ready to submit to the absolute dominion of any military adventurer, and to surrender their liberty for the sake of repose. It is impossible to look upon the consequences that would inevitably follow the destruction of this Government, and not feel indignant when we hear cold calculations about the value of the Union, and have so constantly before us a line of conduct so well calculated to weaken its ties."

He thus closes his advice:

"You have no longer any cause to fear danger from abroad; your strength and power are well known throughout the civilized world, as well as the high and gallant bearing of your sons. It is from within, among yourselves, from cupidity, from corruption, from disappointed ambition, and inordinate thirst for power, that factions will be formed and liberty endangered. It is against such designs, whatever guise the actors may assume, that you have specially to guard yourselves. You have the highest of human trusts committed to your care. Providence has showered on this favored land blessings without number, and has chosen you as the guardians of freedom to preserve it for the benefit of the human race. May He who holds in His hands the destinies of nations make you worthy of the favors He has bestowed, and enable you, with pure hearts, and pure hands, and sleepless vigilance, to guard and defend, to the end of time, the charge He has committed to your keeping!"

A noble legacy. Its timely cautions were directed to the real sources of danger. The motives and causes of disunion are clearly and plainly stated. Had they been heeded, North and South, the sectional curses that have befallen us, withered our resources, and destroyed the Union and the happiness of the people, would never have overtaken us. The cupidity, corruption, disappointed ambition, and inordinate thirst for power, are pointed out as the sources from which sectional difficulties and disunion must emanate.

From whom have our sectional and disunion difficulties come? The answer is explicit-from the enemies of General Jackson, and those who derided and spurned his advice. The leaders of abolition and nullification carried on a mock war, to alienate the kind feelings and arouse all the bad passions of both sections. Abolition would blister its mouth in uttering scorching and bitter words, which the newspapers sent South to stir up the people. These being read and commented upon, words of burning fire and fury were uttered and sent North in the papers. Each section supplied the fuel and kept the fire burning in the other. The leaders understood it, but the masses did not, and became terribly in earnest. The defeat of a Southern Union man for Congress was hailed with joy by the Northern conspirators, and the success of an abolitionist at the North was chuckled over by Southern secessionists as a triumph. Each wished to widen the breach and render healing it impossible. Both had disunion in view. The Southern States, tired of Northern annoyances, wished to go by themselves and enjoy in peace their own institutions and laws. The abolitionists wished to get rid of them, and have a government where slavery should not be tolerated. If these two sections had had their own way, the South would have been permitted "to go in peace," as advised by ChiefJustice Chase, Horace Greeley, Banks, Wade, and others. But there was another and numerous class of men who could not be converted to these doctrines. They consisted of the followers of General Jackson, North and South, and Union-loving Whigs everywhere. The Southern secessionists openly proclaimed their wishes and intentions. But the Union Democrats and Union Whigs were so numerous and decided, that nearly all the Abolition party shrank from avowing what they desired, and those who had spoken out recalled their words and clamored the loudest for the Union, and for punishing those who rebelled. The secessionists were surprised and astonished, and met a united resistance of all parties from the North that they had not anticipated or feared. The most sturdy of the real abolitionists were more easily found in the ring of thrift or talking positions, than where powder and ball showed the real havoc of war. They made up in noise what they

lacked in actual fighting, and now put forth claims similar to those of the redoubtable Falstaff. The real fighting was mainly done by Democrats and old-line conservative Whigs, who were favored with more opportunities to display their courage than to receive compliments and favors at the hands of the Government. The enormous sacrifice of men and means in this war came from not following the salutary advice of General Jackson's Farewell Address.

81.-MARTIN VAN BUREN.

Mr. Van Buren acquired his eminence by the force of his mind and unsurpassed energy. His parentage was respectable, but not such as to give him special advantages in the start or progress of his elevated career. His early education was moderate, but whatever knowledge he acquired, whether in school or the law-office, was clearly, and distinctly, and permanently impressed upon the mind. He was never satisfied in half learning or understanding any thing, but made sure that whatever he undertook he perfectly mastered. In studying legal principles, he was not content in merely remembering what he found written in the books, but his investigations never ended until he learned the reason of the rule laid down. In practising his profession as a lawyer, he relied far more upon the reasons in favor of his own positions. than upon the authority of great names and accepted writers. This gave him superior advantages, which contributed largely to his success. In giving advice and in preparing cases, like Felix Grundy, he settled in his own mind what he thought, upon principle, was clearly right, and acted accordingly, and was seldom wrong.

He was born at Kinderhook, Columbia County, N. Y., December 5, 1782, and was admitted as an attorney in 1802, and commenced practice in his native town, but soon removed to Hudson, where the field of professional labor was larger. While a student he took an active part in the political contests in the county, and, espousing the Democratic party, he came in conflict. with the leading Federalists of the day. The efforts of these politicians to crush him, contrary to their expectations, contributed

essentially to his success and elevation in the world. It tended to increase his energies and sharpen his faculties, and he soon rose to be the equal of those who hoped he would fail. His constitution was strong, his health good, and his mental faculties never tired, and his industry never flagged. His character, in every respect, was above reproach, while his manners and appearance were highly in his favor. Neither envy, hatred, nor malice, could stay the progress of such a man. He steadily rose, step by step, until he reached the highest position in our Government.

Always honest in his intentions, and firm and unwavering in his purposes, and persevering in whatever he undertook, he soon became a favorite with the Democracy of his county, and eventually of the State and nation. The Democrats in 1808 first manifested their respect and confidence by conferring upon him the responsible office of Surrogate of Columbia County, which he held many years. He was next, in the spring of 1812, elected State Senator for four years, at the end of which term he was reëlected. His rise was now rapid. When General Hull was tried for his cowardly if not treasonable conduct in the surrender of Detroit, he was selected as judge-advocate, and performed the duties in a manner which elevated his character as a lawyer. During the War of 1812 he was Governor Tompkins's right-hand man in the Legislature. When the question of constructing the Erie and Champlain Canals was before the Legislature, contrary to the wishes of some of his friends, he espoused these measures and lent them invaluable support. He was appointed Attorney-General of the State of New York in 1815, and continued to hold the office until removed by his political opponents in 1819. Athough residing in Albany, he was elected a delegate to the convention of 1821, to revise the State constitution, by the Democracy of Otsego County.

During the same year he was elected to the Senate of the United States, and took his seat in December. In that body he immediately rose to a high position. He was reëlected in 1827, but resigned on the 1st of January, 1829, on being elected Governor of New York, which office he resigned in March, having been appointed Secretary of State by General Jackson. This

office he resigned on the 7th of April, 1831, because circumstances beyond his control had placed him before the country as a candidate for the presidency, a position which he thought incompatible with a proper discharge of his duties as the head of a department. The duties of the office of Secretary of State were never more ably and efficiently performed than by Mr. Van Buren. Soon after his resignation as Secretary, General Jackson, in vacation, appointed him minister to Great Britain. The enemies of the Democracy were at that time in a majority in the Senate, and his nomination as minister was rejected, 26th January, 1832, by the casting vote of John C. Calhoun, then Vice-President, and president of the Senate. It is believed that there was a well-understood arrangement among his opponents to place the responsibility of his rejection on the shoulders of Mr. Calhoun, of which he had no knowledge. When the news of his rejection reached London, he was met by a distinguished member of the British Government, who, instead of looking upon him as a dishonored and fallen statesman, remarked that he had never known a person to reach the highest political positions without at some time having been temporarily the victim of the injustice of his enemies.

On returning home, Mr. Van Buren was most cordially received by his political friends. The greetings of General Jackson were cordial and sincere. The whole country felt that gross injustice had been done to Mr. Van Buren by his rejection. No man then living was more fit for the English mission. The authors of the rejection believed that their vote would deprive him of public confidence, and defeat any future aspirations he might have. In the minds of the people the question was, not what the Senate thought of him, but whether he had been unjustly dealt by. The electors condemned the act by their votes.

General Jackson had consented, contrary to his own wishes, and former expressed opinions, if nominated again, to run for the presidency. A nominating convention from all the States met at Baltimore, on the 22d of May, 1832, when he was unanimously renominated for the presidency. Mr. Van Buren was selected for Vice-President. The election resulted in a great Democratic triumph, Mr. Van Buren receiving the same vote as General

« AnteriorContinuar »