Claims Of Martin Van Buren

1. During the eession of Congress, 1835-6, he gave his casting vote in the United States Senate, in favor of a Bil] prohibiting Postmastersfrom delivering "any pamphlet, neiespaper, handbiH,or oiher print ed -paper orpictorial reptxsenlalion, touching the suljecl of s'avery in any State, in which thcir circulaiionisprohbited by lato." t(Tiie object of the bill," says Judge Jay, "was, to build aroind the slave States, a rampart againat the ftssaults of ligbt nnd truth." It involved a surrender, by the general government, of the freedom of the press; as a precedent, prepared the way for the destrucof civil and religious liberty, and constituted every postmasier iu tl.e slave States a mail robber. 2. March, 13S6, lie declared in a letter to pohtieal friends in North Carolina, that shonld ke be elected president, he would veto any hll par sed by bolk Hovses of Congress for the abolilion of Slavery in the District of Columbw, 'against ihe wishes of the slaveholding Slatét." S. March, 1837, in liis. inaugural ho refers to the above declaration, and says "11 tww ony remaim for me lo add. ihal no bill confiicling with these vicies can receive mv conslitutional sancfion." 4. March L7, 1840, he wrote to Waltor Leake, of North Carolina, "these seniiments are not only slill entertained by me, bvt have been greatly strengthmed by sxbsequent ei-perience and refUctioR."the summer following, he wrote te others in tha same state, denying ihe constitutional right of congress to aboli.-sh slavery ie the territone?. 5. Jt.lv, 1339. Fifty three fcidnapped native Africana, while on board the Amistad, rose upon their Cuban purchasers, took command of the were deluded on to Uie const of Connecticut, eeized by officers of the general governmem and imprisoned. They vvere demanded by the Spanish authorrties in order to their bcing tned by Spanish laws,which they have violated.' (i. e. hung.) Tftese unfortunate persons, clearly free by the laws nnd treaty stiptilaticns both of the United States ond of Spain, Mr. Van Bureri sought to dcliver op for trial 'beyond seas,' by attempting to overawe the courts, by ordering a public vessel to lie off the coast, tbat they might be hurried óirboard wi.hout Ihe delay of an appenl, and by the foJlovving Order, by which, snys John Q. Adarns, che becarae the catchpole of foreign slaveholders:' "The manhal ofjhe United Slatesfor Uw district of Connedicul will dflivcr over to Liwt+vant John S. Paine, of the United States JYaiy, and aid in conveying tm board theschooner Grampvs, vndcr his commnnd, all the negroèSftaté of the Spanish schooucr Jlmistadt, in his cvstody. nndtr process nsw ptvid ing befnre tki circuit covrt of ihe United States for the district of Gmnecticvt. For so doing, llds order tcill be, lus icrnrant. ''Giveti vnder my hand, at the city of Wafki ington, thislthday of Janvary, Ji. 1). 1S40. AL VAN BUREN. "By the PrésSf&ftf: Joijn Forsïtu, Sec'y of Slate." See Doe. 185, 26.h Also, Speech of J. Q. Adams before the Supreme