The Arkansas Advocate

IMPORTANT TESTIMONY.

The following letter was written and published in 1832, by Gen. Samuel McKean, a Senator in Congress from Pennsylvania, giving his reasons why he could not, under any circumstances, vote for Van Buren as Vice President, his name having been put upon the Jackson and Wilkins Ticket, as an Elector.

Gen. McKean has always been one of the firmest supporters of Gen. Jackson in the country, and is so still, his name being uniformly found on the Administration side of every question in the Senate.—Let Jackson men read his letter, and reflect upon what is said of Van Buren by one who knows him well,—[Editor Observer.

FROM THE MONTROSE (PENNSYLVANIA) REGISTER
Letter to the Editor.

Harrisburg, September 15, 1832.

DEAR SIR,—I have read with feelings of peculiar approbation the editorial remarks in your paper of the 7th inst., on the subject of the Vice Presidency. I had already noticed, with no other emotions than those of contempt and disgust, the movements and declarations to which you allude—designed to create a belief that the Presidential Electors nominated on the 5th of March last, would, if elected, vote for Martin Van Buren as Vice President. I cannot believe that any honest and intelligent friend of Gen. Jackson, can be guilty of such gross temerity. Should even a well grounded suspicion prevail, that such a course would be ultimately pursued by any portion of the electors on our ticket—thousands of Gen. Jackson's sincere friends would be deterred from supporting it;—and if the corrupt attempts to induce this course are persisted in to the last, it may render doubtful even the entire electoral vote of General Jackson himself.

Strange as it may seem, and discreditable as it certainly is to its authors and abettors, I am now convinced, from recent developments, and facts within my own knowledge, that a deep laid plot is actually in a train of maturation, having for its object the transfer (if possible) of a part if not the whole of the electoral vote of Pennsylvania, to Mr Van Buren. The plan is to remain quiet hereafter until the Presidential election, when the vote of the people will have been given with a view to Mr. Wilkins: then meetings of squads are to be got up wherever it is possible, and resolutions passed complimentary to Mr Wilkins, but expressing regret that his prospects of success throughout the Union are no better, and a hope that as an act of patriotic sacrifice rendered necessary by the crisis of affairs—he will decline. These will be paraded as evidences of public opinion, immediately before the electors assemble—to justify those (if any) who may be so inclined for giving their votes for Mr Van Buren, and thus shamelessly degrading the political character of the state.

Be not astonished at almost any political movement in these times—therefore startle not when I tell you that I have seen letters (and heard of others) from New York politicians which contain an outline of the above project. And that there are men in this state engaged in this humiliating scheme—who profess to be friendly to General Jackson, but who in truth, are merely employing the influence of his name for their own mercenary and ambitious purposes— is equally certain and susceptible of the clearest proof! What Pennsylvanian, let me ask, who cherishes a single feeling of state pride, or has a spark of manly spirit glowing within his bosom, but must awaken to indignant resentment at the insult to the state, which this project involves? It is such an insult that no one but
the servile tools of a practised political gambler and systematic intriguer, would dare to offer even the most insignificant state in the Union. I have too much respect for the individuals named on our electoral ticket to believe that any of them will prove recreant to the principles avowed by the 5th of March Convention, and cast their votes for the New York Candidate for the Vice Presidency. I know it is a common maxim, that "every man has his price;"--however true this may be as a general rule, so far as I am concerned in this case, I must plead an exception. With me there can be no price for such a violation of faith and dereliction of principle. Mr Van Buren having, by himself and his friends done all in his power to defeat the views and just claims of the democracy of Pennsylvania--ought to be the last man to expect, and I trust will be the last man to receive its favors. My vote can never be given to him for the Vice Presidency under any circumstances; and I took occasion so to declare myself, in the broadest and most unqualified terms, the other evening, to the State Central Committee, in order, if there were any latent understanding in which they participated, to transfer, ultimately, the vote of this state to Mr Van Buren---that my name might be stricken from the ticket.

My personal respect for the President, and the connection (unfortunate, I must call it, both for the country and Gen. Jackson,) which recently existed between him and Mr Van Buren, has hitherto deterred me in some measure, from speaking of the latter as I think he deserves. The unsparing bitterness of his former opposition to General Jackson--continued until every hope of success was blasted by the firmness of Pennsylvania--argues but little in favor of the sincerity and patriotism of his late fawning professions---to say nothing of their grossness and servility. Situated as I am, when at home, on the confines of the State of N. York, having been personally intimate with many of Mr Van Buren's partisans—few individuals have had better opportunities than myself, of marking his political manoeuvres, for the last twenty years,--during which time he has exhibited all the powers and qualities with regard to politics, of the chameleon, assuming every hue and color which his ambitious purposes, in view of the exigencies of the moment, seemed to require. To speak plainly--I know him to be void of political integrity-and most of those high qualities of the mind, which, wherever they may be found, I humbly trust no minor difference in matters of human opinion will ever prevent me from duly acknowledging or yielding a respect. Cunning, and a certain species of popular talent, he indeed possesses--but those only render him the more dangerous in time of public excitement and illusion. When he first entered Gen. Jackson's cabinet, I expressed my serious misgivings of the result, to Judge McLean, (then Post Master General) and others; and the mischiefs which I then apprehended, have been more than verified. His whole course has been that of a political disorganizer, whenever it could promote his selfish schemes. Party arrangements and even the sacred ties of personal friendship, have both by turns been coldly sacrificed upon the altar of his insatiate ambition.

Pennsylvania is fast losing her weight and influence in the Union, by substituting, erroneously, as I conceive, an implicit devotion to men, for patriotism.--And what increases the humiliation of her position is, that this devotion is never concentrated on her men. Now, who that is in the least conversant with the springs of human action, can for a moment believe that our State will ever be duly respected by the nation, as long as she tacitly concedes by her conduct, that her talented men are inferior to those of other States. For my own part, I am heartily sick of this trait in the policy of Pennsylvania. In the various avocations of life professional and otherwise, this State has produced some of the most distinguished men of the age: and yet in a political point of view, many of her best men have been neglected or forgotten, amid the din of party feuds and domestic dissensions.

As an elector, nominated and instructed by the late Democratic Convention, I have cheerfully given my pledge to vote for Andrew Jackson and William Wilkins:-which pledge, if I have the honor to serve, shall be faithfully redeemed---unless I am absolved from such obligation by death or subsequent acts of those candidates. And even then, since the State has taken a stand in behalf of one of her own sons. I would still be in favor of a Pennsylvania candidate.-But, if by any combination of circumstances, I should be induced to look for a Vice President, and out of the State--I would decidedly prefer Philip P. Barbour, of Virginia, whom I know to be a Democrat of the Jefferson school--a sincere friend of the President, and to possess talents of the highest order. Above all I believe him to be as honest a man as ever lived.

I have thus very hastily and concisely given you my views with regard to certain matters naturally connected with the subject of the paragraph in your paper, first alluded to. They are the same that I express on all proper occasions;-and I care not in what way--by whom, or to whom they are communicated.

Very respectfully,

Your friend and servant,

SAMUEL McKEAN.