The election of Mr. VAN BUREN to succeed General JAcxsort
as President of the United States, appears to be certain. When the last accounts were despatched, six States, having 120 electors, had declared for him, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Six others, with 45 votes, were admitted to be on his side ; so that he would have 165 out of 289 votes, or more than half of the whole, which would he necessary to give him the elec- tion. If it should turn out, however, that though having a plu- rality of votes, he has not a clear majority over all his competitors put together, the election would be referred to the House of Re- presentatives; where, by an anomaly in the American constitu- tion, the little State of Rhode Island would have the same influ- ence as New York, each being entitled to one vote. The election of VAN BUREN is disliked by the Bank of the United States, and by commercial men generally. Against the Bank, he will vigo- rously direct the JACKSON policy ; but as regards the merchants, it is only indirectly, by his attacks on the Bank that he can hurt them. He is an extremely clever man, who has served a long ap- prenticeship to the art of government, and understands the true interests of his country. Party politics may compel him. to take rather violent measures against his formidable opponent, the Bank ; but that he will systematically irritate or injure the mer- cantile interest, we cannot at all believe.
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