Having finished the reading of his objections, Mr. Van Buren stated, that the question submitted by the accused, was, as it respected him (Mr V. B.) one of peculiar delicacy[.] That the station for which he had been selected by the President, was not of his seeking; but one he had felt himself bound to accept, and the duties of which he was prepared to discharge. That the very nature of those duties precluded in his judgment the propriety of his expressing any solicitude on the subject. That he deemed the authority under which he claimed to act, competent for him, and binding on the court[.] That it was for them to decide how far they had a right to arraign the conduct of the government on the subject, and to decide on the legality of the course which had been adopted. That the responsibility of that decision was with the court and the accused; and that he should conform to such order as the court should feel themselves justified to make.