Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-07-02
..WSsCeEEdgaaeOagS.
LETTER OF MR.. VAN BUREN.
louisville, Ky., April IL. 1910.

VIM. H, Harrison, at North Bend, Ohio.
When we entered the house, We were in-
formed lhe General was indisposed; but IN
something tees than an hour he made his
appearance. After the usual solicitations
were exchanged, one of TIE undersigned
(William Chambers) handed Gen. Har-
rtsou letter addressed to him by the
Democratic Central Committee Of Ken
lucky, on the subject Of Abolition. He
received it, perused it-turned back and
re examined parts Of Il: expressed aston
ishrnent that his opinions, SO repeateday
expressed, were not known 10 those gen
tlemen, and said that nothing could induce
him to answe er such interroga gascries. coming
either from friends or foes.
In subsequent conversation, he refer
red to opinions heretofore expressed by
him, but made no further response to the
letter of the Central Committee.
Very respectfully yours, &c.
| WIN. CHAMBERS,
c. VAN BUSKlRK,
To the Democratic Central Committee OF
Kentucky.
A duplicate of the letter sent to Gen.
Harrison. was as is stated in the body oft,
also transmitted to the President, who, in
slead of taking shelter behind commit
lee, or "standin2 mute, replied asfollows:
WASHINGTON. April 2lst, 1910,
Gentlcmen:-l have received your letter
Of the 81 inst. and cheerfully comply with
your request. You have inadvertently
fallen into an error in supposins that the
questions propounded to the by the Hon.
Sherrod Williams, in 1886, embraced The
subject of Abolition. My views aud opin-
ions in regard to it were, however, COM
munica,ed to the people Of the U. States,
10 reply TO a letter received in the same
gear, from Junius Amis, Esq. and other
citizens of North Carolina, and also thro'
other channels. Perceiving that cannot
| do justice 10 your Inquiries in the form
which Won have given to them by EeaSS-7
al reference TO the answers l have hereto
fore given, will repeat the bsIance'oi
them: ,t.,v ,,,,,
siveIy to each State within its own boun-
dary-thai Congress has no righ, to inter-
ere, in any respect whatever, with the
| emancipation Of the slaves. or in the treat
ment of them in any of the States; aud
that any attempt 10 do so by the govern
meut or people Of any other State, or by
| the General Government, would NOT only
be unauthorized, but violate the spirit Of
the compromise, which lies al the basis of
| the Federal Compact; and which is bind
ing in honor and and good faith on all
who live under the protection Of The Fed
eral Constitution, and participate in its
benefits. This doctrine is in strict confor-
nifty to the principle embodied in Reso-
luton passed by the House of Representa-.
lives of the United States, in 1890, upon
report Of Committee, consisting almost
entirely of Northern men,
Secondly: Tha, connecting to Congress
the abstract power of interfering with, or
abolishing slavery in the District of Co
lumbia, under the broad grant Of exclu-
sive legislation in all cases whatsoever
over that District, there are, Nevertheless,
objections to the exercise of this power
"against the wishes of the slaveholding
States, so imperative in their nature and
obligation, in regulating the conduct of
public men. as the most palpable want Of
constitutional power would be-
Thirdly: That / desired the people of
! the United States then TO understand, that,
If elected, ! would 20 into the Prcsiden-
lial chair, the infexihle and uncompromis-
ing opponent of any attempt on the part of
Congress to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia against the wishes of the
slaveholding Sta!es, and also with deter
mination equally iufexible to resist The
slightest interference with the subject in the
States where il exists.
The Twenty Fourth Congress, whose
constitutional term expired al the moment
when mine, as President commenced, had
ayowed its belief that i, was .'extremely
important and desirable that The agitation
of the subject Of slavery should he finally
arrested for the purpose Of restoring tran
guilty to the public mind" and made it
the basis Of extensive and deliberate aciion
in both Houses. In the House of Repre-
senta'ives, Committee IA majority OF
whom are from non-slave-holding States)
reported pursuant to Instructions, two res
OIuuOuS, 'uO hlSt ludL SOuST6SS
possess no constitutional power to inter.
fcre in any way with the institution of
slavery in any OF the States Of the confed-
eracy;" the second THAT Congress ought
not to interfere with slavery in the District
Of Columbia;" and third. which was in
substance, that all papers and motions
hearing upon the subject Of slavery, should
be laid upon the table without any further
action thereon. They were accompanied
by an elaborate and very able report, set
Ting forth at large the reasons in favor of
the opinions reported, and the course re-
commended by the committee. The whole
subject was finally discussed, considered
and decided upon. The first resolution
passed by vote of 1872 to 9-the second
of 1872 10 45.-and the third Of liz 10 IS.
IN the Senate, the matter was considered