The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-09-05
FREE SOIL DEMO SSTRATION
IN THE NINTH WARD.
VAN BUREN, AND ADAMS
SPEECH OF JOHN VAN BUREN,, AND OTHERS.


a mass meeting, last evening" in Abingdon square,
at the junction of Hudson and Bleecker streets,
for the purpose Of aiding in the formation of the
LETTERS oman League of the Ninth ward, and the
promulg CATION Of the principles of the free soil
party About one thousand persons were as
sembled at the time appointed and 1t having
been announced that John Van Buren, would
speak, he was called upon long before the meet
ing was organized Not arriving at the time ap
pointed, and the meeting having been called to
order,Ta Mr.. Schaffer amused the audience with
Van Buren, Speech until he made his appearance
Mr. VAN buren, spoke follows--I thank you fell
low citizens for the kindness with which you have
ceved my coming forth comply with your invitation
address the friends of free soil and the Jeersonian
league of this ward tonight. You about to enter
on presidential election, and naturally and properly
the questions to be passed by the people at that
election, occupy the public mind. Prominent among
these the question OF human savery-a uestion that
has agitated this republic from its foundation-and
which Is for the careful consideration Of
every American citizen. Washington, Jefferson, and
all the parties Of the revolution dia not hesitate
nounce this curse as an evil from which we must
eventually escape IL was in existence in several of the
old thirteen States SIX OF them lad slavery and il
with that consideration that it permitted to
tinue of tine would get rid oft that
of the old thirteen ates majority would be
slaveholdng The entire territory OF the United States
consecrated to freedom by the ordinance of 1887
which prohibited the iuVIoducton of slavery in the
territory which it reft rred to. From that territory
Ave States have been formed, making the proportion
twelve free and six slaveaoldng States. Such was
the condition OF the republic at its formation S,aysry
continued to be denounced by every patriot of that
day, and even the bes. nteects o. the South looked
upon it in the light. Since that time, Texas
Florida and Louisiana, have bee added to this Union
and from them and from the ginal slave States
fifteen slave States in oil have been formed amount
ing exactly to one half in number of the States of
this Union At this crisis .he question is
to you, whether this Union is TO be jorty Of slave
or non-savehodipg States; and this question is to
be determined by the future action Of this govern
ment. Texas was annexed to this country, war
with Mexico being entered into for the purpose
Those who wanted to force that territory into this
Union, would not wait till the boundary was
adjusted All the people Of the United States desired
with Mexico, after having adjusted its boundaries
but the southern slavehod:ng States insisted on
making the immediate annexation OF Texas the con-
trolling issue in the last Presidential election. For
that purpose they made 1t the only test in 1914 of
eligibility to Office. They forced the democratic
party to take the position Of being in favor of the
immediate annexation Of Texas. Tn y forced on us
q President who should himself be a stakeholder
Regardless of the rag ng with Mexico and regard
less Of the pledges made 10y Benton, Blair, Dix aud
Others, who opposed the admission of Texas till her
boundary was adjusted, the Presi dent proceeded
annex IL without. and thus brought the war with
this country which lasted for eighteen months the
loss of thirty thousand lives 1t is for the people of
have fallen-now that debt of fifty millions is con
tracted-fit by corrupt intrigue that this
was forced on the country, and this brought
about which has entaed so much suffering. While
the ragged we all supported it. While the country
IS at war, we would prosecute It, We all contributed
BY our me ans and votes TO sustain it, and prosecute
1t to honorable termination But the termi
has been reached and the inquiry is whether that
war was just and necessary whether the government
should be continued in the hands Of those by whom
the war was brought about-~hether shall put in
Office one who not only approved Of it. but one who
proposed to 60 to war for "a 40, on oregonwhether
We are to put in Office the who led the troops
from Corpus Christi aud thus brought on immedi
ately the war; which might have been avoided? When it
became appare that territory be added to the
4. pennsylVa N
duced proviso requiring that the territory which
we were about to acquire, and which was then Free
should be kept free. MIR. King introduced into the
next Congress similar provison but neither of these
gentlemen proposed TO make it a test on the Prssi
dental election. The South, however, now in the
of Texas insist making that the test OF elgi
bility to Office. They insist that should be
to be extended to the free territory They insisted
that theywould, under DO necessity support any
except on that basis 1ney compelled General Cass
who had previously avowed his faith in the Wmot pro-
viso, under threats that they would support any
candidate who believed in that proviso to conform
his political belief to this aud denounce and vote
against the pIoviso which he had previously sup
ported So the nomination Of General Cass made
by the Baltimore Convention. The democracy of this
State not heard in that convention Two sets of
delegates of known conflicting views admitted
1t was known they would naturally have one. It was
known that the real delegates would not sit In that
convention and tn consequence was that New York
not heard Is that national convention when
New York is left out Is that real nomination when
New York was not heard Is that nomination, then,
binding on this State the Union Thus thought
the Buffalo Convention, and another candidate has
been put forth who is known to you You know
that It not his wish to be nominated. |
myself delegate TO that convention / voted for
Gardiner and eectionecred for him stated that the
gentleman who was eventually nominated would not
accept, and did all in my power to defeat his nomi
ton but was OF erruied, and the nomination
They did so, how Because he declared his dstermi
nation to run whether they nominated him not
They nominated him, and they threw overheard one
of their tried statesmen man whom have always OPP
posed and presume better test Of his fidelity the
whg parto could be given, than that opposed him
admitted nd why was he not available, was because
he asopposed to slavery In my opinion the NOMINEE
ton of General Taylor has thus far, most concu-
sively shown the intelligence OF the American people
He has got but two States thus far. It is q
favorable sign for public man, when the prominent
men of his party support hun; but General Taylor
has been in the field for ninety days. and who
tell whether the prominent wings in the Union intend
to support him or not! VIII Mr.. Clay support him |?
Will MI. Webster vote for him |! MIR. Webster says
that after ninety days anxious reflection, he has come
to the conclusion to keep the promise that he made
before the nomination He says H. Ia one of the worst
nominations that could be made but that as he has
been nominated. he will not oppose him. But think,
II elected at ALL he Is to be elected by those who will
And this election is within sixty days. this Daniel
must come to judgment soon. !Laughter) The
Tnon-the people Claiming V to represent PRESENT. demo-
Gratis and wings but, in fast representing no one
but themselves-induced the sssembage Of the
Buffalo Convention, Mr. Van Buren, then explained
at length the platform Of that body, and said that
there was intentic to interfere with the question
of slavery in the old States but avowed its
to resist eternay its extension beyond its
limits. The evils Of slavery in the abstract said
he would not discuss He then the southern
System Of representation by which n Southern man
with FIVE slaves would count four while a Northern
man. be he ever so rich or influential, only have
one vote, and diiated at great length the advan-
tsges to the North and to emigrants to have the
new territory free from slavery, about the dig.
nifty Of labor &c. He said this was in fact
the government Of the laboring man, and estab.
lshed for his elevation. Oregon has been secured as
q free territory, and must New Mexico Califor-
MA He denied that the battle is to be postpo ned till
1852 IL will be fought in 18ls; and every candidate
for alderman, member of assembly, &c will be obliged
to take his position this subject at an early day.
The North united for the FIRST time in the his
tory Of the country. this question All other ques
tions have been allowed to rest and In addition the
them on It, MIR. Van Buren, read q letter from Ala
bama inviting him TO be present ut free soil organi-
cation as an evidence Of the progress Of the principle
in the slave States.
Mr. JonN I. DOYLE hereupon came forward and said