Washington telegraph., 1852-10-20
John Van Buren's Present Opin.
ions on Slavery.

lOmS Oh S1dtcrys
The Democratic organs persist in the de-
claration that John Van Buren, is now as
good National Democrat as any man in
the party. He has abandoned his old here
sizes, they say, and supports PIERCE, togeth-
er with the platform on which he is alleged
to stand.
Mr. Clemens has also certified that JOHN
is repentant sinner, and comes quite up to
the conservative standard. 1s
We have endeavored to show the fallacy
J of both opinions by reference to the char
acter Of the Van Burens, and the avowals
of the section with whom they are associa-
| ted. To sustain our view we now produce
extracts from published reports of the speech
delivered by John Van Buren, in Faneuil
Hall, Boston, on the Goth ultimo. We
quote first from the report of the Trarclcr,
journal by no means PARTISAN:
Loud cries were now made for Van Bu-
ren. and he was accordingly introduced as
the Prince of Good Fellows" He was re-
ceived with great enthusiasm. Thanking
the audience for the kind reception, remark
ing that it was about time to close the meet
ing he referred to the meeting at Hillsboro',
declared himself in favor of Pierce and King,
alluded to the Buffalo platform, and said that
he had alacays been opposed to the relations
betaceen master and Slave, and hal al
aoays been IN favor Of fabolishimg slaye,y''
The Boston Commonwealth, in it's re-
port of the same speech, attributes to John
| Van Buren, the following passages:
GAS he had before had occasion to say,
he wished the country to know that he sup
ported Pierce and King, and gave in his ad-
hesion to their principles. YET while he
said so, he wished it distinctly understood
that he had always been, and was now, op-
posed to that relation described as human
slavery. He had olscays been, and acus
mo,r, an earnest aoyocate Of the National
Govermmcalt'S s abol1Shing slorery aclereue,
1t had the poaoer.
"1n 1S47 new question was presented
to the country by the acquisition of the ter
ritory obtained from Mexico Some of our
southern friends declared that this new ter
ritory should be given over to slavery as
their due. In opposition to this doctrine,
the New York Democrats said we have
rested quiet upon the subject of slavery in
the District of Columbia /; we have even re-
fused to receive petitions upon the subject,
and, besides this, we have lived quietly un-
der the operation of the Fugitive Slave law
which violated some of the first principles
of natural as well as common law. Now,
we will not give our consent that these free
lands shall be given over to slavery
"But the South persisted; and he then
declared the republican party is destroyed -
it is broken to pieces. And the Democracy
of New York stood upon that ground-they
fought the question Out-and everybody
knew the result. Now, if his conduct was
satisfactory to himself in this particular, he
knew not who else had right to complain.
He. was no candidate for Ofhce-hoped to
God he never should be-and hence knew
of no one who was privileged to call him to
account
These avowals of unmitigated hostility to
slavery, and adherence to the objects of
the Freesoiers, were delivered while John
Van Buren was engaged in enforcing Pierce's
claims to the Presidency and delivered
too, in the presence of Senator WELLER,
Colonel GoRaAN, and Mr.. CLEMENS, not
one of whom appears to have disclaimcd the
alliance
And John Van Buren, with these words
upon his tongue, is now, associated with Mr..
Soule as travelling advocate of General
PIERCE Washington RepuJIic.