The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-30
John Van Burcn's Present Opinions ON
Slavery.

The Democratic organs persist IN the decla-
ration that JOHN VAN buren, is now as good a
National Democrat as any man in the party.
He has abandoned his old heresies, they say,
and supports PIERCE, together with the plat
form on which he is alleged 10 stand.
Mr.. CLEMENS has also certified that JOHN is
a repenant sinner, and comes quite up TO the
| conservative standard.
We have endeavored to show the iallacy of
both opinions by reference to the character OF
| the VAN BURENs, and the avowals of the sec
ton with whom they are associated. To sus-
tain our view, we now reproduce extracts from
published reports of the speech delivered by
JOHN VAN buren, in Faneuil Hall, Boston, on
the 10Th utimo We quote first from the report
of the Traueller, journal by no means par
| tlsan:
| Loud cries were now made for Van Buren,, and
he accordingly introduced as the Prince OF
Good Fellows" He received with great en-
thusiasm. Thanking the audience for the kind
reception, remarking that it was about time to
| close the meeting he referred to the meeting at
Hillsboro' declared himself in favor Of Pierce and
King alluded to the Buffalo PLATFORM and said that
o~s'~~N''
master and Stare, and had altoays been in taUor Of
abolishins Slavery"
| The Boston Commonwealth, in its report of
the same speech, attributes to JOHN VAN BU-
Rem the following passages:
| GAS he had before had occasion to say, he wished
| the country to know that he supported Pierce and
King, and gave in his adhesion to their principles
Yet while he said so, he wished it distinctly un-
| derstood that he had always been, and was now,
opposed to that relation described as human slave.
ry. He had ai,oGys been, and notr, earnest
adcocate of the National Governments aboiishi"g
Slavery ,phsrsUer IL had The potuer.
"In lS47 new question presented to the
country by the acquisition Of the territory obtained
from Mexico. Some of our southern friends de
cIarcd that this territory should be given over
to slavery their due In opposition to this doc
trine, the New York Democrats said: We have
rested quiet upon the subject of slavery in the Dis
| trict of Columbia; have refused to receive
petitions upon the subject. And, besides this, we
have lived quietly un jer the operation Of Fugitive
Slave law which violated some of the fret princi-
| pies Of natural as we'll as common law. Now. we
will not give 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, il his con-
duct was satisfactory to himself in this particular
he knew not who else had right to complain. He
was no candidate for oftce-hoped to God he never
should be-and hence knew Of no one who was
| privileged to call him to account"
These avowals of unmitgated hostility to
slavery, and adherence to the objects OF the
Freesolers, were delivered while JOHN VAN
buren, was engaged in enforcing PIaRCE's
claims to the Presidency; and delivered, too,
in the presence of Senator WELLER, Colonel
GoRMAN, and MIR. CLEMENS, not one Of whom
appears to have disclaimed the alliance.
And JOHN VAN buren,, with these words
upon his tongue, is now associated with MIR.
SoULE as travelling advocate of General
PIERCE.