The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-10-27
w WASHINGTON CITY,
SATURDAY MORNING. OCT. ~, 1855.
JOHN VAN BUREN's LETTER

JOHN VAN BUREN'B LETTER.
The remarks made BY In issue Of yesterday on
the late speech Of John Van Buren, have induced him to
address the letter which publish below. The main
purpose Of this letter be to place on record bis
prediction to the result Of the coming election in New
York We have no sort Of objection to his establishing
his reputation rs prophet but beyond the success of
sound and beneficial local policy in New York, we do not
zee that the interests Of the national democracy would be
promoted by the realization of his hopes Iii the
intention Of the sofs ptimsted by Mr. Van Buren, to
conne their questions of State policy, 1t is
ceedngIy unfortunate that be deemed necessary inter-
poate his celebrated resolution. The in
PRODUCTION Of that plank into the Syracuse platform inn
pressed us with the belief that the soft convention Of y
racuse was in session branch Of the national demo-
cratic organization and merely for local and domestic
We had not understood that there any fear
entertained in New York Of ncursion of slaves which
rendered il necessary for the convention to declare their
fixed hostility the extension Of slavery to free territory
We readily respond to the question to which branch
Of his resolution We object We object to that clause
which declares the fixed hostility OF the convention to the
extension Of slavery We object because the convention
proesscd to be democratic convention, and 1t is part
Of the creed Of democrat such either to advocate
the other in the exercise of his rights Citizen and not
offend against his democratic feay. But Mr.. Van Buren,
undertook to interpoate the doctrine of opposition
the extension Of sIavy democratic doctrine when
there is no such article in our creed and for that
condemn it If opposition to the extension
of slavery be regarded at the North As part Of
the democratic creed it must be apparent that the peo
pie Of the North and South harmonic in the
~. AZ,
party be national The people Of the North may
cherish their sentiments of opposition to the extension of
slavery but they cannot thrust them into the democratic
platform without destroying the nationality Of the party
Mr. Van Buren, undertook to do this by his resolution at
Syracuse, and for that we censure him.
We object his resolution in the next place. because the
question whether slavery should be extended does
belong Congress- but the inhabitants of the Terrific
ry in which the question arises and therefore, the decla
ration in the resolution of Mr. Van Buren, tanamoun
the assertion that the federal government has ursdic
ton prohibit the existence Of slavery in Territory
power which the democratic party denies the general
government
We object to his resolution in the third place. because
implied condemnation OF the Nebraska bill and of
those members of Congress who supported that bill The
charge Of abolitonists is that the Nebraska bill
southern measure designed extend slavery into Kansas
although this charge is utterly untrue yet when Mr.
Van Buren, seeks to evade its force by declaring that
the democrats Of New York opposed to the extern
sion of slavery be virtually admits the justice of the abo
ton charge The democratic party does not and
WILL admit that the passage of the Nebraska bill the
repeal Of the Missouri Compromise wrong They deny
that the object Of the to extend slavery
prohibit slavery it designed to every obsta-
Gle the fair settlement of the question of slavery
slavery by the inhabitants Of the Territory The declare
ton Of Mr.. Van Burens resolution that the democratic
party opposed the extension of slavery u.s. therefore,
by implication condemnation Of the great principle Of
the Nebraska BILL
Mr. Van Buren, quotes again the extract on which we
commented yesterday, in which this passage
@When the Territory (Kansas) is formed into State
and applies for admission you haze again tho right to
raise the question whether it is fairly formed into slave
State; and if it is not you have the right TO prevent it
from coming into the Union until presents itself with
free constitution il you choose and asks this question
Does the national democracy deny this righ2 BY which
he the right to raise the question whether Kansas
fairly formed into sacs State We answer that when
Kansas asks admission either slave free State will
be the duty of Congress be satisfied that the consu
ton presented contains the will Of the people of the
State fairly expressed But deny that when shall be
ascertaned that the constitution Of Kansas has been fairly
formed with clause allowing slavery that then Congress-
the people Of Oswego, anybody else has right to
"prerent Il from coming into the Union until presents se
sch FREQ constituion We certainly understand Mr. Van
Burens language imply the assertion of such right
and we are strengthened in this inference from the subsc-
quent remark in which he declares that when oil the
modes enumerated by him of prohibiting slavery in Kan
sas have failed he asserts still that kansas must be
What does this mean but that Mr. Van Buren, is ready
make 1t sine qua with Kansas that she must either
prohibit slavery or expect to into the Union
If the democracy Of Oswego agree with Mr. Van Buren, in
this position we safely inform them and him that
"next year they win act with the national democracy
We shall endeavor at early day to comply with Mr..
Van Burens request and publish all his remarks the
subject Of slavery in his speech at Oswego As to his
quest read the extracts which do publish
him that we have done that with regret and If have
inexperienced his meaning It may be fault but
are inclined to think most readers will think is his In
reply to the question whether the Washington Union de-
sres the ticket advocated by Mr. Van Buren, to be elected
or not will tell him frankly that his declaration that
"every candidate State ticket now, except
Judge and the canal commissioner openly and warmly
the advocate of Martin Van Buren, in s4s and that hey
were proud Of them and believe do them inus
tcc when add that they have been prouder Of II every
ay sincewe say that this declaration makes 1t matter