The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1862-11-22
SPEECH OF JOHN VAN BUREN
AT THE
GREAT DEMOCRATIC MEETING,
AT COOPER S INSTITUTE,

people present. The greatest enthusiasm pre-
vailed. Among the speakers were Gov Seymour,
John Van Buren, and other distinguished gentle
men On taking the stand Mr. Van Buren said:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW CITTzENs,-I thank
you for this kind and generous reception. 1t
would have been much NOR, agreeable to my
feelings not to have participated in the discus
sions which arise in the present olitical contest.
a sad event, to which 1t is not necessary for me
to allude more particularly, has made it more
agreeable to my feelings to seek solitude and prac-
tice silence. Did consult my own inclination,
such would be my course. There have been be-
sides manifestations on the part of our citizens
Of every shade of political opinion in regard to
this event, which makes it extremely undesira bic
for me to come into collision with any one Of
them. But the country is involved in great
contest. 1t is in eminent peril. rebellion has
broken out in the land, which, however 1T may
have been provoked, was, in my humble judg-
ment. utterly unustlable (applausc)-a rebel
lion against he best Overnment the world ever
saw (appause) rebellion against IA govern
ment which had as yet INJURED nobody-a REBEL
ion against apprehended injury, which injury,
think. might have been prevented if those who
enga ged in the rebellion had slood by our nation
al banner and by those who are willing to pro-
tect them in the full enjoyment OF their rights
(Applause) They have seen lit. however, to
take the sword, and they having chosen that
destiny. must stand fall by it for the present.
Having been myself for long time absent from
public controversies - having been in situation
where had not the physical power to embark in
these struggles regretted to find, when again
qualified for the scharge OF these duties, that
we were engaged in this contest and that must
determine Tor myself what it was my duty to do.
Every one must so determine, and however you
may at certain periods OF your life consult Others
as to your actions, there comes every now and
then time when you must determine for your
self what you ought to do; and in pursuance OF
this determination | did elect to follow a course
which | briefly described in Il communication to
the Governor OF this State, which take the lib
erty to read to you. | endeavored to state to
him briefly what | thought TO be the duty OF
every loyal man just now, and what desire to
do myself On the lst of September last. before
any of the candidates were nominated. and while
the whole country was engaged in looking on or
participating in the war - at time when Gen.
Popc's army was almost routed--when in my
humble judgment, the contest was waging more
disastrously for the nation, or the Union OF the
States, than at any other tine, felt it m, duty
to address to him the following communication:
CALDwALL (Lake George Sept. l, 1862.
Hon f ID. MORGAN
DEAR SIR--The advices of yesterday and to-
day from our forces in Virginia, give, in my
Judgment, a aspect to the campaign. For
the present we are on the defensive. and our
capital seems almost as likely to he taken as that
OF the enemy. Under such circumstances think
no loyal man in the Unit9d States. who has not
imperative obligations in another direction. and
whose health Will permit. should omit to tender
his services to the country. Permit me. through
you sir, to do so. and to inquire whether there is
any position in which might hope to he Of the
least use. | shall decline all compensation. cX-
cept to c remuneruted for any increased eXpen-
dture to which the government may put me. !
should thus decline Tor three reasons:
| BrCutlSp am almost entirely uuacuualQtpG
with military matters. and can therefore now earn
no reward.
2. My health has been such that my physi
clans think that unusual. excitement would again
PROSTATE me: and
g. Because if certain Influences, not now |
trust predominant, should hereafter unhappily
prevail in the administration OF our government,
the war will be prosecuted for objects which are
unconstitutional and by means which look upon
as unchrietian and infamous.
For the last two reasons wish, so far as the
rules of the service will permit to reserve right
to retire whenever choose. Although by exist
lug laws am exempt from compulsory service in
defence OF the government, those laws may be
changed. should the policy of the government
become what have hnted at in the reason last
above mentioned, and may thus be dragged into
che field even then, to be shot by the cnem> while
fighting. or by our own troops if retire without
orders; but no power can ever induce me to serve
voluntarily in such contingency. With great
regard and respect, yours truly,
j. VAN buren,.
P. S i shall be at Luzerne, Warren County,
for a week from Wednesday next, where please
address me- j. V. b.
To that note the Governor responded in the
tullowing language:
SUNDAY EVENING, Oct. 1862.
My DEAR SIR Were it not that | expect to
leave town in the morning. would invite you to
an interview, that might have an opportunity
to make an apology for an apparent discourtesy in
not replying to your letter addressed to me from
and beg you to accept this us my apology, proms-
ing to call upon you soon for Il further eXplana-
tion and far free consultation upon the subject
of your generous and characteristic proposal.
Faithfully and truly your friend.
j. VAN BUREN, Esq. E. ID. MORGAN.
Thimwas my action in regard to my own course
at the crisis to which | have referred. Every
other gentleman, | have already stated, must
follow the course which seems to him natural and
proper; and having thus explained to you what
my position was then, proceed further to allude
to whit occurred in regard to the political history
of the country subsequent to the lst of Septem-
ber. A convention assembled at Troy 10 nomi-
nate a candidate for Governor. They presented
the name of Horatio S ymour. (Appause)
They were called the Constitutional Union Con-
vnntion, and were the representatives as near,
think, as it can be represented OF the old
Whig party OF the country. Subsequently to that
time Democratic convention assembled at Alba
ny. They cOncurred in the nomination of Mr..
Seymour. thought at the time that the nom-
nation of MIR. Dix would have been more advsa-
BILE. majority Of the Convention or rather
the whole of the Conventional differed with me
in that opinion, and presented the name to which
have referred. Subsequently another Conven-
tiOn assembled at Syracuse with some retainers
in the shape of an auxiliary convention, and
presented the name OF James s. Wadsworth -
and thus the name of these two gentlemen are
presented and it is for you. and it is for me to
t, determine between them which we shall prefer
(cries OF ''Seymour.') Now. a leading and able
editor of this city has invited Governor Seymour
to Withdraw. applause and hisses) If Gen
eral Dix had been nomnated-if he had accepted
that nomination if there had been a disposition
to unite all the citizens of this State upon him
feel entirely authorized to say that Governor
Seymour would have been most happy to with