The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-14
John Van Buren, on the war.


John Van Buren, made a speech Of an hour
From the report of bis remarks in New York
paper We make the following extract. We ask
"Peace Democrats" to read:
Hon John Van Buren, received warm vel
come, and held the attention of the audience for
over an hour. He fully endorsed the subject of
the meeting and approved of the resolutions;
went into a statement of his own position 10
reference to the questions which have been agi-
tated, to show that, during the late election
campaign for Governor, he had expressed his
de termination to sustain the President in vig-
orous prosecution of the war; he adhered to
that resolve and saw nothing in the proclama-
ton of the President, or 10 the acts passed BY
the last Congress, to alter that determination -
He approved of the act giving the President full
control Of the purse and the sword, and cited
precedent in the act passed in 1889, on the oc-
casion of the occupation of Maine BY the Brit
ish, when similar power was conferred, with full
approval of the Democracy and of the nation at
large There was no outcrv then against "ex-
traordinary powers" nor should there be now,
except by these who wanted to see the Rebellion
prosper and the Federal Government weakened.
In regard to the Proclamation, be did not ques-
ton its constitutionsity, but doubted its utility.
am (said Mr. Van BUREN, Tor vigorous prose
cution of the war. am for a prosecution of
the war until the Rebellion is wholly overthrown.
am for destroying this usurped government
that has been set over several States of this
Union, known as the Confederate Government;
and until that is done, bold all propositions
for peace to be entirely preposterous and absurd.
Applause and cries of good!l Now, being
for the war, I am necessarily with everybody
,hatis for the war; and being opposed to peace,
am necessarily opposed to everybody that is
for peace" He reviewed the course OF the
leaders OF the Rebellion, and pronounced their
conduct to be without the shadow of excuse
Every fair-minded man in the United States
would bear in mind that, up to the moment Of
their withdrawal from the Union, not hair Of
their heads had been injured; no right of any
Southern man had been invaded. History
would record that the world never heard Of
rebellion against governmental authority before
this, where the people who rebeled could not
lay their finger upon thing which showed that
either their property, their liberty. their laws
| had been in the slightest particular impaired
The Democratic party, mise years out of ten,
| controlled the Government of the country. 1,
| required therefore, no great patriotism on their
part to be attached to the Government Of the
country-it was in fact, an attachment to them.
selves As general rule they were wise, pru-
dent and patriotic Occasionally blind guides
OR bad drivers took some sleepy passengers into
bad roads and upset them, as they did in lS4s;
but then they woke up, the passengers got out
and inquired the right road, got lantern, and
eventually came out right. think The added
they win do so now; and yet it seemed TO me, as
careful man, looking at their course just at this
moment, that it was prudent for me to get out
to walk. Laughter. And whether l shall
stop then to get In again or not, depends on Cir
cumstapces. But, fellow-citizeDs, whatever
they do-whatever anybody else does, l shall
sustain this war TO the bitter end.
We have no discretion but to fight this matter
through; and it behooves Us to look round anG
see what assistance we are to receive, or inter
ference to meet with. This wa
will, in my judgment, be short one, if We ar,
united and put forward the whole power of tn,
loyal States of this Union. We ought to b.
able, with our immense resources, to end thl
war in 80 days. Start your troops in New Or
, leans. in Vicksburg, at Charleston, at Freder
/ icksburg, and Tennessee-charge along the who'll
line; advance with courage and with union
and, my word for it, in 80 days everybody vii
wonder that this Rebellion was ever regards
as formidable in any portion of the Unite
States.