Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-03-19

the single State of Virginia would never en-
ploy the necessary physical power 10 redeem
that exhausted soil. Nobody will say, after
my discourse closes, that have been very
eulogistic to the speaker, but seriously, in the
presence of my COP, in the exercis of the best
capacities that 7 know how TO employ, I say
to my friends of the South, however gallant
and chivaric and persevering may be their
struggle in the field, all history will be false,
all ana]ogies fallacious, every promise to the
human race an absurdty, if this people, who
have conquered the barren East and conquer
ed the ocean, and are willing to conquer all
circumstances of privation, shall not own the
whole of this continent before this country ex-
pires. Loud and continued applause
SPEECH OF JOHN VAN BUREN,
John Van Buren,, we'll known for the prom
inent part he took in the recent canyaSs as the
champion of Governor Seymour, and the an-
tagonist cf the administration made the lead
ing speech of the evening. After alluding to
local political history Mr.. Van Buren, proceed
ed to discuss the national aspects of the ques-
tion and the relations of the rebellion to sla.
very -
THE SOUTH THE AGGREssoR-THE INFAMIEs OF
THE REBELLION.
There is no doubt that there has been for
q great length of time, large number Of poll
ticians in the South who have been determin.
ed to extend slavery TO the free territory of
the United States They endeavored to use
the organization of the Democratic party for
the purpose, and, in l848, they assumed such
position in regard to it as to force what
consider the regular Democracy Of the State
I of New York out Of the Democratic party
Loud applause. The election Of 48. and
50, and so, came to pass. The election OF
of 1860 was the next that transpircd, and in
the meantime this disposition was manifested,
by various efforts, to force slavery into Kan,
sas. and other measures that it is not necessa-
ry now to discuss, and to which ! was always
opposed In 1860, in the Democratic Con
venticn tley declared that the platform of
the convention should contain recognition OF
the legality of slavery iu all territories of the
United States, and they declared in addition,
that slavery should be protected by the Gen
eral Government in all the territories belong
ing to the Union. The Democracy Of the
North refused TO agree to that, and the con-
ventiou broke up. 1t reassemhIed at BaIti-
more, and again broke up, and the election of
1860 came on the Southern men having a
candidate of their own, aud the Northern and
Western Democracy supporting Mr.. Douglas,
and large number of gentlemen supporting
Mr.. Lincoln. [AppIause.] In that contest
| took no part | voted, but | did nothing
more No man never heard me, in public or
in private express any opinion in regard to
it, except when the election came off. | de.
posted my vote in opposition to Mr.. Lincoln
rVoices-" Good After that election
Congress assembled Mr. Lincolns message
declared in the fullest manner his unwilling
ness to interfere with slavery in the States
1t recognized, in the fullest extent, the right
of the different States to have slavery if they
chose, aud his entire indisposition to interfere
with it, notwithstanding that several States
seeded from the Union as they said. They
held a convention, and resolved themselves
out Their representatives abandoned their
seats in Congress, although they had control
Of the Senate and House of Representatives
and the Supreme Court of the United States,
they retired from the Congress of the United
States They went further and set up a
Government of their own, or said they did
Now you all remember the debates between
Webster and Hayne upon that subject, of the
right to secede from the Union. Mr.. Web
ster told Hayne what has since proven true
that was mere rebellion, and when they put
it in operation they would see that, in order
to carry out what they assumed to be the right
ofp eaceful secession and notification they must
use force aud be met by force and the law OF
bayonets must decide the controversy. APP
plause This occurred. They assumed to
set up a Government under the right which
they claimed to destroy the Union. They
formed a Congress and elected President
thew were not content with this. They seized
the property of the United States-they seiz-
ed its FORTS its ships, its treasure. They fired
upon the flag of the United States at Fort
Sumpter, and claimed the right to exercise
the power of q sovereign Government. Now
you will bear 10 mind-every fair minded man
in the United States will bear in mind-that
up to this moment not one hair of their heads
had been injured No right of any Southern
man han been invaded.
NO SUCH REBELLION IN HISTORY.
History will record that the world never
witnessed a rebellion against governmental
authority before where the rebels could not
lay their finger upon thing to show that Ell
tner their property, their liberty, or their rights
bad been, in the slightest particular, invaded
Great applause. This being the fact, the
city of New York sent forth $4,000 men to
quell this rebellion. Her capitalists advanced
$500, 100000 to put down this rebellion. The
State Of New York sent 100000 men, and
am to argue, in the face of these facts and the
past history of this contest, that the rebellion
is atrociously unjust, and that the war in which
we have engaged with the south is rightfully
prosecuted by US in vindication of the Consti
tuition and the Union. Applause. Now
what is the condition of this contest They
were not satisfied with what l have detailed
but they announced they were going to estab
lish Republic, the cornerstone of which
| chnnld ha Sla unru and they are nnw enaaC el