Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-20
THE PRESIDENCY.
SPEECH MR.. JOHN VAN buren,
FROM THE NEW YORK EXPRESS.

John IAN BuTtn's Speech an Phitddetphsd-i1e
Var Proracted TOR Partisan Parposes-The
Administration bent on Destroying Gen. Nc
C2ellan rather than the Rsbels-The Crinenden
Platform the only thing that can Stop the War
and Restore the Union.
JOHN VAN buren,. Esq,, of New York, addressed a
crowded house at the Headquarters of the Keystone Club
in Philadelphia the 9TH instant Mr. Tatlow jackson
introduced the distinguished orator.
Mr.. VAN buren, commenced ht remarks by adverting
to the political situation of the hour and the choice pre-
sented to the people OF supporting either Abraham Lincoln
or General Mcclellan.
At the commencement of the called upon
to sustain the legal head of the Government and those
who sought to overthrow the authority of the Union and
the Constitution. In common with others of the Demo-
cratic party Mr. Van Buren, had felt called upon to urge
the people whatever their views regarding the policy of
the Government not to withhold their support from the
legal authorities of the nation the prosecution of the
war in which we were engaged At the same time that
the Democratic party gave entire and unheatng sup
port to the Government it could not but observe the de-
parure of that Government from the strict constitutional
laws of the country and it's disregard of the pure princ
Piles of liberty with deep regret and intense ndgna
ton. [Applause
The policy of the Government unwise that at the
commencement of the war, with armed rebellion in
front and the deep dissatisfaction at the of the
President in their flank aud rear it seemed hardly possible
that the Administration could ride the of Difficult
ties that surrounded and reach the end that is hap
PLY legitimately approaching AT that time it sup
posed by many that the Presidential term would expire
before could properly discuss the actions Of the Pres
dent of the United States And now to the language
Of his letter to Mr.. Blair, the time has come"
We engaged in that has lasted for some three
years and half 1t has imposed upon the country an
- -
still raging and promises to rage for indefinite period
1t is idle under such circumstances therefore, to advert
to any other question The questions that press upon
the mind Is the continuation of the the present
time, and has it been, matter of necessity? Is prose-
cued with ability, vgor, and patriotism Is there pro-
mise that it will be in future by the existing authori-
tes' Are they competent to negotiate peace
The charge in laid upon the Administration that the
has been unnecessarily protracted for partisan and
political purposes by the furtherance of electoneering
schemes and through gross incapacity. (Applause.l
When the President came into power had debt of
sos OoO The Secretary of the Treasury apprzes
now that have debt of 100000 900, and if the
facts truly stated and the legitimate claims upon the
Treasury recognised and the unpaid creditors of the
Government satisfied the debt would probably reach
$500 900 900 Added to that in every county and
township there accumulation of debt,
cessary may be- for bounes to volunteers and for
rous expenses incident to the indispensable for the
purpose of county and State taxation. We have
raging that is costing three and half millions
per day we have army of nearly million of
der pay and the people out of their humble means are
called upon to support them For the last three years the
debt has accumulated at the rate of thousand
millions year. and there probability unless there
change of Administration that it will accumulate as
pdly as that for the future.
| he ahould at h.s
been prosecuted without ability and without vgor They
remember that politics and not patriotism has been
the distinctive feature of the war and all should re-
member that the prosecution of the and this
of debt lies at the door of party that has presented
itself for at least another four years of power Great
applause
The has been conducted with disregard of advice
given to the Administration at its outset About the rst
of March Gen Scott wrote to President Lincoln and told
him that he would require 2500 900 to prosecute the
war. Was the slightest attention paid to thst7 No;
$4,000 men called out The riot act read to the
South [Great laughter. They were told to dispsrse,
= go home, and keep quiet. Renewed laughter The
Secretary Of State said it would blow over in sixty DAYS
The President declared to that nobody hurt
Of laughter and Mr. Seward, the banks of the Mis-
sissipp comfortably removed from danger, cried out
, "Who's afraid 7" [Great merriment Said Mr. Van
Buren,, afraid and my worst have been realized
by the result.
At the time the commenced there happened to be
young General named George B. Mcclellan great ap.
pause who put at the head of our army and who
called upon very shortly afterward to furnish plan
Of the campaign upon which he entered. Now since the
time of his being placed at the head of the army up to this
hour effort has been spared to embarrass him. Had
the whole object of the been TO destroy Mcclellan
and not the rebels the efforts made to accomplish the pur.
pose reflect credit upon the prosecutors Cheers But
that cannot be accomplished without aid, cheers I
and il s proper that we have little to say on this
! subject
When Gen. Mcclellan started for Richmond he had
with him three corps darmse They were taken from
him from time to time during the campaign The corps
were Woos Benkers and McDowels and the last was
taken from him in the very act Of battle with the enemy
on the way to Richmond In defiance of this he came
nearer Richmond in July 1862 than Grant to- night
Cheers Or, to stronger sme, he az near as
Lee was to Washington during the summer. Repeated
cheers. Now this done somewhat for dread Of
the sacredness of the Presidents person. which he
supposed to be in terrible jeopardy at the capital
the rebels had not enough to take him while
he could be useful to them where he was loud laughter
and partly because Gen. McCelans popularity with the
people was such that Abrams lease for four years more
was in danger.
The Administration has done another thing 1t has kept
up q steady trade in swapping horses. Laughter The