Year: 1862

party alone for, as ! happen to know in travel
| ing ltygely over the Sale, It is in some degree
| aseTibabs to the Clay wings of the State o.
New York and 10 is due 10 the honest republic,
ans, sso, to admit that very considerable por-
tion Of them who had bsen republicans, but
never sbolitonists, saw that the contest was be-
tween abolition on the one side and the Union
on the other, and rallied TO the standard Of The
Union with the same sincerity and eaTnsstness
that did any man in this room tonight. Our
candidate fer governor was not first nominated
by the democratic convention. For the first
lime ia the history Of the Democratic party q
whig convention presented 30 us the candidate
for governor and the democratic convention,
assembled at Albany, accepted that candidate
lifelong democrat, an upright man. ard ca
pabls Chief Magistrate. It is right that we
should rejoice and this is the primary object of
our assembling bore tonight.


But, fellow-citizeus am often asked, +" What
do you mean 70 do2" Well l say, what do you
mean by met Why, what viii the Democratic
party do What does Governor Seymour in
tend to dOl ! have not had the pleasure Of
seeing Governor Seymour since several days be-
fore the election, and have no means os judg
ing what may be bis views any more thsn you
have Ha viii speak for himself IN his own
time and in his own way. He becomes gov
ernOr of the State Of New York on the 1st Of
January next and it is now the l0h of N3vem
Der. Ogc members of Congress take their seats
year from next December But Ia the mean
time yol and are not Governors and members of
Congress, snd we have just a. much to do with
the existing state of things ss they have, al
though IN the future we are submit to their
action and lock with rsspso ~ their views. Bu,
Tonight we have precisely the sans amount of
power as they, and, therefore, l am prepared to
say now what l AN prepared to do. We are an
opposition, and are opposed to this admisistra-
ton Of the general government Of the UUised
States Cheers II is not the business of an
opposition to have pOhcy-it is not the busi-
ness of an opposition to prcp1se to administer
the government when they are utterly power
less-it is the business Of an administration to
have policy, and Of the opposition wisely and
circumsoeesly to oppose that administration
whenever the occasion is such as calls consci-
entiOusly for opposition, and to sustain it when
it is capable of beiag sUstained; and mere par
ticularly in time of war We should guard ieal-
ously the acts of the government and give it
liberal support and sustain it whenever it is
possible to do So This is a rule am disposed
TO act upon. Now during he canvass I took
occasion to say that was for vigorous prose-
eutian Of tae war, and that thought cur arms
shonld advance under Mcclellan


The name was received with tremendous





I said That James S. WadswoTth groans
was the enemy OF Mcclellan


A voic--SJ is Lincoln. LsRghter.


Mr. Van Buren-This was denied by the New
York Timss EgsHiUg Post, and Tribune
[ Groans. My character for veracity was inn
peached The result proves that was right,
for now, in defiance Of the popular expression of
support and confidence in Mcclellan. they have
withdrawn him from commsud Of the armies of
the United States. A voice: Restore him
sgeiD 20 Fellow-citizsUs I don't think they
can restore him agein. A cry: mot till Lee
gets near Washington p They have put him
restored him, aud again Withdrawn him He
has openly avoWei that wherever they hitched
him there be would draw; that be did not care
whether he was comnanderia-chief of the
army, or al the head of brigade or company :
that if they would allow him. he would serve
as & private in lba rsaks, TO assist in carrying
out the war" lApplsuse But he is not per
mitted to do that lie is Withdrawn entirely
from active operation, If I correctly understand
the statement, and required to report himself at
Trenton, where, 50 far Is ] have been informed
there is no active opposition 20 the government,
but an opposition 70 the Republican sdministrs-
tion in the shaPe of twenty thousand democratic
majority. BE has therefore nothing further to
DO in the army so far as 7 am aware General
Burnside, It appears, has been a'sig ned TO the
command in his place. Gen Burnside, ] am
told, is an officer OF skill and some experience
"a worthy, upright man. OF course he would
not take this command unless It was explained
to him, as il never has been yet to The public,
why Gen. Mcclellan was removed. Upon the
face Of it, and without any further informstion
than I now possess, tns complaints in regard 10
Mcclellan tardiness fall TO the ground certainly
L. g.. III
ever might be said about him hereafter, he was
advancing al the tine ne was withdrawn from
command. He was on bis way to Richmond,
with his army we'll appointed and prepared for
a final battle, which should result in the over
throw Of the rebels and the capt1Ce of their
capital Why was he withlfaWn from the com.
nand at thai critical periodi


A voce-Beesuse he was Democrat.


Mi Van Bareu believe that was the res-
son And if General Burnside is a Democrat
as I have understood he is, and is to be mere
intermediate temporary person between McCIel-
Ian and some Abolition general, Voices, Ere
mont" then 10 is for hin TO consider how far it
IL proper TO be made an instrument IN the dis
placement of Mcclellan, and in placing an Abo-
litionist at the head of our armies. 4 voice,
4" Pope" laughter. General Burnside thrice
refused this command, as I understand Per-





that Caesar thrice refused the crown. General
Burnside should remember that if Caesar had
accepted it the first time he might have been
useful, bat when he did take Il upon the third
call he was sssassnated in the senate house. 1t
is for him to consider whether If he goes on and
distinguishes himself his career does not closely
resemble that of Caesar, and if he is not made to
give way to some other friend of the admins
tration.


Now another word in regard to the prosecu-
ton Of the war We have heard that the draft
mas been postponed. Now we sn know that the
surplus population Of this State would naturally
take part in this war, and those who are not re-
strained by the pressing nature Of their affairs
have mostly voltnteeredi : ani those who have
looked narrowly at this question have supposed
that If it was needed to reinforce the army Of
the United States now it could only be effectu-
ally done by means of draft. Jt is for the
government to say Why, at this precise perisd
this draft has been Indefinitely postponed and
Mcclellan withdraWs from the command Of the
army / hope that this may al turn out well
l would not, in the face Of an enemy. as we now
ere. and ia view of the perils which surround
she country, predict any misfortune. But shal
Be exceedingly glad if General Burnside, ol
anybody in his place, manages to maintain his
position where he now Is, aud save our capita
| from being seized by General Lee.


| Mr. Van Buren, then read q long extract from
the Presidents proclamation, and proceeded q!
follows Now, how IS he to determine whether
| they are in rebellion or not when he says the
fact that if any State, the people thereof, shsl
on that day be in good faith represented in th'
Congress of the United States by member:
chosen at an election wherein majority Of The
/ qualified voters Of such States shall have part'c
! ipated, shall, in the absence Of strong counter
| gailing testimony, be deemed sufficient eyidenc
that such States and the people thereof have no
/ been in rebellion agsiast the United States
That is to say, on the first of January be vii
/ issue q proclamation declaring the slaves free il
those Ststes which are then in rebellion, and Al
those States that win, prior to the first Of Janu
arg, elect representatives. by maj 9rity OF tn
people thersof, he viii regard IS not in rebellion
| Now I accapt that purpose, aud will tell yol
hsw l suppose this should be treated. Ta