Year: 1863

The state Of siege had been suspended IN Warsaw.
/ A plan or FsETFLRERNT OF TIKI
/ National DIFFICULTIES
/ amendment Of the Constitution so as to Confer
| the Right Of State Secession Correspondence
/ Jstl0sen John Vaa Bnren and Distinguished
Southern Gentleman etc, etc.


F-om the New York World December 30


TIE following CORES spondenoe between JDovan Buren,
Esq, and Southern gentleman Of high cbaractsr and
iuHoenee, has been handed to US by Mr.. Van Buien,
with a request for its publication:


| To the Editor of the World


Win you have the goodness to publish the ineosed
correspondence II the publication other
purpo it viii at all events thus reach Gov Seymour
and sIr Weod, the service of either Of whom or Of
your elf hold the writers's name


Truly, yours, J. VAN BUREN,


December IS, ls6@


NEW YORK December Is 1862
Day DEAR SIR: ought before this TO have thanked
you for your interesting aud able letter but fad my
self after absainng for nearly year from all kinds of
bu mess and being then unexpectedly plunged into
two political contests almost overwhelmed with
correspondence various subjects After giving to
your ugg stions the reflection which the ability and
obvious patriotism with which they marked
require not pre- pared TO follow he course you
commend eveh to say that approve the remedy for
our sad condition, which You Indicate nave not seen
either of the gentlemen you name since received yOur
letter ard it is uncertain when 7 may do If you
still desire their views would advise you to communi
cate directly with them MsaBtime, since yOu wrote,
active hostss have been resumed al Fredst



suit OF which 1 fcresee. 1t may modify my
views and yOuV swn but while It'll pending il is inn
practicable for consult to measures Of peace
All that occurs to me further as possible to be done to
facilitate the adoption Of your views to elicit
her solution cf the disastrous conflict IN which the


country is plunged s 10 lay your letter before the ptD-
lie If il is agreeab you. This would recomm md;
and if you consent viii publish your communication,
omtting If you prefer II, your name, and stating that
it comes to me from influential and highly respect
able snocrat Of slaveho!ding State and eminently
worthy 81 c0nsideras In that event shall also pub
sh this note Truly yours, J. VAN BUREN.


DECEMBER 90 1862.


BlY DEAR SIR; Owing to my absence from home at
this place did not receive your very kind and h8tter
ing letter until today. As regards The publication of
my letter, hardly know what to say If thought it
could result in any good would not Tor moment with
hold my assent; but this hardly seems possible My
only hope for settlement and peace is either in the sue
the SoUhern in the proposal of fair
terms from the North-hence the locality whence my
suggestions come If they had merit in them would
alone render them unavsing Areeonstruction OF the
government upon any other principle than the reecgni
ton OF secession would hardly be possible tor the reason
20 often stated thaF Il tne present Ionstuton s Ot
strong and sacred enough 20 bind the North, further
amendments would not make it stronger and more
sacred


I have not at present nor viii I for some time to
have leisure 70 repeat my views already expressed
to YOU 10 Governor Seymour and Mr. Wood II you
please YOU may inelose my letter either both
any else and say requested you do for their
views If it should be deemed worthy Of publication.
would prefer not to have my used the psee
OF the letters date. shall return to - during the
coming week, hope.


WIKI respect truly yours IN haste, ---.


MR. VAN BUREN: The result st Fredericksburg is
better terms to the North than those have recon-
Inended.


his work the Constitution, has said sseessionf If
not, please read his last chapter.


DECEMBER /, 1852.


MY DEAR SIR: have read with great interest your
several speeches made during the late political cam
paign in New York, and with no less admiration the
boIdness Of the sentiments you expressed There seems
%
and sentiments in this that they advocate specific
plan Of sstement-present particular ground upon
which you may invite both North and South TO stand
raise definite issue. Yon should not expect the
South 10 forward lay down her arms, and sur
render hese to the tender nercies of the North upon
the mere vague assurance which you and others have
given, that the Democracy viii take of her
rights Such yagae promise, unsupported by any
authority even from your own party cannot have the
effect rally single in the South in faver Of its
acceptance nor would you succeed any better in form
ing party in the North upon terms 50 uncertain anu
Indefinite A ention promises better results.
With to what she would receive at the
hands Of convention the South would yield its
listen 10 terms Of compromise she must know in ad-
vance what those terms


TO the valueable services already rendered by you,
and others who have and ara acting with you could you
add other, by devisng some plain simple plan
Of cemproms easy be understood yet fui and
prehsnsve enough to cover fhe whole gr0unl9


Nay ] not take the liberty of suggesting Pro
pose reunion of all the States upon the condition that
the Constitution 0e amended SO as 10 confer upon each
State the right of secession said right however to be
Suspended until say of January 1869 or 1873 which
would be Immediately after the election Of PFes-
dent. In the meantime let coneiiatory measures bs
adopted by Congress to angry feelings and to
tabsb former friendly relations among the pcope e,
North and South. BY the time mentioned TWO three
Presidents and Congresses Will have been ehostn,
and tue people will th have had opportunity,
they really desire to do to all Just oubds
of comp ant on the part Of the South which if done in
good faith, every motive for aTaon will have been
removed and from the experience Of the past may
safely that the union woHlA De firmly
tabished than before. In addition it may be re-
marked that within the time named many, il not most
Of those who picuous in the present war
least VIII have Withdrawn from the stage OF publ al
fairs, snd with Them have passed away and been
bur ed the angry passions Of the present day


The power of secession, far from weakening the
bonds Of Union viii strengthen them, because know
ing that the power exists portion OF the coun-
try would estempt to oppress another great
error has been fallen into by those who believe that be
this right exists would make the bond Of Union
q rope Of sand, because the existence Of the right
pre-sHpp0ses the exercise of t.. How many rights
do all enjoy which never think Of exercising
and the would be true regards States The
right Of secession, involving does the most moment
ons consequences would only be exercised when 1t was
demanded by the strongest necessity. The Union was
formed Ia the terms Of the Cons stiutieu to establish
justice nsure domestic tranquility, etc, etc. As long
those objects secured what possible motive could
a State have in Withdrawing from the Unonq Bet so
th 40 longer vouchsafed unto the States,
the purposes of the Union have been defeated and it
ought be dissolved II the right Of State secession
had been acknowledged in its widest bearings before
the present war commenced, do you believe It would
ever have been exercised by onehaf OF the Slater that
of the rightf


Again, by the plan Of compromise suggested, nsits