Whig Republican. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1840-18??, 1840-10-21
From the Cincinnati Republican.
GENERAL HARRISON'S SPEECH AT

CARTHAGE, OHIO.
We insert, according to promise, SO much
of Harrison's speech at Carthage, on the goth
inst. as related to the subject of abolition.
Having recently received letter from q
personal friend, who is a member of an ADOLF
tion society, proposing to me two questions,
which he REQUESTED me TO answer; but having
from necessity, arising from the absolute i'm
possibility of my answering the numerous let
ters l receive, requiring my opinion upon po-
litical subjects, declined to answer any from
individuals, willingly embrace the opportu-
nifty of answering them which this occasion
has given me, without violating the rule had
found myself under the necessity of adopting.
The questions are the following, viz
Ist.-Do you believe the people of the U.
States possess an unrestricted right to discuss
any subject, that to them may seem worthy OF
consideration?
nd.--Do you believe the people of the U.
States have the right to petition their legisla-
ture for the Rdress of whatever they may
deem grievance, and for the adoption of such
measures as the petitioners may think condu-
Give to the welfare of the nation!
do not hesitate to answer both of these
questions in the affirmative. The constitution
of the United States, and that OF our own
state, have secured to the people the enjoy
ment of the rights referred to in both ques-
tions, entirely unrestricted but by their own
sense of propriety, and the legal rules which
protect the rights of others.
The freedom of speech and of the press,
are the distinguished characteristics OF free
government. Without them we might call Our
country a republic, but it would be so only IN
name, like that of Rome, under the emperors,
it might be a mask to cover the most horrible
despotism. The right of the people TO write
and to speak openly and freely Upon all matt
tiers of public policy. sis the palladium OF all
civil and religious liberty" The authors OF
our Constitution must have known that 1t
would be subject to abuses te be used for I'M
proper and indeed sometimes for criminal pur-
poses; yet they declared it without restriction
More than half century has passed away
ain e it came into operation, and although upon
on, memorable occasion it was resorted to for
the purpose of giving effect to councils tend
;ng to paralize the Efforts of the nation, IN the
midst of a dangerous war, and to encoura &c
the enemy to peesevere in supporting thelrun-
inst nretensfons, still these declarations OF
rights in relation to writing, speaking and
Yab4ishihg. have been suffered to remain IN all
their pristine force. / should be the last per-
son who could under any circumstances, con-
sent to restrict them by legal enactments.
must, however, take this occasion to re-
peat, what I have before declated. that the
dtec~ssion of the right of one portion OF the
STATES which compose our Union to hold slaves
by an assemblage eff citizens of other States
which hold none. is in my opinion not sane
toned by the spirit of the Constitution. IT
it is tolerated by the broad aud unrestricted
declaration in the Constitution, to which ]
have referred. it is forbidden by the general
tenor of that instrument and the fundamental
principle of the government, which it has es-
tablished Our government is certainly one
of very complicated character - difficult in
some of its aspects to be well understood. To
foreign governments it presents, and was in
tended to present, power clothed with the
most important attributes of sovereignty, and
90 far as our relations with them may be con-
. csrned, they are to see nothing keyond that
'l...;.. dsseribIis in our glorioul ito, g e