New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-18
COL. BENTON IN BOSTON,

Cou,spor aenoe Of The N. Y. Tribune
BosToy, Dec. l6, 1856.
COL. BESToss EARLY LIFE.
Col. Benton lectured in the fremont Temple last
night on The Unionts present State and Condition,
"and the Dangers which beset il" He opened 1t by
giving, in kindly, characteristic style, some very
good advice to young in general, and apprentices
in particular. They saw before them, he remarked
person who had attained an age pas. the limit which
the Psalmst assigns to the line OF life, and now upon
tbose years which the Psalmist associates with
sorrows and weakness Thus far he was exempt from
those nfrmities How came ii that at this advanced
age be blessed with the absence OF those lnfrm'
ties which are supposed TO belong lie owed 1t 70
the course of his early lie. Franklin whom he warmly
euloczed was once nicknamed the American Aqua
tic because he drank nothing but water 10 that re-
spt ct he had initiated Franklin He totally abstaioed
for the first half of hif life, and temperate the
other half He had not only totally abstained from
spiri,uous liquors, vnous liquors, fermented liquors.
and every thing Of the kind but he had kept himself
free from EVERY kind of dissipation lApplsusel. He
knew no game whatever; and to this moment cond
not tell when looking at party playing cards. which
was the loser and which the winner. He had often
sat up all night watching the sick, on military duty,
and book-A RooK--had often kept him awake; but
he had never spent one night of dissipation.
THE UNION rs DANCER.
The subject of his lecture was The Union-its
"Presep State and Condition, and the Dangers which
"Beset ia subject when founded on real circum.
staLces, never ipopporune to American audience,
md at the present time comes with impressive pro-
priety when one many admonitve signs in the
political zodiac announcing some calamity to the age
Our Union, my friends is in danger-a danger not to
be avered by the temporary transient circumstance OF
an election, terminate as 1t may! 1t is too deeply
seated 'or such superficial remedies.
now TO SAVE 1T.
II could only be saved by urging and calling into
action that spirit in which the Union was made That
spirit, he proceeded to cay, was spirit of amity mu-
tual defertn nee and concession. Compromise was the
ruling principle Of the fathers who framed the Consti-
tuition; without it, the Constitution could not have
been framed or, if framed woull not have been &C.
cepted by the Ststos-
The OLD COMPROMISES.
These compromises which lay at the bottom Of our
Union were between different classes Of Sates-large
and small free and slave. The dispute betweentAe large
and smell States settled by giving equality OF rep
refentatiOn in the Senate and an equal vote TOR Pres
dent VIZ en- the election Of that officer devoved on the
House Of Representatives.
The other and more material dispute was compro-
u
personal counting as three human bengs), which is
reckored in apportionment for Congress and in the
Presidential election. Then came another important
question:
The ORDINANCE or 81.
II was concerning the recovery Of fugtives from la.
Dor and service And here, he said, you must take
note of the action of Congress in relation to the Ord
nance of 81. The clause relative to the recovery OF
fugiiiyes and the Ordinance Of 81 cotemporary
acts-twin creations-bOrn at the time, Of the
same spirit and both the Ordnance and the Constitu-
ton were upattainsble without that clause in them
Tie art-siavery clause of the Ordinance was three
vtars before Congress. 1t was introduced in April
1854: in IS7 that clause inserted, and then the
Slave States voted unanimously for ii. Not only the
Slave States he added, but every delegate from the
Slave States.
TIE oRpIsAscy AZ ABoLrI"S ACT.
II was not correct to call the Ordinance of l'T an
act for TIE restriction Of Slavery Ii was an act for the
aboltion-tbe aboliton-of Slavery il all tina. entire
reecp Slavery existed there ct that tine, not merely
in law but in fact Benton named several places which,
at thattine were "bountifuly supplied With saves"
II existed there under both the laws OF France aud
Wig pia Here then, my friends, you zee the South
came up in a body--not single member lacking-and
voted the abolition Of Slavery throughout that immense
region Bot il did not DO i, and would not. unt that
clause was Inserted concerning the surrender OF fugitive
slaves.
LOW FREIDos-Ioyr SrGRo-HrNriSG
Now these who love one part Of tins ordinance
nus, love the other fer part could not have been
obt az I'd without the other They were united in their
birth together they must i've or violent and dis
es,rcus will be the disruption Those who love the
Constitution must accept its coupromfes.
1HE FIRST FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
Col. Benton then euogized the Revolutionary
Fathers rs men who in their own lives had reversed
the axiom Of history 'hA; those who begin revolutions
,,v.r live TO finish them. Afer which he referred to
Ws.bine.ons administration in relation to runaway
r.c-o..' In the first year OF wa.hingtons admins
,,stior dispute arose between Virginia and Penn
:, vs.a IL relation, understood the Iecturer to
thi, subject There was clause IN the Const'fmsoo
re,,,ive 10 the recovery Of fasitves rom justice and