The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-11-26
From The Portsmouth IN. ~ Gazette.
SPEECH OF HON. ABEER GREENLEAF,
Before hs ReystoAs Club Of Portsmouth, NtW Hampshire
Tuesday susning, October 2s 1856.

Tuesday evening October 70, 1856
Nh. President FRIENDS AND FELLow-DEMocRArs' need
scarce remind you that now upon the verge ol az
election Of the highest importance AS Il relates 10 our ma
tonal compact This, am aware is but commonplace
expression-used at all eecuons-and sensloy lee .ne
weakness OF my limited powers OF research ana even the
poverty oil language 10 convey 70 yon my own IDEAS as W
The high aud Importance OF the present strug
gle for political victory over all oers mat nave Trans
An elections important inasmuch as nothing short
of eternal vigilance viii 10 ourselves and our pos
terity those State rights State soveregntes that the
old thirteen inherited as the heirloom OF independence
and were secured and transmitted in that great bond
that unes jointly and seyeraly individually and collect
lively, the members of common Union for II 10 on
these rights that must rely for the safety and Sc
curity all the individual and patrarcha privileges We
enjoy Hence my friends you will not think altogether
phrase OF mere place say that the presiden
ta election which is of the 4th OF November
proxmo Is in its vital importance paramount to any one
that has occurred since the election Of Mr. Jefferson at the
commencement Of the present century.
II then turning point as 10 whether this govern
continue under the simple republican compact
10 which States severay parties, or whether IL
should become splendid consolidated oligarchy, to
which the individual States that the very creators OF
the compact surrender their respective reserved
rights bow submisSvey TO the colossal image which
was amply the work Of their own hands, and which they
had erected merely TO manage their united foreign con-
Germs while they attended each its internal domes
tic affairs which they supposed they had secured to them
selves by the express terms OF the compact And the qnes
ton nearly the same there is the same grasping
for an extension of the federal power and the danger Is
even more imminent OF total ACKNOWLEDGMENT las natu
raj consequence of our national compact into hiryone
equally sovereign shit for itself and seek
some new pact in other way TO provide new
guards for their future security.
II docs not appear that politicians generally
aware that a disruption of this Union would not be
simply division OF this great country in twain, but into
hiry-ene parts each alike independent without any
mon bond of Union and except the general law OF
nations The fifteen southern States from the connexon
of their general interests plantation and agricultural
region would more naturally disposed 10 cling to-
combine their common strength TO form per-
,,vfn - ha with Tho Nnrth1
not many Of the Atlantic and western States north of
Mason DiroGis line, from motives OF trade and other
considerations connected with their commercial prosperity
he likely to adhere to the southern conederacy which
furnishes than twohrds the staple exports OF the
whole country and leave this Boosting New England to it,
self Iwl not now go into any speculation as TO what
toc factories freghng ships and ship yards 1t the South
holds back its cotton should open sources OF trade
very likely L. do after the aunnng snees she has re-
ceved from the crth at her institutions her ignorance
and her poverty bu, will say, as always have said
from my early days. that without political ASSOCIATION
with the South there would be "a mighty slim chance"
for the march of democratic principles IN New England
nnder the old "fve-strped flag"
But will pursue this subjec now, nor dwell too
long on the importance of this election because feel and
believe that you fully awakened 10 the high interests
that are involved in it. The principles that al
stake those that constitute the basement OF this wide
republic and on the result of this election these principles
must stand or fall These principles have been more
generally and broadly DISCUSSED and disseminated than
present you any new ideas to throw additional light
upon the subject seems almost puzzle
The great principle that every community whether Ter
rory or State, has ndispuabe right to make their
own Internal laws and regulate all their local in
their way lies at the foundation of this great repub
lie II this right belonged to each and every of the
old Thirteen States belongs all that have since
admitted the conederacy, and Territory be
come State without acquiring the same rights. The OPP
posers OF this doctrine talk much they please
about the ordinance of 1884, which assumed prohibit
nterdct forever the holding of slaves within the limits
the Northwest Territory but no one can dispute the right
of either of the States that have since been formed OF that
territory to introduce that institution within its limits il
should determine TO do. There is nothing pre-
vent this will and disposition of the people of such
State The ordinance this point is nulliy But
why is it 80 the objecor answer for few simple
and plain common-sense reasons
All those sections of territory admitted into the
Onion equal footing with the original States and
Congress have very clearly authority deprive any
of those States of any right privilege thai
may be lawfully exercised by ohers And more than this
the in this ordinance of 1887 relative slavery
passed by the old Congress of the confederation engrad
on the deed Of this territory executed in 1874 by the S
OF Virginia three years previously The provisions of thai
deed of cesson at the Of i's date became articles
solemn compact between the general government and The
States which have since been formed out Of that territory
Virginia d3 not require any such sPulatons in the deed
of the action OF the old Congress in the
sage of this clause years afterwards assump
ton Of power unauhorls"d In the charter under which
they acted, and OF course not delegated.
But as ! that precede2s and the opinion
of men of high standing go much furtEer with certatr
offer, will endeavor to show that sustained in th
reasoning by Mr. Madison. In his letter Mr. Walsh in
November 1919, written in reference the constitutions
questions involved in the Missouri Compromise ster a
general review OF the action Of Congress from the adoption
OF the constitution up TO that time he says 81" may be In
rred that Congress did regard the nterdct slavery
among the needfu regulations contemplated by the cons
tuition 10 VI the territorial governments created
by them Is sch interdict found And again "As
the power of ltting States into federal com
pact the questions o9erng themselves whether Con
gress attach condtOss, the States Ia
conditions which after admission would abrdge sndrG
the constitutional rgbts OF legslatou other
States whether Congress can, by compact with new
member lake power either TO or from ITSELF place the
member above below the equal rights Possessed by
Others whether all such spuatons expressed implied
would not be utilities and pronounced when brought
10 practical test"
TLps much quote from Mr. Madison this poiut as 10
the suhGyity of the Congress IT. therefore the pres
ent Congress acting under the constitution has no po wer
make such stpG aOns much less had the Congress
der the old confederation any authority for attempting
this territorial restriction md II IL had any color Of right
TO do 1t must have been superseded by the cons
tuition, which, though formed and adoplCd by the
ton In the autumn Of the year. recognised such
ordinance and manifested disposition to interfere in
the of any of the States except to guaranty to
each and every OF them republican form OF govern
men and protect them against invasion domestic vo-
lence,
On the subject of this Introduction of slavery in the North
west Territory Mr.. Madison says:
II may be observed that the ordinance giving its dis
nctve character the subject Of savehoing proceeded
from the old Congress- acting with best intentions but
under charter which contains shadow of the
iy exercised and IL remains be decided how far the
States since formed within that territory and admitted
into the Union are on different footing from its other