Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-02-25

prQach--dazZling the senses, and cap
}ivatiug the judgment. The tongue ot
1.-THE con, who should have commended
to your care, is mute. He died IN the
4 conflict, to secure your citizens and
! your commerce. Could he have re-
minded you'll his parting hour, that
the being to whom he had directed
half his pay to be given, whilst he liv.
ed. was near and dear to him; could
he have requested you to respect his
memory, by supporting his humble pa
rent ;the prayer would have been gran
ted. And are there no tongues to plead
the cause. of this aged mother Are
there no hearts TO feel for her (? Yes, MIR.
Speaker. there are tongues that can and
will plead more forcibly than mine.-
There are hearts that will feel as kind
lly--and there are those who will a.
ward to Penelope Denney, a decree,
that will sooth her age, and cheer her
1 with the evidence Of a Nations sym
Pathy.
.ur. Pearce, of Rhode-Island, said
the question had been asked by gen.
tlemen opposed to the bill, who is
Penelope Denney Sir, 1 kne W, MOTH
ing about Penelope Denney until l
came to this place, and all now know
Of her have learned in this House I;
and from what has been disclosed by
documents submitted to our inspe ton,
and from the arguments that have been
( used. am prepared to vote for the
hill. In order to form a right esti-
mate of the propriety ofsuch vote, it
was necessary to advert to the facts of
the case.
The son of this venerable petitioner
was seaman, employed on board one
Of our national vessels, in an expedit-
ion imminently hazardous, in which he
had to encounter not only the blood
hounds cf the ocean, but the fatal influ-
ence of a pestlential cline. 1t ap-
peared, ia evidence, that this sailor
was brave. was valiant-and were
there no other proofs it. sufficient
evidence was found in the fact, that
Dennsy was one of the few selected by
the gallant ALLEN to accompany him
in one of the boldest and most danger
Gus enterprises Of the piratical war
The sequel showed that the selection
had been made with judgment. and
that Denncy, was well calculated for
the service ON which he was sent
Though no'more than a quarter gum
ner. he gave the most signal proofs Of
heroic spirit. He El' in the ensu-
ing battle. But, before he went on
this his last expedition, he settled an
arrangement with the navy agent at N.
York, that half Of his pay should go to
the support Of his aged and widowed
mother. What his feelings were, ON
her account in the latter moments of
dissolution, is not hard to conjecture,
Ii is true. re did noe, like the brave
Allen, survive his mortal wound for
five Or six hours F; he was killed out
right, and no time was left him to com.
mend his helpless mother to the pro-
lection of that country for which he
shed his blood. He had not even time
to put up that petition which SO well
becomes US all "God be merciful 10
me sinner" He died, and,wlt him,
persisted her entire support, her only {
staff. His death deprived her Of
bread. 1t ia true, Sir, that this vener-
abe matron can 60 to the authorities Of
the city Of New-York can throw her
self on their compassion; and beg
from them what she ought to receive
from US: q poor piftance, to keep Oft
starvation. 81 But, if the claim be just,
is it for this House to say. Go and de-
pend on the charity Of the City of N.
York?
trust, Sir, there is feeling here,
which revolts from such language, in
snch Case. trust there is on this
floor disposition to protect this pc
titioner, though she be feeble, old, and
poor, without wealth and without in
Auence. Sir, if Penelope Denney had
been rich-if she had had any thing to
bestow, we should never lave heard
her name, as petitioner, before this
House; but she aas no friends. There
are none who partake Of her hospitali-
ty, or who are interested in securing
her good will. Destitute and help |
less, she depends alone ON the justice
of her country.
But the precedent There, say gen.
tlemen, lies all the danger. Sir, am
now to learn, for the first time, that
Congress is bound by precedent, in
Legislation. l know, Sir, that, in our
courts, regard must be paid to preced-
my decisions, and that there they have
theforce flaw; but i never heard, un-
ill now, that the body which makes the |