Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-29

! III
receive or not receive the petition would be order
That was competent motion, which any member of the
House had right to make. Now, il was understood as
having been received the proposition not to receive is
thereby cut off That seemed 20 be the effect IL that
be the efect-and il il be the effect the House did not
intend to producehe trusted the House would put itself
in stdfu quO-and that they should have opportunity
OF putting direct vote uPonit lftai the state of
the question: Mr. would feel himself compelled 10 move
Reconsideration of the vote just taken.
Mr. Beardsley said, the night to petition was sacred
right guaranteed To the citizens of the United States by
the Constitution, and therefore, the House was
bound to respect To obyate the objections urged by
the gentleman he would withdraw his motion 10 law the
petition the table and lay the resolution of
The gentleman from South Carolina to reject the petition
on the table.
| Mr.. Hammond asked for The yeas md NAYS: which
were ordered.
Mr.. Wise rose to point of ordcr. IT seemed to him,
according to the usual action of the House. that the
ton OF the gentleman from New York (AIr Beardsley)
must oe out of order motion was made originally 10
reject tne petition; whereupon motion then made
20 lay the petition the table, but being withdrawn
Inc quest ton then came upon the motion OF the gentle
man from South Carolina instanter The notion there
FORE to lay that motion on the table of ORDER
because the House had decided it would imned atey
consider the motion TO reject
The Speaker said the House had decided thew would
consider the petition but pending the considerations
he House may decide to lay the table, and therefore
Mr. Wise would ask the Chair if there was any PEN
denSy OF consideration in motion to consider?
The Speaker said pending the consideration Of aues-
hon competent for any member to move TO Law the
matter the table ~ ~
MIR. Wise The motion then before the House was
made. 10y
MIR. Vinton begged 10 inquire of the Chair as it would
govern MS vote, II the motion lay the table the
ton to reject prevailed whether the petition would also
go on the table what would be the pending question
The Chair understood by an affirmative vote on
The motion to lay the motion TO reject the table the
petition l ma also would 70 on the table with it.
MT Beardsley sod, gentlemen seemed TO feel some
embarrassmepsih voting upon this propositions though
ne hmssf Std not he would withdraw his last motion,
!. .eae repe@ the other to lay the petition the table
dered
Mr. James asked for the reading Of the petition; and it
was read from the Cerkstable
Mr. Thomas said, he surprised to discover that
there arc gentlemen who not with the evil
dence which has already been given, that very large
majority of this House opposed any interference
whatever, not only with the rights of slave holders
the Southern States but with The existence of slavery
within the District of Columbia We have already
LAID on the table, by of nearly three to one two
memorials similar 10 the one now under considerations
but gentlemen say those votes equivocal; they wish
to have direct proof that the rights OF shareholders
not IN danger from any interference the part of Con-
gress MIR 1. said he did in this opinion
The vote to lay on the table had been given signify
decided opposition to the prayer of the petitioners;
hansh & his roI Us %le MSSa %SSia ee
TO afford an opportunity to all misapprehension
whch really existed and deprive every every where
oil all Pretex io maintaining that Southern property and
Southern rights are in danger.
Mi. T. then moved reconsider the vote lust riyen
by the House in favor of considering this petition and
said IT this motion is adopted shall then have this
before us IN Inc position In which was placed
when INST presented TO the House. In the vote given
| IN favor of considering this memorial, many members
had been undoubtedly taken by surprise. Some
Lers who are IN favor of rejecting this and other similar
memorials and others who favor of receiving and
then laying the table this and all petitions of like i'm
port united in the vote which he had moved -cons
der This strange combination could have croa
ted without mistake somew here Gentlemen ho We
supposed that by the adoption of the motion To CONSIDER
this memorial the difficulty which has arisen by reason
OF the decision of the Chair would alone be removed
and that instead of posiponing until tomorrow all
lion on this subject would now proceed dispose of
-cither by vote TO reject, lay il on the table
am not disposcd Mr.. Speaker to afford unnecessa-
| A. lV fn.itv, dec.
master and slave. AS of tie representatives of
slave holding State would provoke an exanina-
ton here calculated TO false hopes the minds of
an ignorant and stupid population We have been told,
know not how truly that great and general excitement
has already been produced in some of the Southern
states, by the circulation of few anatical pamphlet
ii this be true it not Madness than madness 10
struggle 10 elicit evidence that there is in that House
any one man wiling to re-echo the sentiment which
these incendary publications contain? have been op-
posed, sir to all discussion this subject and ac
cordngy have voted repeatedly in the two preceding
Congresses to lay the table every proposition culc1
lated to elicit useless and angry debate have been
and am, grateful The representatives. from The North
and West where slavery does exist for their cordial
ana earnest effort to extngush every frebrand which
has been thrown in here either in the form Of aneeb
or petitions tending destroy the broad foundation ON
which our Union rests. But is it not obvious that our
xeIons have not been crowned with complete
In the last two Congresses the petitions the Abolition
sis were laid the table, evidence Of our repro
baton OF thcir Objects Notwithstanding the present
session we have already received those petitions and
shall probably have TO dispose several more These
anatical crusaders against evils abroad who have no
uouDt, vices enough ~ their doors N
their correction, that overlooking christian charity of
which they boast 50 much, and manifest so little nothing
dauDted continue TO pour they poisons into that nation
al chaice, from which the whole people of the United
States have SO long quafed the Of Con
cord and Union. Now what is TO be done? For one,
am prepared TO meet directly every question connect
ed with these memorials. | willing TO follow the
precedent set by Congress another question The on
Ponens OF Sunday mail peloned Congress; their me-
MORALS were rejected because their object was unrea-
soRahle they persisted, and their numbers increased
the House OF Representatives finally referred all those
petitions to select committees from which emanated one
OF the most mastery State papers which has ever been
published IN the country. IL addressed to the I'M
dcrstandng not TO the passions Of the American people,
and there was response from all quarters cogent
persuasive and conclusive reasoning Its arpune mis-
were unanswered and rable and the Deti-
TONERS were silenccd. The oil was spread over the
troubled waters and the tubalent waves becnne still
/ Gentlemen say must prevent any discussion on the
subject % tese memorials because they must inevitably
disturb the harmony Of Union. There was time
when the force of this could be fully felt by all
But has not that time gone by? Without our agency
indeed in defiance Of ali precautions the part OF Con
gcss Tie power and purpose Of the General Govern
ment TO interfere with the question slavery has been
and VIII be- discussed ~ every newspaper in every pc
rodcal publication, from Maine to Missouri. ii Is n
gross error % sspPosc that this House can by mere
stc r00, give law to the people Of the United States
The members of this House not in positions stable
enough for that To attempt il would be vain as the
effort OF Nerxes to chain with links Of the SURFING
sea Oar march Is not to ~ always on the mountain
Of popHlar opinion. We are here to-day We ARC