Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-15
Twenty-ioursi, CosssGcss--asl sess
IYrdnestlny, NaTea !?
IN SENATE

Snlen was sS ~ Lancaster Pennsy vanu, praying
for the abolition of slavery in the District oil Coluoia
M fahonn addressed the Senate at length, and con-
dJ ns;nst the doctrine of The constitutional inunc-
ton ~ ccciye petitions matter Of right; and drew
distinction between the right Of presentation and the
reception of petitions that strictly, the parliamentary
rule required motion to be made to receive petitions
presented; but, matter Vi convenience, the Char
usually dispensed with the necessity of that motion
The right OF pelitoning could not be urged one inch be-
yond the right of presentation and this action OF the
Senate commenced the rights OF the Senate and 10 urge
the right Of petitioning beyond presentation, was ek
pressy to encroach upon the rights of the Senate In
support of this position, he cited the 4h rule OF tue
Senate, and the comments Of MIR. Jefferson upon it.
He coRtrovertcd the doctrine that refusal TO receive
petitions refusal hear the petitioners or 10 dis
the merits Of the petition In this case te Senator
from Pennsylvania (r Buchanan) had stated the con-
tents of this rcttion and they had been discussing tor
six weeks. He further conlendcd, tiiut the question: OF
receiving or not receiving the petition did not interfere
with the right Of prose NATION and that not one OF The
intermediate motions to commit, &c, admitted o!
more full discussion than this He denied the apPEca-'
ton Of the precedent cited in opposition TO his mouon
He wished hIr. Madison had pursued the same course
pursued by Mr. Jackson Of Georgia, and MIR. Smith ol
South Carolina and many others. petition had been
presented at subsequent period, when the South be-
come more awakened and had made the question as he
had done. But The brave the gallant and ever to be re-
Inembered Senator from South Carolina (Gcn. Stump
teri had been Guo,ed who had umguardcdy voted wrong
Here Mr. Buchanan Of Pcnnsy lvania asked perinis-
houn) to read the O. the other Senators from The
South who had voted with General SumPrr; winch be-
ing granted, MIR. B. read them accordingy]
He referred to the construction put upon the rule by
the British Parliament, only refusing sing e peii.
ton, but throwing out of Parliament whole class OF
petitions He regretted liz :; clsn made by the gen
teman from Tennessee, Mir. Giundy0 and from the
capubility of that gentleman in declining great qucs
tons, he presumed lie had decided hastily aud without
examination. He advcrcd to in 1884, in which
Mr.. Clay sustained by the Senate in mot on that
certain preamble and resolutions from York. Fcnnsy
yana respecting the public deposites should not be
ceived The Senate had the right 10 select aud dlsc
inmate between what they should act upon and what
it should not if they had NOT every thing that was fri
voous rash, criminal and basphclnous would pour into
this hall, and it into Nassau hail. and by yield
ing this right of refusing receive petitions, the South
surrendered all their outworks, aud even The citadel It.
SELF The aboltonists did expect merely to abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia they only expect to
get Judgment there 10 act with greater Ctlciency
accomplishing their general object He did not expect
the abolitioriss coming with in their hands
to wage war with them, but it to he moral and
religious war, the most dangerous OF all wars He
could not consent TO change hrs to strong
majority which he thought fatal majority; not ii
for but against the interests of the South If
they were bound TO receive petition, They were bound
to consider it. The motion of The gentleman from Penn
syvania, although not so Intended, looked like trick
decepton-jugglery. He "enld Eel profound graft
tude towards his Northern friends, if they give that
strong majority in favor of the motion he had made
rested was, that the political parties at the North
would not be divided But if they did divide it was itp-
possible to preventhis question from running into poll
tics. He believed the vtuous and patriotic were with
them but he despaired of SUCCESS nlrss both political
parties could unite. They loved the Union; but all this
glory and antcpations OF it nothing compared To
tins question, which was only case Of liberty but OF
existence itself
The capacity Of the South was able to defend their
rights; their resources anos. uncqualrd, ad the
dangers that surrounded them would unite them The
alternative with them would be- to do die. He had
intended at one time to move tu refuse the reception o
these petitions one by one but it would have been NO.
Tying 10 him, and undignhrd
Mr.. Clay to make an explanation with regard to
the precedents cedby the Senator from South Carolina
of which cases had been made his motion; and
it was his intention 10 vote for the acceptance Of The pc
tton, it might without explanation be supposed
that there Inconsistency in such vote The right
Ot petition had, it truc certain qualifications Of
which was, that it must be addressed to delibcravc
body, having power the subject Of which the pet
lion treated Another qualification was, that the petit
tion should not be insulting to the body 10 which il
addressed. This the with the petition from
the town Of York, Pennsylvania, which the Senate
fused to receive 1t would be recoeced, that this petit
ton not intended to complain of grievance in tile
power of Congress redress, but in fact insult
tho Senate. Hence the rejection was not founded
the ground that Congress had power the sub
ject treated of in the petition, but the ground that
the matter contained in it offensive. He differed
with the Senator from South Carolina the right Of
Congress to refuse The reception OF petition. He well
knew that every deliberave body had the right to deter.
mine the time when petitions should be received; but
this was under,a regulation, having in view the
convenience cfthc body as well as Of the petitioners
His idea was. that the right Of petition carried with it
the right Of being heard any subject that the body
dressed had the power 20 act lie thought that there
was enough in the constitutional provisions which re-
lated to the District Of Columbia to Justify their con-
sdering it. On the subject Of the right OF Congress 10
abolish slavery the District he was inclined TO think
nd he no
though he should lake future opportunity of expressing
his views in opposition to the expedency Of the
of that power. The Constitution gave to Congress, with
respect to the District OF COLUMBIA all The powers not
prohibited by it, and directly contrary to that pro-
vision Of the instrument with respect TO the States
which prohibited the exercise Of powers not granted
mud reserved them to the States and their people
Mr.. g. also expressed his Misrepresentation of the motion
to receive and Immediately ct tie petition made by
the Senator from Pennsylvania lie did not think it a
sae substannl and efficient enjoyment of the right of
petition to reject it, without its passug through the usual
forms He thought that the right Of petition required of
the servants of The people to examine, deliberate and
decide either TO grant refuse the prayer Of petition
giving the reasons for such decision. lie thought &C.
companying the rejection of the petition, with clear
and distinct expression of The reusons Of the Senate
would carry conviction to every mind, satisfy the pc,.
oners Of the improperly Of granting their request and
mus nave the best effects in putting end the ogila
ton OF the public the subject. -. e.
khe question was here taken Shall the pciition bc
received and was decided in the affirmative
So, nays 10, as follows: .-'1 '
TON essnSsn B BsUon B,Gwn Clay coy
nos, Goldsborough, Grundy, Hendricks Hi GnbbarJ
Kent, King of Ala, King Of Georgia, KNIGHT, Linn
Mexican, Morris, Nuuduin, Niles, Prrn,isss Robbins
Robinson, Ruggles, shepley, Southland, Swift, Tall.
madge, Upton, Tomhnson, Wall, wehs,cr. Whit, 3G
Ndys--Messrs. Black, Calhoun, Cu,hbert, Lcioh
Moore, Nicholas, Porter, Preston, Walker, Wlnte-i0.
Mr.. Clay said this was motion susceptible of amend
mens, and before he sat dcwn inc would offer one Hr
had n too r.
the against granting the prayer these petition
ers would be the better way to dispose of the subject
but he feared majority could not BE- had for that course
There certain great subjects hs. ought be kept
al. oS