Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-25
4YsUasND.gA, EasssEG.gMY. a5, 1896.

voice would recoect that during the summer OF fall
notice was given 10 the public of State Convention Of
abotonsls to be held al The city az Utica in the State
ut New York IN the month Of October last according TO
his present recollection of the time The notice APP
peared formidable from the array of names amended To
It, they heng several hundreds in number and exhibit
ing among them large proportion of the names of
preachers of the gospel peace Ii gave him uniegned
pleasure To say that time proved mat many OF these
names, and those OF individuals by the least
respectable IN character and standing and influence, had
been appended 10 the notice without the consent or
thoriy of the persons whose they were, and in
many Instances in open and direct opposition to the
wishes and feelings of the individuals.
Sui the notice had the effect of causing delegates to
De appointed to attend the proposed convention from too
Convention was persevered in. short time before the
day fixed for assembling this body Of agiuurs applc
ton on their behalf made To tlse
ucs oil the city oil Utica, for leave public building
within the city, erected the expense citizens oil
the town, the place for the meeting OF the convcn-
ton. Through excess of complasance or mistaken
feeling of indulgence the required permission was ven
by The Common Council of the city No sooner was this
TACT made known 70 the citizens, than public meeting
was Called and resolutions oil the distinct deci-
sve character passed, declaring that the public building
tn question, erected at their expense and for their use
not be prostuied to so miscevops apurpose and
oat The proposed convention should occupy it, This
meeting was voluntary assemblage of the inhabitants
ni the town. and OF course unaunrtatve; but TO make
henselyes other object carry the r
into certain effect, the meeting adjourned to re-as-
seibe III the same public building proposed be occu-
pied by the abolition convention, and the same day
of The day designated, the public building in question
was hiled with The citizens othe town and not an abo.
'uenist was known to enter It, Soon, however, the
seinDage was informed that the proposed convention was
assembling at church the vicinity for the purpose m
was believed, of showing upon paper the proceeding,
Oh a state Convention OF that character committee
consisting OF twenty-five members selected from, the
most respectable and influential inhabitants of the town
was Instantly appointed and instructed by the meeting
OF Cit ens o repair To the church aud inform the
uon q the wishes and determination OF the inhabitants
OF Utica, that their city should made the head
Quarters Tor their mischevous movements. The com
nite. obeyed the order of the meeting; made their way
into tie church, and their rrrand aud their in
struct to the assembled convention; when fortunate
~ for lie peace oil the community, the convention dis.
Persed, without attempting to proceed with their bust
Suclt, MIR w. said, subantalIy was the history which
had DE, gwen to nm by eye-winesses OF the
spectal L. character, OF the attempt 10 hold State Con
venor of abOltonsts al Uca, and of results and for
the cretli OF his usually orderly and peaceable consu
ents, he wished lie could stop here and 1--WE The tl v
dences OF the feeling manifested OH that occasion The
whole truth, however, further aud he believed il
due TO u present occasion to give the whole uulh-
During the night OF the day which the Convention
had been ihus dispersed he had been farther informed
that some disorderly persons forced their way into
printing ONCE IN Utica, supposed To be owned by some of
tue asiti0rs ana certainly devoted to their cause and
committed deprcdatons upon the property of The Office
among other acts of violence, throwing the types into t
street These persons for this offence, had broug
before the magslracy, aud put under recognzancs To m
pear al the teh next Court To be held for county aud
answer for the act Recent information told him th.v
iau appeared mat their cases had been
Grand Jury, and that that uy acting upon their oath
had reported no bill against them
There was one further fact MIR. w. said he ought
not 10 omit, IN giving the evidences of the correct
OF public opinion, elected by this attempt To hold an abo
iition state convention at Utica One member of tI.
committee OF twenty-five appointed by the ctzens TO
repair, and who did repair to the church and aid in
dispensing this convention, was at the time before t
people a candidate for the State SENATE In uhont y
weeks from the time OF the transactions he had detailed
the name oil TINS gentleman was presented at the polls
throughout his Senate district district COMPRISING rom
21UCUO To 3OOOOO OF the population the STATE md
not shadow of opposition was made apuins, his c
ton from any quarter. Could this have happened if
these agItatOrs had possessed any hold upon the
OF that people, the very people among whom they had
proposed to iase the standard and commence their
ceedgs as state society? Most assuredy II could not
AgaIn; Another individual of the committee was a
distinguished member Of the New York delegation in
the other branch OF Congress, and information iu, re-
ceIVcd announced his appointment by the lrg;sl.trr
OF The state, by strong, almost unanimous vote la
The highly responsible and important Office OF Attorney
General Ut the State. Such had already been the OK
pressIons OF public opinion of the members f
the committee OF the citizens of Utica who were put
oi"aII at an important moment to suppress the agtu-
uos' Loud mere be any thing equiyocal expressions
Ike these! Would the honorable Senator from Viryija
would any member OF The Senate any citizen OF the
country after such manifestations permit their cont;
dence in the soundness of the public feeling at the North
70 De shaken by such publication that referred To
from Doctor Channing He could think they would
lie most earnestly hoped they would not
Mr.. w. said, he had mentioned these f,cis and he
might mention many others oil some " hat similar cha,
rdcter, to show that the determined feeling of Resistance
I" these dangerous and wicked agitltois IN the NORTH
had already reached point above aud beyond tile law
and II LETT To- It's voluntary action decisive of i,
late OF asoliiionisnl in that quarter. Why he wDud
ASK were such manifestations OF feeling found au,on,
those who were wholly unintPrested in ala We roiv
The answer single and palpabe. Their attachment
to the Constitution and the Union prompted H. and n
et l" govern themselves by THAT attachment there was
no cause to apPrehend danger. lie appealed then in
the kindest manner aud with great Conscience 40 I'm,
Representatives of the eholdng states To say yhe
thcr ~ was now desirable, whether ii was now Nis, I'm
attempt TO force tins feeling further:
For llmscl, Mr.. w SAID, he must say lac cDositlcrpd
1t immensely important that the action of the Senate
should be calm and cOnsidera,P that nothing should b
done rashy; that no step should be- taken which could
Oy any, ne most sensitive, br considered violent he
mnst repeat that any such action wOuld put "A weapon
INTO The hands OF the agitatOrs powerful aud nc
more to be feared, pin all their Efforts of voluntary
charaotrf' such, he most deeply feared, would be Il
vote oil the Senate that petitions upon subject with.
out regard to their language and character should NOT
DO received ny the BUDDY RE disposed at tbe
present ne even to discuss the question OF the EXTENT
OF Inc constitutional right TO petition Congress 80
strongly did he feel that discussion or debate of any
sort upon ihis topic, could produce only unmixed evil
" every portion OF the country. He wus willing
Tor his present purpose to place The question of rece
hon or rejection upon the ground taken by ss homo
rabe Senator from Virginia (Air Lrigh) and to con.
sder u 40 question Of mere exppdiency; and he hon.
ca that IN That case, he had said enough To satsy every
member OF The Senate that there would be- great danger
~ the course proposed by the motion under consideTa
ton Without discussing the question, he thought every
Senator would cnnccde that general impression pr,.
vailed among our whole people, Of every portion of the
Union that The night Ia petition Congress in resprcfu
terms ana respectful manner of the broadcast
rights secured BY Tie Constitution. Refuse upon the
broad principle as relating TO this subject and these ma
he ncff dr..tt