Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1836-04-21

81 Uia68 zff8 OF arQhSyts, and Ibsc0ineresrJ
,Do6sfhfS q rEi3sSsa ake8pi6gg and who
votes FOR pkces b sofsttIs betition on The
!Eronad onSxhtE its reception IS placed
shss& 5sfggess So, saks slpsissa
arSI66sh Hero and in the States-givcs an
implied pledge to take the subject under
consideration, and orders the petition To be
placed among the public records for safe
keeping. 4
But to proceed, iureply to the objections
of our opponents. 1t is next urged that
>prccedents are against the side we support.
Inject this objection with a direct denial.
From, the beginning of the Government to
the commencement OF this Session., there
is not a single precedent that ~justifies the
receiving of these petitions, on the ground
on which their reception is urged. The,
following, bat making preccdentts. For
rcd, that we have no discretion, but must
fake jurisdiction over them, however abs
surd, frivolous, mischieyous, or foreign from
the purpose for which the. Government was
created. Receive these petitions. and you
will create a precedent which will hereafter
establish this monstrous principle As yet
there are none. The case relied on by the
Senator from Tennessee. (Nlr. Grundy) is
i'll lie respect analogous. NO question in
that case, was made on the reception of, the
petition. The petition slipped i'll without
taking a vote, as is daily done. where the
attention of the Senate is not particularly
called to the subject. The question on
which the discussion took place was on the
reference, and not on the reception, rs in
this case ; but what is decisive against the,
precedent, and which l regret the Sena-
tor (AIr. Grundy) did not state, so that it
might accompany his remarks, is the fact
hat tho petition was not for abolishing sla-
very. The subject was the African slave
trade; and the petition simply proved that
Congress would inquire whether they might
not adopt some measure of introduction,
prior to 1908, when by the Constitution.
rheJ -rvriA To SUPPRESS rfur
trade. l ask tho Secretary to read the
prayer of the petition: !.
"But we findi it indispcnsabIy incumbent
on us, as a religious body, assuredly believ-
ing that both the true temporal interests of
nations, and eternal well-being of individ-
nals, depend on doing justly, loving mercy,
and walking humbly before God, the crea-
tor, preserver, and benoractor of men, thus
to attempt to excite your attention to the
"hSStihS So'JSSts lSsdNO aux cdTlleSCiY
desiring that the infinite Father of spirits
may so enrich our minds with his love and
truth, and SO influence your understanding
by that pure wisdom whichis full of mercy
and good fruits, as that a sincere and, an
impartial inquiry may take place, whether
1T he not +an essential part of the duty oc1
your exalted station to exert upright endea-
xors, to tho full extent of your power, to
remove every obstruction to public right
eousncss, which the influence or artiice of
particular persons, governed blythe narrow,
mistaken Vows of self-interest, has occa-
and whether, Notwithstanding sncll
seeming iInpediments, itbe not really within
your power to exercise justice and mercy,
If adhered to, We cannot doubt alb
clifton must produce the abolition of the !
slave-trade."
Now, ask the Senator where sthe anal
ogy between this, and the present petition,
the reception of which he so strenueusfy
He is lawyer Of long experience
and of distinguished reputation and iput
the question to him, on what possible prin-
cipio can Il case SO perfectly dissimiIar, JUS
the vote he intends to give on the pres
emit occasion! On what possible ground
the vote Of Mr.. Madison to refer. that
OH which he has so much relied.
him i'll receiving this Does he not
his own example, the danger of
precedents If he, may call TO his
MD the authority of Mr.. Madison, in a case
SO d%issiinilar, to justifyths reception of h;
petition, and thereby extend tho iarisdie..
lion of. Congress overthe question of efnan-
to what purpose hereafter may
not the example of his course on the pres
cnt occasioT~bc perverted I?
1t is not my design to censurc Mr.. Madi-
sons course, but ! cannot refrain from ex-
my regret that his name is not
found associated, on that occasion, with
the sagacious AND firm representatives from
the South-Smith, Tucker, and Barber, Of
South Carolina, James Jackson of Georgia
and many others, who at that early period,
the danger and metit, as it ought
,ver to be met, by those who regard the
and security of the slave-holdins
Had he added the weight of his
alcnts and authority TO theirs, a more
tone of sentiment than that which
low unfortunately exists, would this day
lave been the consequence.
Another case has been cited, to justify
he vote for reception. refer to the petit
ion from the Quakcrs, in 1905, which the |
senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Buchanan
elies on to sustain him in receiving the
resent petition. What ! have said in re-
'ly to.thc precedent cited by the Senator
rom Tennessee, applies equally to this
ike that the petition prayed Legislation, y
|ot an abolition Of slavery, but the african
iaye-trade, over which subject Congress ;