Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-11

III" crssion made, and hence could hare Ind no
particular reference TO lc condition oE Tie District
Afterwards 1c!cd3 and could not therefore, abrdge
any 81 tic dnrssS9 rights of the people of the
J'sn!cty as trey existed ut the time of the ccsson.-
nt he ctssl" having hccnaccrpcd with the guarantee
CT the right oi property ~ s people Of the District
contascd IN the Constitution aud acts OF cpnression:
these gnnran:t IS afford ample protection and are re-
slc;i ms upon lie Jurisdiction OF Congress rs the local
Legislature Of the district. Mr. G. said that the ncoplc
Of Massachusetts had more CONNECTION or concern
with The Go,est:c ghls Of tie people o! the District
than stry kad with those Of the people Of yirnnia or
A'ayand. and that any attempt at interference with
them, mnerupnt and obtrasirc IL: interference
would be with those Of Firgiu:a MARYLAND, or any
other pendent State. MI g. said, he conlendcd that
the people OF The district in relation their domestic
rights, occupied the position Of State, and were emit
tied to have their rights respected SUCH ard protected
rum interference from Other States such.
Mr.. IT, said la gth!;s e:Zani;rd the pac pie grow
ing out OF what has been termed the constitutional right
oi PETITION. HE extent Of tie obligations Of Congress To-
rccclre-and established, he thong beyond
able doubt that Congress was not bound to receive pr:
tIoas :o:n people who did no! seek the redress of
public or private grievance affecting themselves, he
would very briefly canyasYtr claim oi the petition
under consideration 10 that carartcr He said he would
cHphaleaIly ask, wnt the grievance affecting tie
petitioners, tor which they sought redress and in and of
which they clamorousy invoked the sacred right Of
petition, and the spirit o liberty: Why, Mr.. Speaker,
sad Ac G. IL" Irirrauc. bat the people OF this Dis
trct, Hundred tes removed from the petitioners,
hotd sdrcs q property guaranteed by the Coustituton)
and they nodcst!y ask that the people Of us District
may BE- deprived iteir property without .ei. consent
Surely. said Mr.. o., this Is grievance either public
OF private 70 the petitioners. Gn!: said NJ G., what is
the g:i@2arcs con- !ansd u: IN the petition, and for
which remedy is sought 1t is sir. that the existence
o! slavery is incompatible with the r!iouS notions Of
81" petitioners, and they simply Gs a. small matter
erfc2yl that the Congress OF the United States should
."rcbiy wrca fra:, porter! Of the people their pro-
p"ry, for the :r:y ml9ta otjrc. Of gratifying the
Es"a& <t"p''S Of 'cs% very Eero"y religious people!
Mr.. Speaker, sad Ar g., this bold and daring
attempt Is was eyer Eatc Among free people, TO
pei. dy Jptc % iar SCI OF people to conform their
rtt,rss rnh rr cOeScic@:tS 10 tx! religious notions Of
aEpiEi:r set-and THIS, sir Is .e soIe grievance. Sir,
cu!nnrnce this work, and by then you have cgs
lated conf'rmnby 10 the peculiar OF al our 1cli-
gIog, s"cs, there will be ltlc of her! lett to The peo
pie. YOU viii have established complete :!eEral Jcs-
ptsi. Mr.. Speaker. said Nh g. the very clause Of
Tie Constitution: quoted By The Hon. member from Mas
sachus"iis coria!s THIS va!aJle provision Congress
snail chc ntc respecting establishment o; rsEgiOn
!;hs roY!s:or, said Nv G., is Of any value ALL it
To crcry IT.. rig Of maintaining his
h-i1uS opinions and crlJr!.I i:;S practices - them.
rnplacaIy a@; every ejer hp:c, aye, every .1mcri-
freeman, ii COnGe3s Should carry O;t the prayer
these petitioners wi:e,:cr p:act!cc, directly
with The right Of religious Iccjn.n guaranteed by
TIE Consultation is above Guu;CQ: SUaIr think,
.nd rious toe ti.: slavery is moi incompatible with
III. rpul!s ii religion then ask, sad Mr.. G.,
:l:,r DE- forced by Lass Surrender their oTn
ni! s ana be compelled - CONFORM tu those O. the pc
t!lc principles ct the C=;.s lti0n securing religious
!fce,:ru. Ar. G. said, man, or body CT men, had
The :is ut, should they force him 20 take their pecu
La t., religion. he responsible 10 but
his Creator iJ ls religious opinions moral practices.
Ihr Cseatur himself had gwen guide by which all
~ be directed, It wise and uncrrIng guide.
Bu! he tsclard for himself, aud his constituents the
: 4 1igVle and 6tsyatic teachers OF religion to gull
dy:Tn their trGais het notions ot religion any thing
Yls Incy jrntl ana as JaHibe Is hi!nssi and lie
diH c94.s to be compelled 10 olyDT llie guidance,
whei lie DE- med them III cry.
NJ. G.; I'd il was unreasonable TO act upon such petit
,Y.S H. :nI; because the petitioners Affected
WIKI The cyls r"vroachrs OF Slavery. They lived
laws and Institutions IL which It was not tolerated.
Hence they have practical grievance 10 redrcss
pzrr$l Mr. Speaker snd MIR. G., that the people oflhs
u!s..!r WHO complain IF grievance, who have
rrdT,a*, should be vi"cuIiy deprived of their rights
satlsy the religious scrur*s Of teiE kind friends,
lhr@a petitioners.
Mr. c. saId that La9ng 5ai Thus much upon The con-
s,i,ul!Ia RIGHT ~" petition; AMI the grievance soug TO
he Irc-acd the petition no." undc! consideration, lie
woud say ir: words lis 10 Exception Of the general
obligation r Congress and consider pclltions
II ia cy"-y otirz respect nrxccponabc. Mr.. G.. said
this was an exception due ~ tie body ITSELF he alluded
To- the right O.! this body To that every petition
presented 10 it, should be- cnuccd decent md respect
jui iangnngc. EnLs, sad Mr. Gr is m acknowledged
1iy and would be useless consumption OF time, 10
dtan the House with any arumcnts TO lis necessity
and propriY;y. NJ G.. asArd IS the petition under
cons!dcIa, coucicd in such dcc.nt and respectful
address Itself To the favorable coSdeTu-
iin al the House Sir, sad Mr.. g., in this, most
III the petitions which have bee presented, The people Of
the South characterized rs plr0CS, muR-Stedicrs,
merchants in k"rggn rs, mi gross rioatOrS Of tic amSo Of
Lod Gnd MIR. q. said that the honorable gentleman
who had lust nkrn his seat and who protested TO be op
posed 10 The abollloniss (np doubt sincerely but who
had made excellent abolition speech, companed
Of the OF oPprobrIum which had been used in this
debate towards The Northern people, insonuch that he
acknoys red his zeal aga!ny: aEonnlsn much abat
Mr. ,:Iu he asked HAT gentleman how IT
that he, could feel srnsi!y the cptlIcs employed
a,an-t Tie an,.oGs;s, and not feel the severe Iecc
tons upon the whole Southern people, contained in these
petitions Sir, said Mr. g. these terms OF reproach
such as pirucy man-scaling, SC wId and gentle,
rs 10 be totally noccnt totally nocnsivc: Surely the
gentleman cannot SO think.
Nj c. said that the institution Of slavery existed at
the lime Of tie formation Of the Constitution The free
States so called entered lDlo The constitutional compac,
with full! knowledge Of THIS state Of things, and solemn
" agcd to Interfere wE It. The South has faith
fuy and dcvocdIy performed its constitutional obiga
for upwards OF fifty yrHfd HE Southern rcpresen.
tu,cn have the same claim protection from insult ana
rrprnucA when the here 10 egsa,c as the North:
crn reprcse nlaon Is it 10 te patiently borne, then,
sr Sncakcr that the representatives Of tho South TO
ii, here day after day, ard hear themselves and their
constituents rrproaGhed rs pirates? No. sir 1t is
than Southern feeling and Southern blood can bear.
It cannot, will not be submitted to. 1t had been
said said Mr.. G b. un honorable member from Alassa-
chusct,s. (Alr Adams that 1t was almost impossible TO
sprak OF The suuccl VI slavery WITHOUT using terHS
which may lie de"ned insulting and reproachu! Then,
Mr Speaker SAID Mr.. e., why speak Of it here at all
It il no reason why the South should submit to insult,
because gentlemen say they c&nnot present the subject
to the consideration Of ungrcss without using terms OF
an Insulting character SIR. !hes" petitioners nave no
rgh, 10 interfere has Congress the !igh 10 iher'cre
with thus subject and tIcsc petitioners have only TO ab-
s,;, from an rn,.aTranae interference with the rights
Of o:irrs to avoid insulting a"d rePToaehng me whole
c.,rrrn proo!c Mr. Garland SAID nc conld readily
.a,;n hw .,cn;icm.n did not feel the force Of
iiscSs FERNS of rrp.oach applied TO the South, and
49, 49,. ,,..- insulting character II was because