Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-23

hb;,ed m extraordinary spectacle-it was deliberat
ing on receiving petition which denounces eleven OF
these States kidnappeis and pirates. !hat lheie
could be sin ole individual from of these States VIII
linz 10 receive Them was to him wonderful; and sun
more wonderful the argument why hesitate nc al
as 10 rejecting them at once: Was It out OF decac TO-
wards these peoners If so, should they not feel Inc
same decacy towards eleven oil the States and not re-
ceye caumny for such he regarded The peton against
them. He profoundly feared that the gentlemen repre-
senting the States knew from whence these peuilnns
came knew that feeling existed IN thetn Whch renuef
ed it no, desirable take decided course in opposition
to,hem This was the point OF his alarm II 1t was SO, then
most assuredly the people of the other section OF The
Union should know the state OF ucs' ne ieit the great
est gratitude to those citizens OF the Northern States
who had kindly nerfcred towards these incendaries;
but he did not think they had succeeded in their Ell
forts TO put them down. 4 paper had been sent TO
him, drawn up by Arthur TaPpan and Others protest
ing against the Presidents message, tor interfering with
the subject Of abolition, in which it declared that
mare titan one hundred new societies had been added 10
the abolition cause since the message. II had been
ccd by the Senator from Virginia, that one oil the most
eminent divines and learned men OF the age and
country had come out in favor Of abolition These
signs showed him that the danger had not passed over,
as he had hoped But he had been told that there were
constitutional objections TO refusing TO receive these pe-
tons Fle wished gentlemen would point them out
To him. He had read the Constitution thousand
times and he could see no such objections had been
urged lie wished gentlemen wlio were so liberal in
quoting the Constitution favor Of the abolitlonsLs,
would be equally liberal towards the Southern States, and
quote it to show THAT Congress had not the power 10 IN.
tcIrre with the question agitated by these petitioners
No man who had read the Constitution could find the
authority for any such interference But he had been
told that Congress had the right to abolish slavery i'll the
District Of Columbia and that, having this constitution.
al right these petitioners lustllable in coming
there. lie denied that Congress possessed any such
right But still they ought not TO receive the petitions,
lecause their language highly disrespectul. TIE
Senator from North Carolina (hlr BROWN very much
deprecated agitation on the subject He knew as we'll
that gentleman, that there two ways Of prevent
ing agitaon-thc quietly TO submit, the other
was meet it boldly. lie put it to the gentleman from
North Carolina, would he submit when called kIdnap-
per and pirate rather would he not, man Of no.
nor, knock the calumnator down. He denied the right
Of Congress interfere with slave property in the Dis
trct OF Columbia Hc found in the amendments to tho
constitution (and he rcolced at the jealousy and vigil
lance of those who caused them 10 be nserlcd0 that
man shall be deprived of his liberty property without
due process of law The property Of the citizen car
not be taken from him but by process Of awby Il Ial
by jury and not the slaves Of this District proper
ty? How they to be taken but by due process Of
law; 1t had been said correctly, that Congress had cx
elusive jurisdiction the District Of Columbia; but
what power had Congress there other than exclusive c
gislalon according 10 the forms Of the constitutions
Congress could not abolish the trial by jury in this Dis
trct, could it abridge the liberty Of the press.
His object, MIR. G.. said not agitation; 1t was TO
suppress it. He saw agitation that working
asundcr the bonds Of tins Union, making the South
cling more closely to the means within themselves tor
their preservation, and poisoning the minds OF the peo
pie of the holding States, making them be-
lieve that slavery sinful, and that the people OF
the South were immoral and corrupt. While this ag
lation continued, it impossible but the Ignorant
slave population must believe that one half the people
of this Union their friends and that all they had
TO Go organize successful instruction tor those
friends to come 10 the: aid This agitation
necessary and il not TO be put end to, unless
by decisive refusal on the part OF the Senate TO re-
ceive these petitions. But his friend from Virginia (Alr
yer1 wished to 90 further than he had proposed to go
He thanked him for it, lie had said that the Commit.
tee on the District Of Columbia prepared to make
a satisfactory report the subject, and that every mem
Der of the Senate with the exception OF the Senator from
Ohio was in favor of giving distinct expression OF
opinion as to the constitution! powers Of Congress on
the question. He glad TO hear this But II his mo-
ton had 10 other object than TO protect the honor
of the Stale lie represented 1t was enough TO make him
adhere TO it. If the gentleman from Virginia did not
present such resolution the one he had alluded TO,
Inc himself would lay a resolution the table. at:
irnimm that Congress had constitutional power TO
rgslae the subject OF the slaves III the Distinct OF
Columbia lie not disposed to create any difference
Of opinion with his Southern friends but when lie had
been compelled 10 act, lie had put himself boldly for
ward. When he found these petitions coming on that
nur with us false, and malicious language, as ap-
piled to the section of county he came from, lie felt It
TO be his inperiuus duty 10 Tor their rrccon.-
lie feared that the gentleman from Virginia m.stal
en- if he was not the expression OF such an opinion as
he contemplated, would have most beneficial effect on
the whGle South. .
Mr. Brown rose to ask tho gentleman from 5 Carroll
na (Nlr Cahoun) whether he 10 understand the re.
marks of that gentleman intended 10 convey amy
Election upon him, (Mr b.
Mr. Calhoun, said, he could assure the gentleman
from North Carolina, (Alr. Brown that he had intend
ed no personal reflection whatever.
Mr. Webster said it was evident that the proposition
TO receive or not 10 receive this petition would run into
proaccd discussion, and as the day was far spent he
hoped that the motion to postpone the iurer conSidcra
ton Of the subject until MONDAY would he agreed TO.
The question being then taken, the motion 10 postpone
until Monday was agreed 10, aud the Senate adjourned
Continuation Of Mondays Procccdings)
IN SENATE.
The Chair announced report from the Secretary of
the Treasury made in compliance with the resolution OF
tic Senate Of the }lst instant showing the amount Of
rrvrmuc that has accrued from all SOURCES since the 18th
of September last, which motion OF hlr. Calhoun,
was ordered To be printed.
Mr.. Buchanan presented memorial from number
of the officers OF the Insurance Companies of Philadel
pha and number Of merchants OF that city, praying
that appropriation may be passed for the repairs OF
the piers New Castle and to clear out lis hnrbor and
also praying that it may be made port OF entry refer
rcd 10 the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Mex can prs scented petition from sundry cZe ms,
merchants Of the city Of Philadelphia, praying for an
appropriation construct anew, the piers at Rredys Is
land and light house the samc and also to
erect light house Brandywnc Shoals, in the river
Delaware; referred to the Committee on Commerce;
Mr. Robinson presented sundry resolutions Of the Lee
gisalnrc Of the State Of Illinois the subject Of the
REIMBURSEMENT Of the sixteen sections appropriated for
school lands and the location of other lands in lieu
thereof the subject Of appropriation for the I'M
provrment Of tie Illinois and Kaskaskas rivers OH the
subject of surveys and the subject Of pensonlns
those who fought in the Indian previous to the lrca-
ty Of Grrcnvillr; all of which sevcrally referred
Mr. Benton presented the memorial of COL Richard
Madison of Missouri praying 10 be rrmuncrated for
horse lost in the last Indian campaign, for which he be-
responsible, and for which he had been compelled
to pay. Referred to the Committee on Claims.
MIR Southland, from the Committee Naval Affairs,
reported bill making appropriation for deepening
the harbor Of Pensacola and for constructing dry dock
at that place. which was resa and ordered to second
reading