Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1836-04-21
G0ngressiOmnE
sPEE0H OF Mr.. CALHoUN


sPEE0H OF Mr.. CALHOUN. 80
OF SOUTH CAROLINA, oNsrHE A~BoLfTIass
PETITIoNs.
Inftie senaieeo Il the United states,
EHeahesda9 MareS
question q Areceiying The petfiQus
IRON Hs,h.sylvanf( for the aboiition0f sI6s
tefylnktre DISTRICT of Columbia; Being d.
ceesiderstionS
aass1 ALnoUN Apse apdssia:sIfSEsS
t1aesGsd 4ifs ght Msdecn.ssiaSsRx Err1n
ithe sSAate IS fuillYS Us oszf.is sYs "a
J these retitietfgs with tile exception of
INC two Sc~natofsFfrom Vermont, all. vino
have spoken have vowed their conviction,
not only that they conttin nothing recurring
me action OF the Senate, hut that the pcti-
ions are highly miscellaneous, as tending 10
as''ate and distract the country, and to
cldangcr the Union itself. With these rom
ceSsiohs' | may fairly ask. why should these
pe'i.i"iis 'e received! Why receive, when
We nave made up our minds not to act /!
nhy haiy waste our time and lower our
o'shity III INC useless ceremony Of rccciv-
nnS 10 REJECT as Is proposed, should the pc
Unions nc received Why, finally receive.
what all acknowledge TO be dangerous and
mls%chicvous! But one reason has;or cam
he assigned-that not to receive yonld hc
Il violation of the right OF petition. and oc
course, that we are bound to receive. how.
ever objectionable and dangerous the pc,i-
tons may be. If such he the fact, there
Is an end to the question. AS great as
Wolti" he the advantage to the a~boIitionists.
u we are bound to receive if it would be
Il violation OF the right of petition not to
icccife, we must acqilieScc. On the other
h;'nd. If it shall he shown, not only that we
arc tot bound to receive, hut that to receive.
on the ground on which ii l.;:s !cen placed,
would sacrifice the constitutional rights of
ms body, would yield to the abolitionists
al they could hope at this time. and wou,d
surrender all the outworks by which tb,.
ST. y" ,holdinG States can defend ,bci,
rights and property HERE. then IA Unanimous
rejection OF these petitions ought of rirI1 10
10 low.
he decision, then, of the question now
before The Senate is reduced to the ,i,,~Ic
point, Are we hound L" receive these nett
tons or to vary the form Of the question.
''ou'" II he Il violation Of the right of pcti-
ton not TO receive them!
When the ground was first taken. that il.
would nc y violation, I ee4y ,;.er-
suade myself thai those wha took it were
IN earnest. $50 Sron,rn-yT~vuusinsfsrullz-nt.
rr-"a..psiD..A.fIkr rights of this hody, and
the provisions of the Constitution but
finding it so earnestly maintained, / nave
>incc carefully investigated the subject and
the result has been Il confirmation Of nv
first impression. and Il conviction tina tl,c
claim of right Is without a shadow or foun-
dation. Tho question, | must say, has not
been fairly met. Those opposed 10 The
side which we support, have discussed the
question us if we denied the right of nett
ton, when they could not bn, know that the
trne issue is MOI az 10 the erisfrnce of the
right. which is acknow lodged Ivy all, but its
crfenf and limits, which not hut one of our
opponents has so much as attempted to as
certain. What they have declined doing, I
undertake to perform.
There must be some point, all will agree,
where the right of petition ends, and
that Of this body begins. Where i, rha,
point have examined thi, question
carefully, and | assert boldly, without the
least fear of rcfutatior, that stretched +,
the utmost, the right cannot he extended
beyond the presentation of a petition. a
which point the rights of this body com.
mence. When a petition is presented, it j.
before the Senate. 1t must then be actc,
on. Some disposition must tc made of i
before The Senate can proceed to the con
sldcration of any other subject. This n,
one will deny. With the action of IN,
senate ITS rights cOnlmcncc-rights secure,
NY Il direct provision Of the Constitution
winch clothes each House with the light o
regulating IT, own proceedings, tha; j.. I,
determine, by fixed rules, the order ant
form of its action. To extend the ri, hi q
petition beyond presentation, is clearly Il
extend II beyond that point, where the az
ton Of the SENATE commences, and as such
Is ii manifest violation Of its constitutions
tights. Here then VIC have li.- inni.s i,e
tween the right of petition and the right @
the Senate TO regulate the proceedings
clearly fixed, and so perfectly defined ns no
TO admit Of mistake, and | would add, o
controversy, had it not bccu questioned il
tins discussion.
II what | have asserted required confr
nation, ample might I've found in our rule
which cmbody the deliberate sense of ii,
Government to this day. Among them II,
Senate has prescribed thar of its procecdin.
on the presentations. 1t is contained in tn
24th Rule, which | ask the Secretary t
read, with Mr.. Jcllcrson's remarks in refer
cnce to it: ,
Before any petition or memorial addrcs
scd TO tho Senate shall he received, and ca
at the table, whether the same shall be in
| troduced by the President or n member,
brief statement of the contents Of tho pc
tition Or memorial shall verbally be mad
Ivy the Introduces Rule 24.
Mr.. JefcrsOn's remarks "RcgularI,
4 motion for receiring il must be made an
seconded and a question PIT, tchether 10 Sh0
$ he recrired: bur Il cry from the House
= receive or even a silence, dispcnses wit
| :!ic formality of the question"
Here we have Il confirmation of all
: nave asserted. 1t clearly proves that wile
a petition is presented, the action of Il