Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-05
T'HcpGay-fipWrtaa Goan&sress--Hst sscss.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
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ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF

ABOLITION OF SI.AyEEI n TIE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
The House resumed the consideration OF Tic petition
| from sunrr inhabitants Of the town Of Nrentham III
Massachusetts praying e abolition of slavery and the
slave trade in tie Disric; Of Columbia.
The motion To r. lcct the petition Si!Il pending.
Mr. Owens tn address the House. but
Mr. Pnchncy expressed horc that the subject would
be suspended III order 10 present petitions and memo
| rals.
MIR Ovens said he would with great pleasure acerds
TO the wish the gentleman from South Carolina, The
matter itself was not matter IF very great import IL"
for the purpose ofendeavorir to reconcile Tie con-
icng opinions orgenlcnen all sides, and to submit
certain propositions, which, he trusted. If the House
would accept, would put 10 rest this asltang delicate,
and dangerous question 1t useless Tor him 20 regret
that this question had been brought before the LOUISE
1t useless to regret that this question had been sub
jcc: of discussion The apple OF dcord had bee thrown
into the House IL had not been done by the South
Blu, it there and the House must mectltthe House
handle it. But hc did rrgrctlic deeply drplorcd
the in which the debate on il had been conducted
II not calculated to do good but was we'll cacn-
lated produce ansuGial well as hostile feelings
Nor did he agree with gentlemen in TIER remarks,
that the South asked aid from the North On the con-
lrary he would say that the South did ask aid from the
North, and the North wanted aid from the South. Their
reciprocal, and it these wants that pro-
duced ccntedcracy. 1t these wants that had &C.
mcnlcd Union; and it the increase OF these wants
that would give perprtny, may: Immortality, to It
The propositions he wished TO submit 10 the House, he
the original proposition would accept and support and
that the House itself would give and coz: ai sup
port The propositions he intended to submit were
couched in language strong il not stronger than the
original molten, and they were more extended IN their
OPERATION 1t not 10 meet the question on this pc
tiiion alone but to meet the question, IN what
shape it might 1t 10 operate upon all petitions that
might come with the same tendency or object; nay, IN
word it was to grapple with the subject itself lie
perfectly agreed with the advocates Of the original mo-
ton that This IIrasnre that required bold
prompt, and decisive expression of opinion from that
House The South required ii: the country required It,
Il could not be bnked. It could not be cvadcd by gs
lave nrsSr II ought not 10 lc eudcd by technical OBJ
jections He therefore reiterated that he confidently
expected those gentrmcn lovers Of their conniy and
wcIl~:SIcrs OF the peace and safety Of the land would
support his resolution with warmth. He had also
doubt That those gcntrcn whose Of Grilcacy sg
gesrd constitutional objections 10 the rejection nt p'tI
toS would support the propositions lie should have The
honor 10 submit 10 the House, because they would find
that these propositions free from that "brctIon
He admitted in the fullest latitude, the constitutional
right to petition what was termed the sacred night OF Pc
tilioing; but BE- hoped he might add without offence,
that from the evidence he had o its abusr. good man
m 1T doubt whether the good compensated Tor the evil,
iflEc evil temporary. and the good permanent
and lasting. There another class Of individuals 10
whom he would address himself. 1t those who, in
ali probability would be- for the principles contained in
the petition
70 those gentlemen he would sag, not assuming tic
character Of lecturer but their associate, that, adj
uniting the constitutional! right 10 act upon his subject,
which he denied he would tell those gentlemen that
riuh was not abstract position and unqualified term;
that in the exercise Of every Ih there cores
poilLns dutis. ard That The fist duty OF an American
s,~.1" 90 vote Tor the nominating. --r--t-c-!----
wcafc Of n lie s End ali hH u y S9sG" Tor vice
public lie would SUI to them al, iii discussing this, or
any other Qur&lI, OF national and political character they
must not examine it with The imagination Of an
enthusiast. with the characteristic tenderness OF the
pLlIanlhropst, with the cold calculations Of the
philosopher, hut statesmen, looking at It III all lis
bearings: and if they satisfied in their colScicmccS
that il was not calculated TO benefit the Republic, they
ought not to egiSlae upon it, lfgrEtlrmcn would turn
their minds upon This subject. he was satisfied they
would have hesitation to their course. II The pro-
positions he s0n!d have the honor to submit 10 the
House. be- accrdrd 10 By triumphant majority. he had
hesitation in saying that ii would be considered BY
the country the Iarbngcr OF peace: the lanbow that
would dis@ pate the clouds and darkness rising on
the land With These views. and under the operations
Ct these feelings. he would move The House to lay the
original proposition of the gentleman from ScuII Caro-
lima (Mr. Hamnond) Oh the table, together with every
matter connected with H. so IS to enable him TO submit
his propositions 10 the House
MIR. Owens tlcn sent the following resolutions to the
ChIir which we're read as follows:
RtsoIrcd. That in the opinion Of this House, the qucs
ton Of the Addition ui Slavery in the district oi Column
bia ought not to he entertained hy Congress-
3nd bc Il further hes0ired. That in any petitions
pray ing the abolition Of slavery i'll the District Il" CV-
na be- hereafter presented It IS til" deliberate opInnn
of this House that the ought TO be laiG on the table
without reading
Mr. Owens Expressed the hope that the resolutions
would be accepted BY the gentleman from South Carroll
ma. in lieu of his motion 10 re- rct the petition
Mr.. Hammond very sorry, he said: that he conld
accept the propositions and he hoped the gentleman
from Georgia would withdraw his motion.
Mr. Wise proposed To amend the first resolution by ad-
ding because Congress has power to egislatc it
under the Constitution OF the United States and to
amend The second by striking ont all alter the word Re
Sred and inscriiug THAT This House will not receive
any future mcnoriaIs that snbj-c adding that,
with these notifications, he would vote for the rcsolu
tons.
MrOwens declined the acceptance of The amendments
as notifications of lis rcsolutinns
MIR. Patton asked what would be the consequence of
laying the motion on the table Would the resolutions
Of the gentleman from Georgia then be in order:
The Chair replied that they would not. 1t would be
in order 10 move 10 suspend the rule to allow hu To
move lIem or. whrn Tie States called for gryOn
0ns, they might he offered Without suspension Of the
rule.
MIR O. Adams rose 10 inquire what was the state of
this question: and he ask c from confessed Ignorance Of
what the question On the last day, when The sub
rct was debated. suca variety OF motions was follow
ing each other IN rapid sncceS<i"n ana apparently with,
out object or order that he had entirely lost the train Of
them 4 memorial for the abolition Of slavery and the
slave trade. in the District Of Columbia, was pre-
scented By an honorable colleague of his (Ar. Jackson
who moved It's reference 10 the Committee on the DIS
trict Of Columbia Select COMMITTEE
The Speaker here reminded l!e gentleman that the
motion before tic House allowed Of discussion, and
said he would state the question:.
Mr. Adams asked, if similar rtttinn presented by
another Of his colleagues vas not on the same day. re-
irred 10 the Committee tic District OF Columbia. and
whether the subicc, was not, therefore, actually before
that Committee.
The Speaker replied i'll the Affirmative; hut stated
r,ot;nr ~ reconsider the oil reference pending.
II. would now state ii" question: for the information Of
the House A memorial presented; and three
TONS made in regard 10 ~ 10 commit, another 10 lay
, 4 ,ir,i ia.
fore the House 70 lay the petition and all the
lions pcnd:ng in reference to it on the table.