The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-06-01
From The Boston Courier.

| ABoLITIoNIsTs. In the debate in the
House of Representatives on Mr.. Pinckncy's
Report, that gentleman made II statement,
which is worthy of IA few moments atten-
ton. lie said, in reply to an Interrogation
from Mr.. Bynum, that the whole number of
anti-slavery memorials presented to Con-
gress during the present session, was l1O !;
that the number of signatures was about
81, 900; that nearly $1,000 of these we're
the names offemales aud he supposed that
considerable part ofthe balance were chill
drcn.
Now let il he remembered that no number
of people less than AZ 900 can send rep
resentutve to Congress. The $4,000 who
have signed the petltons are presumed to
be about the whole number of people who
think it advisable to create an excitement in
this nation on the subject of slavery at least
it is fair to make that inference when we OBJ
serve how indcfatgable the Abolitionists are
! in agitating the public mind, and in pro-
curing signatures to their memorial. And
yet all that professedly advocate the doc
| trines Of the abolition societies, if they all
lived in one district would not be entitled
To repre- sentative inCongress.
We do not like to say any thing that looks
like an objection TO the sacred right of pc
tition. # there had been but one memorial,
and if iha, memorial had but a single sigma
ture, it should receive attention; D@t wheh
one remembers how many persons sig.
petitions, and other papers, without much
consideration as to the nature Of them,-
petitions which any sturdy beggar may inn
D portune them to sight is well TO stop a
moment, and consider how much this formi-
dable array Of $4,000 signatures is worth.
Many a man-and many II woman, too
will sign almost any memorial, which does
not seem to them, at the moment, to imply
moral guilt, or to involve them in pecunary
responsibility. Of such needless sood-na-
ture we might mention many instances,
familiar to all our readers. We repeat our
surprize, atthe fact stated by Mr.. Pinckney,
that, after all the loud trumpet calls of the
Abolitonisis, and the glowing appeals TO
the friends of emancipation, which have
convulscd our whole country for two orthree
wears, only the contemplate number of "a
900 signatures should be procured to the
Anti-Slavery memorials.
We cannot put AN end to those remarks,
without congratulating the public that the
Anti-Slavery Convention, now sitting in this |
city, is enabled to 60 on quietly with its dis. (
cusson. We hope the Convention itself
does not regret this privilege of being al
lowed to talk nonsense as long ms they [
please, without interruption. 1t is their
right to do so, aud, beyond all question, it /
is the best way for the oppouents of their
measures to avoid all expressions of anger
and all attempts to obsuuct their progress
although it may he difficult TO rcpress a
smile at the mental weakness, which can
cheat itself into the belief lha, the cause of
humanity can be accelerated by speeches
and resolutions. the direct effect of which /
is to excite a servile war, with all its unut-
tcrable horrors. The fire will, we hope,
even yet burn out, il we do not tan lis flame
by unnecessary opposition.
A school mistress Of exemplary conduct
and picty, lately died in Paris, where she
had resided - years. After her death it
was discovered that she bad fled from Bcr-
ne, in Switzerland, previous TO that period
bnytn0 soi ,b. g f,pr, r,,,,.,J., ,