Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1836-04-21

right, which | fear, we are alout To abundon,
with the view tOSnsccrtnin what must he the
consequence il we surrender it.
OF the rights belonging TO n deliberate
body, II of none more uuiversal, or
more Indispensable To a proper performance
of lis functions, than the right to determine
a, lis discretion what it shall receive, over
what il shall extend its jurisdiction, and To
what il shall direct it's dcllbrration aud ao-
tion. Ii is. the first and universal law of all
such bodies, and extends uotonly to petitions,
bur to reports. to bills, and resolutions, viri-
cd only in the two latter ip the form of the
question. 1t may be compared to the lunc-
ton i'll the animal economy, with which ill
living creatures are endowed, of selecting,
through the instinct of taste, what to receive
or To reject, ON which the preservation of
their existence depends. Deprive them Of
tiiis function, and tic poisonous, as we'll us
the wholsomc, would be indi.icrcntly ~rccciv-
ed into their system. So with deliberate
bodies; deprive them of the cs>cntia and
primary rights 10 determine at their pleasure
what TO receive or reject, and they would
become the passive receptacle, indi!icrrn,lv,
of al that is frivolous, absurd. unconS;iui-
tional, immoral, and impiouS, as well as
what may property demand their dclihcra-
lion and ac!ion. Establish this mens,rouS,
this impiols principle, las it would prove
To he in practicc.) and what must he the
consequence? To what would we commit
ourselves! If IL petition should be present
cd PRAYING the abolition of the Constitution,
(which We arc all bound by our oath to pro-
teci,) according 10 This alominaLlc doctrine,
il must be- received. So, if il was prayed,
the abolition of the Dccaloeuc, or of the
Bible itself. I q" farther. II the abolition
sorir''rs Should be converted into IL body of
Atliei-'s. and should ask the passage Of Il
law DENYING the existence of The Almighty
Being above lis. the Create: of all, accord
in" Ia tllis; blHsr!i"nolls doctrine, WE should
be bound To receive the petition, To take iu-
ri>,lIct!un of it. ask the Senators from
Tennessee and Pennsylvania (hlr. Grtnly
and MIR. BuclEanan) would they vote TO re-
ccivc such n ]pctilion! wait no, an answer.
They would instantly reject it with loaiI,-
ing. What then bcrUnc of tho unlimited,
unqualified, and universal obligation To re-
ccivr petitions. which llcv 50 s,rcn,ouSiy
maintained, and 10 which they are prepared
TO sacrifice the constitutional rights of this
body
] shall low descend from those hvuoihc-
Teal cases to tho particular question before
The Senate. What then must be .l,c con-
sequences ri receiving tits ]pc,ilion, ON the
principle HAT W. are hound to receive il and
all similar petitions whenever presented !
thavC continued ilIi, question calmly in all
Ms bearings, and dn not hcsitatr Ia pronounce
that III receive, would be to the aiuiitionisiS,
all thai the most sanglinc could for the pres
crt hope, and to abandon all the outwnrks
upon which We of the South rcly for our de-
tcI:cc against their attncks here.
No enc can believe that ;lr fanatics, who
have flooded this and the other House with
their petitions. entertain the S%iic!rirsi hc,lr
that Congress would pass Il law ut this Hmc
10 ;lmiisl, slavery in This District. %Tnfarn-
:'ch us they arc, they must see. tina, public
opinion M the North is not vet prepared for
81 decisive Il step, and that seriously ~ al
,ennptitn"" would lao fatal Ia their cause.
What then do they hope! What but that
Congress should take Jurisdiction of the
subject of abo!islIing slavcry-sIioulh throw
open To the aIOliiionists the halls of ~lcui-In-
tion, and enable them to establish IL pcrnIa-
ncnt position within their walls. from which
hereafter to AIRY on INTERPRETATIONS against
tic institutions "f tho ~l,vc-iloI,linu Stulcs.
II we receive dis petition. all these ;hvan-
ta~cs Will l." realizes! To then, To The fullest
extent Prrrar"r, Jurisdiction would ne
nssu,nrd Ger tic subject Of s!nvcrv, not
only in His Dis.rici but in tho States them
selves. wh"ncvcr the al,oli:innists might
choose to ask Congress by sending their pc
'i'i"nS here. tnr t}," abolition of slavery in
the Sta'cS. We would be bound to receive
such petitions, and by receiving, would be
fairly pledged to deliberate and decide on
them. Having succeeded in this point, a
most favorable position would be- gained.
The centre of operations would be transfer
red rom Nassau Hall To the Halls of Con-
gross. To this common centre. the inccn-
diary publications of the aholitionists would
flow, i'll The form of petitions, To be received
and preserved ninong The public records
Here the subject of abolition would be aci-
tatcd session after session, and from hence
the assaults on the property and institutions
of the people of the slavc-Iuloing States
wonlI be disseminated ntlc guisc of speech
Is, over the whole Union.
Such would be the advantages welded 10
the ahOlitioiii>t>. In proportion to their cain
would br our loss. What would be Welded
to them, would be taken from us. Oar true
position, that which is Indispensable to our
defence here, is thar Congress has no Icgiti-
mate jurisdiction over the subject of slavery,
either here or elsewhere. The reception
OF this petition surrrnlers this commanding
position; yields the question of jurisdiction.
so important To the cause OF abolition, and
so injurious. ou,; runpels lis to SIT in silence
To wines; HE assaults on nIr character and
institutions, or to cn.nge in ;n idle contest
i'll their defence. Such IN contest is beyond
mortal endurance. We must in the end be
BUNDLED, degraded, broken down, and worn
out.
The Senators from the s%lavc-holdino
Stnics, who most unfortunately have com
miilCd themselves To vOtci for receiving these
~inccndiary petitions, tell us that whenever
the attempt shall be- made To abolish slave
ry, they will join with us To rcpcl it. |
doubt MOI the sincerity of their declaration.
We illl have Il common interest, and thew
cannon bc'rny ours without bctraying, at the
same time time, their own. Butt announce