Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-04-07
VOL. NxU.....yO. ~.

titions struck nj the compromises of the consti-
tom at the peace aud safety of tho people of the
Statcs,nnd Mt the existence Of the union Of the con1
icdcrncv.
And lastly, that even though these petitioners
were citizens Of the District of Columbia vet they
could not petition their local legislature to abolish
slavery, because that local legislature, consisting
OF congress- has no constitutional power to abolish
slavery IN the District Of Columbia. II has no
sven power Tor tho rca,on that IT cannot take pri-
N''e property of public use that to take slaves
tor emancipation il for no USE whatever in the
SrnSro 'heeonsuior, HAT ltakcn for public usc
h'N cannot b" taken without Ilst compensation.
aud the local legislature FOR the district cannot
make compensation for want OF power to raise u
revenue; II cannot touch the Treasury Of the L.
ni'd States for soch All object, i, cannot tax tho
inhabitants al the district to compensate them
NrlVe5, Tor that would he 40 compensation and il
'"nnoi especially, av the inhabitants of the dis
F'el ~ pay themselves, nlth"ut representatives O.
lrrted 10y - 'msrlves witch is denied them by the
constitution.
II twas further ennlouled. that to refuse 10 re-
't"e rctli"HS, a'er hru5n- their contents stated
"r read, vas not drnl,l II ans s,,c ri the right
Of petition That tie constitution =, strained con-
orcs from, making any 4" l,v prohibiting the ripht
"' the people pcaeoahly h assemble, and 10 peti-
hon III" ro>e,nIneni ior a redress of grievances :"
'hal refusal Ia receive ihesr petitions, was the
m'lslng al e" 40 law :" dat II prohibited not the
llfh E." TO assemble = ihat 1t prevented not aud
hHdeied not tho tieht 10 pct}on,' or even the
nsld 10 have the rrlilion bcnu dat thcs,. peti-
TONS lor abolition were not Tor I" redress" Of ther
own" grievances but ol the grievances of others,
WHO dad mol aud could not ,aemsrlses petition
or complain and ,ha Ing rislu> III Congress,
aS legislative hodN, to ftocive ar reject these
petitions, commenced only wlors the rieli Of
petition ended That # petitioners had tie alb
>ohlie rlglt 10 hive ihrt petitions received,
hy tln same course Il reasoning they had the
rIeht nhsolulel, 10 lavciiam considered and grant
cd
!, was, therefore, admir,! thai these petitions
m'elh be prosecuted ~ offered, aud their contents
might hu stated or read but If upon tla hearing
OF them, they proved to Ia addressed from their
'rN nslurr 10 the o,h legislature OF ,he Disrlc,
Of Columbia, by persons nol citizens Of than dis
r.,t, over whom that loc1l legislature could pass
u" ''af' 'l'''ilc no ~" common interest in tho
SUBJECT "l leenliou, ~ 4 manner ;~-oltug ia In,
dignity OF congress al any Of II, mrnlcls--nos,a.
to tn public peace and sairt>-ipiuriaus To the
govetnnrnt and il o,ii1ens, and for the passage
OF law IN Nl"ation Of the constitution and
tn" tirlu. II prl>a1c property, congress might not
"uv lrit>r To receive II.rm consistently With the
~ ht ol prtirion but could not rec, Them will
ont impnrne rights aud interests ~ sacred as that
Of petition, aud without Assuming power DANCE
rous Ii Il government aad destructive al public
harmony Such Wa the afenurntu upon the riehtof
petition, and lc po""rui ooDClcsstp abolish slave
~ IN lln' Dsnict nj Columbia u len. lntreioic,
II . petitions WIRE presented and stated ~ read,
the question WAS llrumnd,d on llrjr# l,rclaion
and the motion to receive VIZ, IN number Of ga
srs which ftN o,cmtcd, Laid ON The taLle by
barge maJoritc,. Thu', flcn,c slavctoldmg re-
ncseniatives had 81 Tar succeeded in excluding
-
tNrs, and even 40 fu MS torccor>idcra m"tion 10
receive, which had bccu mW IL, Mr.. Adamsl
and Inadvertently rarfI,d.
sub v,< thu ,necrsNfa course of proc ce,iihe,
"hrn nollh'rn representative (Nlr. Jaws OF
Malne) o0c,rd SERIES Of rc'olanous, declaring
the iucSpcdien,, and imrp,icS mcrrv oil abnlisli-
my ,lasrry in tic DisrId Of Columbia. This ne
'arilA compelled Ia Offer amendment.
'iilet tn events and Iir discussion Which had al
read, taI en- place, and IL offering Of these rcso-
by Nj ja,sls, /, would have tccn an entire
lcrclloon Of the Whole ground occupied hs tho
a,ehodpc states, If their representatives had
failed 10 offer an aGrndmrt. denying lh4'
power in congress, Is well a> the ,xpedicnc, Of
aboh lnng slavery III the District of Columbia, ar
IN any OF the t,rr tories Of the nitcd States To
say that i, ineyl,cdicni impoluc or DANCE
rous alone to exercise tia. power was To say d.
rrctls lhal hrrr WIS such power 10 he exercised,
aud II might be- exercised whenever, IN the opn-
ION ol majority, neither policy or cxpedicnty
.aIri, would forhid--aS.. though all three should
forbid us exercise.
l." ASSIGN any other objection than N consi,tH-
lioua objection WIS 10 adnur lie possibility mt
least Of tIr c,crci>r Of tia, power. To say alone
that thu acts Of c,s>ion hy Virginia aud MARYLAND
Of the district forbade tic exercise oi tie power.
or even express covenants Of faith was TO leave
til, faith OF statute laws TO the tender nler-