Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-31
From the National Intelligencer.

IN 81 E-N eGnesdaY, March lO.
Mr. WEBSTER addressed the Senate as
follows: Agrecably to notice, offer sur
dry petitions on.the subject of sl1vcrv AMI
the slave trade in the District ofColumFia
The first rurports to be signed By two
thousand four hundred and twenty-five CT
the female inhabitants of Boston.
This petition is in the usual printed fern
1t IS respectful to CONGRESS, and contains
no reproachs on any hojy. 1t asks for IT,.
consideration of Congress, both with r.
spect to the existence Of slavery in the Dis
trlct, and with respect to the slave trade in
the District.
The second is a petition, signed by Joseph
FIlson, and about a hundred others, citizens
OF Boston, some ofWhom are known to
me, and are hjghly respectable citizens Of
boston, some OF whom are known to ne.
and are highly respectable persons The
petition is to the same effect, and in tie
same form.
The third petition appears to be signed
by large number of persons, inhabitants
OF Wayne county, in Michigan. | an
not acquainted with them 1t is printed
petition, different in form from the precc-
ding, drawn more at length, and going
farther into the subject. But | perceive
nothing IN it disrespectfult to the Senate. or
reproachful to others.
! The fourth petition is like the two frs,
IN substance and in FORM 1t is signed y;
four hundred and thirty-throe citizens Of
! Boston. Among these signers sir rtcc.-
nlzethenames ofmany persons well know"
to me to be. gentlemen Of eReat worth and
responsibility. There arc clergvmcn. law
Yers, merchants, literary men, manufac-
turers, and indeed persons from all claS,s
Of society,"
ask sir, that these petitions may }c Re.
clevcd, and move that they be referred -
the Committee for the District Of CoIumhja.
This motion Itself sir, Sufficiently shows
IN what manner think this subject ough
to be treated in the Senate.
The petitioners ask Congress to consiIer
the proprlety and expediencv'oftwo things
1rst OF making provision for the cxinc-
ton of slavery in the District s2cun1 Of
aOolIShlng or restraining the trade N
slaves within the District Similar pr
tons have already Iecn received Those
gentlemen who think Congress have no
power over any part Of the subject, if they
are clear and Settled IN that opinion, Were
perfectly justifable in voting not to recajve
them. Any petition, which, in our opin,
ION, asks us to do that which is plainly
against the constitution, vcmightvery just
~ reject. AS, if persons should petition
us to pass law abridgng the freedom oj
the press, or respecting an establishment:
of religion, such petition would very prop.
erly be denied any reception at all.
In doubtful cases, we should incline to
receive and consider; because doubtful
cases ought not to be decided without con.
sIderation.
But cannot regard this case as doubt
full one. think the constitutional power
of Congress over the subject is clear, and,
therefore, that We were bound 10 receive
the petitions And large majority the
Senate are also of opinion that the petit
tons ought to be received.
have often, Mr. President, expressed
the opinion that, over slavery as it exists
in the States, this Government has no
control whatever. It is entirely and cN.
clusIvely State concern. And while
is thus clear that Congress mas no direct
power over this subject, it is our duty 10.
take care that the Authority ofthis Gov
eminent is not brought 10 bear upon it by
any indirect Interference whatever. It
must be left to the States, to the course OF
things, and to those causes over which
this Government has no control. All this.
in my opinion, is in the clear line ofouF
duty,
On the other hand, believing that Con-
greas has constitutional power over slave
~, and the trade in slaves, within the
District, think petitions on those SUI