Litchfield enquirer., 1837-02-16
COvrsspOadencs cf tRe N. Y. Courier.
WAspTNcTov- Teh flth- la97,

ary scenes that have ever witnessed in any deliberative body. It presents case nol susceptible of description. Whether 10 tTcu'
 it as serious or ludicrous l know not. MT Lc Adams was the sOurce-the exciting csIuSe oI all that occurred for Mondays arc HIS u%a of exhibition. Nor am ! aDiG , ~ ,,rod,,..e
 whether he did or did not intend to produce the storn, which followed. ] confess, my nresent imurcssions are that hc did not ln- tenJ if b,it if he did, it was pucrilc and un- dignitied. ,o ,,. a. he has presented, 0O the great annoyance ot the Southern Members) what Is termed Gjo- lticm petitions. They pray for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. It is due to Mir Adams to state the fact, that he has avowcd, on the floor of the House and elsewhere, that he does not agree with the petitioners in opinion, and that he would vote, if the question came 10 vote, against grant ing the prayer of the petition: but, that he held the right of petitioning sacred, and as representative in Congress, would present all transmitted to him for that purpose, which were respectful in their language.
 By the rules of the House, 1t IS the duty of every mcmk&r, when he presents petition, | to n:a:se a brief statement of it's contents- I By another special rule or resolution, adop- ted during the last and present sessions, all petitions in every way relating to the subject ofslavery, areto be laid on the table without any action thereon. ..-..
 Among the petitions presented this mor- ming, by MT. Adams, was one from some blacks, which he called persons, and of whom he said he knew nothing, as they were in the State of Virginia. This petition was laid on the table. He then stated that he held in his hand a paper, purporting to be signed by about twenty slaves, residing in Fredericks- burg, addressed to Congress, and he wished to ask the Speaker whether it would be in orr der, under the rules of the House, to present such paper or petition? Its effect can nel- ther be depicted nor imagined. Tn few seconds all was upro1r and confusion. Half a-dczen gentlemen from the South attempted to address the Speaker at the same time; but at length, Mir. Patton of Virginia, obtained the floor, and moved to suspend the rule, for the purpose of permitting him to offer reso- lution in relation to the petition just laid on the table. This was carried, whereupon he moved that the petition be returned to Mir. Adams. .....
 The whole South now seemed to be in a flame and without permitting the Speaker to decide on the interrogatory propounded by the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr. Adams) motion after motion was offered from
 
 severe, as the proposers were more or less excited but all contemplating that Mir. Ad- ans should be brought to the bar of the House and censured for presenting a petition from slaves, praying to be freed.
 These several resolutions were accompa- nied with the most violent and infiammatory speeches from the movers and those who act ed with them. This scene continued for three or four hours, during the whole of which l time Mir. Adams remained perfectly silent and apparently composed. At length whis- per pervaded the House that the petition ] (which had not yet been presented) was not an abolition petition, and that there was some thing behind not yet known. l Mir Patton made a few remarks, and cal. led upon the gentlemen from Massachusetts for some explanation.
 l Mir. Adams said, that while he was on trial he had thought it most proper for him to re. main silent, which he had accordingly done but he wished the facts correctly stated in the resolution of censure, before he was brought
 to the bar of the House, and when brought there, he presumed the proceedings would not be stopped by tse PreriOus question. The resolution stated, that he had presented or of
 fered petition this was not correct-he
 had only asked the Speaker whether it would be ia order to present such petition The IUIlUEI bl0lEu-lAA6Al II was d DCIl- tiOD from slaves, praying the abolition of siGpe- ry. this was not correct; it was of rery dy. ferent character.
 After most eloquent appeal, MT. Adams took his seat without stating precisely what the petition did contain. But some of his friends having now read it, the facts were stated, not on the floor, but in conversation a. mong the members, that it was petition from certain negroes in Fredericksburg, evidently prepared to insult the member from Massa- chusetts, as it was sent to him for presenta- tion, praying Congress not 10 abolish sLarery, but 10 expel him (Mr. Adams) and erery other abolition member.
 This discovery, if possible, increased the excitement among the gentlemen from the ] south and the resolution to censure was then so amended as to censure him for tri- fling with the feelings of the slave holding members. The scene was now mixture of the comic and serious. Many who disap- prove of Mir. Adams silence, and permitting the debate to continue for hours, when he had the power to put a stop to it in a moment, could not refrain from laughing at the tenn pest which had been raised so uselessly. In the midst of this excitement, however, at about o'clock the House adjourned without
 any decision. The resolution pending is for a vote of censure. This is privileged ques- l tion and may be called up tomorrow. Ifen-
 tered upon, it will occupy the whole day. l
 have endeavored to give you a plain state- nlent of the transaction, and no more.
 WASHINGTON NEws-The Amendment to the . Land BiA,-Our correspondent has sent by
 Express Mail the Land Bill of Mir. Walker amended and reported to the Senate on Tues. day. The Bill, it will be remembered, pro. posed the prohibition of the sales of the Pub.