Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-12-27
Congress.
n g o SESSION.
IN SENATE

IN SENATE.
MONDAY, DECEMBER lS.-The Ab.
clifton Of Starery in the District of Co.
ham6ia has been the question, the ever
lasting question, which has consumed
the time of the Senate from moor until
four o'clock.
Messrs. CLAY, CALHOUN, Preston,
RivEs, RoANR-a large majority in
fact of the Senators from all sections
of the country, took part in the discus.
sion.
The debate vas long, spirited, and
drew forth much Of the acrimony and
bitter feeling of the Senators from the
South, North and Vest. The discus.
sion began on a petition presented by
Mr.. WALL Of New Jersey, praying for
the Abolition Of Slavery in the District
of Columbia. A motion was made to
lay the petition on the table.
Mr.. CLAY, OF Ky. begged that the
motion to lay upon the table should be
withdrawn: the motion was withdrawn.
Mr.. CLAY took the floor and said he
was anxious to learn from Senators re.
presenting the free States, what were
the causes and what the extent Of the
An,i-Slavery feelings in the North
Was il upon the increase or upon the
decrease. Wa not the increase eau
sed by supposition On the part of the
petitioners that the right of petition had
been invaded by a refusal on the part
Of Congress to receive and refer petit
tionsl Would not the petitions de.
crease if they were referred to a COM
mittee, and n report, a calm, dispas.
%sionate, tranquil, reasoning report, be
presented for the consideration of the
American People? Such was the pur.
port OF the questions presented by Mr..
Clay.
Messrs. WALL, Of New Jersey,
PRENTIss s. SWIFT, OF Vermont MILES,
of Connecticut, and other Northern
Senators, all responded a~f1irmatively
to the questions of Mr.. Clay. With
our exception, they said hat they be-
lieved that a reference Of the petitions
would limit agitations, check discus.
sion, heal the public wounds, and in a
measure end the getting up and recep-
ton Of petitions.
The discussion branched out Nor.
thern and Southern feeling both be-
came enlisted, and the discussion final.
ly seemed to rest with Mr.. CLAY, and
Mr.. CALHOUN. The South Carolina
and Kentucky Senators both addressed
the Senate three or four times, and
with much warmth Of feelings. Mr..
CALHOUN persisted in his determination
against tho receipt of petitions, against
all reference, all reports and all discus
sion.
Mr., CLAY as warmly persisted in
favor of reception, reference, conside-
ration, and a report from the Commit
tee against the prayer of the petition
ers. The Senator from South Carroll
ma said the question of Union and Dis
union hung upon the result. Mr.. Clay
answered that he believed no such
thing. He felt convinced, he said,
that the people would listen to reason,
to argument and to all dispassionate
appeal most willingly and with u%niver-
sal respect. Disunion he did not fear,
and he wished the Senator from South
Carolina would, instead of opposing
the reception Of petitions, bring in a
Joint Resolution that every member of
Congress should be called to order by
the presiding officer when he even
made allusion 10 disunion. For him.
self he would Join heart and hand in
the support of such a measure.
Thus the discussion continued until
four O'Clock, when the petition was
laid upon the table by ayes and noes.
AYES 25-Noes 10. A half hour was
then spent in the reception Of petitions
and resolutions.