The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-02-15
SENATE-Monday, Feb. 6.


A petition from citizens Of Ind. praying
for the abolition of slavery in the District o
Columbia, was presented by Mr.. Upton.
The question on the reception of this pe.
tition called upa warm debate, in which
Messrs. Upton, Swift, Ewing of Ohio, Web.
ster, Swift, and Wall took part, in favor o
their reception aud reference, and Messrs
Calhoun, Rives, Cuthebcrt, and King o
GA. against it.
Before the question was taken, numer-
Gus other petitions on the same subject
were presented, from Ohio, Indian,, Ten
lnessee, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, &c
The question was then taken on the mo-
iion To lay the motion to receive on the ta-
ble.-Yeas, 3l-Nays. I3.
So the niotion was laid on tho table.
Other petitions Of similar character were
then presented, and disposed ofin the same
manner.
The Public Land Bill was then taken
up. as amended and rep"rtcd by the Com
mttee, and ordered to be printed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The House concnrred with the Senate
on the Joint Resolutions rcpnrted by the
Committee, relative to counting the votes
fn Presid-n, and Vice President.
Mr.. Gushing presented "a great number of
abolition petitions, all from ladies.
Mr.. Adams rose aud commenced the
presentation of "A very huge pile of Ambition
petI'ns-s"me of which, he Informed the
House, were probably of II spurioas charac-
ter, sent to him for The purpose of rendering
him ridiculous and absurd before the pub
lie.
Mr.. Adams kept The floor, as usual, near
Iy The whole day. After many petitions
had been presented, Mr.. Adams presented
II petition from ladies of Frederick sburg,
Virginia, against the domestic slave trade.
Mr.. Adams rose and said he had petit
ion from % persons who declared them
selves to he slaves. He wished to know, by
decision of the Chair, whether ii came un-
der the rule OF the ilouss directing certain
PETITIONS to be LAID on the table. He should
retain the petition till The question was de-
cided
MIR. Lewis said it was in the power of the
House to pun sh this attempt ,o present u
petition from sinues to this House. II i,
was not in our power We had better 90
home. Several gentlemen here cried out,
that the member from massachusetts ought
tn he instantly EXPELLED from the House.
Mr.. Afford said the moment the petition
wns presented aud came within the reach
of the House he should move that it be ta-
Southern memaS;;.:.5s TO support him in his
course. If this stat. of things was to he
tolerated, the Union would not last long.
MIR. Patton rose to remark that petition
presented by Mr.. Adams, this morning,
from Frederick sburg. Va. was genuine. He
had examined it and found it to be so; but
it was signed by free muiatoes of the mos,
infamous character.
Mr.. Thompson, of S. c, rose to ask the
member from Massachusetts to present his
petliinu from SLAVES, or To move its reading.
lie would bring himself within resolution
Of personal character which he held in
his hand-(a resolution, ExPELLING Mr.
ADAMS FROM THE HoUsE.)
Mr.. Thompson moved that Mr.. Adams
be brought 10 the bar of the House and re-
ceive the severe censure of the Speaker for
~
present petition fr m slaves.
The Speaker said that this, being qus.-
ton of privilege, would take precedent of
all other questions pending before the
House.
After long debate, and many amend
ments to MIR. Tho,pson's resolution had
been discussed, aud as they were on the
point of passing the resolution,
Mr.. Adams rose and made an appeal to
the iiouse-ndverted to the various motions
which had been made on the subiect-ex-
pressed his entire dissent from the views Of
the petitioners set forth in their memorials.
on the subject of nboIition-and finally sta
ted rha, the petition he had then offered,
was sgainst abolition.
Mr.. Adams explanation called forth
Messrs. w. Thompson, Pickens, and 9TH
ers, who contended that the couse of Mr..
4. was equally cul pable, il not more so,
from his explanation; and that which had
given tho offence to the House was tn. sim
pie fact of offering to present n petition
from slaves, whether in renliy or " joke.
The debate was continued with increased
excitement, and Mr.. w. Thompson offered
the following resolutions as "a substitute for |
hat previously offered -
Resolved, That the Hon. John q. Ad, |
'ms by the efforts tn present petition from
slaves has committed u gross con,enp, of
his House.
Resolved, That the member above nam
ID by creating the Impression, and leaving
he House under the impression that tho
aid petilion was for the abolition of slavery
When he knew 1t was no, he has tr,ied with |
he House.
Resolved. That Mr.. Adams receive the
ensure of the Hnuse for his conduct referr-
d to in the preceding resolutions.
Psnding this question on these resolu-
ions, the House, ut 90 minutes past five