Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-02-17
CONGREss 3.
MONDAY. Feb. 5


IN several petitions succrssively presented
,hr debate was terminated for the moment
bv d vote 10 lay the question on the table
The first of these motions was decided by a
vote OF 33 yeas, and 10 nays. Mr. Walker
reported the land bill with amendments. and
I, was ordered to be printed
HOUSE. A message was received from
the Senate, informing the House Of its con-
currence in the report Of the joint committee
appointed 10 consider and report upon the
mode Of counting out the votes for President
and Vice President Of the o. States.
ABoLrTioN.--M Gushing had, be said,
subject Of some delcacy 10 bring before
the House. It so happened thai in his Dis
,rict, the better half OF creation amounted to
n0o-fhirds sf the whole population. He
had been honored by them with great
number Of petitions for the abolition Of slave
~ in his District which he proceeded TO
present He Enumerated the petitioners, the
whole number OF which was 1924, all fe-
males He had also to beg pardon Of the
gentleman from New Hampshire, Mr. Cush-
man, who represented the District in New
Hampshire adjoining to him. for appearing
IN any way. to interfere with, his concerns,
He did not know that the ladies Of New
Hampshire had any general objection to The
"Pierious Question 1.-The cognomen OF Mr.
Cushman.l but, on this occasion. they had
honored him Mr. Cushing) with their pref
erences SO far as 10 make him their organ
in their communications to this House.
Mr. Cushman here rose, and, taking off
his hat. made profound bow TO Mr. Cush
ing.
Mr. Gushing then presented seven and
twenty abolition petitions, all from ladies
resident in the District in New Hampshire
which is represented by Mr. Cushman
Mr. Adams said he held in his hand Pc
tition from twenty-five persons, declaring
themselves to be Slaves. He wished 10
know whether the Chair considered this as
a paper coming within the order of the !
House He would withhold the petition I'M
Ill the decision was made
Mr. Lewis said it was 10 the power Of the |
House to punish this atrocious attempt to
present a petition from SLAVES 10 this House
II 1t was not in our power, we had better go |
home. Several gentlemen here cried out
that the member from Mass. ought TO be in
stantly EXPELLED from the Housed
Mr. Afford saidthe momentthe petition was
presented and came within the power of the
House, he should move that il be taken from
the files and burnt He called on Southern
members TO support him in this course. II
this state of things was to be tolerated. the
Union would not survive another session.
Mr. Thompson, OF S. c. rose 10 ask the
member from Massachusetts to present his
petition. or to move its reading He would
I en- bring himself within a resolution Of a
...r L.. \ =
hand; Ia resolution ExpELLINo Mr. ADAMS
FROM THE HousE Ii
MIR Ripley of La. came in front of the a
Char, and addressed the Speaker He said i
he did no, intend to sit here celebrating up
on the question Of receiving petitions from
SLAVES If it had come 10 that, he was for +
taking course adequate to the crisis IThe i
Speaker interfered. The gentleman from
Louisiana could not be allowed TO speak i
while the yeas and nays were being called | !
MIR Ripley accordingly retired Id
Mr. Thompson said he had felt some self
at the GOODNESS and forbearance a
with which he had so far borne the insults 1
and outTages committed in this House upon 81
The people whom he represented. He was Il
sensible, too, that the incendiary attempt of C,
he gentleman from Massachusetts, TO excite ia
he slaves to murder and rapine, was matter 81
by the laws OF the District. Blu,
De could not longer, as a, Representative ii
rom slave-holding State, suffer those out. al
ages 10 go unrebuked He had however a,
10 fears for the South; but he had fears for Of
he continuance of this Union. Were he 81
ess devoted than he was 10 the institutions Of &C
his country and 10 the Union, he would n,
hank the gentleman from Massachusetts for pa
us course here 1t was with extreme pain BE-
hat ne introduced this resolution but he OF
Ell II TO be due 10 himself and 10 the House er
whose rules had been violated, and 10 the Il
members whose feelings had been outraged. q
y the course OF the gentleman from Mass, er
, offer it.
Mr. Adams hoped, he said, that before he tn
gas brought TO the bar to receive the censure hs
the House, the previous question would $,
OF deprive him Of an opportunity to saw fr,
'ord in his defence. He would ask oen. 81,
emen TO change the phraseology of the 81,
rsoluton. so that when he came TO the bar oil
the House he should not beyable by er
lngle word, TO put an lend to ille psoeeed-l Az
,e. Every member had charged him with hi
n attempt 10 present a petition from slaves, m
lie appealed TO the Speaker to say whether hi
2 nad attempted 10 present the petition OF
lie had made no such attempt, He stated pr
nat ne had paper purporing TO be from de
Iaves. signed by twenty-five names, some sh
them with crosses, and others in very bad th
and.wrling. He had not stated the object an
the paper. Before he took one step fur. h,
Ter. he had asked for the decision of the &c