Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-03-15
Reported b. the Editor Of the Boston Advocate.
SPEECH OF JOHN @. ADAMS.

SREECd OH JOk1H ~ ADAMS,
or Ma.aeknsetts, IN tie House Of Rep
yesentatives, FEB. 9, on tie REGULATIONS
70 eesmrs ham for ingEiring OF the
Speaker. lchsther paper Parporting
fobefrom slaUes. came fOithin the order
Of tke Honse which laid on The table all
Psiiiions Selasing % slasery.
Mn. sPRAkKR-- ...@ |
: shall endeavor to occupy as little OF
the time Of this House as possible, In
what I am about 70 say, and shall forbear
10 introduce into my remarks great deal
/ had intended to say, should be permit
ted 20 speak in my defence. l wish to
bring back the House to the only question
really before il, and that is, the question
propounded 10 the Speaker and which he
put to the House, last Monday, whether
q paper, which i held in my hand, pur-
porting to come from slaves, was within
the Resolution of this House, laying on
the table all petitions, resolutions and pa
pers relating to the subject Of slavery2
On that inquify, no question has been TAX
en- by the House. lam anxious that the
question should be taken by yeas and nays,
whether this House, under any circum-
stances, will receive q petition from slaves
When I made that inquiry, member
from Georgia (Mr. Haynes) said he could
not tell in what manner 10 meet propo-
.sifion OF this kind II might be giving
Il more importance than it deserved, to
notice it at oil. Well, sir, if it was de-
serving of no attention, why did not the
House vote directly on the proposition of
the Speaker, yea or nay, whether that pa
per came within the Resolution of the
Housed Instead of that, the House has
been occupied four days, by the attempts
of gentlemen TO censure me for doing
what I did not attempt to do. Now, sir,
did not present that paper to the House
J knew it was a-question that demanded
deliberation. / knew it would receive
deep attention from this House, from this
nation, and from the civilized world l
was prepared to submit 20 any decision
the House might make upon it, but was
desirous that the House should take a d.
rect vote upon it, and that that vote should
. remain record for all time. But was
awarethat il opened the whole question oil
the condition Of slavery in this country,
and the whole extent Of the rights and
privileges of members of this House, in
the exercise of the liberty of speech
Tha, freedom of speech is, trust, to one
portion Of the House, still dear. Of an
other portion, cannot say from what /
have seen and heard within these four
DAYS, that entertain that hope. say
was aware that the answer to my ques
zion opened the whole subject Of the con
aition Of slaves, and the right of speech
Of members of this House. Well, sir
las Ibis question: been considered? o
allSthe gentlemen who, for three days
have consumed the time of this Hous
-uponfhe succession Of resolutions Of cen
sure upon me for asking that question
one gentleman only, (Mr. French Of Ken
tucky,l who has filled a judicial station
gave as what he thought sound consti
tntional alignment, to show that thi
House ought not 70 receive petitions from
slaves under any circumstances. The ar
eument Of that gentleman was able, but
the sanetion Of the petition depends on tina
ardNfhe' lose who vote with him, mus
recur 10 Other arguments TO sustain thei
course. What was his argument!
was. that II you abolish slavery in tn
Sales Of this Union, by taking away
portion of the representation in slav
States, you violate the Constitution. Nov
Task for the chain of connexion betwee
the premises and the conclusion. Is thu
The rentleman's logic, that if you abolis
slavery you take away portion Of tn
right Of representation, secured by tn
Oonstitution, and therefor the slave ha
= 10 right to petitionl
IMr. FFenck rose and explained, NJ
materially varying the proposition.l
Mr.. Adams-Has the gentleman cor
nected' his premises and conclusion an
better than before3 Suppose, for inc
-ment that slavery were abolished; hot
would Il follow that the slave States woul
lose any portion Of their representation
- Would not the consequence be directl
the reverse, and increase, instead Of d
minishing, their representation II slave
nv were abolished in the States. those VIII
arsnow represented as slaves, would fort
a part Of the whole number Of free pc
sons, and would be represented as sucl
But suppose, for argument sake, that Ii
abolition Of slavery should reduce the pro
portional representation Of the slave State
What has my question TO do with the abb
lition Of slavery. 10 the States! My ques
lion was. whether petition from slave
came within the order of the 18th of Jar
uary, that all memorials, resolutions, D,
titions and papers relating, in any mar
!, sner, 70 slavery or the slave trade, shoul
without being printed or referred, be lai
On hetable, and no further action of Il
House should be had thereon. The ord,
made 10 Discrimination Of persons, fro
whom the petitions or papers should com