Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-02-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Fob. 7lll 1897.

n
tMr. Lewis Mr.. Thompson Of Is. g., MOI /
fled his tosoInton." &c. should read. that /
,'Mr Lewis farther moved, fart her To amend !
the resolution bv offering rcsoIulon,'
&c. which Mr.. w. Thompson accepted us
modification.
Mr.. A. assigned a his reason for The mo
tion, his desire that every gentleman who
had offered n proposition Tor ccusurr on
him, should appear distinctly on The Jour
nal as having offered the proposition.
The House then resumed The question of
Privilege. under consideration yesterday.
aud which. by the rule. takes precedence
Of all other business
The following propositions were before
The House at lis adjournment ves,erda7:--
First, by Mr. Thompson, Of South Cnro.
lima, as substitute for his original rcsoU.
ton.
]. Resolved. Tha, the Hon. ]. @. Adj
ems, by an effort 10 present petition from
slaves. has committed gross Contempt of
this House.
9. Resolved, That he member, from
Massachusetts, above named, BY creating
the impression. and leaving the House IN.
der the impression, that the said petition
was for the abolition Of slavery, when he
Knew that 1t was not. has trfled with the
House.
3. Resolved, THAT the Eon. John O.
Adams receive the censurc of the House
for his conduct referred to in the preceding
resolutions.
To winch modified resolutions. the fol-
lowing amendment had been heretofore of
fercd by Mr. Haynes, OF Georgia, and now
came up as the pending question
STRIKE ont all after the word "Rosolved,"
and insert That John QniOcy Adams.
Representative from the State of Massa-
chusel's, has rendered himself Justly liable
to the severest censurc OF this House, and
ls censured accordingly, for having altemn
ted to present 10 the House, the petition Of
slaves"
Mr.. Jentor, Of MI. who wa, entitled to
the floor. expressed his opinion that before
any further steps werc taken towards the
adoption Of these resolutions. the intentions
OF the gentleman trom Mass. mr.. hdams)
should be explicitly understood Tho rec
ord on the Journal was, that Mr.. Adams
next stated mat he had Ia his possession
paper from persons declaring themselves TO
De slaves, on which he wished he decision
OF tue Speaker, &c. Thea cnQulring whch
or II would come Under he resolution of
the 18TH OF January. Mr.. ]. wished that
'be gentleman from Moss. should declare
whether his proposition vas rightly stated.
Mr.. Adams sud, be neither presented
the petition nor offered 10 present it. He
had stated Distinctly lhat he had in his pos.
session paper purpnrrug 70 be petition
from % persons declaring themselves tn be
slaves. and he had asked the speaker # lp
considered that paper as coming Wlhin
the resolution oflhc 18th Of January. The
Speaker had said !! was "a novel question,
and one which the House ough, 10 decide.
MIR. A. had also stated at the very time he
commenced lie presentation o. these peli
tons his belief that. IN consequence of that
very order of the 9Th of January By which
oil propositions and papers of every kind or
description relating /" the subject Of slave
ry should be laid ON lbc table, the members
OF this House woGd be subject to lnpos
lions, and shat amongst the very petitions
which he was abont to present were some
MS to the scnnness OF which he entertained
his doubts. No member of the House had
right To infer tina, the petition vas for the
abolition Of slavery, uu, he knew some-
thing of The contents.
Mr.. A. would state farther, That had it
been petition from the slaves. praying
for The abolition of slavery. he should at
Ienst. have paused before he had introduced
It to the House in any form. Sacred a. he
held The right OF petition TO be, and ready
us nc was to present petitions from any no
man beng 10 this House, he still consider.
ed that he had a discretionary power in re-
lalon to the presentation of petitions which
m his opinion ought not to be presented,
still he deemed II his du'v to say, tia, the
mere circumstance of II petition comInr
from petitioners who were slaves, would
not be to him reason for rcfusnrt to pre-.
sent i. And he announced that. if the
crnsure Of the House were to be passed M
on him for these opinions, he was ready to
meet the ccnsurc.
MIR. A, proceeded to explain his opinions,
That s" long as the petitioners prayed for
that which was reasonable. right, rcsprct-
'nI, and just, he would present a petition
even from horse or dog, If horse or n
deg had the power of speech. or the faculty.
NJ writing to tell what the prayer of It's pc.
iition was. In n doubtful case, such as the
prascn', whether the thing PRAYED for
might be IN ust or improper, Mr. A. would
ask the direction of the Speaker ns lac had
done ia the present instance although n
resolution for censure had been offered I'D
on hRn (Mr. A. before the Speaker had
given han any directions as to what he tMr
A. ought to do.
Mr.. Jenifer then con,cndod ,ha, Mr.. A.
had gone much further that he tMr. J)
had supposed he intended to 60 ia dcclnr-
,.ag that he would present The petitions of
saves. and though, that he had laid himself
Justly open to the censure Of the House.
"A message was announced from The