Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-13

anu The pursuit OF inp.Iuess. That the freedom ofspeech,
ana of the press, and the right Of The People peaceably
To assemble 10 petition the Government for redress Of,
grievances. shall ne yer be abridged. That error Of opin.
Jon may 5estolrrattd while reason is left treeio combat
II. Jhaf the Y nia1 uuust be preserved. Bot, on the
contrary, nh illae constitutional, fundamental. and pc.
liiicat truths, ne expressly recognized bysthIs Senate"
Mr.. Calhoun protested against this attempt to e,nbar.
rass the question by indirec:ion. $
Mr.. Smith denied that such was his object. If the
proviso was but an abstractioh, us II had been named,
the resolution itself was no more; one abstraction was
surely us good as another; and ii the Senate is 10 be en-
gagged in building up distractions, those which he now
offered were too important TO BE- uver!nnked; they were
the distractions of Washington aud Jefferson, and might
b. safely deemed as worthy OF attention as the more mo.
Tern ones Of present Senators.
Mr.. Calhoun denied that he had said any thing against
the truth Of what was included in the proposed amend.
nent. lie simply denied the ptoPriety Of connecting
with the resolutions matter which was entirely irrele'
want, as they related solely to the Constitution. lie in.
sisted that the design and scope of the resolutions was
not 10 impugn the freedom of speech or OF the press, but
TO resist the interference Of u dangerous and Illegal spirit
with what did not belong TO them.
Mr.. Young, in reply 10 the motto OF Islands Off re-
ferred 10 the constitutional duty Of aiding in the reslo.
ration Of fugitive slaves-a duty which the abolitonists
had denied and disavowed. He Insisted that it the Go
vernrnent were 10 keep hands off on this point, the fugl.
tives could not be reclaimed, as was required by the
Constitution itself.
Mr.. 7. also referred to the case Of an abnliiionist in
one Of the slave holding States, who, if Government
should keep hands off i'll regard TO his protection, would
be subject 10 all the penalties, constitutional or not,
which the avs Of THAT particular Stale might infict up.
on him. Thus he maintained that the General Govern
rnent should by law provide both for the security of a
Shareholder to bis slave, as required by the Constitution,
and for the due protection Of the abolitionist in tile slave
holding Stales.
MI. Preston expressed some doubt in regard to such
help as the Senator just up had proposed. IT the Go.
vernment should not protect the interests OF the South
In accordance with the Constitution, they would take
c,ra of thenSelves The gentleman had admitted thai
a slave could not be recovered by an abolition jury in
Pennsylvania, or other non. slave holding Slate; aud yet
he demanded that the General Government should ex.
tend lis protection 10 incendiaries within the slave hold.
ing States. Mr.. P. had heard il said that the institution
of slavery could not exist without the aid OF this Co
vernment. This Mr.. P. disavowed and denied; aud ask
ed that the Government would let them alone, except
So far as they could in good faith carry out all the pro-
visions of the Constitution. Farther than this, lie de.
1nanded that the Government should let them alone.
Mr.. Young put the case of an abo!ilionisi being uncon.
stitutinnaliy punished in one oil the slaVelloldlng States,
and asked whether the protection OF this Government
ought not to be extended 10 him. He declared that his
only design vas, that the express provisions OF the Con.
sti,ution should on this subjec, BE- duly carried into ef:
feet.
MIR. Preston said that if an abolitionist should be ca
'pitally convicted under the laws Of 4 slaveholdlng State,
they would hang him, let this Government interfere or
not, as it might.
MIR. Allen spoke against the proviso Of Mr.. Smith, as
wholly irrelevant 10 the resolutions and to The Consti'u-
ton OF the Government. He offered a substitute for the
proviso of Mr.. Smith, to be appended at the conclusion
of all the resolutions, and requiring that the resolutions
should not be SO construed as in any manner 10 impair
the freedom Of speech, or Of the press, or OF the right Of
petition.
Mr.. Preston expressed the wish that The resolutions
might not be embarrassed by, these provisoes, in which
he concurIed, and for which he would vote on any pro-
per OCCASION. But he regarded II as supeferogalory 10
reaflirm thus the most plain aud express provisions Of the
Constitution on truths that were universally admitted.
Messrs Allen and Smith added a few remarks in vim.
dicalion Of their amendments respectively.
Mr.. Calhoun, though he wished the resolutions not
10 be thus embarrassed, expressed his willingness 10 vote
for Mr.. Aliens proposition, because it was not inconsIst.
ent with, or irrelevant to, the spirit and design OF the
resolutions, and because it might reconcile some to them,
who would not otherwise he reconciled.
MIR. Morris, adverling TO remarks which had been
made relating to the punishment ofabolitionists by Stale
laws, said he regarded this aud other similar doctrines
which had been advanced in this debate, as subversire
of all freedom and Of The institutions of the country. He
insisted that all classes OF men had an imprescripuble
right, above all government. 10 the freedom OF speech
and the right Of petition. He repelled the imPnlation
that those who were untriendly to these resolutions were
in any way unffendly to the Union.
Mr.. NJ. proceeded TO defend the right Of all men TO
trial by jury, which right, he insisted, was expressly
guaranteed by tine Constitution. And it the right to TIL
al by jury belongs to every citizen, on what preteSt
could n free State deny this right to any man within
such State: Could the State deny it on pretcx t Of COLOR
Or could it he denied or refused on account of the oath
OF another man who might swear That any other man
was his property: Mr. NJ. was Ootn grleVeo ana asto'
nished at the course of his collea CUE, (Mr. Allen) in de.
nying this right, and yet, while he denied this right to
man, this greatest right o. the rights OF man, he assum.
ed 10 be q friend 10 The doctrine OF Jefferson, thai all
men are horn equal" Where, lie would ask, was the
equality, if a light is in the free States ~uuequally mea.
sured out, md given TO one and refused to another? Mr..
NJ. was no less astonished at The argument of the Sena.
TOR from Illinois. (Mr. Young These gentlemen seem.
ed willing and anxious TO abandon and surrender all The
dearest and most valuable privileges Of ereenen; and for
what? Did they think that they, or any man from the
free States, though they might express their willingness
10 surrender all their rights and liberties, would thereby
satisfy those who now demanded nothing less than Tor
che free States 10 abandon and surrender up the right
OF thinking?
Their demands are now extended by these resolutions
to the thoughts and opinions Of men in the other States,
and here they propose to pass a law making 1t a crime
TO think, speok, or hold an opinion! II was against
such a prepns,erous doctrine that he (Mr. NJ felt bound
TO declare his unqualified opposition, and he would de-
iend The rights oftreedom ofopinion, freedom OF thought,
OF speech, and freedom of the press, TO the latest
breath he might draw. No threats, no intimidation,
should deter him from doing his duty in this respect.
Mr.. Allen replied TO the remarkssof MIR. Morris, in
TO his course aud the opinions OF the People
of Ohio, and observ we'd that lie was fully persuaded that
the People Of Ohio were G.m friends of The Union, and
being such, he could not by his course (Which was the
only course in favor Of the Union) offend any one.
Mr.. WAX followed, and questioned the right Of The Sc
nate TO sit masing crecds and drawing up abstract con-
stitulional codes for the People. He thought tie mem.
bers of Congress were not sent here TO invent creeds and
weave distractions, but 10 make laws; 10 leglslate, mol
10 make opinions. lie would vote for The amendment,
but against The resolutions.
Mr.. Buchanan regretted the discussion; it had pro.
duced nothing but difficulties. He, therefore, moved
that the Senate adjourn whereupon,
The Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Tuesday, january 9, 1898.
On motion of Mr.. Briggs, Of Mass, it was ordered
that 5, 900 extra copies of the communication yesterday
received from the Secretary Of the Treasury, in refer.
euce 10 the existing %condilion Of the Banks in the Uni.
ted States, be printed.
Reports Of committee were then called; when the
Committee on Elections being called,
Mr.. Wise inquired whether there was any probability