Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-02-01


over Pawtucket Falls Immediately repaired
Mr.. Brown represented tha, the present con.
diion of the Bridge was entirely unsafe, aud
that it ought To bn attended io nj once This
bridge was built in III nv the States Of
Massachusetts aud Rhode Island. II was
maintained by the two States until 1908, from
which time it has been repaired by Rhode
Island.
The resolution was finally referred to
committee consisting Of Messrs James,
Brown, and Ma,hewson.
RIGHTS OF PETITION.
The House resumed the consideration of
the resolutions submitted by Mr.. Bowen,
with the amendments moved by Mr.. Ra~-
dolph.
Mr.. Simmons presented an amendment
which he requested Mr. Randolph to accept.
The latter declined.
After considerable debate, the question on
the amendment offered by Mr.. Randolph was
put and carried.
The further amendment of Mr. Randolph
Is, IN substance, that the people of the df-
ferent States have no right to interfere in
the domestic relations of other States.
They were advocated by Mr.. Randolph,
and opposed by Messrs. Simmons, Potter and
Spencer.
Tire question was taken by yeas and nays,
as foliows.-Ayes 25-Nays 25.
The Speaker upon announcing that the
House was equally divided, expressed his re-
gret that the decision had dcvolvcd upon the
Chair. Had the language Of the Resolution
been more precise, he should have felt no re-
luctance upon the subject. If by the inter-
ference mentioned,was meant the exp essing.
publishing and disseminating any views and
opinions whatever in respect to the domestic
relations of other States, Gbe should vote
against the Resolution. But if it was in.
tended to declare, land this was the construc-
ton he was constrained to put upon the
phraseology,) that the Legislatures of the
of the same, as such, had no right actively to
interfere with the relations referred to-. then
he felt himself obliged to vote in the affirma-
tive, which he did. -~rf
The Resolution was accordingly adopted.
Upon the question whether or not the Re-
solutions should be transmitted to our Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress, the
vote was 26 in the aifirmatlve--20 in the
negative.
The following nre the Resolutions as
amended, and finally adopted.
The Preamble is the same as heretofore
published in our account Of the proceedings.
Resolved, That the right Of petitoning
Congress for the redress of grievances as
secured by the Constitution OF the United
States, is an important right to the citizen,
and ought to be held invoabc, and that the
House OF Representatives by their resolution
adopted in the month Of December, A. d.
1887, in relation to petitions on the subject
of slavery, has established a precedent, the
tendency Of which is, to endanger that right,
and that however useless or disagreeablc a
debate on that subject may he considered by
some, it affords no good reason why the right
itself, should in the slightest degree be in
frnged.
Resolved, That our Representatives in
Congress, in voting, against the adoption of
said Resolution, and our Senators and Rep
resentativcs in Congress, in maintaining the
full right Of petition, have entitled themselves
to the appreciation Of the people ofthis State
Resolved, That in the opinion Of this Gc-
neral Assembly, the Congress of the United
States have the right, with the consent of
the people of the District of Columbia, to
abolish Slavery therein; and ought to take
measures to prevent that District from being
used as a slave market.
Resolved, That slavery and the present
slave trade between States of this Union and
Territories thereof, arc great moral and So
cia, evils.
Resolved, That in the opinion Of this Ge-
neral Assembly, the Legislatures of the Sc
vcral States and Territories Of the Union.
and the people of the same, have no right to
interfere with the domestic relations of other
States.
Resolved, That our Senators and Rep
rcsentatives in Congress be requested to
present these Resolutions to their respective
houses, and that the Secretary transmit
copies Immediately to each of them for that
purpose.
Several memorials were received and read
on the subject Of Slavery.
At I o'clock the House adjourned to o.
clock P. M.
afternoon. House met pursuant to
adjournment.
ADJOURNMENT.
Judge Potter rose and said that it must be
evident To all the members that there was
press Of business yet to be acted upon by
this house, and that it could not be done this
week, This was the time to dispose OF the
public business, if not, it would 60 over until
the next January Session. He would there
fore move that when this house rise, it will
adjourn over the week.
The motion was supported by Messrs.
Clarke and Cranston.
The house agreed to reconsider the vote to
risc on Saturday night, and then it was voted
to adjourn to Monday afternoon, at o'clock.
PRIVATE PETITIONS.
Tuesday morning was assigned to COM
pIetc the docket of Private Petitions.
An act prescribing the forms of wrts and
the manner of serving executions in the
Countv of Wnshinu uton was called IN.