The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-25

ferred to rule adopted by he House Of Commons in
1862 just after the restoration Of Charles IT, and long
before that great Revolution, which had established the
English Constitution, and the law also, in
laon to this subject as il existed OF the time Of our
separation from the empire The right Of petition had
been our fathers birthright But what is il worth il
those TO whom they are addressed can reject petitions
at their pleasure Mr. g. believed it had been admit
ted 10 he universal, and to extend all subjects within
the jurisdiction OF Parliament provided il not ex-
ercsed IN language OF insulting dsrcspectfn cha
racter. In that case, or If the petition related TO
matter manfestly not within the powers OF the body TO
whom i Is addressed, il nigh. be rejected. do not,
said Mr. s.. insist that we bound TO receive and
commit petitions subjects clearly and unqucsonaby
foreign TO our jurisdiction but under free form OF
government as Il has always been understood and prac
llsed upon, tho whole people have right 10 make
known their grievances TO Congress individuals may
petition for redress Of grievances which they Individually
suffer- and the people may pray that body TO pass such
laws they deem 10 he conducive the common good
That is the ground take. believe that right is Sc
cured by the Constitution Let me call the attention
OF tho gentleman TO the first article of The amendments
TO the Constitution and ask why the right more
fully stated and explained. couched in broader iermsl
Il was, as apprchend because the trainers Of that
instrument were wise men, They took some things to
be granted They assumed that certain great and fun
damentsi principles already universally recognized
among us and II there was such principle, il was
tnls SeIN TRHt VI ouf ~ lucTt was
sacred right, il this. Let me remind the House,
ALSO Of the terms Of the Declaration Of Independence.
In setting forth the grievances which had induced to
throw of allegiance Great Britain the complaint
not that petitions not received, but that
they had been answered only by repeated injury Mr.
s. here read the first article Of amendments 10 the Con-
suton The history Of this amendment is full Of in
sruction this subject II we look at the debates in
the Convention in Massachusetts The adoption Of the
Federal Constitution, we shall find, believe. that tho
very frat objection to that instrument hsf u con-
tanned no bill Of rights and we shall hpd among ,ne
answers that objection. that Massachusetts, had her
bill CT rights. and that there was no necessity for
their being set forth in the United States Constitution,
because these great principles universally admitted,
and the Constitution based upon them In the first
amendments to the Constitution, quiet the scrupes
of the timd, this right OF petition and other great fun
damental common rights are incorporated, which had
previously existed in the Massachusetts, and other State
Constitutions. And | contend that this amendment
leaves the right Of petition broad the nation its
grievances and wants, the peoples Imagination OF
their wants. and that it could be no broader than
here established No law must be made preventing
them from assembling, abrdging their right peacca-
bly, TO assemble and to petition Government for tho
redress OF grievances" Can there be greater security
for the right Of petition takes that right for granted
Il assumes itacy, implicitly Its terms brief, but
clear and comprehensive as is every thing in this IN
strument which has excited and is exciting, the
right and provides that Congress shall not touch i'm
pair IT, Its language isthis right exists--Cougrcss
shall not infringei And the practical construction Of
the Constitution has correspondent this Interpretation
Congress has rejected petitions, clothed in
spectful terms for objects which in the power Of
Congress TO grant.
This was, In fact, the ground taken BY the honor
able gentleman from Virginia, in debate Yesterday,
(Mr. Wise.) He said Congress was not bonnd TO
receive petitions, unless the PRAYER OF the petition
was for legitimate object, and within heiriursdic
tion But when there is a difference of opinion as
to the subject of the petition whether it be within
the constitutional powers of Congress- then (sad
Mr.. 81 the memorial should be referred TO a COM
mittee, that the subject may be examined. The true
meaning OF petition is, that Congress will take the
subject into considsraiion-wll examine it.
Why, then, again ask, should not this petition be
received The petitioners ask for an object strictly
legal. They ask for thing which thew havea right
70 ask for, and which Congress has right 10 grant:
and which i has graded in one interesting case
The South American Republics They ask you to
recognise the Republic of Havti--to do as much as
You have for Texas. And why should you not l
am willing TO meet that question on its merits, and |
trust the time is not far distant when this extreme
sensiVeness on any question, BECAUSE II is one OF
vital importance shall be no longer reason for not
discussing that question and wh.n instead Of shun-
ming question because II is vital a,ssSis--..e
SHALL for that very reason mae, :. 1o, NV ana
meet il like mer-'fKe true men, like citizens and
And II we cannot see eye 10 eye let not be afraid
to look the subject in the faceto discuss the ques
ton fully and openly, and not avoid it because one
part OF the House is sensitive and ready TO fly off The
instant 1t is mentioned The more important any
question is, the more ready should we be 10 meet
and examine and discuss it. i cannot doubt tha, in
this House Of Representatives NAV, with perfect
safety meet any question and argue il fully, freely,
temporarily and firmly: questions even OF the most
momentouS importance, or affecting the rights, the
nf 20
lions demand the most full and deliberate conSidera
ton. And here, though am new member Of this
House, let me beseech those gentlemen who so often
speak Of the Southern portion of the Union cxclu-
svey to remember that there is also another section
of the Union besides the South and that it holds
opinions of its own, much as the other section
does. Is the opinion entertained in one portion of
the Union any reason we shall not receive petitions
from another, on subjects upon which difference of
opinion exists7 In the South, all petitions which
may relate 10 slavery in the remotest manner, are
believed TO have direct bearing upon, or, in the
language of the gentleman from Virginia. to be "part
and parcel of abolition" and TO be aimed al their
peculiar institutions. Let me assure gentlemen that,
in the Northern section of the Union no such thing
is intended. Our people have idea OF interfering
with the domestic institutions of the South. Why,
then, refuse to receive memorial like this II
must be merely suspicion that il is in some way
connected with what are called schemes of abolition,
and all the objections may be resolved into that.
Mr.. WISE here begged leave to state fac, to the
gentleman from Massachusetts, II was a fact which
appeared on the face Of the memorial itself j, was
printed paper, like that presented by another member
from Massachusetts, yesterday. (Mr. REED) and that
contained IN the same paper prayer for abolition Now,
this memorial contained internal evidence Of having
been struck from the same types it had the ty-
biographical errors Of tho letters inverted in
the same place in both. This showed that there had
becn united Society printing in this matter, and that
direct connexon with abolition. Though this was
fnH hal han, Al
Mr.. SALTONSTALI. said that might be so no
should not deny it but however the fact was i, did
no, affect the question before the House There might
for anght he knew be an inverted or inverted in both