Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-03-02

that avail myself Of the present moment
most solemny TO declare that my best re
Election, and all my observation of the
course of this subject in this Chamber ant
| elsewhere, have but strengthened and con.
| firmed my conviction that no man, or Sc,
Of men whatever, have the least right to
petition Congress TO abolish, or IN any
manner impair. that which the Constitution
has established or sanctioned; IN othcr
words, that nothing can b. grievance Of
that art ice Of the Constitution gUnranl ylng
the right of petition, which the constl'u
tlon itself creates: and that supposed grieu-
anccs of this character can only be redrcs
scd by amending, IN the appointed and
legitimate mode, the supreme law" which
creates them, and not by petition to an or
dinary Legislature s'corn 10 support hal
/ ia,o. But. sir, the poper which the Sena
tor from Vermont (Mr. SWIFT now offers
to this body. is not Petition No, sir; # It
was. not either its manner or its matter, its
form or its substance, would allow me TO
hesitate single moment 10 saying No to
lie reception, |, is, Mr.. President, am
sorry TO say it.sr lie act, the deed, the re
solve of the Legislature Of sovereign
State member of this glorious
Confrderacy-thc first off prlng Of the
Union Of the good old thirteen States -.
Shall vote TO refuse her paper, presented
by one Of her Senator'S No, sir; can.
not. The whole tone. tenor, and habit o.
my political opinions forbid such a course.
except in extreme cases. But, on the
other hand can vote to receive this paper
aud place it on the records of the Senate
No, SIR. cannot do that; every consdcra~
ton regarding good manners, concllalon,
moderation, and decorum. which its Ian.
guage and temper disregards and violates,
torbds me from giving my voice for its re
cepion. The Legislature of Vermont, in
It's zeal and fury about this vile subject of
abolition, have permitted themselves to
oVerStcp those bounds of moderation and
dccOrum which mark the intercourse be
tween all friendly nal ions, and have, at all
| times and under all circumstances, adorned
| that between the Governments Of this
! Confedcracy.
II, sir any individual or individuals pre-.
sent petition to this body on a subject
about which all agree they may Of night
petition. they arc required to couch II in
language uccorouS, respectful and proper,
and the Senator who presents it Is supposed
to guaranty that it Is so coucled. And
why, sir, should a State Legislature, in its
communications to either House of Con-
gress, or to another STATE Legislature, not
observe those sound rules of proprely and
decorum which mark the Intercourse of all
| ,pn nj nI icc md rivIli1oI
tons ? ! feel a conviction, amounting to
absolute knowledge, that this report and
resolutions Of the Legislature of Vermont
do most grossly mlsrepresent the character,
! opinions, feelings. conduct and institutions
OF the People Of the Southern or slave.
holding States Am | then, under such
circumstances, to yield to hose feelings of
| political courtesy which the State of Yer
mont has been the first to disregard, and
vote for the rcce p'ion, and thereby endorse
a paper which casts foul sigma on the
land of my nativity; on my ancestors their
institutions; and the whole South? No,
SIR; cannot, ought not, and will not.
And being thus situated, find myself Mr..
Pres denl, constrained to take ground
which have never before occupied, and
which had not supposed it possible any
combination Of circumstances could induce
me to assume; that Is. to yield to the sug
ges,on OF the Senator from Alabama, (Mr.
KING. and stand mute-not vote.
| sincerely wish that all The Senators
from the South could see fit to adopt this
SUGGESTION, and thus leave this paper to
the entire control and management Of those
from the North Sir, the Senator from
Vermont who presents this paper says he
only does so because it comes to him from
his Legislature; that he only asks to have
it received by the Senate and laid upon
the table. not again TO be called up. But,
sir, it should be recolected by the Senate
that one of its resolutions lnstructs the
Senators from Vermont to use their infu.
euce with tins body to perfect the objects
Of the others against the admission Of Tex
as into the Union. because Texas contains
slaves. for the abolition of slavery 10 this
District, and the trade in Siares Jeiween he
Southern States. Now, sir. can these
Senators hive ereried their influence by
merely gaming The reception o. ihls paper
and Iavlng it un the table? II their in
strucilon Is obligatory in part, Is It not so
IN Wbole' ]. for one, am DESTROYS that The
reception reference, and action on the sub
ice, should be entirely left to the control
and responsibility of Senators from the
non slaveholdng States. After they had
received 1t, would, ON the question
reference. insist tha, 1t should 90 10 q con;
mllcc selected from among themselves, al
composed OF those mos, (dUornbie TO ahl
lirlon. From The report Of such cot
mItiec should expect at least Two gof
results. In the first place, we siIould hno,
10 uaeguiUocal and lrrcvucable terms VI
we are to expect from our .torihern bird
rem on This SUBJECT; how far they mean
90; what they intend to do; what is
ciseiy their object and means of accomol
men: they would have TO Sholo their ha
Ia the next place, should confidently
that committee thus COuSfifuieH of