Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-01-17
RIGHT OF PETITioN.Ss.

~ "''e oeeh H'osi Juuicous TO have pursued TO
wards the Abolition Petitioners the Justice of whcl
las been made apparent by recent events. Sena,o
Clay expressed the same opinion some months oso
'or winch he was violently abused by the Calhoun
action whose whole course on the Slavery on,s,io,
mas been tissue oil mischevous yiolenee and s,,l
more mIsehlesous lnconsisiency-but YESTERDAY. 70;
example, bitterly denouucng Mr.. Pinckncy and e
Jeeting MN from Office because his resolution as
seh'eu 10 the reception of Abolition petitions ana
now forming coalition with certain Northern me H.
o'sed upon precisely the principle We sub
JON the resolutions offered by Mr.. Pinokney some
years ago. and that recently offered by Mr.. Athefton
'ha' our readers may perceive II they can the nigh.
'y difference hctwixt t,seedte dam and tteeedte-de
Mr. Pickaey's Resolution
Resolved, That all petitions. memorials ,esolu.
TONS propositions. or papers, relating in any way
OF 10 any extent 10 the subject of slavery or the abo
hon Of slavery. shall, without either being printed
OF referred be laid upon the table, and that no fur.
ther action, whatever, shall be had thereon.
Mr. Ahertoa's Resolution
Resoiccd That no petition memorial. ,csolo,io,
proposition or paper touching relating in any way
or TO any extent whatever, To Slavery as aforesaid
on 10 The Abolition thereof, shall be entertained or
considered by this House but, the presentation
+
or referred be laid the table, aud no further ac
tlon whatever shall be had thereon
Ii any one can perceive the reason why Mr. Cal.
houn supported the latter of these resolutions while
he opposed The former as an open betrayal of South
EN- rights his optics must be much keener than ours
Even the pitiiul sublerfuge OF Mr.. Pckcns, tha, we
may agree 10 proposition fiom a Northern man.
which coming from Southern, we should reject ia
secuted by the common sense of the community
II we are to surrender our rights, what matters ii
whether that surrender be made to friend or TO n
Toe And II II be one of our riehs 10 insist on
the non reception of Abolition Petitions we should
never have asserted 1t at ALL And this brings us
back TO Mr.. Bouldn and his views from Which our
readers viii doubtless think we have made some
what tedious though VIC deem ii not altogether an
nnnstructise DEPRESSION.
Mr.. Bouldin declared that he had always been in
favor of the reception and reference of Abolition Pc
t:ions, believing that that the best mode of aui-
citing agitation, and, as Mr.. Clay remarked, separa-
ting from the Abolitoniss proper hose who have IL
nned with thevb for the purpose of indicating the
Right Of Petition, which they believe, though most
riationaIIy aud lIlogcalIy to be violated in their
persons. We do ourselves believe that had these
OF this unhappy controversy, the agitation of the
country would long since have been quoted, and
thatthere would not have been Abolitionist, OF
one Abolition Petition, where there are now thou
sand oihe former, and hundred of the latter And
they would have teen treated, have not the rash
counsels olthe South Carolina members. now Them
selves abandoning their test, prevailed over the
more Just and sober judy ment Of such men Mr..
Bouldu. Bat the ground having been once assumed
that the noa-recePtton of Abolition Petitions Is es-
sentidl to the preservation of Southern rights and
having been long maintained it is difficult, nay
dangerous. 10 abondon it; since 50 fan from
arpeasing the Abolnonists, il would have done
originally, it would only inctc them to make new
demands. by the prospect oil new numphs Tor which
they would be encouraged to hope. 1t hence be-
comes important TO show what The Right of Peri
ton is, that AL rational men may be satisfied that
is not violated ntnged by the refusal OF Congress
to receive the Petitions referred to. This is so ably
done by Mr.. Legare, the accomplished member
from Charleston, in late speech, that offer
apology for subjolning his able and lucid argument.
Mr.. Legacc said
" The gentleman from Massachusetts,. (Mr. AID.
AMs,) IN spirit, must be permitted to say, less of
lensive than he usually displays on this subject, has
commended thatthe amendment OF the Constitution
touching the hight OF petition has set at naueht all
the precedcnts Of the British House Of o. Com
mons. But look at the amendne " hat does tsay
Congress shall make no law respecting an es-
enlistment Of eIigion. or prohibiting The free ex
efcise thereof or abridgng the freedom Of speech,
or of the press, the night of the people peaceably
10 assemble and 10 petition the Government for
dress of grievance
The first questonis, whether there is any Thing in
ths language to render nappcable here the par.