Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-02-01


received one or more letters from the South.
Threatening him with assassination. Ons
Of these, which he held in his hand. was
others were couched in the language d
friendly warning, but assuring him that
he held on in his course, his days were
numbered, and he would not survive ths
present session; others challenged him y
fight duel. One of the last mentioned HI
produced 1t was signed With real name
Though he had not The smallest doubt i
was forgery,) the name of a person wei
known in the country; and designated tn
time and place Of meeting, and the weapon
to be used.
Mr.. Adams said he was perfectly cas-!
on the subject He regarded these letter
as merely designed to intmidate him; ant
not as indicating any desig on the part o
the writers TO carry their threats into exc
cutlon.
But he wished 10 take this occasion, IN.
der The permission &c the House. to decIart
that no had never avowed himself in favol
of The abolition OF slavery in this District
His course in presenting peti,ions for tina,
object was no, influenced by ANY dlsposi,ot
10 grant the prayer Of the petitioners: bu
by regard to the sacred right of petition
which he held 10 be secured to the poeplt
Of this country. He regarded the ruiz
which the House had adopted, for dispo,na
of such papers, Us a pspable violation q
the constitution, and therefore had express
ed, and would on every proper occasion
express his opposition to it. But he had
never been in favor of abolisbing slavery in
the District OF Columbia. On the contrary
he had declared himself opposed to it, on
the very first occasion of his presenting q
petition on the subject, and he would now.
were n proposition for that object before
the House, voc against 1t. Such always
had been his sentiments and they remained
unallered.
Mr.. Adams then proceeded to vndicate,
at some length, the propriety Of his course
in Offering the resolutions of inquiry rela
tive to The conduct of Mr.. Stevenson in The
O'Connel affair. He thought some notice
OF the minister's proceedings was required
by The honor and The dignity of the nation.
He also defended the propriety of his
conduct in presenting the petitions. asking
for the recognition of the independence Of
| Uavti.
After Mr.. Adams had finished he pre-
scented number of memorials and petitions
on the subject OF abolition and Texas,
which were disposed Of in the usual way.
The business Of the day went on quietly,
until the state Of Vermont was called.
Mr.. Sade offered the resolutions of the
Legislature of that state, in reference to
The abolition of slavery in the District. and
asking for the recindng Of Mr.. Atherton's
| resolutions.
Mr.. S abe was about TO contest the ap.
plicalon to them of the rule which consigns
all abolition and slavery memorials. resolu.
tions, and other papers. to the clerks able,
when a successful motion was made 10
adjourn.
The investigating committee on defaca.
tions this day elected Mr.. Harlan, Of Ken.
lucky chairman, Mr.. Philip r. FendalI, OF
this city, their clerk, and VIM. Ogden
| Niles, of the Register, their printer.
They will set out for New York to.mor.
row evening; and will be prepared TO COM
mence their inquiries in tina: city on
Thursday morning. Mr.. Curtis is one of
yourselves. Mr. Wise is also well known
to the Wings of New York. To Mr..
Harlan Of KY, Mr., Dawson of Georgia,
and Mr.. Hopkins Of Virginia. they will find
gentlemen of great ability and industry,
and the most generous, honorable charac.
ter. With Mr.. Smith Of Maine ] have no
personal acquaintance; nor can boas. Of
that advantage as respects Mr. Foster Of
New York Mr.. Owens Of Georgia. and
Mr.. Wagner of Penn. They will all be
among you soon; and you can judge for
yourselves.
1t is rumored that the President and his
cabinet have been discussing the proprie,y
of taking the stand assumed by General
Jackson toward the investigating commits
Tee in 1887, and denying the right of the
committee to inlerrogate the Executive
officers, unless specific charges were
brought.
WAsHINGToN, Jan. 22d, 1889.
| THE GRADUATION BILL CUMBERLAND
ROAD.
The Graduation Bill was, this day. con.
signed TO the Tomb of the Capuleis" by
The House Of Representatives. In the
phrnseology of the Globe, applied to Mr..
Ciays Distribution Bill some sessions ago,
this pet project. insisted upon so s,renu.
onsly by the Administration party Of the
Senate, that they would hear of scarcely
any addition or subtraction, any amendment
or modification however slight-and en-
tlrey shut their ears against any delay or
postponement IN carrying its provisions into
effect-thIs Administration measure has
been CONTEMPORARY LAID ON THE
TABLE"
suppose the Oiicnl Organ will admit
that. IN this instance, at least, the repre-
scn,atlves Of the people have not wasted
The time of the House in idle defamation. "
presume it will be acknowledged that. on
tins occasion, their action was sufficiently
! prompt and absolutely effective. This
days doings afford some earnest Of the
manner in which the opposition will man
age matters. while they retain even their
} present force. BY their decisive course to.