The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-05-02
RH0DE-lSLAND LEGISLATURE.
JANUARY SESSIONS, 1889.
10 General ASS. nsly. January ..

." sA~@s ~@*@Nsg ~Ss
The committee TO whom were referred
the resolutions OF Mr.. Wells. OF Hupkin.
ton, touching certain resolutions passed
by the House of Representatives Of the
United States on the I2Ih of December.
1880. relative to petitions for the aboli.
ton Of slavery, DC. &C., and also sundry
petitions from citizens Of this state relst.
ing to the right Of petition, report as fol-
lows:
Whereas the House OF Representatives
of the Congress of the United States. on
the 18th AMI 18th days of December,
1888, passed the following resolutions,
viz.
" R,solrsi, That this Government is oflm.
tied power, and that by the constitution Of the
United States Congress has no jurisdiction
whatever over the institution Of slavery in the
several states Of the coRfrderacy.
d" Rssolptd, That petitions for the abolition
Of slavery in the district Of Columbia aud the
territories Of the United States. and against
the removal Of slaves from one state TO aGo,h
or. are a part Of plan &c operations set on
foot TO affect the institution "f slavery in the
several states, and thus indirectly TO destroy
that institution within thelI several limits.
"Rssoirsd, Thai Congress has no right to
do thu; indirectly which il cannot DO directly,
and that the agilation Of the subject of slave,
~ in the district Of Columbia or IN tho terrific.
Tles. as q means or with view OF disturbing
OF oyerthrowing that institution in the several
states, is against tho true .pirit and meaning
of the constitution, an Infringement OF the
- n = - a
the public faith on which they entered inIO the
coniederAcy.
Resolrtd, That the constitution rests upon
the broad principles Of equality among the
members Of the confedoracy, and that Con.
gtess, in the exercise of ats acknowledged pow.
ers, has no night 10 discriminate between the
institutions of one portion Of the states aad
another, with view Of sbolishing tie one or
promoting the other.
"RssO!sed, therefore. That all attempts on the
part Of Congress 10 abolish slavery in the dis
trict of Columbia or the territories, OF to pro.
hIbit the removal of slaves from state 10 state,
or 10 discriminate between the constitutions
Of one portion Of the conlederacy and another,
with The view aforesaid, arc in violation Of the
constitutional principles on which the Union
of these states rests. and beyond The luilsdic.
ton OF Congress- aud ttai every petition, me-
moral, resolution, proposition or papcr touch.
ing or relating. 10 any way or 10 any extent
whatever, 70 slavery aforesaid, or the abolition
thereof, shalt, on the presentation thereof,
wGhout ATTY farther action thereon. be laid on
the table, without being printed, debated, or
referred
And whereas, in the Judgment of this
General Assembly, that part of the reso-
luton which declares that " every peti.
ton, memorial, resolution, proposition,
or paper, touching or relating, in any
way or to any extent whatever, to sla-
very as aforesaid. or 10 the abolition
thereof, shall, on the presentation there
Of. without any further action thereon, be
laid on the table, without being printed,
debated, or referred" is unsound in prin-
ciple, dangerous invasion of the right
of the people to petition Congress, and
IN violation Of the true intent and meaning
of the constitution of the United States:
Therefore reSciced. That the General
Assembly DO hereby, in the name Of the
people of this state, protest against SAID
resolutions, and declare that in their OPT
Mon they ought to be rcscjnded.
ResoiUed, That his excellency the CO.
vernon be requested to cause copy of
these resolutions to be transmitted to the
members Of the United States House Of
Representatives from this state, to be by
them laid before that body.
al which is respectfully submitted by
JAMES L. SIMMONS,
For the Coumtlee.