The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-05-02

House over il sllsches. When hat pow.
Co attaches. all power Of the individual
cases. and no exercise Of The poser Of
the House can interfere with The right Of
petition. because the irh0le right 10 Pc
lilion must be exercised and enjoyed 10
its f1ll extent. before the petition be.
comes = proceeding Of The House.
A party can never be interrupted in
the exercise Of . right, il from its very
nature, il must be fully exercised before
ii comes IN the possession Of The tribunal
appealed 10.
II must be borne in mind that the right
to petition is . mere right IN ASK, no.
RICH, 10 demand; and every right 10 ask
necessarily implies a dH;y in The House
to hear; but right TO ask and be heard
necessarily implies a right to REUSE. aud
10 refuse in any mode or form the House
may dictate. Both the power TO ask and
the power 10 refuse may be abused. bot
an abuse Of a power is a political not .
legal injury. II 10 an abuse. and frau
dulenl abuse, Of the power 10 petition. 10
obtain the names Of hundreds Of children
under ten years Of age, and 10 LEI them
pass as persons whose opinions are enli.
lied To weight. The Undersigned has
been informed that this has been done BY
the managers OF the abolition petitions
now before This house. II 10 an abuse Of
the power. but still the petitioners pos
sess the power. IL is political evil, not
q legal injury. So the House may abuse
lie Just and necessary powers; but that,
too, is a political evil. and The remedy is
by the ballot box. and not by an action
Of law. Will any lawyer contend that,
IL my constitutional right to petition is Vi
olaied. I have not a remedy stlaw against
any one who aids in its violation! But
will any one contend that these petition
ers before Congress possess any tega!
remedy against the House or The mem
bers who voted for the resolutions Of De-
cember l2Ih! And why will he moi!
Because il does not violate The right to
petition. or TO DO any individual act en-
brsced in that right. IL there is any
abuse OF the powers Of the House in
those resolutions, the remedy 10 poiifi.
col remedy, because The erii is political.
A Law Of Congress which controls the
action Of the individual out OF doors would
have inIerfered with the right 10 petition.
and therefore all such laws were prohi-
bited. But . resolution Of either house
acts no, upnn the proceedings OF acts Of
The individual. but upon its own proceed
ings in the House after the individual
has enjoyed his righi; aud therefore the
trainers Of the amendments to the consii-
tuition saw that power in the House 10
determine its own proceedings never
could interfere with the power Of the in
dividual to determine his proceedings.
Until the present excitement, the UNDER
signed believes that no such extended
RICH: 10 petition was ever commended for.
II is not only right to petition. but a
right, as now construed, TO dictate 10 the
House what disposition the House should
make Of the petition. After hearing H..
the House must aei, and, ss il must con
troll it's own action. il may refuse even 10
to receive the petition, as appears BY the
following preceden,s:
On the OH April, 1904. petition was
rendered 10 the House. relating 10 the
bill for granting to their Majes.ies seve.
raj duties upon the tonnage Of ships; and
the question being put. that the petition
be received. il passed in the negative.
On the 2slh Of April. 1893. petition
was offered tn the House against the bill
for laying duty upon inland pitcoal; and
the question being put, that the petition
be received, IL passed in the negative.
Similar votes also passed on the 29Ih
and 3Oth Of June. 1893, upon duties re-
la,ing 10 Scotch linens and whale fins i'm
ported.
On The 9Th of February, 1903, a petit
ton from The malsiers being offered
against the bill for continuing The duty on
malt, and the question being put. that the
petition be brough, up. it passed in the
negative.
On the 2lst December, 1905, Resolv-
ed, That this House will receive no PEE
tilion for any sum Of money relating In
public service. but what 10 recommended
from the Crown.
On The llth Of June. 1913. this is de.
clsred to be a Standing order of the
House.
On the 29lh Of March. 1907, Resolv.
ed, That the House will not proceed up
on any petition. motion. or bill. for grant
ing any money. or for releasing or CON-
pounding any money owing to the Crown,
but in a committee Of The whole house;
and this is declared TO be standing Of
der.
On the 9Th Of March, 1872. a petition
being offered against bill depending.
for securing the trade Of the Sugar Colo
MES. il was refused to be brought up. Al
motion was then made that committee
be appointed 10 search for precedenIs in
relation 10 the receiving or not receiving