The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-03-30
THE V@1U.a @E E1aIAND@Mo
SPEECH OF VAR. MORRIS,
OF OHIO
In Senate, February 8, 1899.
(coNcLUDED.)

The Senator admits the Aboltonists are now
formidable that something must be done to pro-
duce harmony. Yes, sir, do justice, and harmony
will be restored Act mpartialy, that justice may
be done; hear petitions on both sides, If they are
offered, and give righteous judgments, and your
people will be satisfied. You cannot compromise
them out of their rights, nor lull them to sleep
with fallacies in the shape of reports. You can
not conquer them by rebuke, nor deceive them by
sophistry. Remember you cannot now turn pub
lie opinion, nor can you overthrow it. You must,
and you WILL abandon the high ground you have
taken, and receive petitions. The reason of the
case, the argument and the judgment of the peo-
ple are all against you. One in this cause can
chase thousand and the voice of justice will be
heard whenever you agitate the subject In In
diana, the right of petition has been most molly adj
vocated in protest. by member, against some
puny resolutions of the Legislature of that State to
whitewash slavery. Permit me to read para
graph, worthy of an American freemen:
But who would have thought, until lately that
any would have doubted the right of petition in a
respectful manner to Congress? Who would have
believed, that Congress had any authority to re-
fuse to consider the petitions the people? Such
a step would overthrow the Autocrat of Russia, or
cost the Grand Seignior of Constantnople his
head. Can it be possible, therefore, that it has
been reserved for a Republican Government in a
land boasng of its free Institutions to set the first
precedent of this kind? Our city councils, our
courts of justice, every department of Government,
are approached by petition, however unanswera-
Bile, or absurd, so that its terms are respectful
None go away unread or unheard. The life of
every individual is perfect illustration of the SUBJ
ject of petitioning. Petition is the language of
want of pain, Of sorrow, of man in all his sad va
riaty of woaS INN orinr ralief tho hand IF Soma
power superior to himself Petitionng is the foun-
dalton of all Government, and of all administra-
tons of law. Yet it has been reserved for our
Congress, seconded indirectly by the vote of this
Legislature to question this right, hitherto sup
posed to be so DID, so heaven-deeded, SO undoubed,
that our fathers did not think it necessary place
a guaranty of it in the first draft of the Federal
Constitution. Yet this sacred right has been at
one blow, driven, destroyed and trodden under the
feet of slavery. The old bulwarks Of our Federal
and State Constitutions seem utterly to have been
forgotten, which declare, that freedom Of speech
and the press shall not be abridged, nor the right
of the people peaceably to assemble and petition
for the redress of their grievances
These, sir, are the sentiments which make Alb
olitioniss formidable, and set at naught all your
counsels for their overthrow. The honorable Sen
ator not only admits that Abolitioniss are formid
able, but that they consist of three classes The
friends of humanity and justice, or those acuated
by those principles, compose one class. These
form very numerous class, and the acknowledge
ment of the Senator proves the immuable princi-
Piles upon which opposition to slavery rests. Men
are opposed to it from principles of humanity and
justce-men are Abotonists, he admits on that
account. We thank the Senator for teaching us
that word: we intend to improve it. The next
class of Aboitonists, the Senator says are so ap-
parently, for the purpose of advocating the right
Of petition. What are we to understand from this!
That the right Of petition needs advocacy? Who
has denied this right, or who has attempted to
abridge it! The slaveholding power that power
which avoids open discussion, and the free exer-
else of opinion; it is that power alone which rem
ders the advocacy of the right of petition necessa
ry, having seized upon all the powers Of the Gov
eminent. 1t is fast uniting together those opposed
to its iron rule, no matter to what political party
they have heretofore belonged they are united
with the first class, and act from principles of hu-
mainly and justice; and if the mists and shades
of slavery were not the atmosphere in which gen.
temen were enveloped, they would see constant
and increasing numbers of our most worthy and
intelligent citizens attaching themselves to the two
classes mentioned, and rallying under the banners
of Abotonism. They are compelled to GO there,
if the gentleman will have it so, in order to defend
and perpetuate the liberties of the country. The
hopes Of the oppressed spring up afresh from this
discussion of the gentleman.
The third class the Senator says are those who
TO accomplish their ends, act without regard to
consequences To them, all the rights ofproperty
of the States, of the Union, the Senator says are
nothing. He says they aim at other objects than
those they profess-emancipatio in the District
of Columbia. No, says the Senator, their object
is universal emancipation, not only in the District
but in the Territories and in the States Their
object is to set free three millions of negro slaves.
Who made the Senator in his place here, the
censor of his fellow-citizens Who authorized
him to charge them with other objects than those
they profess How long is it since the Senator
himself, this floor, denounced slavery as an
evil? What other inducements OF objects had he
then in view? Suppose universal emancipation
to be the object these petitioners is it not no.
bic and praiseworthy object; worthy of the Chris
tan the philanthropis the statesman and the cit
zen? But the Senator says, they (the petitioners)
aim to excite one portion Of the country against an
other. deny, Sir, this charge, and call for the
proof; it is gratuitous, uncaled for, and unjust
towards nay fellow-citizens. This is the language
of stricken conscience seeking for the palliation