Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-02-22
SPEECH OF MIR. CLAY.
IN THE SUBJECT OF ABOLITION PETITIONS.
WAsHINGToN Cry. Feb. 7, 1889.

.. WAsHINGToN CRY. Feb. 7. 1889.
Mn. CLAY. of Ken uckv. rose 10 pre-.
sent a petition, and said IL have received
Mr.. President, a petition to the Senate aud
l. 'ouse Of Representatives Of The United
g.. ties. which wish to presen, to he Sen.
.,o /, is signed bv several hundred in.
haitian IS Of the Ds'tic: Of Columbia and
cb,eAv o, the city Of Washington. Among
,hem I rec ,'gnise the name of the ~ h'y es
teamed Man OF Of The city, and other res
nec,a 5Ie rom.'s, some OF when are person.
pi,u nrI we'll k, 10 n 10 me. They express
,ho,, ,.o,ret ,ha, he subject OF The abolition
~ . sI,u,I, within n,e District of Columbia
cor,;n ,v ., be passe . upon the consdera'
,;n " s r,,o., .ess BY in.c,'ns'derate and mis-
1u;dsd ;oJ;y,c'uals in o'he' parts OF the
Unued States. They sta 'e ,na' '"ey 90
M, desire the si,, ,ll,ion Of slavery w'h'n
Tho District, even IT, Congress possess 'ne
verv questionable o wer Of a'o ''sh'ng IT.
wi,bon, the consent Of the pe",o'e whose
sn,eres,s wouId be imn,,,,d'a'elv ana o'tec'
" affected by the meatSn ee' wa. ,ho
question solely between the people o.
District and their only consN' 'u''o"a' veg
lature, purely municipal, an,' o"' !" w'''I'
no exterior influence or interest c"" Jus,V
interfere; that II at any fu'ure peru" .n'
pecple Of this District should o>'s''e '"e
abolition of slavery within II, lney "'''
doubtless make their wishes known, W."
il will be- time enough 10 take the mn'l ~
into consideration; la, they do n"', on h''
occasion present Themselves to Congress
because they are slave ~hrIders-many Of
them are pot-some of them are consc,en.
,iousy opposed 10 s'avery-bu, they ap
pear because they Justly respect the rights
of those who own that description OF prop |
er,y, and because they entertain deep
conv,c,ion ,ha, the continued agitation OF
the question by those who have u" right to
interfere with it. has an mi nr'ous Influence
on the peace and tranquility of the com
mun,ty end upon the we'll being and hap
pinpss of those who are held 10 snbjec',on
ihey finally protest az well against the
upsu,horizsd intervention Of which they
comp'sin, "a against any legislation on
the part of Congress in compliance there
with. But. as wleh these respectable
petitioners 10 be themselves heard, r"qncsi
that their petition may be read. 1t was
read accordingly. and Mr.. Clay proceeded
] am informed bv The committee which re-
ouested me to offer this petition, and be-
l,eye that it expresses the almost unan''
mous sentiments Of the people Of the Dis
trio, Of Columbia.
The perfortnsn nee of this service affIrds
me, said Mr. Clay. a Legitimate opportunity
of which, with the permission of the Sen
ate, I mean now TO avail myself to soy
something no, only on the particular object
Of the petition. bu, upon the great and IN.
te,es'ng subject with which IT is intimate.
ly assoc'ated. 80,
II is we'll known to the Senate. said Mr..
CLAW tina, I have thought that the most
;ud,cious course with aboli',on petitions has
no, been Of late pursued by Congress.
have believed that it would have been
wisest TO have received and referred them
without Opposition, and to have reported
against their object in calm and d'spas
sionste end avgumentative appeal to the
rood sen.e Of the whole community 1t
has been supposed. however. by majority
Of Congress that 1t was most expeo'en'
either not to receive petitions al al, or, 1t
formally received, not to act d"fn'''ve'y
unon them, There Ia no substantial differ
ence between these opposite oPinmns.
since both look to an abs"u'e REJECTION OF
the prayer Of the petitioners. Bot there IA
p,es, difference in the form Of proceeding;
and, Mr.. President. some experience in the
conduct Of human affairs has taught mo 10
beIicve that a neglect 10 observe est abllshed
form, IL often s,i ended with mare mlsch,ev
inn. cnnseuneuces than the mf1,c',on Of q
nos;,ive injury. We all know that. ever
in private life, violation Of the existing
usapes and ceremonies Of society cann"
take place without serious prejudice.
fear sir. tina, the abol,lipnlsi have acquired
q considerable apparent force by blending
with the Object which they have IN view, ,
collateral and totally different question
arising out of on allegal violation OF thu
right of petition. ] knew full! well. ont
take great pleasure III tes'lfvlng, that n"
& thing was remoter from the intention o
the maiori,y Of the Senate. from which
differed, that 10 violate The right of petition
in cav case in which. according to its judg
ment, that right could be constitutional.
exercised, or where the object of the pc
ii,ion could be safely or properly granted
Still, il must be owned that the abol'',on's'
have seized hold Of The fact Of The trent
men, which their petitions have received
in Congress. and made injurious impres
sions upon the minds Of large portion a
the community. This, think. might hav,
a been avoided by the course which ! SHOULD
y have been glad to have seen pursued
And I desire now, Mr.. President. TO ad
yer, to some of those topics which thin
might have been usefully embodied ~
report by committee of The Senate, an
which. am persuaded, would have check
ed the progress. If it had not allogelhe
arrested the efforts. Of abolition. ] al
sensible, sir. that this work would hav
been accomplished with much greater ab'l
~ and with much happier effect, under tn
auspices of q committee, than It can be b
me. But. anxious as ! always am to COZ