The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-04-25
L Filler

49, 80 agsfsissA ~ 20 S--tf kA<asAs1-
IoHS WHlPPIK. Esq. Dear Sir:
received with much Satisfaction yong lei
Ter. with ; report % The Legislature Of
Rhnde leland. on the AtheTlon Resoln-
Mons. and yOur speech explanatory Of
Your dissent from that repars. II j. GER
iainly laleEing 10 me 10 knnw that ! live
in your resollsciion. and that he opinion
&C one - long Withdrawn from che no.
ice 81 the world. snl all participation in
public aEairs. could erssle ether eonh-
denee or disiruss in yonr own formed
with The aJvanlsge OF Intellect in Iull 81
COR. anil defended by argumeai % Ehish
nothing Of substance esn be aased-ycnr
Feqnesl under these Circumstances would
have imposed upon me IN obligation OF
eourissy to form she best opinion ] might
upon = novel subjsci.-ilri > sour re-
p0EI Though upon . rev question which
Won have dispasei Of by an eloquent and
conclusive argumeai) grows oct Of an
ell suhjssI-ihe eoRdiiion Of slavery A.
mnng our Southern brethren. and The re.
lasinRship between their rights and our
duiies-which las been familiar 10 my
Thoughts Tor nall century: | was quite
prepared To examine its merits. and haze
no other trouble in replying IL your IA
snr. but that whirh ia common 81 sse-
loss where 10 begin and where IN leave
81.
Had | been a member of Congress,
called 10 decide upon the AsheT.an Res.
olulioas, | should not have voted fnF them.
4, the SAN. lime have no s!onb1 Of the
constitutional power nf the Honse TO a.
dop. them. Bu, considered the Origi-
nal refusal al Congress 10 hear. commit
and obtain q report upon tie resolutions
regarding slavery in the District nf CO.
lurnbis a. unfuriauste aud in7ali:;r. Il
was sure to be COMPOUNDED in popular be.
lief with 4 ,ienial Of the right sf petition
itself. and thus touch the community in
il most irritable nerve. Ii Was also an
unusual tad apparently an nnA!nd and
Cavalier mode 81 cutting short new IN.
quiry-or sn old one requested under
new circumstauces-ealii i ~ attention
m seconni of the number Of petitioners.
I had also predicted. three years ago. in
a,pablic speerh. that the abolition move
mens would be mingled with political IN.
Wigue and party politics. These obiec-
lions thought would be in greet mea.
sure obsia,ed ny the Report "f the Com
miliee. which being under tie control Of
The majority. would have ended in the
same Eesul, as laying the petition on the
table. without a!farding plausible Occa.
sion for offence ~ complaint.
But ! ain equally free To declare that
had been a member Of the Rhode Is
land Legislature. should have been
found on Your side in opposing :he re-
port Of ynnr COMMITTEE, inssmuca as the
question there assumed an entirely dlTe-
rent aspect. Il is one il!ing for Congress
to rcisse IN &C, upon a pt:.i!nn. aud an
other ,hlng for s.a'c legislature 10 deny
the right Of the farmer 20 regulate lis own
proceedings. There is nothing in the
i;herian Resolutions which negatives
the right of petition, and nothing which
IN fac, .tnpaIrs its value. 1 petition in
the constitutional view is a reqoes, ciier-
cd 10 a government surpassed 10 have
jurisdiction Of the subject. fnr redress
Of some grievance. The right Ia frame,
and Of consequence lu offer Such 4 petit
lion belongs TO every peaceasIe assem
bly, Of the people. This RICH, aI.o ia.
wolves the right to M iks'the government
acquainted with the subject matter Of tho
pelIsian--no. to have ii read ~ ExTESso.
as i matter Of course. to which there
may be saiii objections. Thousands ni
petitions may relate 70 tie same single
object. or 10 objects palHably nut Of the
ptovince autl com peiency al tie GOVERN
u.eui to decide--or Oh which ihe minds
"f majority cray be knawn ~ be made
np. fhey ;Day b. h1gran'ly indecor-
Gus, and numerous aud voiaminous
enough IN occupy in reading unreasnn-
able time. Ban II net read the Legjsla.
.urc addressed is bound at Icas, 10 harken
to . sta.emesi Of the subjec! ns'ter--to
be iaforne,i of The chsractrr of the griev-
ances soeghi 70 be red'essej. Otherwise
he rlsh, Of petition would be nugalory
al leas. nominal. and unworthy Of a
place among the fundamentals Of con-
s.iiaiinn-.-" the voice" Of men " crying
in the wilderness.
The righ, Ibns explaireA has, | think.
an intrinsic value. |, belongs to the
whole and every portion Of the people
sx,euds 10 all subj sc!s-is indispensable
To al exposition nj 'beir sentiments and
wants; and in popular and paIernal gov.
ernmen,s. will. when exercised, COM
nand attention and nb,din relief. unless
the fret Shall, sl,rr Information aud re.
lection, be thought superfaous and :he
last inexptdienl or irlpsacI!cab'e- The
exercise Of this right IN particular case.
may. IS ynu have ingeniousiy shown, bc
# no value. Still tile right remains,
and has value in itself--like perenni-
81 fountain, IN repairing To which one