Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-04-10
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BRANDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1899.
SPEECH OF MIR. MORRIS,--OF OHIO,
In Senate, February 9, 1889.
IcoNCLUDED.l

~
are now formidable; that something must
be done TO produce harmony Yes, sir,
do Justice, and harmony will be restored.
Act imparlially, 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 can
not compromise them out of their rights.
nor lul them 10 sleep with fallacies in the
shape OF reports. You canNot conquer
them by rebuke, nor deceive them bv soph
lslry Remember you cannot now turn
public opinion, nor can you overthrow it.
You mast, and you will, abandon the
high ground you have taken, and receive
petitions. The reason Of the case, the ar
gumen,, and the Judgment Of the people.
are al against you, One in this cause
can chase thousand and the voice of
justice will be heard whenever YOU agi.
tate the subject. In Indiana, the right of
petition has been most nobIy advocated in
protest, against some puny resolutions OF
The Legislature Of that State to whitewash
slavery. Permit me to read aragraph,
worthy OF an American freeman:
But who would have thought until
lately, that any would have doubted the
right OF petition in respectful manner TO
Congress! Who would have believed
that Congress had any authority to refuse
10 consider the petitions of the people @
Such step would overthrow the Auto
crat OF Russia, or cost the Grand Seignior
OF Constan!inope his head. Can II be
possible, therefore, that it has been reserv-
ed for Republican Government, in
land boaSting of its free Institutions, to set
the first precedent of this kind Oar CITY
councils, our courts of justice every de-
p1rtment OF Government, are approached
by petition, however unanswerabie, or alb
Surd, 50 that its terms are respectful. -
None 60 away unread or unheasd. The
life OF every Individual is perfect illus
walton Of the subject of pelitioning. Pc
lilon Is the language OF want, of p ain, Of
sorrow, of man in all his sad varieties of
woes, implo:ing relief, at the hand of
some power superior 10 himself Peli-
Ionlng is The foundation of ALI Govern
ment, and Of all administrations of law
Yet it has been reserved for our Con
gress, seconded indirectly by the vote Of
this Legislature. TO question this right
hitherto supposed to be so old, so heaven
decided, so undoubted, that our fathers did
not think II necessary 10 place a guaranty
of 1t in The first draft of the Federal Con.
sl.tution. Yet this sacred right has been
at one blow, driven, DESTROYED, and trod
den under the feet Of slavery. The ole
huwarks Of our Federal and State Con
stltutons seem utterly to have been for
gotten, which declare, What freedom @
speech aud the press shlll not be abridg
cd, nor the right Of the p ople peaceabl,
10 assemble and petition for the redress O
their grievances. -.-. ...
These, sir, are the sentiments which
make AbolitoGists formidable, and set a
naugh all your counselS for their over
throw The honorable Senator not onl,
aimlts that aboiilionsts are formidable
but that they consist of three classes. Tn
friends OF humanity and justice, or thos
ae'uated by those principles, compose OH
eIaSS. These form a very numerous class
and the acknowledgement of the Senate
proves the lm>nutable principles upo
which opposition to slavery rests. Me,
are opposed to ii from principles of human
lly and Juslce-men are abolitionis,s h
admits, on that account. We thank tn
Senator for teaching us that word: we in
tend 10 improve it. The next class of ah
ollllons.s, the Senator says, are so, appo
rently, for the purpose of advocating tn
right OF petition. What are we 10 under
stand from this2 That the right of pet
uon needs advocacy? Who has denie
ms right. or who has attempted to abridg
n.y. 4, ...t The slayehOlding power, that pow
Ct e. which avoids open discussion, and III
Tree exercise of opinion; it is that powe
alone which renders the advocacy Of th
Hsn Oh petition necessary, having seize
upon all the powers of the Government
is last unlling together those opposed ,
Its iron rule, no matter to VIA, noli,;s.
party they have heretofore BELONGED :
they are united with the frst. class. an
act from principles of humanity and in
uce; andifthe mists and shades of slav
~ were not the atmosphere ia which ge
uemen were enveloped. they would 81
sons'ant and increasing numbers of o,
most worthy and intelligent citizens 0
1chlng themselves to the Two class
mentioned. and rallyinq under the Ia
Isfs Of aSolitionism. They are comp,
~ 20 go there, ifthe gentleman will ha
,S sU, IN order to defend and perpetua
Ie Liberties of the country. The hon
~ me oppressed spring up afresb fro
S discussion of the gentleman
The third class the Senator 49,
a