Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-02-20
SPEECH OF HENRY CLAY.
ON THE ABOLITION QUESTION, DELIVER.
Ed IN THE SENATE. FEB. =, 1899.

sent petition, and said have received,
Mr.. President, petition to the Senate
and House OF Representatives of the Uni
ted States, which wish to present to the
Senate. It's signed by several hundred
inhabitants of the District OF Columbia,
and chiefly OF the city oil Washington. -
Among them recognize the name oil the
highly esteemed Mayor Of the city, and
other respectable names, some Of which
are personally and well known 10 me. -
ihey express their regret that the SUBJ
Ject of the abolition Of slavery within the
District ofColumbia continues to be pr, S.
ed upon the consideration of Congress by
lnconsiderate and misguided individuals
~ other parts ofthe United States. They
state that they do not desire the abolition
ofsavery within the District, even If Con-
gress possess The very questionable pow.
er oi abollshing II, without the consent Of
The people whose interests would be i'm.
med'ately and directly affected By the
measure that il is question solely be-
tween the people of the District and their
only constitutional Legislature, purely
municipal, and one in which no exterior
influence or inieres, can justly Interfere !:
that, IL al any future period the people of
this District should desire the abolition of
slavery within il, they will doubtless
make their wishes known, when il will be
time enough 10 take the matter into con
slderation that they DO not, on this occa.
son, present themselves to Congress be-
cause they arc slave hoders-meny of
them are not--some ofthem are conspien
tiously opposed to slavery--but they ap-
pear because they justly respect the rights
OF those who own that description OF
property, and because they entertain n
deep conviction that the continued agitn-
ton of the question BY those who have no
right to interfere with il, has an injurious
influence on the peace and tranquility Of
tie community, and upon the well beino
and happiness Of those who are held in
subsection they finally protest as well a.
gainst the unauthorized intervention OF
which they complain, MS against any le.
glslalion on the part Of Congress in COM
pliance Herewith. But as wish these
respectable petitioners to be themselves
lienrd, reqoes, that their petition may DC
read. 1t was read accordingly, aud Mr..
Clay proceeded. | om Informed by the
committee which requested me to Offer
this petition, and believe, that it express
es the almost unanimous sentiments oil
the people of tho District osColumbia.
The performance Of this service afford,
me, said Mr.. Clay, legitimate opportuni.
~, OF which, with the permission Of the
Senate, near now to avail myself, 10
say something not only on the particular
objects of the petition, but upon the great
and interesting subject with which it is
intimately associated.
II is well known to the Senate, said Mr..
Clay, that have thought that the most,
Jndiclous course with abolition petitions
has not been Of late pursued by Congress.
| have believed that il would have been
wIsest to have received and referred them
without opposition, and to have reported
against their object in calm and dispos
sionate and argumentatve appeal to the
good sense Of the whole community. 1t
has been supposed, however, by a major
ity ofCongr, ~ that it was most exped-
ent either not to receive the petitions at
all, or, if formally received, no, to act dc.
fntively upon them. There is no sub.
stantlal difference between these oppo.
site opinions, since both look to an ubso.
lutte rejection ofthe prayer ofthe petition.
ers. But there is great difference in
the form of proceeding and, Mr.. Presi
dent, some experience in the conduct of
human affairs has taught me to believe
that neglect to observe established forms
is often attended with more mischievons
consequences than the infection Of pos
tive injury. We all know that, even in
private life, violation Of the existing u.
sages and ceremonies Of society cannot
take place without s. rious prejudice. |
fear, sir, that the sboIitionists have &C.
CURED considerable apparent force by
blending with the object which they have
in view collateral and totally different
question arising out OF an alleged viola-
ton of the right Of petition. know iull
well, and take great pleasure in teslifying,
that nothing was rcmoter from the inten.
ton Of the majority Of the Senate, from
which differed, than to violate the right
OF petition in any case in which, accord
ing to bis judgement, that right could be
constitutionally exercised, or where the
object of the petition could DO safely OF
properly granted. Still, il must be own
ed that the abolitonists have seized hold
Of the fact ofthe tres tment which their pc
titions have received in Congress, and
made injurious impressions upon the minds
Of a large portion of the community.
This, think, might have been avoided by
the course which | should have been glad
to have seen pursued.
And desire now, Mr.. President, to
advert to some of these topics which
think might have been usefully embodied