The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-04-24

CLINlNG TO PRESENT TO
THE SENATE AN ABOLITION
PETITION, SIGNED By 40
WOMEN.
WASHINGTON, March %, 1910.
Sin: Your letter Of the 9TH instant
was duly received, enclosing a petition
10 Congress, signed by 140 women ol
the city and county Of New York, pray
ing for the abolition Of slavery and the
slave trade in the District Of Columbia,
and in those Territories of the United
States where they exist, and to admi.
no new slave State into the Union, re-
questing me to lay the Same before The
Senate. Ihave also received your let-
ter OF the 18th inst requesting me to
inform you when l would present the
petition. Having declined to present
the petition, it is perhaps, due 10 the
fair petitioners, and to you, their organ,
as we'll as to myself, TO state some Of the
reasons which dictate my course. The
constitutional right Of petition is con-
tanned in the fret article Of the amend-
ments, as follows:
"Congress shall make no Law rospec>
ting an establishment Of religion, or
prohibit the FREQ exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom Of speech, or Of
the press; or the people Peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Governs
ment for redress Of grievances"
Congress has never made law a.
bridging this right, bu. the people as
semble at pleasure, for redress ofgrie.
vances, OF course, this part Of the
Constitution has not been violated; and
if it did not exlst, Congress could not,
constitutionally, have passed such law,
because no such powor is delegated to
Congress-. This right, reserved 10 the
people, does not devolve upon the Presi-
ding officer of The Senate the obligation
ofpresenliug petitions OF every conceiy-
able description.
There are considerations Of a moral
apd political, as we'll as Of a constiiu-
toual nature, which would not permit
me to present petitions, ofa cbnrac,e,
evidently hostile to the Union, and des-
tructive Of the principles on which it is
founded. The patriots Of the Revolu-
iion made great sacrifices of blood and
treasure 10 establish and confirm the
doctrines set forth in the Declaration o
Independence. Each State was thor
an independent sovereignty; and to form
a perpetual Confederacy for the safety
and benefit Of the whole, embodying the
great doctrines OF the Declaration, q
compromise ofinterest and feeling was
necessary. That compr romise was made;
and the principle which your fair petit
tonels are now agitating, was settled
The right Of regulating and abolishine
slavery was reserved to the States; anc
Congress have no more right..to des
troy slavery in Virginia and Maryland
than they have to establish slavery il
New York or New England. Tn,
right Of petition for these objects is re.
cprocsl; anc the obligation Of the presi
ding officer 10 present petition 10 tn,
Senate, it exist in either case, is equa
y strong in both. But | cannot recog.
Mise the obligation in either case though
I acknowledge the right Of he people
in both. ls difference made between
the district Of Columbia, and the States
OF Maryland and Virginia. from whicl
it was taken? The question was settle,
in relation to the District by rome Sia,el
by the formation and adoption Of th'
Federal Constitution, when il was
part Of those States; and subsequeD
cessiOn Of jurisdiction could not deprive
the citizens ofthe rights already secur
cd to them by both the Federal Consli
tuition and the Constitutions Of their res
pective States. The right Of Congress
to exercise exclusive legislation in 81
cases whatever, does not mean omnipo
tent legislation. Congress have n
right in The Distrit Of Columbia, 10 tax
away the right Of trial by jury; to pas
an sz post fdcto law; to abndge the free
dom Of speech or ofthe press; to estab
lish religion by law; nor to destroy III
rights Ofproper,y, or the personal liber
ty Of the citizen. These reserved right
are as sacred in the District Of Colum
bia as in the State Of New York. The
have the same right to consider the alb
olition Of slavery in New York grie'
auce, and petition Congress TO estab
lise it there, as the citizens Of Ne,
York to considerit a grievance in th
District,and petition Congress 10 abOlia
it. Their right in either case to as
semble psaceably and make their peli
ton, l do not call in question: but th
obligation on my part 10 present it
the Senate, / do not admit.
If number Of citizens should consit
er a Republican Government a grieV
ance, and petition Congress to es,ablis
a monarchy; if others should consid'