Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-02-24

editorial columns Of the Government official paper,
must excite the disgust OF all honorable mon, who
witness those proceedings. A signal example Of tins
systematic peserson in the article oihc lobe
oil Thuisday evening last, pu,poning To give
count OF what took place inihe Serate on tho same
day in reference To the fght OF petition. The editor
knows thal his charge against Nj. Clay. of" getting
np debate On the right Of petition aided by Mcssrs
ialmadge aud Webster Is IN direct contlalcty 10
the ruth.
1t was the editors allv Mr.. John G.. Cal
houn, who col up the debate on the right Of pei.
ton" Equal, false. is the ition that the whole
days suung was consumed by the peliiion intro.
ducedby Mr.. Clay. g,ea part OF the discussion
related to different party and political topics, intro
duced by Mr.. Bedford Brown. of North Carolina
who " got up" discussion about democracy and
Federalism and other matters, having litIle to do
With the business IN hand.
The lacls OF the these Mr.. Clay, of Ken
lucky, in conformity to his ayowol and well known
opinions OF the night oipeliiion, presented memo
nal which had been SEM Ia him from individua Il
residing IN Jerusalem. New York, praying for The
abolition of slavery. He did not express or in any
manner intimate that he WAS - dcsfous TO have IL
referred, and u tremendous report made against it,
by grave committee OF anti abolition Senator'S"
the Globe would make lis readers believe. On The
contrary he distinctly declared, thai having dis
charged his duty in complying with tho wish of the
nemoralst 10 present ms petition, he left to the
disposal OF HE Senate, and would aroniescc in the
course heretofore pursued. halisonitn.
Mr.. CLAY took occasion To say that he believed
The criSiS Of the abolition excitement had passed
when this session OF Congress opened, the agitation
which had. nj Que time prevailed dead and II
movements had no, been made to revive ii Tor polill
cal uses would have head liule of it.
Mt Clay said he could not fo,bear expressing
the qualification he had derived from reading two
valuable works calculated, in his opinion, To arrest
The proceedings Of the abotIonists and to d. fuse
Just and patriotic notions ofth@ir end aud Objects
lie was happy 10 sry that both these books were
written by Aottlcrn men. In one Of lham, a book
ot great ability and interest, the proposition was pre-
scented W III uncommon force, that two communi-
ties Of distinct races cannot live together withon,
the one becoming more less in subcotion ID the
other. Mr.. Cha, bad called The writer's attention 10
the Illustration gwen Ia his argument by Lold Dur.
ham, IN h report the condition Of Canada sub.
milted to tie British Government. lie expressed
the hrmes conviction thai whoever would r. I'D thaI
report would come To the same conciusiCn which
arrived AT by The author Of " Thongh hts on Do
nestle Slavery" Lo,d Durham states as his deci.
ded opinion, after much observation of the French
aud Brush residents IN Canada. thai thry cannot
live together tremendously, aud thai il is utterly
impossible TO hope for peace and tranquility IN those
provinces, cxcepl by making one portion of he IN.
hab,rauts subordinate to the other.
When Mr.. Clay sat down, Mr.. CALHOUN
instantly rose aud gave amusing example OF his
charac erstic ,gotsn by claiming as his thunder
the proposition Of the authorize whom Mr. Clay had
referred. The proposition. he said, WAS solemn
truth, and lie had long ago announced it IN The
Senate. Two distinct races could not live together,
but with the relation of master and slave the exs-
tence of that relation ia the South an institution
tending 10 Tho common advantage of both races.
This ruth being established. MI. Calhoun pro.
cecded say, he hoped The Senate would me
soon TO recognize another great truth in regard To
what is called he right Of petGon. On thai point,
there seemed to him to be utr-t inIatuatiOn ~ the
! minds ul IN Il his riuh I'M mai Al
ed did exist under republican system Of go
vtrnment IL belonged te the dcSpotit system Of go
vernmeut. lis The last resort Of Siarery!t lers.n
is superseded by The ballot box-by the free sui
rage guarded by HE Constitution.
Did ever any one (he asked) hear 81 The right Of
petition in The ancient repnblics-in the free States
of Greece aud Rome! Never
Those who claim it, (he .ontinued.) in regard to
the question Of abolition. do for their own
defence, or the redress OF grievance but they en-
pl " il as sword wherewth to make an assault ON
others.
He was amazed 10 hear sensible men talk Of this
right, under our system. 1t had no pant lot in
our Constitution. The idea is borrowed from Eng
! land
Mr.. Calhoun thanked Mr.. Tappan, Of Ohio, for
the stand he had taken in refusing present these
petions and declared thai, il Nil the members OF the
Senate would take the same course, there would be
40 difficulty. He appauded The decision taken b,
! the House of Representatives on the resolution OF
Mr. johnson, OF tyland. refuse to receive aboll-
| lion memorials. When he received petitions that
| he did not like. he threw them in the fire and he
believed that, in the progress OF truth these ideas
so prevalent about the night OF petition would be
speedily abandoned.
These remarks Of MIR. Calhoun were the real
source OF the debate which ran on for so many hours
Mr. Clay had not said word about the right of pc
tton nor would there have been any debate upup
that subject, in reeience To the petition itself,
had not Mr. Calhoun thought fit to throw 10 his new
doemas. He il who began the discussion.
Mr. CLAY noticed In a strain Of playful raIllery
the pretcnsions Of M. Calhoun 10 be Tho original
inventor Of the idea respecting Two different
being able Ia live Unanimously without the one be
ng IN subjecion to the other. He said, however
that he had much commended the idea as
the manner in which ii had been illustrated, and
enforced by the author Of whom he bad spoken.
Mr.. Clay then expressed his entire dissent 10 the
notion. that The right Of petition, expressly guard
ed by the ram,rs Of the Constitution, is a mere
nutiity. He for respecting and he sincerely
believed that # these petitions received and
reported upon, by a proper Committee, more good
would be done than any mark OF contempt and rep
rotation which could be put upon them At the
threshold With regard 10 The praise Mr.. Calhoun
had bestowed upon Mr.. Tappan Of Ohio, Mr.. Clay
said lie too, clad 10 bear the sentiments of
that eenile on against the Aboliionisls aud lire
more especially. since he lad formeiy been trora
Liy dspoScd toto0rdS Them. e..
lie concluded by declaring that, as the effect of
the proceedings of the Aboriouists on the Unon
he had no apprehension whatever. II The public
press and the polIlicians would let the matter alone,
aud not agitate il for party purposes, lhc excitement
would speedily die away.
Mr.. TALLMADGE next rosr and in spcccl,