Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-21

| the two He would not detain the House by saying
any thing more the subject but as he had some
weeks ago proposed to the House measure of SINH
lar character which not then received, brief ex
PLANTATION would be necessary. 1t was known to the
House that the subject of Abolition petitions had
ted much disturbance here, we'll as throughout the
country. 1t believed, that there had not been
dozen members here, who would have voted to grant
the prayers of these petitions But day after day, week
after week and month after month, the subject involved
in them had been debated that floor, not only OBJ
sructing the business of the House, and denying JUS
tice to other petitioners, but creating excitement lea
louses and heart-burnings throughout the country
Surely, Sir, can prevent the mIschiefs that these
petitions are calculated to produce.
If we cannot prevent them from coming into the
House. at least get the difficulties IN which
the conflicting views of members with regard to them
| have accustomed. Some gentlemen think that they
should he received while others think they should not
some think that they should be received and rejected
think that they should be received and laid on the
table, and think that they should be referred to
committee with instructions TO consider and report on
them Then there were other gentlemen who were of
opinion that the petitions should he heard ut the bar
of the House. Amongst these conflicting opinions
gentlemen had been able to unite at the session of Con-
gress before referred to, somewhat similar
to the one he presented and he therefore, having
been admonshed by the experience of several sessions
had thought that by bringing it forward it would
to put an end the agitatng questions which would
otherwise be likely to occupy considerable portion OF
of the kind was necessary, and while he had DISPOSE
ton to sacrifice in the slightest degree the rights of the
South he believed that slight concession to the
opinions held in other sections of the country would
not be improper His constituents asked no privileges
They only asked to be let alone. He offered propo
stcn calculated to abridge the rights of the people
peaceably to assemble and petition for redress of
grievances. But when the people had exercised that
right, and had pettoned lie denied that they had any
right say that their petition shall be granted or to
prescribe to Congress its course of action on their petit
ton. If he had his choice, he would be disposed to
throw all Abolition petitions into the fire, or out of the
doors windows; butf majority Of the House would
not consent TO the mode of dsposng of them that he
preferred, but willing to adopt the course of the
last session. and lay them the table without reading,
debate or any action whatever, he would unite with
them He was aware that another proposition was
about TO be offered, which similar to that
submitted by his colleague (Mr Wise,) the other
day He, however, preferred the measure he had just
introduced because the effects Of the two den-
tcay the same; for, if the one received the petit
ton, the other did also If gentlemen would inquire
what had been the practice of the House and Of the
Senate for several years past they would find the eff
ects of both modes of dsposng of petition practl.
cay the sane for laying the question of reception on
the table carried with it the petition also, and it went