Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-05-26


as favor that which the People in this
Government may demand as right. In
the other aspect, it implies the still hum
bier privilege of soliciting that which IT
may be generous TO bestow, and yet not
unjust to withhold.
If our Government was that Of the teic,
which oppressed the many, and when the
people assembled TO petition for redress
OF grievances, the mnions Of power, back
ed by the military, read the riot act, or the
tyrant's proclamation, and then dispersed
the multitude, under such circumstances,
it might be highly priced as great and
gracious privilege TO approach the throne
of a master through the obsequious medI-
um Of petition. But trust it shall prove
a vain effort Of the aboltionists to magnify |
the right of petition here into such conse-
Grated importance as to profit them much |
in aid of their seditious cause. They can |
not dignity this right by claiming for Ii |
such profound consideration, but at the
correspondent expense of debaslng the
American People to more servile condl-
ton than every principle of their Govern.
ment entities them to occupy. 10 hold
it up here as test of the Peoples free
dom, the conservative principle of their
liberties, the deep foundation on which
their Government rests, and that att Is at
stake in the rejection of their petitions, IS
truly working up an ocean tempest
"to drown a fly"
The condition of the American People
| is happily more elevated. their means Of
political preservation more enlarged, than
this portentous clamor would report them.
1t is false alarm, and will not take, that
the liberties of the People are held by so
frail tenure as the right of petition.
But am not tenacious that such petit
tons as are now presented should be re-
: fused admission, rather than nailed to your
table, as soon as received upon it. As a
question of right, would certainly prefer
that such petitions should not be received
into this chamber al all. | would prefer
: it, also, from a sense Of due and becoming
!, |, respect to those States whose sovereignties
and reserved rights these petitions most
> wrongfullv and rudely assail.
With respect TO the propriety and policy
Of referring these petitions, and reporting
> on their merits, with the view ofconciia-
:, ting the petitioners. shall say but little
: more than to declare my uncompromising
: aversion TO such a course. Not that
should apprehend, from the present organ.
j. ization of the Senate, a report tending in
. any material degree, to excite apprehen,
:. sions, or endanger our rights in the South
= am well assured no such report would a
: this time be made. But it is sufficient fol
me to repeat that, as verify believe Con
gross has no rightful jurisdiction of The
subject, ] should regard any report tina
could be made as triumph yielded to tht
officious opportunities of the petitioners
:, and hence a criminal usurpation Of powe
against the sovereignty of the States inter
:. ested. Nor do believe that any repor
p which would be made here would alla1
that obtrusive spirit Of the petitioners. |
= is tie Moloch spirit of religious and polit
= ical fanaticism; and when have sober rea
y son and simple justice ever met such ad
; versa ries with success
~ To the honest and misguided of on
= Northern brethren who may have con
. ceiyed their right of petition at hazard i
this contest, we VIII say to them, IN hoo
II an confidence, that their full and impair
- tial investigation Of this question must re
- suit in our justification. The question {
~ jurisdiction, in every II .bunal on earth, is
u u previous question, rightfuily made at til
- threshold; and no court that maintains
70 decent respect for its own character an
nc the rights Of suffers will belray itself by
u I IL II Il.
" Sy, when not possessed Of competent iuri.
N diction over the subject and the partet
III Now, the right of legal redress for iniuri5
- to person and property, and the pledge
power that ihe courts shall be kept ope
= for the administration Of such redless
ll' all, is familiar and emphatic pledge
- most Of the Constitutions of the State Co
n Ia5 ernments. Suppose the citizen mistake
-: ~ his forum, and seeks redress in one cour
~ ~ that can only be awarded in another; ii
-, court object to adjudge the merits of h
case, because impotent to grant redres
81, But the sutton persists that his right of ST.
~ is guaranteed to him by the Gonstitutio
~ and that this right is arbitrarily nulified al
70" rendered value ess, unless he can obtain
n1S hearing and judgment on the merits OH
Oh cause. The answer which the court mu
ny necessarily give to such importantly i
"Your right Of suit, as alb stract from o.
TO TO duties to adjudge, we do not contest;
u r. such right on your part does not conf
9nt on US a jurisdiction to decide your cas-
ave We take no cognizance of the matter, n
auS from disrespect to the sutor, but for wa
to of proper authority to retain and adiud
lsS' the suit. Go hence to that tribunal lUhi
'no has the po1cer TO grant what you petiti'
ooh for"
ION So would reason, necessity, and Il
ION =; philosophy ofits principles, dispose ofsu'
III question.
US US Those who seek only in sincerity
flo- vindicate the right of petition in this CO
na' troversy, permit myself to indulge t
% belief, will concur in these common sen
ar views OF the subject. But to those w
are have determined to busy themselves W
at, that which concerns them not, and W
leu discard the dictates of common sense, t
evidence of truth, and the lights Of reasc
9h' to grasp at conclusions in a sheer spirit
late wllfulness; those who reject facts to II
iru' orize in distractions, who substitute t
-.o1 bigot's morality for municipal law, W
'teu trample, without show of decency or
;, II morse, upon all the plighted faith and {