Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-02-27
THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 81, 1910.


done than by any marks Of contempt and
Reproduction which could Be put upon them
at the Threshold.
With regard 10 the praise Mr.. Car.
nouN had bestowed upon MIR. TAPrAN, of
Ohio, Mr.. Clay said he too was glad 10
hear the sentiments of that gentleman a.
gainst the Aboliiionis,s, and the more as
pecially since he had formeriy been Jarcr.
ably disposed foscaras them.
tic concluded by declaring, tina, as 10
the effect Of the proceedings Of the Abo-
lIiionisis on the Union, he had no appre.
h~ension whatever. If The public press
and the poiaicians would let the matter
alone, and not agitate il for party purpo.
ses, the excitement would speedily die a.
way.
Mr.. TALLMADeH ncxt rose, and in a
speech OF great power, c%ontroverted the
assumptions Of Mr.. CALHOUN. Iis rro.
tested against treating the right Of peti-
ton as a trivial matter aud maintained
that Il had been held os a matter OF The
greatest Importance, from The first strup.
gle Of liberty in this country, down to tho
present time. In proof Of this. he refer.
red to the sentiments on the subjcc, which
pervaded oil the public meetings immedi-
ately previous 10, and during the Revo-
luton, and which were expressed in their
resolutions and reports. With the same
object, also, he referred 10 that amend.
men, to the Constitution which guards the
right, and prohibits Congress from doing
L any fhtnn ~ abrtt.ta 10 IT,. ..- -
Of the amendments, the adoption Of which
was made by New York an express con.
dition, sntecedent 10 the ratification by
her people, of the Constitution.
The right, he maintained, went behind
the Constitution. The citizen has a right
TO petition even for that which Congress
is prohibited from granting. He could
presen, my petition, IL couched in Ian
guage respectful to this body.
MIR. TALLMApoE closed, by remarking
that having already made his sentiments
known to the Senate and the country, he
had not risen on this occusion for any
purpose but to protest against the doc.
trines Of the Senator from South Carroll.
ma, and to express his conviction TINT if
gentlemen here had not invaded, and at.
tempted to deprive the people Of the ina.
lienable right Of petition, there would
have been much less heard about aboli-
ton.
MIR. CALHOUN, in his rcjoinder, began
10 exhibit that offensive, dominecling tone
which has been so habitual to him oil late.
Hc called on Mr.. TALLMApcE to soy
whether no would present a petition Cur
putting down the Christian Religion, or
one that contained abusive or disrespect.
fui language towards the Senate. But
his manner Of address was naughty. and
indicated a feeling Of triumph as if he
had put questions which MIR. TAtLMApoE
could not answer.
The distinguished Senator from New
York, returned the defiance in a proper
spirit, and quickly lowered Mr.. CAL.
HotN's exulting one He said a petition
whose terms were ~disrespeclfuI to the Se-
nate, was an exception Of course, and
selfproiection required that the presenta.
ton of it should be refused. As TO the
other very improbable instance OF a pe.i. |
ton against the Christian Religion, he did
not think there would be much harm in
the presentation even Of II, If it were re-
ierrcd to "a properly constituted Commit.
miitce.
Mr.. Calhoun said be would be glad If
the Senator would 60 home, and tell that
to his constituents, they would alter their
tone Of remark upon the members Of the
other House who had voted against re.
ceiving these incendiary petitions. He
repeated his denunciations against the
{" monstrous doctrine" of the right to pre-
sent such papers, and declared that those
who held it showed they had less sympa.
thy with the South, than they have with
the fanatics OF the North.
He then re.assertcd that the whole es.
sence Of the doctrine YVES an absurdity
under orr Republican System! Here,
said he, the people are TIM sovereigns.-
Shall tho sovereign petition the servant?
The notion was ridiculous, &c. &c.
After the rhapsody Of this eccentric
man was over, Mr.. BEDFORD BRowN, Of
N. c., made one Of his characteristic par.
tizan speeches, the whole purpose Of which
was to make out the whole Opposition to
be an Abolition Party.
Mr.. TALLMADoE very truly told him,
in the course OF a cutting reply, that
when he talked Of any political party in
the North being an Abolition party, he
talked Of what he does not comprehend.
There was no such political party there.
There was no leading public man there OF
any party who was not willing TO main.
tain the constitutional rights of the South.
MIR. TALLMApGE also noticed the re.
mark If Mr.. CALHOUN about the People
bring Soyereigns, and therefore having
no reason TO petition their Slaves! Why,
he nsked are these metnphysics presented