The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-07-06
lion of a single abolition petition:

and for THIS if for no other reason he hn- ed the
gentleman would so mod fy il as TO omit that {
part which contemplated the resembling OF the
2lst rule. If his TREAD should decliue the
modification. he would move to am. nd his amend ;
ment by striking out the words witch is hereby ;
rescinded.' He did this for Two reasnns.
In the first place, there seemed 10 be an abSu- ;
ditv 10 undertaking to rescind rule which was
no longer in existence. The leading sicnifica-
tons Of the wori rescind, are, TO lnp, or cut off
to annul-to repeal. All these necessarily
suppose that something is in existence, upon
which the resembling process is to operate. Be
fore the 4h of March last, all these acts might
have been performed upon the 2lst rule, because
ii was In being. But II had ceased 70 be. Ii
was dead. He would let it remain To ua
dertake to rescind the rule seemed TO him as alb
surd as to attempt 10 repeal a law which had ex-
PRED by Its own Limitation.
In the second place, Mr. S. said he objected to
The attempt TO ''rescind' the rule, because such
action if not absurd, was unnecessary Mat
purpose would be answered BY resembling which
would not tie answered by merely droppins, the
rule lie would avoid giving the act an I'M
necessarily offensive form TO any. lie believed |
there were many who had no disposition 10 re-
vIve the rule at the present session, if ever, who
would not vote 10 rescind it. II was dead, and |
they were wiling 10 let ii remain So They |
might vote TO leave it out of the revised rules,
they Why put the proposition in such form
as 10 leave them no alt ruative but to rescind, !
or RETAIN the rule? Why not permit them to give
a vote which should have the effect merely To !
drop it,
And who would obIecr to droppingn? There
would, probably, be no petitions presented at The
present session for Il TO act on; if there should
oe, they mig hit be sent over TO the next session
under a general resolution which should thus
dispose of every thing not embraced in the
Presidents Message. Why, then, should the
rule be pressed Did ntemen wish to anici-
p.te the discussions of the next session? Was
there not business enough necessarily growing
/ out Of the present crisis without consuming the
time by forcing the discussion upon the House
which an attempt TO revive this odious rule must
necessarily produce Let gentlemen consider
upon whom would fall The responsibility of this
cCn>umpt on of time. For himself, Mr.. S. said
he de sired do the business rendered indIspenSa
bic By the existing crisis ms soon as possible The
people expected this. They had right to ex-
pect it.
Mr.. S. said he might perhaps be asked why,
since he urged the absence of all necessity for
the rule at The present session, there was any Ne
cessity for dropping? lfIhcre should be nothing
| for il 10 act On, would il not be :haTmlesso WHY,
Then, oppose it M freeman { said Mr.. s.
need be asked why he should resist denial Of
his right, because he did moi desire to exercise il,
and it was therefore unnecessary TO enilrce the
denial. But in this case, if the rule was 10 be
enforced for tie time being, il would probably b,
enforced for The entire Congress.
| Mr.. S. said be had before leaving home, ex-
pressed beliefthai the "odinus 2Ist rule" would
not be passed at the. present session. Some the
abolilioniSts had derrded him for his crelu lily.
He was in The habit of leaning To the favorable
side in Judging of men and he would not a.
bandon The position lie had taken in this case,
Il i L i II r
him.
Mr. S. expressed his surprise that those who
Deprecated a continuance Of the abolition excite
nj could insist the adoption Of the 2sl rale.
| He could give no assurance that refusal TO a
! dopi the rule would stop excitement on the sub
ect ofslavery; but he would say that its re-adop-
ton would very greatly increase it. The gentle
man fom Maryland. mir. Johnson had con-
tended that the adoption of the rule had had the
effect of aaYing the abolition excitement, both
here and else where. and that 1t should therefore
! be con nued. Mr.. S. SAID he had Determined
! TO avoid at this lime going into discussion oil
the merits of the rule but be must take the oc-
casion to saw that he gentleman from Maryland
was greatly mistaken in his estimate of the ef-
! feet of ii. IL true II had, II some extent
kept excitement out of this hall /; but it had not
allaved it elsewhere. The gentleman was evil
IDENTIFY ignorant of the depth and strength of the
feeling which prevailed at the North on the sub
iect. While the gentleman was dreaming that
abolition was dead, it wss, in fact gathering
strength from his own efforts to suppress it.
There was, tsad Mr.. S. great mistake
prevailing in regard 10 the effect of gag resolutions
and gag rules 1t was taking narrow view Of
The subject to louk only al the immediate results
Of those measures here.-Those must know very
little Of tie nature of the abo ton excitement,
who think to stop, or reiard it, by denying the
right of petition, and fnrbdnr discussion in this
HALL They ought 10 know that, if Instructed
in one channel, it will find another. The stream
will roll on obslruct II who will. Who would /
think of stopping the Potomac by dam 3, Raise
it mountain high, and The waters will rise with it
and either sweep 1t away, or force passage
round II, and roll on 10 the ocean. 1t was just
with aholition.-lt mocks at gag resolutions and
gag rules.
And let gentlemen beware Of the direction
which their own ill-advised measures might give
10 the abolition excitement. There was areadv
a third party' in existence with candidates for
the Presidency and Vice Presidency in the field
That PARTY had been forced into being bv The gag
resolutions, and rules which had been adopted
here. and by kiudred measures in favor of slavery
elsewhere. The re-adnpIion Of the gag rule at
this time would give tremendous impulse TO the
movements of that party. Let gentlemen beware
of the consequences of the act they were about
10 perform.
The great question of slavery Mr. 3. saId)
" ould have TO be met in some form, sooner or
later and that not merely as question OF PHI |
lanrhropy and of human rights. but as one init
ma.ely connected with the finance oil The country |
affected as they are. and ever must be, by the
,ntag,nist influences of free and Save labor. |
The institution of slavery is practically interwo-
VEN with the whole subject of political economy
in this and in every country where il exists; and
i, must be discussed. But he would not now go
into The subject. He would only repeat the ex-
nressi.,n of his anxious desire that the present