Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-30
THE RIGHT OF PETITION.
To THE EDIroRs OF rHE wu,s.

| To THE EDIroRs oF rHE wuts
| NL"'''"'e"-i nave watched with no little int
rest the controversy which has been conIuc,ed IN
your paper between the assailanlS and dsC.n,,o &c
/ the vote recently given by our Ren-osen,a,: VI
Congress upon the RECESSION of the famous ;,
r''e'ed oy the hope that the objections 10 the vo,o
even "ouIu be stated clearly and distinctly, have
reau several communications over tina sign,,nr, -
Hanover" attacking the position Of Mr. Rot al
discussing at large the question of AboltIon -"
greet 10 state, that IN no OF the con,mnp,.,,,
uNe't . " uoes Hanover assume or sustain what
lcons'der the strong ground Ui objection To Mr. RI,
vote, and without claiming for myself nnv n.c,I;,
merit III point oil perspIcuI,y, | will ende,vour 80
'o" !" "uH' 'hink ne has erred, and afford TO his
friends a iaIr opportunity OF defending him ''''
We are told in his Card, that he res,,Is .,bo ;L
oil petition, as absolute, unlimited, uncontroI,6Ia
consider" ''sa''o" 10
1t Is proposed to examine il, in truth, this right
OF petition IS as ilimitnble and indefinite as the
preventative Imaglnes 1t be. The rgbt IN nj;
uon congress is founded upon that clause in Ar
amend 10 Con-, which secures 10 the peope the ri,b
Pedoea"'y 10 assemble and petition the Government
Tor redress of grievances. This clause being rscre
decaratory OF e.eXsting right must lie c9rs,rnyJ
as expressing that right IN It's most compreh.nsvr
FORM AND tins is done by adding the words redt.ss
u grievance 10 the right OF petition" The two
terms oelns correlduve and insep lrable You ,viIl
observe that no where in the Gard adyer,.d 10 DO.
'he representative append these essential md ndis
pensaoIe words redress of grievances to the yoIs
M nil fun
ue right OF petition" would toe as boundIe,s onJ
unlimited as the Representative in his abund,n, o..
neroslty comedies 1t TO be. Without those innortn,
modhyIng Terms, Congress would be ANNOYED daily
perhaps hourly, 10y tie presentation OF A b6rion ne
uions, which, though crushed At once bv y, n,n,tar
10 iay on the table," would, nevertheless he n
ifuilul source oil veNalion aud excitement TO The
southern members, and OF malignant eYultn,;on ~
the fanatic aOoitIonlsts OF the North.
The night to petition for the redress of grievance
reaI or imaginary, Is InconIrover;ib.e The net
TONER u.s. IN the FIRST place. determine if The riey
ahce exists, ana then to apply where the Constitn-
ton points for redress The Legisl,tor the ,orty
to whom the petition is addressed is 10 drci5. ,ybc
her, IN hls deliberate judgment, the grievance eY
ISIS, and If II does, then 10 exercise his mower and
uu'y 20 rcdress.' But If, on the other hand ne
determines That the supposed grievance is no griey.
ance, or, but an imaginary one, and tbnt the ns,;
TONER dossediy, persiStngly urges and renews his
petition, such importantly becomes an aonov,nre n
contempt OF the House, which can he on.y rems.
died or arrested by the application and eni1rcenen,
OF those rules Of order which should govern ,II d.
Lucrative bodies. The remedy IN this case was NJ
iorded by the notorious "2lst Rule" Congress had
decided that they had no right grant the PRAYER
OF the abolition petitioner, that the grievance com
planned of did not exist, existing they mad no, the
power TO afford redress Under This rue the demon
OF abolition lay supinc-the subject was unnotleed
IN Congress those fierce and angry discussions,
which the mention Of abolition always engendereJ
Were hushed, and no apprehension Of the monster |
was felt amongus.
During this happy state Of repose and quiet. 1
motion was made by that old gentleman who seen. !
red from injury, delights with school bow zest in
mischief, TO rescnd the rule productive of 50 much
beneht and utility and upon this motion we nd the
Representative OF this District voting in the nfrmn
tive, side 10y side with AOo,onIsts and Agrarians |
Loco Focos and LeveIlers-decaring that II the |
barrier TO Abolition petitions was removed that |
he had neither the power or the nc'ination |
to grant them, and thus battling in behalf of |
some vague and visionary notions upon the right |
OF petition, he IS content TO interrupt the bust
ness OF the House, arouse the angry feelings of the
Northern and Southern members and DELAY the
moh.entous nfIirs Of the country. Had there been
the ieinest doubt upon the mind OF the representn-
tive as to whether the evil complained Of grew
ancc or not, Difference TO the right of petition and
respect for the petitioners, should ali ke have prompt
ed him to allow and consider the petitions. But
aware of the nature Of the petitions which the "2tst
Rue" excluded, and determining beforehand that
he would not, could not, grant the prayer Of the ne
titlon IN what, let me ask. can be found the npoo-
gy for thus warming into life the serpent which had
50 long been torpid; for thus cOuntcnancng the idea
that the South was reIenting in its hatred to Abp.
itOn that conscious OF the Injustice which had Lecn
done the Aboliionsts by the adoption OF the Rule
excluding their petitions In the spirit OF Cancellation
ard charity they had determined 10 repair the IN.
| jury, by removing the Rule which bore so gTovious-
y upon their Tights2 Will IL satisfy this people In
be told that their representative mas sanctioned the
proceedings OF the AbOlltOnsis IN the least degree
because he could not reconcile II to his constitution
al scrupes TO reject any thing hera.dGd by the sane
| ulying word Pculionl
Had the representative expressed no opinion upon
/ the subject; had he desired 10 hear a discussion
thereon, Tor the purpose Of correcting or confirming
| the impression he had formed, he might then have
claimed the merit Of consistency 10 resembling the
rule and allowing the poiiilOnsi but now, having
| declared beforehand that he would not grant tho
petitions f presented, what reason j, there Tor thus
| tumpeung with, tbu3 coquotung with 80 sacred
| right as the right Of peuuonl IT he really possess
the profound vcneraton for the right no claims 10
have, he reconcile II 10 his conscience 10 allow
tho people merely IN petition, and then without
silcrlton rcIscl Upon examining into the cause
Of this unbOundod regard in which he holds the
right Of petition, no will find that il prorc dB from
~ abstract idea Of the mere right Of petition, but
from hisher ho'icr source-a sympathy with ~
II oppressed ord aggncved people, who, aq the only
means Of redress, have n resort 20 petitions, and
thus h1liow tho name. Whom n mere, naked, tai
yolous petition 10 presented dvcsted Of tho sanctity
which II would possess, Il omaniung from grioy.
ancc, it's 20 be treated any other application, and
received or rejected az pleasure. AID n this IDLE
Application IL pressed u " Is troublesome once for
oil Il should be poromptorily denied IN this case,
then, take from the applications Of the AboltIOnsis
the sancuty given thom by the use ~ the tide psu
ton, carrying with II oil the sympithIes and respect
, which sieItirOm Us usually intimate connection with
n grievance and what have you but Troublesome
applications % Congress tU deprive portion Of our
citizens Of their rights, without those rights cor.
a'cung IN the least Gcgfoo with tho rights or inter
; osts Of Othersf ] beg tho representative, # this
should moet his eye, TO consider the crude suggos.
: ton thrown out without preparation correction;
20 forget for moment thnt these applications are
petitions; and then decide how no would treat such
: troublesome begghrs. n any further discussion ol
y this thing ~ 10 he had, these views may be more
Yours, sc.