The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-10

80 ~ Coming wishin he scope Of the Presidents
Me.gs were laid ON the table and passed over 10 the
nett session But few abolition petitions however.
were presented He was not able 10 IND thai nc hAn
oresaaled single one during the SESSION. Those
hscl were presented went 20 the table not under
slayery gag rule but because they dad MT fall with.
IN tie rane Of business 10 which q had been dee ned
urotsr 10 con6ne the extra session
M s. said he would have the same course pursued
now He did no, believe that any abolition petitions
you'd Re presented during the present session. but ~
the, should they might be disposed Of under gene
ri resolution like that adopted at the extra session OF
1887 He would therefore simply drop the twenty
r rule in other words, eIceps il from the rules OF
helast House Of Representatives, TO be adopted Tor
tn government Of the present. lie thought none
ocuA object 70 this. IL compromised nobady. 10
drop except II from the rules would DC sPy ,sy
inc. We have come here for special purpose We
desie to accomplish IL as soon as possible, and ~i
nat consume time BY urging the adoption OF rule Tor
which there is practical necessity At the present
ses,sn. AID TO press which, will only have the effect
al prsducng irritation, without stopping the presen
tat,on Of single abolition Priition.
Par the accomplishment of the purpose he had sug
sestsJ Mr. S. said il seemed TO him that portion OF
she amendment OF his venerable friend from Msssa
rhurits Mr. ADAMs) was unnecessary; and for this,
II IN no other reason. he hoped the gentleman would
20 modify il to omit that part which contemplated
the OF the twenty first rule Ii his friend
shosi decline the modification, he would move to
amend his amendment by striking out the words
sons
In The first place there seemed to be absurdty in
under aking TO resciHd rule which was no longer IN
existence. The leading Specifications of the word re-
scird are, TO iop, or cut oh-oa nnui repeal All
these necessarily suppose that something in eris[
hpon which tie resembling process IS 10 operate
Before the 18th Of March last all these acts might have
been performed upon the twenty first rule because II
wasin being. But il had ceased TO be. Ii was dead
He would Let it remain To undertake 10 rescnd
~. IN
peal law which had expired by its own limitation.
In the second place Mr. S. said he objected TO the
altemp, TO reseind the rule, because such action, If
not Absurd, was unnecessary. What purpose would
be answered by resembling, which would not be an.
swered by merely dropping, the rule he would avoid
giving the act unnecessarily offensive form TO any.
He believed there were many who had no disposition
10 revive the rule at the present session. if ever who
would no, vote to rescind il. l. was dead, and they
willing TO let ii remain So They might vote 10
leave it Of the revised rules but would 90 be-
yond this. And why should they Why put the
proposition 10 such form 10 leave them aterna-
live but to rescind, or retain, the rule Why no,
permit them 10 give vote which should have the ef-
feet merely to drop IL.
And who would object to dropping it There
would probably be petitions presented al the pro-
sent session for IT TO act or ii there should be,
they might be sent over 10 the next session under
general resolution which should thus dispose of every
thing not embraced in the Presidents message Why,
then should the adoption of the rule be pressed Did
gentlemen wish 10 anticipate the discussions OF the
next session Was there not business enough
cessnriIy growing of the present crisis without con
Stunning the time py forcing the discussions upon the
House whch an attempt 10 revive this odvus rule
must necessarily produce Let gentlemen consider
upon whom would fall the responsibility of this con-
sumption of time. For himself MIR. .. said, he de-
sired do the business rendered indispensable by the
existing crisis a POSSIBLE. The people ex-
pecied this. They had right TO expect II.
Mr -
he urged the absence of all necessity Tor the rule at
The present session, there was any necessity tor drop
ping 1t Ii there should he nothing for TO act on,
would il not be harmless Why then, oppose II
No freeman (said Mr. s. need be asked why he
should resist denial of his right, because he did not
desire exercise it, and il therefore unnecessary
to enforce the denial Bot in this case rule was 10
be enforced for the time being II would probably be
enforced for the entire Congress.
MIR S. said he had, before leaving home, expressed
belief thai the odous twenty first rule would not
be pressed al the present session Some OF the abo
tonists had derided him for his creduly de was In
the habit of leaning 10 the favor bile side In Judging
of men and he would not abandon the position he
had taken in this case until the rule should be actu-
ally forced upon him.
Mr.. S. expressed his surprise that those who depre-
Gated continuance of the abolition excitement should
insist the adoption of Il e Fl rule. He could give
no assurance that refusal adopt would stop
excitement the subject Of slavery but he would
say that its adoption would rery greatly increase a.
The gentleman from Maryland, MIR. JohnsonD had
con,ended that the adoption Of the rule had had the
effect Of alIaying the abolition excitement, both here
and elsewheIs, and that h should, therefore, be con-
tnued Mr. S. said he had determined 10 avoid al this
time going into discussion Of the merits OF the rule
but he mus, take the occasion say, that the gentle
from Maryland greatly mistaken in his osti-
mate Of the effect Of it. II was true il had, to
some extent kept excitement out OF this Hall but II
had alIayed il elsewhere. The gentleman was
evidently ignorant of the depth and strength of the
feeling which prevailed at the North tins subject
While the gentleman dreaming that abolition was
dead it was, in fact, gathering strength from his own
efforts TO suppress il.
There was, (said Mr.. S great mistake prevailing
in regard TO the effect of gag resolutions and gag rules
1t was taking narrow view OF the subject To look
ly at the immediate results Of these measures here
Those must know very little of the nature Of the a,o
ition excitement who think TO stop, retard it, hy
denying the right of petition and iorbidding discus
sion in this Hall. They ought to know that if OBJ
structed in one channel, it will find another. The
stream will roll on, obsruct il who will. Who would
think of stopping the Potomac by dam. Raise 1t
mountain HIGH aud the waters will rise with il, and
either sweep 1t away, or force passage around it, and
roll on to the 1t was just with abolition
II mocks at gag resolutions and gag rules.
And let gentlemen beware OF the direction which
their i-ad,ised measures might give to the aboli
ton excitement. There was already third party"
in existence with candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency 10 the field. That party had been
forced into being by the gag resolutions, and rules
which had been adopted here, and by kindred mea-
sures in fayo. OF sla,ery elsewhere The adoption
of the gag rule at this time pouid gire tremendous
impulse 10 he movements Of that party Let gentle
men Of the consequences Of the act they
about to perform.
The great question of slavery Mr.. S. sadly would
have to be met ia some form, sooner later and
that not merely a question OF philanthropy and
Of human rights, but intimately connect
ed with the finances of the country, affected
they are, and must be, by the antagonis,
influences of free and slave labor The institution
slavery is practically interviewer with the whole sub
ject of political economy in this and every country
where 1t exists; and il must he discussed But he
would not 90 into the subject. lie would only
repeat the expression of his desire that the
present session should not be consumed with the ag