Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-10
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

= HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
After the reading OF the journal, the representa-
j. tive from Pennsylvania who arrived on Saturday
i presented himself at the desk, and was sworn.
% rHr TWENTY riRSr RULE.
: The hrSt business then IN order the modified
/ resolution al Mr WISE in relation to the adoption
OF the rules OF the last House. with the amendment.
penang thereto, Tor excepting the 2lSt rule, whcl
d prohibits the reception of abolition petitions.
MIR WISE asked permission TO refer 10 an in
e stance some years ago, when debate was had up
C on an abolition petition, and its reception was re
= iused-alSn, that the name of Mr. Adams among
= the yeas.
MIR ADAMS. Now the mountain is delivered OF
IT'S mouse. (Great aushter) Mr. A. then, IN an
ronical tone, congratulated MIR Wise that ho had a,
length found precedent when the House had re.
$ fused to receive an abolition petition.
Well Stid MIR A., the gentleman has at last found
case IN the year $500, when part of a petition
c from co'ored people the House determined not to
countenance. But, continued Mr. A., although |
have ever presented and advocated the right of pc
tiilon, have ever asked the House to grant the
passage OF petitions asking the immediate abolition
j OF slaveryl Have not, in many instances, most
respectfully sud that the people requested me to
vote for the immediate abolition of slavery IN this
District, could not comply with that request
; Certainly have, although have and shall ever
deem II my duty TO that the RIGHT of petition
is held sacred.
MIR y. then proceeded to contend that all petitions
should be respectfully received. They ought to he
received, referred TO Committee, and reported
upon, either IN favor Of reporting the prayers or
otherwise; this mode Of procedure was treating the
people with respect, and the proper course for
the House To pursue.
Mr. a. then thanked the House for allowing hun
IN tins instance to proceed IN expressing his views
without having his mouth stopped, as had been the
case IN former instances.
MIR \. then continued To state what he deemed the
very unfair conduct nj the House IN the adoption OF
the 2lSi Rule. lie complained, he said the journal
would show II, that after McSsrs Wise Cost John.
son and others had made their oag speeches winch
went forth To the world, he, Mr. s., not suffered
10 speak IN reply.
McsSrS. Wise and Johnson here rose and denied
that they had pursued such a course. Mr. j. bore
rather hard upon Me- A. IN relation to the latter ha.
wing himself voted to reject abolition petitions
MI ApANS-l refer to the Journal. The Jour.
nal OF the House will show how the case stood tbo,
was refused hearing.
Mr. A. then explained the Circumstances under
which he had voted, IN reference to the case cited
1 MIR JOHNSON affirmed that he did il in accord.
ance with the wish oi tho House, namely vote for
the ayin. on the table OF the petition "iur the prc
SENT and went against the reception of the pei.
ton. Having 50 done, Mr. J. called upon Mr. A. as
gentleman To read the charge he had made, Of his
having himself voted against the reception Of an
abolition petition.
Mr. JOHNSON explained and reiterated what he
had previously said.
| MIR WISE continued and maintained thar Nj A
had not eHoncracd himself from the reflection lie
had attempted To iIsten upon the House.
lie, MIR A., affirmed that the vote given by him
tlr Ilr
postponement OF the consideration of the petition
from one day to another and was not given on the
reception OF the petition ItseIf
| MIR A. then proceeded Ia say, that although he
was not IN favor OF immediate abolition OF slavery
IN tic bIstrict-ya he con;ended that Congress had
the power to DO IN proof of which he referred 10
rcsoluIoos offered by him two years ago, which
proposed the Prospective abolition Of slavery in the
pis'Tc;. Ai.cr some further rcmlrks on that head
| Mr. A AGAIN alluded to the 2lSt rule, which his n
meuImcn; proposed to reciud, and denounced i, as
the very essence Of tyranny. lie then reasserc,!tb
circumstances under which The rule was aiopt,d
and n doing made SOME amusiny allu,ions Ia ,be
''conseTTarions."
Mr. \. said he hoped that although the sdoprIon
OF the rule was measure OF the last administration
1T would not be one Of the present Administrations
The gentleman from Virginia, (Mr WlSE) had
denied that the repeal Of this rule would be the no.
Icy OF the present Administration. Now he would
tell that gentleman that lac mir A. had never as
serted that its repeal would be the policy OF the pre-
sent Administration All ne had said was, that he
hoped Il would be.
Blu. the gentleman mir WISE) has thought pro.
per 10 OnnS private opinions INFO the House and
say that "iO ms knowledge the present Executive
would no' be IN favor OF the repeal of the Rule"
Mr. W lSE denied having brought any private
Opinions into the House. What ue had asserted in
relation {" 'he Executive was public, and Iong ago
known rs such.
MrADAMS then alluded to what Mr. w COST
JOHNSON hal s1Ij VIZ: Chat he had received
tLltf tt'i'il ll' present Executive Whilst he
a candidate for the Vice Presidency, which an.
proved the 2ist rule" NIr \. then demanded tic
production OF the eLter IN question, that might be
read.
, MIR JOHNSON said nc had not the e,ter in his
possession, bat he would vyuch FOR is contents as
he had asserted. He felt authorised TO speak in re-
!aion 10 the views ol the Executive IN the matter.
Mr. ADAMS. demand Of the gentleman upon
what Wing principles uocs The gentleman refuse TO
produce the letter which demlndel the other Jsy
and the reading OF which dsm1nied Just now
hope that letter will have effect Whatever in reln-
ton 10 The vote which shall bc given 10y the Wings
: ct thus House, but that every Wing will vote upon
hgu public principle No MN, / contend has
right TO bring letters from the Executive to influence
. Ihc proceedings Oi tins House.
: Mr.. "a. urged that this question Of the 2ist rule
, was a question between tie North and the South
q IL was oppression Of tie North ly the Soub
and while II excluded nine icr,hs of northern peii
lions, II received all the petIiorc ol the South.
+ Yes, sad Mr. H., 1t IS conscience winch makes
men cOwJrdE yet there is cOwlrdIce 50 great mo-
terror so Alarming rs ihi, winch scarss q man when
hc . supposed 10 he an abOionst. After proceed.
ing for some time, Mr.. ADAMS commenced re.
gudr reply 10 the speeches Of Mrssrs JOHNSON
. and WISE, as Published IN the National lntc,l.
gencer lie repeated al. he had said before those
speeches were made and urged, with much earnest
"oss, that the immediate repeal Of the rule IN ques-
. ton was due 10 the American people.
, Me-. KING, 81 CgOgu, followed. lie said the
, question w1s uuy, as the gentleman from Mas.
eo'NNH''Ns HAu hilNf one OF we most Important
j could possibly bc introduced Mr.. X. tien warned
the House that unless some decisive measure
should uc adopted, as TO prevent the agitation Of
tins subject, and that soon, tbg evil would become
50 great that this noble Union would rgEolye itself in
, To its orig.Dt elements.
Tie referred 10 the man who 10 = IN Immortality
sct htC 10 the MODEST he ithcu temple ln the world
and minated thlt Nc. Adams by beiu, the cause
r 81 the destruction NJ our compact would snIoy the
satisfaction of having his mans 20 down to posterity
. with the ruins.
After some further debate, the amendment of Mr.
Albums, To except TIC 2lst Rule, was adopted ~
p the following vote:
TEAS-MCssr. Adams, T. II. Allen, $. j. An.
D. drcws, Aycrgg, Blbcock, Baker, BIrnard Becson
BifIseye, Blair, Bolrdman, Borden, Bots BOVINE
u Brewster Brggs, Brockway Bronson, Charlie,
'i Brown, Jeremiah Blown, Burucll, Calhoun Cbifds
20 Chuendcn John &. Clark, StaIey y. Clarke Gin
U ton, COwcn, Cmnslou, Cushing Richard 3D. Davis
p, DImmock, Dog. E-beit Everett Ferns. F,sssnI,p
H Fillmore, John q. Floyd, Charles A. Floyd, For
nance, FOs'cr, Gates GJ1Inrs, Patrick g. Go1dc
Dc Gordon, Grcs, Cuisine, ll1I lIastcd, Hastings
a- Henry, iioword, Hudson, Iluu' Ingcrsoil irwin
r. irwin, James, Andrew Kennedy Lone, Lawrence
o. Linn, Luehe.d, Lowell, RoJeri Mcclellan, Me
. k"on, MHch'nd, Aired NIrslaIl, MbuiDt, Mat
20 tJcks, MaKwcl, Maynard, Morgan, Morrow, o.
W. borne, Pnrmcntcr Partridge, n - PendIeton, Plum
er Ramsay, Benz. Randall, Alexander Randall
u Randolph, Rldewoy, Roosevelt Russell, Salton
lo stall, SANFORD Sergeant, Simonton Sadc, Smith
Snyder, StokcIoy, Struton, Stuart, Richard w
h' Thompson, Iiliughnst Tn.tnd TounIinspn Trum