Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-18

lie next spoke Of the removals from office under the
present Administrations and sad that most exraor.
binary course had been pursued IN regard 10 many OIL
them in turning good officers out, merely on account
nj ,b,ir politics-a practice 10 which he was entirely
opposed lie mentioned, too, AZ fact, that the Secre
,arv of State mad removed gentleman, in every Ie-
spec competent TO fulfil the duties OF his Office, IN or
der t. put in his own son.
The SPEAKER here called the gentleman from
Pennsy lvania order the ground that he was not
combining himself to the subject.
Mr. HOLMES asked il the Speaker had called the
gentleman from Massachusetts to order the other day
when he departed from The question then before the
House.
Mr. RHETT said that the gentleman from Massachu
setis had not been called 10 order
Mr. DAWSON remarked that al the time the gen
eman from Massachusetts, was on the floor, the rules
had not been adopted and therefore that was the
the Speaker did not then interfere.
MIR. HOLMES said
..opics nee II lakes wern
To what i mol IL l"t seen =
Mr.. ADAMS hoped the gentleman would BE- allowed
TO go on without interruption in any remarks which he
mi rht think proper to make.
MIR. FESSENDEN said he hoped the gentleman from
Pennsy vania would be allowed 10 proceed without
the consent Of the House.
The SPEAKER said that the other day, when the
gentleman from Massachusetts tie floor, he
called linn 10 order, and he snbnittcd although the
rules were not in force.
Mr. INGERSOLI said, if permitted to proceed with
his remarks he would drop The question Of removal
from Office, and conlne himself strictly TO the subject
before the House.
Mr. CLIFFORD moved that the gentleman from
PENNSYLVANIA be allowed TO proceed with his remarks.
Objection being made
The yeas aud nays were demanded and ordered,
with view of determining whether he should be per-
mitted TO proceed with his remarks and it dec-
ded in the affirmative Yeas l56, nays j.
Mr. lNGERSOLL then again resumed his remarks
by saying that his position this that the English
right of petition not all American right oil petit
ton, and he conceived with great Difference TO The
better judgment and great experience of the gentle
man from Massachusetts, that the argument here had
been based upon the English Wing principle. Here
Mr. l. referred TO Blackstone vol p li2, in order to
show what the right Of petition is in England 1t
Indispensable there, where the Parliament om-
nipotent. But in this country, where the people are
sovereign, n very different thing. There was,
however such thing here the right OF petition be-
cause Congress was not omnipoent. tie denied that
there right Of petition to Congress, because there
existed The right Of instruction. Mr. L. next called the
attention OF the House TO the genealogical meaning OF
the word 'peti,on and then added that he submitted
this question Of considerable doubt, whether if
We passed the boundaries Of State have ri ht 10
petition Referring then TO the constituents of the gen
grievanc they complained Of Why, it slavery
in the Souih-a matter in which We have right TO
Interfere. 1t would be we'll to pause long and reflect
deeply whether this doctrine Of the right of petition
!
and others msht imagine. lie submitted these views
with great Difference To those whose learning and
intelligence greater than his, and whose sympa-
thies the subject were stronger. Although ne
might be wrong yet, upon the whole he was disposed
to tins conclusion that there is right oil
petition on the part Of State against the existence
of slavery in another State. How stood the ques-
| ton III regard to the District of Columbia. why,
il was claimed there a constitutional right over
slavery within the ten miles square. But the right oil
IN Tho uua that the right
applied only to those living within this District MI
l. was proceeding to remark what he understood The
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. w. {. Johnson) 10
ha said reference 10 the introduction OF the reso-
luton adopted as the sst rule OF the House. TWO years
ago, when
!. Mr. WIN. G. JOHNSON rose and said that the fact
Of COUGHING the rule in the words in which it now ex-
iscd vas occasioned by speech Of the gentleman
from Massachusetts,. The rule, lie told, as orgy
nally written by the gentleman from Virginia, (Mf'
| Wlse.) and submitted ~ gentleman from South Va
rnlna not this floor, virtually the same as
the 2lsi rule, adopted and it recently existed
Of the rnlss Of the House, which was written by
himself (Nlr. The proposition Of the gentleman
from Virginia the that offered BY gente-
man from South Carona, and was, that the motion 10
receive Abolition petitions should lie on The table IL
was only dfeSsal way Of reaching the snIne ques'
ton and the objects which they were reaching ny
rejection 9th petition when II first announced
/ by the gentleman who would present II and give
brief statement OF lis contents. lie had some
changed the phraseoogy of the resolution, but was
not the result Of any sudden impulse lie had exa'
mined the subject eight years ago when first elected 10
Congress- and he then came 10 the solemn conclusion
after the fullest investigation and after hearing the SUB
ec discussed and over again, that Congress nae
jurisdiction in the matter and that the people OF ''e
North have right to petition for the abolition oil sa
very either in the District of Columbia or any oil Tue
States. lie had spoken on the subject TIL TWO
years ago. but he had, he had just sald made up ms
mind in reference to 1t many years before. Mr. j. con
cluded by eiterang that, drawing up his resolution
on the occasion referred TO- he moved Suddenly
BY any impulse, but by his solemn, deliberate, n long
settled conviction of what he conceived 10 be the righ
course 10 be taken this question.
i nneoLi4 resumed. lie confessed that he
had some little difficulty in his mind about the extreme
strngIncss and universally Of this rule lie did not
like the operation of tins rule lie contended that this
was no party question; and the gentleman from Mas
!! sachuses was never more mistaken in his life if he
supposed il was He (Mr. H. knew men of all political
parties who agreed on this question lie confessed
that his motive for wishing see this rule rescinded
was, that he believed If II had never been force the
agitation the abolition question would have come To
an end before this time He would be willing for his
own part refer the whole subject 10 the gentleman
from Massachusetts TO make report upon it, and then
he that his doctrines the subject OF Adolf
ton would set the matter arrest.
| Mr. WISE rose 10 explain. He wished to offer an
explanation of his why he could not yield any
thing 1t explanation he had often made to the
gentleman from Massachusetts, that he (Mr. Adams)
would not go for The abolition Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia. That gentleman had said so several
occasions; at the time, he had uniformly under
stood from that gentleman and others that the Adolf
tioniss have why they will go for aboli-
ton in the District of Columbia. They wish slavery
TO remain here until petition after petition shall be
poured into Congress- day after day. and the discussion
kept up in the public mind until public sentiment is al
iected in the sayeholdng States. And the moment
gentlemen tell him they would not receive petition to
abolish slavery in the States, that moment they turn
round and say they would not abolish slavery in the
District Of Columbia at this time.
Mr.. lNGERSOLL concluded his remarks by e1-
pressing his deep anxiety and soictude to put an end
To the excitement prevailing in the country in relation
TO the question of Aboonism, and restore to
pose, peace, and tranquility
Immediately on MIR. lngersoll resumng his seat
Mr.. J. c. CLARK rose and moved the previous
question on The motion TO reconsider There being
eight or ten gentlemen struggling for the floor.
Mr. TRUMAN SMITH moved call of the Honse