Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-26
To rms EpIroRs on rus Vine.
ANTI.AROI

lect 10y our Representative Like yon,s.l, =.
Messrs. Editors. have 90 disposition to asate this
exciting topic; but differ from you in as much ns
only concur IN one ofthc positions taken and dis,
gree TO all the conclusions in the second number o
| Hanover" And whilst admire your prudence in
NOT eh'orihe into discussion with him. and would
| s'ad'y act accordingly myself, yet the columns OF
your paper having been opened TO propos ate error
| tru'h anu justice demand To bc allow ed the snmr
m'Iium 10 expose u, and what you Justly style "the
| sophs,tios anu unfair Arguments" or"Ilanover."
In inc statement OF his proposition there is as
much ingenuity displayed, as In the context n dis.
position To make this subject source of political
| capital To be welded against our independent and
iSM'ess Representative, MIR Bolts. There "a vast
uiuetence' conceive, between "thc benefits of the
riShr OF peution and tho right itself. The cons,i
futon III guaranteeing To the citizen the priyiIege
to assemble aud petition for IA redress OF rrievnn
VeS, Nuenuy intended something more than mere
aeNho" Iedsmenl that the citizen had a right 10 dc.
clare and publish what ho conceived to hr n ,,ioy
ance. why acknowledge the right to exist and nt
tic sane time ieter IL, that no redress t,r ,h,
wrong can oe had by the exercise of the ri,ht ,
inc tlsht lset becomes useless, of no avnil in Tho
citizen, unless followed by the 'benef. 80 nccr,,n
| upon the enforcement OF the right. These CONSIST
IN grant oi what tho possessed "eonsf;I,t,o,, Al
nsH, cnancs the ci'izen To ask for, and a full re-
dress OF the grievance complained Of To ob,n;,
this benefit admit the position of "fl nnovcr ",L
TWO things must be established or conceded VIZ .
l. Ihat there was grievance TO redress 2 That
u must oc a grievance affecting the petitioner"
ltl,
RES TO be made by the sworn member of Constess
IN his action upon the petition, after i, has fully
got before hm-aiter II has reached that state when
IN his capac ~ as Legislator, he is to consd.r LIST,
whether there bc n grievance and 2nd. whether
the individual petitioner is affected thcreby7 And
II answered athrmatvely, acting in rs solemn n ca.
Pacty as juror, to inquire then what redress com,
pensaiion or benohr shall accrue thereupon to the
petluoner, ami gf>nt accordingly.
But because these "benefls" now rs n necessary
anu Just consequence To the exercise of the robt Si
petition, the beng established on the posi,ion
"' iinover," It by no means follows that "the
~ cgment OF the night lot petition supposed
OF 'he Aboltinnists as n Constitutional right in
vovcS, therefore, the admission that slavery ia n
grievance, and grievance aiiccIin. the pe,on.rr
ana Just and proper, therefore, that the petition
shou'd oc granted. Such conclusion, based upon
the grounds that cnttlc the petitioner to the "ben,
hts accruing upon the establishment of tho risht
evidences either want of that nice discrimination
have before observed in that gentleman If correc,
III my supposltlon who is the author of Hanoyerl
or OF tact IN the statement and edlciions of nrnn
osItlon, which the profession he BELONGS In 10 90
well ca cuated TO beget.
The "eonsiiiu:i0nal righf' OF petition. md "tbe
dement's OF Tor to he derived irom) the right, arc
two separate and distinct branches of the Question
lhe one, more statement and proof of facts the
other, the result OF a verdict mud Judgment upon the
Hc's. Inc right Is the thing guaranteed. That can
not, by the terms OF the Constitution, be ABRIDGED
Inc dement's" are the administration of Justice un.
mnn,ion Of all the facts.
am sure the gentleman, when he comes 10 re-.
view his No. ?, will see with astonishn,ent the core
sous FOLLY into which he has been led possibly bv
his earnest hope, that Virginia (this district, NJ
least will furnish sons enough. like Wise and his
sa''ant compeers, TO prevent il being ever settled
" upon the concession 20 the Abolltlonists Il m,
constitutional right" Of petition. The princip. g
that the acknowl edgment OF the right of petition
as constitutional right, involves therefore the nd.
MISSION OF grievance, and grievance affecting the
peutoner," IT sound in this instance, admits of no
limitation, and must extend to all cases is frausht
WIN the most serious consequences and Involves
Congress IN the dilemma of allowing avery neti,ion
presented to them, refusing 10 do Justice and eoui
tyto the prayer conceded To exist by is own pre.
scribed rule. Take supposed case for iIlustrn-
uon: Congress Is expressly clothed with the mower
ito dispose OF the public lands" Hanover and my.
sell conceive ourselves To be Justly entitled To a
bounty OF 10000 acres Of land each for the service
OF our ancestors some or ~ months or more i'm
the evolutionary war-our grievance IS the omission
ny congress 10 give unto us what we conceive 10
be our due, and what the Constitution expressly
provides may be done. The "CoHsiilu,ionai right;,
10 petition tor this bounty in the practice of the
Government, has never been denied-and by conse.
quence, upon the principle contended for by Hano.
yer, we are grieyed, and Congress bound, upon
principles OF justice, to allow us the petition The
practice OF this principle would no Doubt Inc very
comfortable 10 US bosh-and If Hanover will con.
vince Congress OF the correctness of his position |
Revolutionary services OF my father, and give unto
Hanover one-haif for his influence in my behalf
IL correct IN its application TO Congress, for the
same reasons II would apply to our judicial tri.
Ounals, IN which man has both the Const;-
tutiona. and legal right TO for any, even ina
gnhry injury lie may suppose another to have done
hIm; ana 10y the simple act OF the commencement
OF the suit-the awarding OF the writ by the clerk
the Judge, and jury empannecd TO try the cause,
are bound to admit an injury done, for which dam.
ages must be allowed. "Hanoyer" well knows
that the reverse the fact and that he who asks
the aid OF court TO redress his wrongs is placed
upon the necessity of establishing and proving the
injury before the court and jury will even admit he
has been injured.
This is exactly what these "young marplotsp-
as Hanover IS pleased to style those members of
CongSess who voted with the venerable Adams on
this su1Ject-are DESTROYS to produce-They want
the Plaintiffs IN this m1tter-the Abolitionists-to
state their case fully, before this national court and
jury, and have 1t argued and settled at once and
ioreyer-so that II shall no longer be either to the
North or the South, what many now desire to make
ia stock for political capital.
have extended my remarks farther thin in
tended, end now leave the subject, hoping that Mr..
Bots, # Hanover continues his Is ps, will over his
own signature, reply as know he can do, with the
exception Of few llanoveGins, to the entire salts
iacIon OF his constituents. HENRICO.