Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-08

n blessin. from Providence for this country which
| esteemed most conducive 10 perpotuate its lIber
ties anu glorious institutions, It should be 10 free
from the pes,ilent brood OF public agents, who con
suit personal popularity first, and their country:
soJi afterwards: who are extremely daring wher
backed by the multitude, but the bases Of potroon
at other times.
Your friend,
JNO. Ii. PLEASANTs.
Hon. JOHN NJ. Boris.
WASHINGTON, JuLI ), 1911.
JoHS II. PEASANTS, Esq.
DEAR SIR: | received your letter several days
ngo but have had no opportunity TO answer It until
now.
will endeavor, as briefly rs possible, 10 give you
the operating upon me Tor the vote gave re-
scindn. the 2ls, rule OF the House, which vote am
pleased 10 find you approve. But, as understand
the purpose is to make public Of my reply, it
will be necessary should he explicit.
In the first pace, as you have already seen, |
place my yo'e on constitutional obligation 10 receive
al petitions from the People for redress Of grevan-
ces, real imaginary; the opposite ground is con-
tended for by many, who suppose Congress Is un
der obligation to receive petition TOR " hat they
have right TO grant; and you mention in your
letter (ai,hOIgh you speak in warm terms OF com-
mendatIOn oil my course) shat you do not conccdc
them tlhc aJOitonsis) the right 10 petition Con-
gress to interfere with our home institutions" Let
dvesi this sunJec; OF all feeling and prejudice and
examine il as an abstract proposition, and II / am
fortunate enough in committing TO paper what is so
cielr to my mind, have deceived myself il
there i. gu Que oP MON on the subject when family
examined
concur with you that Congress has no iurisdc.
ton, no constitutional contro! over tho subiec, OF
slavery, even in the District OF Columbia. But this
ul itself is q debotabe point Many of the first legal
men in the country, North and South and many
ieadin: politicians OF both parties, acknowledge the
power, aud we all know that MIR Van Buren, was
elected as Chief Magistrate of the nation with the
sentiment Just then extorted from him. that with the
lights then before him, he not prepared to say
Congress did not possess the constitutional power
TO abolish slavery ~ the District Of Columbia, and
that this sentiment recognised and adopted by
the whole party to which he was attached consti.
tutng, il did, either at the time Of his election
or at a subsequent period ofhis administration, a
majority IN every Southern State in the Union;
adopted, so far as any sentiment OF public agent
can be recognised by the support Of the constituent
body; and if 1t be true that the public Judgment
had been pronounced against a bank by their SUP
port Of Mr. Van Buren,, with his known hostility
10 that institution II Is equally true that thew re.
cognised every other political sentiment he expressed
the time. particularly all such as were drawn
from him, as this was, as test question in the
election.
This then, say is debatabe ground and it is beg.
ging the question to say Congress has no jurisdlc
,Ion over the Subject. This happens 10 be nv opin.
IOn-that Congress has no such right. But have |
the right to decide II by refusing, as a Representa-
tive of the People, 70 Gllsten TO the circumstances
and arguments OF the People themselves, who hold
different opinonl Suppose my own constituents
and the whole saveholdIng population of the Dis
irict of Columbia To unite in an application 10
Congress upon this subIsc' is It apparent tha,
should be taking very high ground to refuse to re.
ciGve their petitions? And yet under the opera
ton Of the 2ls rule, they could not be received or
entertained IN any way whatever.
My position Is, that the right or petition is a
sacred and nyIOlabe rIgdt, which has never been
denied ~ England twhencc we derive oil our par
EHmentary usages) by the soNe eign TO the subject
aud much less can 1t he denied 10 this country by
tic representative 10 the constituent body
In the Declaration OF Independence among the
many haTdshps and expressions complained Of a
g'lnst the mother country, which led the American
Colonies 10 establish an independent government
their complaints did no, extend TO the denial Of The
Ight Of petition, hut That their petitions we're ug-
Needed, that the grievances complained Of were not
TfdresseJ and, upon tie adoption of the ConstitI-
ton, DC WIS deemed Of sufficient importance by our
Revolutionary sreS TO provide, by special prov.
sion that Congress should make no law 10 imo7ir
the right, and i would be absurd to SUPP Sc that
one branch OF Congress could effec, by suere rules
VIVA the whole Of Congress Is prohibited from do.
ing by aw.
Ia the Declaration Of Independence, afisr enume
rating the various grievances and expressions under
which the Colonies aborod, it says: an every
stage Of these expressions we have peiilioned for
redress ~ the most humble terms our repeated
petitions have been answered only by repeated in.
Jury. prince whose character is thus ma ked by
every act which may define q tyrant Is unfit 10 be
the ruler Of tree People" II the South should
take stlnd against the North and derry 10 them the
right Of petition on this subject, how soon may il be
that The North Will array Itself sgliusi the South
and deny 10 them the right Of ueuop on some Other
SugJec.I And when the two sections Of the cou1-
try become thus eHaspcrl,cd, the one aga.ns, the
other, and Congress shu.. undertake 10 sly upon
what subjects the People, the sovereign PeopIs Of
the United States, may petition their own Repre-.
sentative, % requires no great authm1uea genius
% count the days OF the Republic Ny own i'm.
preston % ihat i would not and ougtt not 70 last
as long as vii. take you 70 resd this letter after
this a,ai wound shall lave been .uac.ed upon 20.
puIar freedom.
IL has been grave.y, and think most aoyi,,fy
slij, THAT there must be a grievance tp csfnp.ai1
of beisrc the right 10 petition can be acsrowIsdg
Cd" ID course, this means that there must be T,
grievance 10 the estimation Of those whOsc duty b.
~ To- redress, lJr tn petitioner asa matter urry,s
complains Of as grievance; and 81 iu the oprr.og
oi OOu the petitioner and the body pC'f,or,g' i.
grievance, as necessary consequence DO mus, be- re-
dressed; and the result would be- that the pr,yer og
every petition would be granted that was r,rS .y,J
for according to this logical reasoning, a e,se az
grievance must be made out satisfactorily 10 tbe i,
uy applied to for relief before the petition can he no.
cclved. Now, such argument would be dlsc,edta
ho 70 any scuoolboy twelve years DID, and vet there
are some who arc undertaking 10 cUIlgbtep the
world with their wisdom, who have taken this
ground.
Did the British Government ever ackpow Isd,e
that the American Colonies were laboripg Yodc,
grievances But did they ever deny to hem tbe
right 10 lay their complaints, real or imag nary be
fore the sovereign And yet the Representaiiye /.
60 prescribe 10 the People the subjects ON v,bct
they HAT petition, for 4 the South an prcsrribs M
the North, tho North can prescribe to Tie Soutb
IN truth, the question IN controversy the question
% be decided, Vs. whether grievance exists or ma,
and whether you have the power TO redress d. and A.
say that Congress has no jurisdiction over the sub
Iert, D. be answer 20 be made TO the petition itself
and not the objection 20 the reception orths petition
'1N me 20 quote the Constitution, which Is as 70,
lows.
Congress shall make no law respecting an estab
liFhmsnt o. religion, or prohibiting the free e1ereis
thefsoc or aJfi1gng the freedom Of speech or Z
r.s fr,rsi Or the rsh, Of the People peaceab'y
assemble, and 70 petition the Government for a r,
Tres q grievances"
NOu, eel ne, pray, where is the constitution
..1l.t 70 the night Of psttonl Who - 10 decide !
Isn 700 Of - u % Ibis Congress or the next; or
sse8 % jsc,ds for nselfi Is the right Of petto
rsafsnfl.d ~ he constitution, Of 10 slight impo
ts,cs fhsf - 70 be undefbe5 and undetermine
tgesps see0sjing % the will uhim caprice, fame
fsiT, Doltcsi complex on, Of each particular Co
g.s.s 70 tie subjects on which petitions shall
ssarss1 There happens unfortunately 10 be rat