Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1842-03-22
THE RIGHT OF PETITION.

Congress has recently been disturbed and occu-
pied 10y Abolition petitions and the time OF that body
which belongs To the whole people. is consumed
tensvely bv a class of persons who are numerically
insignificant. Now unless these petitioners fancy
themselves to be individually very important. they
are perpetratiug gross wrong IA thus tressPsssng
on the ttue ct the whole country trespass of as
much turpitude aud more than those on the property
aud peace of the citizen. winch are punishable by
law. Even supposin- tie sht OF petition 10 be wha,
they CAIN. II Is not right peculiar to them. nor
ri-ht paramount To that ,f legislation 1tseli, with
winch they are continually niering.
The members OF Congress assemble in Washing
ton under Instruction OF the Constitution and the
people II icgisia'e. The duty of obedience to this
instruction imperative than that of receiving
petitions One Is the object OF the institution oi
Congress: the other l. incident. Bat the Abolition
Isl modestiy ask of Congress To allot thcm large
portion of It's time and attention, when m number
they cannot pretend any such proportion. and ma
sentiment they regarded by the country of Tar
less weight than IA number. TO be cure they
possessed with notion Of the paramount Importance
of their theories; but TINS, although II may be
good excuse for the devotion Of their own time To
their OBJ cts reason why that VI the country
should be monop0lIsed.
But the uiasiice Of the Aboiionists does not stop
here. they INSIST. merely that their petitions
shall be considered. but that the question never shall
bee settled Congress unless II settled m their
favor. Ii great party. like the Democratic or the
u hlg. consisting 81 hal the people, sends petitions
INTO Congress N behalf Of measure considered vital
Il the puphc welfare. such National Bank or
Cot itutiaual Treasury the decision OF Congress
considered nnal Tor the of that body. Ii the de-
eated marty IL dissatisfied II does not persist IN i'm
portunty on that Congress but endcavors to return
F a wiser one through the ballot box. Not 50 with
your Aboltionisis. Congress may debate FOR
month and ,lecde-but the next day one ot their or
rams viii rise h present the usual package 1T peti
lions \ body of sens bie and honorable reiormers
would m 10 act on the of the peoples repre-
sentatives: the Abolticnsis have adopted tie orgy
nal and mastery design o tiring out Their patience.
And they are pervcrting and abusing the political
institutions of their country 10 the purposes OF re-
form or rather an innovation whose legitimate means
are a. vet those which belong 10 every other class OF
ref,rners The abotionists desire 20 impose de-
bate I'm Congress for the purpose of giving themselves
and their doctrine cons, guencs IN the country.
which they cannot secure by other means. And
they wish sprel their doctrines 10y means OF the
United States mail, IA tie form 81 Congressional de-
hates throughout a section Of tie country whittier
they themselves dare not 70 with all their zeal Tor
the rights Of man. and a their ambition for the repG
tation OF philanthropy. Let them not suppose tina,
the country them. The qualities of
A sincere reiormer Will always secure rympaihy and
regard. however erroneous or cxtravaSant has plans
because the world admlTes courage, benevolence.
constancy and forttude;-bn, the fear that keeps hs
Distance from danger, and the cunning that abuses
rights limited to specific objects for the purpose OF
ASA no the very people by whose aid those rights
we're indicated will never be recognized as part OF
the treat family OF virtues that marks the character
+ OF rcioriners.- Cincinnati Eafatrer.