The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-07


done Can such doctrine be aimed, here or
elsewheref Will il be sobeIly maintained that the
presentation OF petition eoners new powers ON tue
Government Ii irbe then II follows that the pow
ers OF a republican Government are derivable from
minority and not from that entire body of the People
who created the Government and who control il at
pleasure. We have heard much said here about abb
slfactons. but really think that this doctrine is the
most perfect abstraction that ever heard oil in my
life. The gentleman deems the right # petition so
red thai even If petitioners should demand an mme-
date dissolution OF the Government and the seyeIng
Of the Union the gentleman opposed as he Processes
to be, to compliance with such prayer feels hi nse
constrained in conscience 10 present the petitions not
that he expects, not that he desires, any action upon
It, but simply that he may pay homage to the vene-
rable right of petition. Now, | ask can there, in
this America Anglo Saxon race, be right where
there is remedy Here the remedy is strenuousy
denied by one who as slrenuousy insists upon the
right. Ii that is not an abstraction, give IL up.
hope that those who confer and others the SOU
brquet Of "abstractions,s, and yet maintain pro-
position like this, will be dst enough TO take to Them
selves, and that the gentleman from Massachusetts
himself will henceforlh be reckoned of the alb
stractionlsts
But do the instructions with which the gentleman
accompanied the presentation of the petition affect The
question at all What are they That a select
committee shall report an argument and bring forward
reasons against the prayer OF the petitioners Of such
select committee the gentleman from Massachusetts
would no doubt be chairman, and would consider the
subject fully and ably, and would then report reasons
such would satisfy him that the American Union
ought not now 10 be dissolved. And what then 7
Alter ALL il is calculation Of the value of the Union
this is in reality the git Of the whole matter. Do
what you will, you cannot give it the go by. Whe
hef you refer II or postpone IT. or acqulesce IN II, or
lay on the table, the question has come up and the
House has To dispose OF II in some way or other, and
say that however ab!efuch report might lie, il must
sill amount 20 hs-a calculation of the value of the
non. Ii is process calculated to famiiarize the
public mind with such thought, and amounts pract-
cay 10 official declaration to the Powers OF Europe
that the American Congress Is beginning for the hIst
me calculate the value of the union OF the States
The movement is intended as part OF an attack on The
most valuable blessing we possess, and its tendency
Is TO excite popular discomfort You set up balance,
and place the gentleman from Massachusetts, with
his night of petition, in one scale, and the Union Ike
many grains of barleycorn in the other. Really
II the subject were not too grave, the whole affair
would wear the aspect OF rldcule IL puts o,e IN
mind of quack doctor, who should approach man
in perfect health with petilion that no would take
his noslTum to make him sick, in order that he might
enjoy the honor OF restoring him to health again
The suicide argued the question with himself, which
he poet puts into the mouth of Hamlet:
''ro be not to be, that is the question,
Whether It's nobleI in the M nd 10 suffer
The stings and arrows of outrageous fortune;
Or to take up arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end hems
The prayer Of the petition proposes much such
remedy for the evils of the State 1t like the prayer
cf an ncendiary who asks you the favor of being al
owed to apply his torch to your house that he may
show the skill with which he can quench the flame
or like that of the nventor OF the fe-prcserver, who
should come 10 the captain OF a ship IN the midst u
the ocean and say TO HIM, Captain pray you to al
low me to scutle the vessel forthwith, that yuu and
your may enjoy the opportunity otrying The eli
cacy OF my patent life preserver assure you there
is danger, sink your vessel and take my word fjf
il, you shall all reach the shore IN safety 30 the
gentleman from Massachusetts may bring us in here
report most ably drawn up and one that shall fully
satisfy this House and the ortysx men Of Haverhill
that the Union of the States ought not Just now to be
dissolvtd but in year or two new dscontents may
arise some other section of the Union may become
dissatisfied and having their minds soured the first
thing that will present itself remedy will he to
draw up pc ition to Congress for dissolution OF the
Union. All they have to do will be to enclose 1t to
the gentleman from Massachusetts, and he will feel
himself under the mo sacred obligations, from which
he cannot discharge himself 10 present II IN this
House; and then the whole question must be gone
over again For one prefer 10 rest on the present
broad basis of the Union to relying on any of the ra-
tioci nations of the gentleman from Massachusetts.
had rather bear the ills We have than fly to others that
we know not Of
But surprising the memorial to be referred and the
gentleman to report upon 1t, of what color will the re-
port be Z Are we quite sure of that i am incided
to think that the complexion and tone OF the report
happens TO be ia at The time. rather think that, if
he should have been discussing the treaty making
power and its intervention for the destruction OF slave
ry the South the tenor of the report may not be SO
very favorable. But if, on the other hand The gentle
man should chance to be in the vein in which he
Yesterday when he dsclaimed all coincidence in the
prayer Of the petition Ca disclaimer was very glad to
hear,) then we might hope that the report would be
favorable and that he would say to the petitioners the
time is not yet"
10 olo oil ,o
is that it is calculated to familiarize the public mind
with the idea Of breaking Up the Union. The people
Of the United States know their rights and " know
ing, dare maintain them" There is 20 doubt or diff
iculty that point. The grest object, duty, and
aim of Congress should be to heal as far possible,
all local disconents and soften and put end to all
sectional differences and difficulties One great effort
ought to be to prevent such crisis from ever arriv-
ing might present inducement to so rash step.
Whenever it shall be the opinion of the people that
the time has actually come, it is not you any act
authority of yours that can for moment restrain
them; and, therefore, deprecate all acts on our part
that may be calculated to foment instead of allayng
popular commotion and sectional jealouses and dis
content When the mighty wave of revolution shall
once rise, you and and the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts and his reports and resolutions, will all
be, but as so many feathers floating on its surface
Does it become u.s. then, TO agitate the water Shall
we do any act which shall encourage the people TO
calculate the value of the Union and weigh in their
minds the question of its dissolution; Or shall we
not rather, in compliance with the sacred advice of
the Father of his Country, frown down the first allu
sion to the subject
confess that for one, prefer to rest on things as
they are as long as can and while would not ins
duge any unnecessary dstrust in regard to the gentc
man from Massachusetts, still think that his action
would depend too much on the feelings of the moment
to be willing to repose my confidence on him. have
been too long accustomed
"To trace
The days disasters in his mornings face
and to anticipate their disturbance and contention
therefore invite the House to put end to the sub
ject, which they can do etectualy if they please.
Who wants an argument in favor of preserving the
Unon | see no indications of civil war; hear OF
armies in the field, bann of rebellion floating
popular assemblies no State ordinances no com