Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-27

ams) had row TAKEN Ms seat, ana c"uiu NV tefHht
the floor except by permission OF the Hons', h or
ngersoD interposrpg AS peace-,naker desired 80 be
| informed by the Speaker whether motion 'ha. the
House 90 int, commit would now be in ord@r:
The SPEAKER said, that such motion would be
in ORDER but that other business cnnld take fsce-
dence of that before the House except by suspension
Of the rules under vote of two-thirds.
Much d bate took place paint of order when the
difficulty WIS finally terminated by The Withdrawal, on
HI part Of Mr.. C. J. Ing:.s,l CT his meton 70 sus-
pend the rules
Wh-renpon, Mr.. WHITE moved that the gen'eman
from Massachusetts (Mr Adams) have leave 10 prscecd
with his Temaks in order.
And by very decisive vote, lfave granted
So Mr. ADAMS resumed lis remarks. He said h
much Obliged 10 the House FOR their kindness, and
he shoalI endeavor proceed for very few minutes
IN 0rr, but there had been much OF very irre!e-
debate in the House. since he had been o'sred ny
the Speaker of this House to take his seat IN the midst
Of his speech, that he should have difficulty per-
hnps in collecting those scattered ideas which the elo-
quence and the wisdom lie had heard in this House
$ he had been seated, had tended 10 drive away
from him. and in continuing his argument IN favor Of
the Liberties Of h' people OF this county, winch he had
been exercising the power oil speech 10 endeator 10 SUP
| port TO redeem.
He had been saying thai The petition suspended
-(God knew w!.cFe-hs d d not received or not re-
ceiyed)-somew here between earth aud heaven, bet
which formed the suh"ct ofha debate now-o he re-
snned debate contained one prayer, which he was
cluded within the rule and not admissible
Mr. DUNCAN raised point of order to the pre-
sent debalabili,y under the rule, OF petitions giving
rise TO Giscussun.
The SPEAKER decided that, under the ruiz, tnis
paiiticn came regularly up that order of business
prescribed for the first thirty days of the
/ Mr. ADAMS continued. The question was on the
reception Of this petition by the House He had been
endeavoring to the best OF his ability to show to ts
House that the petition ou ght to be received that IL
tlnpsn
in the opinion of The Speaker, might not come within
the excluding role. lie admitted that there was por-
on Of it, which he supposed the Speaker would pro-
baby decide TO within the rule and mig o. e&-
cluded from the consideration oil lie Committee, 10
which the other part Of the petition might be referred;
and he going 10 add argument or two Tor the re-
cepton and admission Of those parts Of the petition
which did not come within the rule
Sir, said ,r. a i do not know but what | shall
ranspess the order of Tie House by saying ta! hope
this House. in regard the rights Of their constitute ns,
The sovereign people Of these United States, VAL not
extend tho exclusion Of certain petitions oil particular
class, which petitions coming tron one section OF Tue
county, that exclusion w therefore operate upon that
section, against the rights of the people OF tina! portion
of the country, when It did not operate upon another
part-that The House would not proceed toeArnd THIS
discrimination by exclusion IN particular cases, and
on vast multitude Of pretsnsions, such for instance,
as tha, the prayer acknowledge the authority OF Cod
| was an in, ui 10 this House. Why, he had heard OF
constructive reasons, and h. thought those who nade
the Constitution OF the Unied States had heard ct con.
strucve easons, and OF the cruel operation o! these
constructive treasonS upon the people upon whom they
made operate but at constructive insults 10
this House was it possible for the human mag na-
ton 10 conceive what would not be considered insult
to this House. if The PRAYER TO this House to acknowl-
edge the authority OF Almighty God was TO be taken as
an lnsul, To thus House: It. was-and It bore upon lis
face the prayer Of persons acting under sense oil duty
10 their God and OF deep conscentiousness and al
though the members of this House, and possibly, he
himself, might suppose that 1t would have been more
prudent perhaps for the petitioners TO have been silent
on the subject Their than have made il matter Of
prayer this House, yet ne could not conceive Of any
thing vide from The TRUTH reason and justice, than
to say that such prayer as this, was an insult to this
House, and If this House refused to receive such pc
tition upon that ground there nothing in nature
that could be sad BY petitioner but what this House
might determine TO be insul, 10 thema constT"cire
insult prayer for the acknowledgment d The autio
4 rity IF God ''iaSutt to this House!
! There large portion OF the people of this
country, CONTINUED ar. Al laboring under burdens
of conscience, and entertaining opinions and feelings
in consequence OF the convictions upon their console
ces, vino would he among tile last men IN tins Union
to offer insult to TINS House. to the laws Of the
try. They labored, perhaps, under unnecessary ap-
prehensons and fears. They perhaps entertained the
opinion that the majority of this House did not sutii
gently recognize the laws and authority Of God and,
although They might be mistaken IN their views, and
fears and apprehensons yet these conscientious feel
lngs, their part deserved the part OF this House.
a very different return from that of being turned away
with scorn, and told that they insulting to The
House. He said that the petition, its face, which
the House had hitherto refused to hear read bore proof
of having been signed by persons under deep, rcli-
gious conscientious conviction and although MIR. A
eht himself not be ready 10 vote for the lass which
they required he did hope, not only that the House
would receive this, but refer it TO a Committee, and
obtain from that Committee report which might,
without granting the prayer of the petition, satisfy the
petitioners, Themselves with the why the retu
sal made. There had been, heretofore, presented
To this House, and there would be again, at this
SION numerous petitions he had doubt, against the
transmission of the mail upon the Lords day. There
were very large portion of this community who were
under some sort OF conviction that the practice
trary 10 the law Ct God. Mr. A. did in that
opinion with them. He thought exceedingly doubt.
ful whether this subject should be brought before the
House he presumed would be, he should be brought
himself 10 vote Tor the exclusion of the transportation
If the mail upon the Sabbath. But, If objection vas
made this petition, that II called for the acknom ladg
ment of he authority of God and insult this
House. he very sure, that the next thing would be,
that If petition against the transportation Of the mail
on The Sabbath should be presented, the nbec-
ton would be made, that il an tnsuffto this House
That bu modification OF the prayer of this pc
titlon 10 acknow ledge the authority of God ard the
understanding of these petitioners was, that they Odd
believe that he authority of God was against the trans
m ssion of the mail upon the Sabbath day, because the
Holy Scriptures themselves had declared the law,
that The Sabbath should be cay of rest, and not OF
labor.
| Mr. A. observed that he had been limited very much
in the Of his argument upon this petition by the
refusal of this House TO have the petition read He
hoped it would be read, and be read upon The ground
that these people, The petitioners perhaps mlsta
ken, perhaps requiring some counter argument, some
espostulation, some report of committee at least,
showing that the acknowledgment Of the authority of
God and OF the Christian religion was net part OF the
duty of this House. Perhaps it was not consationaE
He willing TO argument upon that subject
in the way OF report of committee, assuming the
ground that the acknowledgement of God and The ac-
knowled gment of the Christian religion would not be
constitutional; that The Constitution Of the u forbd
this House 10 ackao" ledge the authority of God OF
the Lord Jesus Christ He was willing TO the re-
port of committee upon it, but to say that the prayer
itself was insult 10 this House-Sir hope (sad Mr.
~ this House will not disgrace ITSELF by any such de-
termination.
Mr. A wished not to occupy the TINE Of the House
more than was necessary. He wished to God ne could
present all these petitions, and that they would receive
and refer them to committee without word Of COM
ment from any body, and hear reports upon them,
showing that they improper unconstitutional;