New-York daily tribune., 1843-12-23
By This Mornings Mail.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
BY THE REPORTER OF The NEw-YoRx DAILY TRIBUNE
Abolition PetItions-Nir. Adams-21st Rule
Dissolution OF the Union, &C. &C.
WELLINGTON, IhuTsdiy, DEC. q.

N
i've interest and excitement connected win Inc
presentation OF Abolition petitions by hir. Ap-
AVIS and the adventurous attempt OF Southern
veterans IS we'll as those less experienced 10
thwart him in his course. have to-day towards
the close Of the sitting given way to graver ana
more interesting debate upon the direct question
of the reception or non-recepton OF Abolition Pc
titions and the course polite and proper 10 DC
pursued thereon at the present Crisis
The petition yesterday presented oy hf, ApA"'
frnm Illinois for the acknowledgement by .on-
qress of the authority of Jehovah and the Seeur-
mo to each individual IN the United States tilc
g. seIf.evidentn Truths "of the Declaration ol
Independence, &c. came up, and amid many IN
terruptions and much wranglmg on points ol u
der, with the general question OF the riShl oi Pc
ttion, wa, debated by Mr.. ADAMS at some Iengi'
with his usual ability and power, and at tunes lh-
dicpant and sarcastic eloquence. lie urged upon
the House the duty of receiving and giving iaH
hearing and report upon the petition, rldlcuIlng
the pretext i.e. that II was dlsrespecttul TO the
House-the :polnt raised by Ar. HAzELToS
of Ga.) by which its exclusion had been attempt
ed. A prayer for the acknowledgment OF God
an insult to this House said he) Why he had
heard Of constructive trcasons and he thought the
and of their cruel operation upon the people but
this was constructive insult TO the House. was IL
POSSIBLE for the human Imagination TO conceive
what would not be considered an insult to !neIn
He protested against being held responsible for
the employment of a single minutes time upon
this and similar discussions; they were the re-
suit of that rule by which the Representative
Rodv undertook 10 lnterdict to their constituents,
r,l,., he ub N address
to them their grievances, for the reparaton there
Of right secured to them by the letter OF inc
Constitution and the first principles OF every hu-
man Govermnent-ihe Right OF Petition.
One Of the many calls for order was here made
bv MIR. SAUNDERS of n. C. against the discus
sion of the 2lst rule on the question oI the recep-
ton of petition.
The SPEAKER decided that it was not IN order
Mr. ADAMS According to the construction
of some human skulls. nothing Is relevant to the
question but what agrees with their opinions and
i sometimes happens that the skulls OF these
gentlemen havea strong sympathy with the skull
of the SPEAKER
The SPEAKER, remarkng, as 1t was incumbent
on him 10 preserve decorum IN debate. that he
could not permit reflections OF that kind to be
made upon him or upon gentlemen upon the
floor, called MIR. a. to order
Cries Of "That s right from various quar-
ters.
Mr.. ADAMS That S right, says all the
slave representation IN this House"
The SPEAKER "The gentleman will take his
seat" with which Mr.. a. completely
After farther long delay on many questions
raised, Mr. A. was permitted to proceed, IN
order'' AT the close of his remarks, on motion
of MIR. WISE, the question Of reception was tnaliy
laid on the table by Yeas 50, Nays 50. The ques-
ton whether the petition should be read to the
House before voting "a new subject OF dlspute,)
having been decided in the affirmative; cas- l46,
Nays 80.
After an intellectual attempt by Mr.. c. J. In
GERsoLL to 90 into Committee OF the Whole on
the Union to take up the bill to refund Gen.
Jacksons fine,
Mr.. ADAMS, still retaining the floor presented
resolves of the Legislature OF Massachusetts lor
an amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States to exclude the representation OF Slaves
of which he moved the printing (Which was car
rieG and reference to Select Committee ol
Nine.
Mr.. JAMESON of Missouri moved their reference
To the Committee on the Judiciary; and, IN the
midst of some conversation thereon,
Mr.. WISE who had been worrying himself and
the House, not only during the day but for about
three.ouarters of an hour, in opposition TO the
reading of the petition above upon which ne
himself finally insisted, but In a little different
manner from that proposed) rose and with a
traCi.c .comical air remarked, that his part OF the
country had been wholly worsted IN the tight,
and that henceforward, to day and for ever, he
should cease the war in this House and oppose
nothing, but let the gentleman from Massachu-
setts Mr. ADAMS and those with HIM take their
own course upon this subject.
Mr. HOLMES, of S. c. said on the contrary, from
this day henceforth, he should renew the battle.
He was not in despair of the Republic.
Much excitement here prevailed, and Mr. H.,
debate not being in order, was allowed to speak
by suspension of the rules. Heagreed with MIR.
w that the action of the House had been any
thing but ausplclous to Southern rights, but m
stead of relinquishing any idea OF giving battle,
when it came with SO much potenllalty from
Massachusetts, who had stood with them shoul-
der to shoulder in the mighty work of dlsenthral
ment from a foreign foe, that the South and their
property were no longer to be represented on ths
floor, as by the compromise of the Constitution 1t
had been provided, he uould sound the tocsin,
and say to his Southern friends, Z" gire battle at
once"
Mr.. WISE explained that he was not to fold his
arms on the subject, but that this floor was not
the proper battle ground. The South was
dwaried by the census, and he intended to leave
it to the majority Of the House-to the non-slave-
holding States-to determine their own action on
the subject From the oldest District in Viz
ginia, he assumed the responsibility of saying
Gentlemen, take your course; abide by the
Constitution and we will abide by you we de
sire to abide by you for ever-to die by that
Union which our lorefathers established, conse
Grated by the blood of heroes and the wisdom of
sages- Infringe it, and you infringe our rights
and | call on God to protect all "