The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-06-25

AT the great Mass Meeting of the Wings of
the District, held at the City Hall on Monday
evening, the l7th inst the following resolutions,
prepared by the Corresponding Secretary Of The
Clay Club of Washington, were intended 10 be
submitted, but the call for speakers, the lenu,b
| and rapid succession of the speeches and soncs.
and the absence of the fraper Of the resolutions
at the commencement Of the meeting, prevented
them from being submitted. They were how.
| ever, read by several persons, at the meetinc.
who regretted that, as an expression Of the feel.
Ings Of the citizens Of the District, no opportunity
| was afforded TO submit them:
Whereas, by the Constitution, the power TO
exercise exclusive Legislation over This District
| has been vested in the Congress of the United
States. that they might legisate for the good Of
| he whole Union with greater security and fire. >
| dom from annoyance; but it was not intended by
the trainers of that instrument, that because the
people of this District were to be deprived of the
ele Give franchise, they were, therefore, to be re-
duced to the beet condition Of mere layes or scrf
land, whereas, the same Constitution as one Of The
esesntlal elements OF freedom, having guaranteed
10 the people of the United States the liberty Of
speech ard Of the press it could never have been
contemplated by the fathers If the republic that
Tor the exercise Of this privilege, SO essential 10 The
existence Of Al free governments, the people we
to he subjected to punishment. Therefore,
Resnlred Iaat this meeting regards the con-
duct Ct the Locofoco majority of the House If
Representatives, during the late session, in 70.
Jecting almost every bill or measure inroeru,ed
Tor the benefit Il this District, as an attempt to
Dragon aud punish it's inhabitants into subm 8
sion, for daring to assemble in mass meeting, aud
to exercise the common privileges of ireemen and
of their fellow citizens of the several State. by
giving pubic expression to their political onin
ION and preferences and that they consider such
an attempt as not only unconsttutional, but Who'll
~ at variance with the true character of Loh.
minded and honorable representatives of free
people.
Resolued, That such specimens of Democracy
are not only evidences of reckless and de.poic
disposition, but eminently injurious to TIE charac-
Ter OF tree government, and that though depri-
we'd OF the elective franchise, the people of his
district know their rghts, and will not be de-
TERED from exercising them on all proper occa-
sIons, by the petty despotism or menaces of men
who, for the misfortune Of their country, have
been elevated to the rank of legislators of The
nation.
Resolred, That the inhabitants of this District
has been taught to regard The representatives of
the people as their own immediate representatives.
and had supposed that, placed as they have been
by the Constitution, under their special CHARGE
and fostering care, justice as well as humanity
would dictate a mi d and parental treatment, and
that though Irresponsible, they would, neverlhe-
less, feel themselves bound by the strongest ob-
cations of duty to take deep interest in their
prosperity and welfare but when they see n.en
who have been sent to represent Their interests
not only treat them with utter disregard and con-
tempt, but lcgislate with an tbvous deer,nna-
ton to 'nhict punishment and injury. by rejecting
laws the peculiar exigences Of their cond,i,n
absolutely demand, and passing others they nei-
ther ask Tor or require, hut which, are in fact, adj
verse to their interests they cannot but feel That
v'rtuous Indignation which sense of wrong and
OF preston never fails to produce, and both as
men aud American citizens they decn, it their
painful duty, on this occasion, 10 express il The
strongest terms, their disarproba,on Of conduct
as oppressive as it was unjust and ungererous,
and which, sympathzng with them as The people
Of this country must, will, they believe receive
The unqualified condemnation OF every high-mind.
ed citizen Of the republic.