The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-02-22

| -
worth and beauty, shall have fed from "gioom to
in the church-yard.
| Yours, &c., II.
| Mn. WISE'S REPORT,
of the minority Of the Select Committee 10 re-
rise the rules and orders Of the House OF
Representatives..
| CONCLUDED.
The undersigned have been particular in thus Civ
ing the principal action of the House of Represents
tives, to show how little was proposed how little
was done how little was thought in the House, and
still less thought said or done in the Senate Of
| the United States, upon subject now exciting,
up to the termination Of the session Of 1884 IS II
| was thought and treated clear and settled a
question BY the first founders and trainers of Go
vernment, that, long as they were in the halls OF
legislation, and so long their immediate example
| and influence were felt, there contest, no
trouble no excitement, and, comparatively, no ac-
ton upon the subject and what movem, Mt there
was related almost wholly to the foreign slave trade
and to slavery in the District Of Columbia. Besides
| the influence of these patriotic men-who felt the
true force and meaning Of the compromises of the
Constitution, because they had made them-jhe
slaveholding States had, from the beginning, up to
this time nearly, preponderatng power in the
Union They had until then, the control of ma lori
ties, only the House Of Representatives, but in
federal elections. As long aspants from the nom
slavehodng States compelled 10 look TO slave
holding States for votes, the country could pass
through the administration of the Government, even
by Northern man, without the least disturbance
of southern rights Of slave prov rv But the fathers
Of the republic had nearly all passed away, and the
" Old Dominion" of the south was fast dwndinp in
10 that state from whence the scepre passes" And
To- there was suddenly shock-a Ieme ndous shock,
and mighty change Though there had been little
nothing done In Congress TO excite apprehension
or alarm; though there had been public warning
or, If warning at all, 1t was not hceded-yet f.,
naiicsm not 80 frantic as not 10 wait its time and OPP
porunity, had not been sleeping; its magazines OF
destruction had been prepared its incendary torches
were lighted in night and, in the year 1885, the
aw ful explosion took place in the county Of South
amp'on, in the State Of Virginia Midnight muir
der, massacre OF helpless women and children burn
ing and desolaon, rapinc and plumber and shook
their horrors for while over the whites but lay
down again amidst the chains and tears and blood Of
the blacks The horrid howls Of the evil passions
the helish fur;es then and there reused, have been
heard and echoed in the country and IN Congress
since. And il is the bile fact ia the
whole case, that an instruction which. 1t would
SEEM shu.d have appalled, all into fearful sense Of
the dread responsibility of lightly touching this dan
yeIous subject, was mmedia ely and has been con-
tinually, followed by manifestations If Increasing eu-
element and violence The journals of the House of
Representatives but too fully and to- lamentaby
prove this deeply affecting fact.
Tuesday, December g. 1885 Andrew Jackson
President of the United States, sent his mes
sage in writing 10 Congress which contained a most
impressive appeal and recommendation to Congress
to pass such laws would "prohibit, under severe
penalties, the circulation in the Southern States
through the mail, of incendiary publications intended
to instigate the slaves to Instruction" This mes
sage was accompanied by very able report from the
Postmaster General; and it was generally felt and
conceded that there was necessi and propriety in
adopting some measures to prevent in future the at
tempts of domestic incepdares and Of foreign ennis
sares TO stimulate Instruction and "to produce all
the horrors Of scrvIe war" The post Office estab
lshmcnt itself had, in the excitement been serou-l y
threatened and there was for a moment Of
insecurity TO the institutions Of the Government, az
well To the PERSONAL safety and private rgbs Of in
divduals. What was done, Immediately upon such
painful events and such strong appeals TO aay er cite
mem, and to presrve protect and defend The weaker
portion Of. the country from domestic ,io encc the
journals Of Congress full of inhammabe ma ter
and what was no, done the blank pages of the sta
tu,e book-will show. In one word, The spirit Of alb
oliionism, with its flaming torches in both ba DDS
more bold, fanatic than ever stalked into bth
Houses, summoned us recruits Of every regimcntsl
there, AMI shook ITS fiery petitions ferceIy than
ever in the faces OF Southern bretbrenW As early
December petitions to abolish slavery came in from
Maine; they we've laid on the table by 80 TO 81 A
motion made 10 pint them. II was lost 1863 to
40. On the 18th, the memorials came in again the
questions upon them were numerous. Finally, after
much confusion numerous memorials, the action
OF the House, on the 18th Of January, 1886 assumed
the definite shape of laying The question Of reception up
The table, whsnerer The reception Of the memorials wa,
objected TO by any member. This course was pursued
IN almost every case until il became tedious and very
troublesome to the House. To avoid this
continual interruption of business, TO sllay
excitement and 20 harmonic and tranquil
ze all feeling on the subject, il was urged
side that II best TO refer the whole m liter
to q select commit ee, who should calmly deliberate
and report upon the best course TO be pursued, and
who should address a temperate appeal Of reason
the whole country on the proper duty Of Congress
On the other hand ID was replied that such report.
and sppeals had already been made; that Mr. Alex
anders report, confirmed by Mr. Doddridpes years
be fore and the entire action of Congress from hs
E updston Of the Government, both by its votes nd
reports had been but continuous appeal TO the rea
son Of he nation; that faoatcsm could not be reason
ed with and that another repor, would he but fuel
fur further sgitltion and incenJIarism. But on the
9Th Of February, 1896, Mr.. Pockney of South Calo-
lima obtained suspension Of the rules and the pas.
sage Of the following resolutions, by ovorwhemi .
impurities
Resolved, That all the memorials which have been
offered OF may hereafter be prcse nted 10 this Hous %
praying for the abolition Of slavery in the District OF
Columbia and also the resolutions offered by an
honorable member from Maine, [Mr. jarvis, with
the amendment thereto proposed by an honorable
member from Virginia, Mr.. Wise,] together viii
every other paper PROPOSE Ion that may be submit
ted IN relation to tho subject he referred to select
committee, with instructions To report
THAT Congress possesses no constitutional au-
horty to interfere in any way with the insttu OF
slavery in any Of the States OF this Confedcracy
and,
THAT, in the opinion Of his House, Congress