Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-01-04
From the Globe, Dec. 81,
CONGRESS.

The House has been fron Saturday
last swamped in MIR. Adams's questions
about petitions. This req5erabze sage
has busted himself, ever Since his degra-
dation by the people of the United
. t-'tas-s. as q factianist in Coaeress-do.
ing every thing IN his poS~s. .ela.,,a4e
the peoples Government in turn, BY
distracting its councils. Re has pur-
SIZED this object by continually Interrupt
ting the regular and constitutional bust
ness OF Congress, by pouring in petit
tons and memorials on subjects in re-
gard to which Congress is forbidden to
act by the Constitution. Many of these
petitions are doubtless forgeries; several
presented by him have been detected as
such, and exposed TO the contempt of
the Houses. Last year he introduced
one to dissolve the nioh,and came near
expulsion from the House, as punish
ment for the infamous act. Yesterday,
he brought in, among others, petition
in the face Of the prohibitions Of the
Constitution, which denies to Congress
the right to NEEDLE with religion
ing for law providing for The eOnJss-
sion of national SinS'-'to pass an act ac~
knowledging the dominion of our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ'--To pass an
act making all acknowledgment Of the
law of God,' and praying to secure every
individual in the United States the self
evident truths of the Declaration of In
dependence--to wit, the right to lie,
liberty, and happiness! To-day Mr..
Adams introduced memorial to alter
the fundamental compromise in the Con-
situation which appoy tons the taxes ac-
cording to population, as estimated III
that instrument" which includes three
fiiths Of the slave population
In this way, from week to week, and
Cor wears back, MI Adams has confoaa~
ded the business of Congress by pressing
on its consideration subjects which It IS
forbidden to entertain at all. He for-
ces these interdictcd matters on the
House, under the pretext Of the right Of
petition-which, if asserted in the haiti
tude he demands, could be employed to
Illustrate entirely-as it has already 10
great extent-all constitutional and sal
utary legislation. What have knot Of
indictments [hnstile to the Government
and Union) to do, but to provide them
selves with masses Of petitions, Signed bv
one or more persons, or counterfeit pc
titions, Jas some. presented by Mr. Ad-
ans were notoriously,) and take their
stand on the floor, as Mr.. Adams does,
and compel Congress from dayto day to
give its ear to the farrago Ct nonsense
or treason contained in. them, and 10
the nonsensical and IRRESPONSIBLE speech
es based on them? Does not everybody
perceive that, il Congress surrenders its
deliberations TO be disposed of by mad
men, or wicked men, 1evoting their
whole energies to defeac it in the dis
charge Of its appropriate functions, it
must necessarily take the character OF
those who thus usurp the power OF direc-.
ting its proceedings? Is Congress boend
to receive. and make matter for its dis
cussions, questions tho matter how pre-
Esented) with which the majority think
they have nothing to do, aud with which
they are In truth, sworn rot, t0nterieres
Mr. Weller and Mr.. French both urged
with great strength Of argument, this
view against the proposition Of Mr..
Wise, Supported By slr. Beardsley, to
receive all Mr.. Adsms's insidious and
treacherous propositions, looking to the
Violation of the Constitution; and, IL the
progress to this contamination, to make
/ the Congress of the Union mere scene
of fury and and distraction, IN wrangllng
and quarrelling over matters which that
body is interdicted FROM touching at ali
as having been settled by a higher pow
er--thas from which Congress holes all