The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-01-04
Twenty.Eighth Congress.
"Wednesday, Dec. 20, l843.

wednesday, Dec. ~, 1913.
Out of nothing you can make nothing.
l must therefore beg your indulgence to
these letters, under the assurance that |
intend to give you all the most important
intelligence as II arises. If Cor gtcss will
do nothing, | must say nothing. y
The Postage reform will not be Sc
riousy attempted this Congress Re.
ports and petitions may furnish opportun-
iry for few speeches, BY which, grad
uaIly, the public attention will be called
to The subject, and the public mind will
become enlightened, 1 feel great solicit
lude that the subjec shall not be embar-
raised, and The only practicable reform
pat back, by any partial notifications,
which cannot but fail. The British sys.
TEN the most beautiful and perfect piece
of governmental machinery on earth, is
the only available reform, and we ought
10 take a firm position for lhut or nothing.
In the House, Mr.. MKay, Of North
Carolina, Chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee. (Chanceilor of the
T. ,chequer,) Attempted 10 iritter away The
financial responsibilities of the House, by
a motion to divide up the various topics
OF the annual Trea.ury report among the
several committees, bat it was so firmly
reSls ed by Mr., Adams, that the scheme
was abandoned, and The whole report WAS
sent 10 the Wavs and Means, The House
thea proceed, d to the election CT Chap
ian, and The second ballot resulted IN the
election If The Rev. Isaac I'inslpy, Bap.
list, of Virginia. SO we have both Chap
lans from Virginia. The President,
Secretary of State, Commander Of the Ar
my, aud second in Command, Speaker Of
the House, Chairman Of the Navy Com
niirtte in toe House, and of the Foreign
Relations in the Srnate, both ClapIains,
and ii mosl dlSproporlonale share Of ior-
eign appointments and officers in the ar
my and navy, all from Virginia.
The way being open, the cali Of the
States for petitions was begun. This is,
by the rules, the proper business for eve
ry day during thirty days of he session,
but since The policy has been adopted by
both parties, OF bending the whole power
of Congress TO fight down abolition pei,
TONS it is only by snalches that the bene-
frs Of this rule are gained by petitioners.
Petitions were now preserved by Mr..
HamIin, of Maine; Mr.. Hale, of New
Hampshire, Legislative resolutions,) and
by Messrs. Winthrop, Plcmenter, King,
and Adams, Of Massachusetts. Mr.. Ad-
ans presented a petition for an interna-
liona! copy right which, on his motion
r,f,rr,J ,
MIR. Adams then presented a petition
signed by five or six hundred citizens o.
the State of New York, praying that theil
State may be relieved Of all obig ltion to
supporE slavery. 1t was cOucheJ, be-
leve, in the very words of the great Lat
liner Portion, which, signed by upwards
Of $4,000 citizens of Massachusetts, ant
which, as appears from the Journals o
the last session, vas received and referred
to the Committee on Judiciary, but no
acted on by that committee through the
refusal Of lis members to form a quorum
at any time after the petition had been re
ferred Speaker Jones very promptly de-
cided that this petition came within the
provisions of the 2lst rule, (old edition,
which prohibits the reception of petitions
of certain character; and that Mr.. Al
ans submitted that petitions OF similar in
port had been ruled during the admins
tralon of Mr.. Speaker White, not 20 fall
within these provisions.
The Speaker at the request OF Mr.
Adams, REQUIRED 10 the Journal for th
purpose of asceraining the fact pendln
which operation, and with view to Civ
time to the Speaker to investigate tn
case, Mr. Gi!mer moved that the Hous
adjourn,
The motion to adjourn was most seas
enable 10 relieve the Speaker from
dilemma: AS soon as he had decide
that a petition to relieve New York fror
the support of slavery is a petition
abolish slavery, Mr.. Adams begged
call his attention 10 the presidents on tn
Journal. The Speaker said he had de
cided, and asked Mr. Adams if he woul
appeal. Mr.. Adams said he knew yer
well, by experience, of how little avail
was Tor him to appeal from the Chair t
that House; he only wished the Speake
n Aai. H.