The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-11

'ao nAohSr country, because II usy assem-
u'eo peaceaoly to petition for redress Of grey
hey came within tho scope Of the rlot aot, which
prohibited them from congIsxst fos that purpose
'h1 day an act Of Charles the Second was in
'oicc, which refused the right oi petition because
under that act not than tCe,siy persous could
assemble al once, and not mote than ten could sign
we petition alter II was drawn up and which must
DC sighed BY fWo justices Of the peace, before il
could be presented 10 Parliament. In this Govern
ment no such power can DC exescisod--no State
can pass such an act, because it would violate
he Constitution. The right Of petition Is a great
personal privilege, guaranteed by the Constitution
oil Inc United States, and which cannot be abroga-
'od receiving them and not acting upon them. II
you have right to receive them you have the right
to leE'slate, and this is the ground upon which the
South Will stand. But the opponents to tho 25th
rule Say they wish merely receive not TO egisate
upon them, which Is against every principle laid down
10 The Constitution; If you receive, YOU are bound to
ieg'slats He asked gentlemen II they thought that
the reception of those petitions without legislative
action would satisfy tho Abotionsts of the North
For himsel he did not lie believed the best course
would be 10 close the doors Of this House against
them, which would be more likely to quiet the coun,
Try Than by receiving or referring them 10 any com-
nittse whatever. The rejection Of these petitions by
Congress does not affect the right of petition rs Il
was intended by the trainers Of the Constitution
This ~ Government ofspscifc, limited, and defined
powers, beyond which Congress cannot 60 without
violating tho Constitution II you have not the right
to lag'slate, you have not the right to receive be-
cause the functions and powers OF Congress alto
gether Legislative In every part Of the Union the
people have right to petition their State Lcgisla
lures upon subjects Of which they arc sggrieved and
who have control Of their domestic relations--thcy
can petition the President of the United States and
Congress upon atlsubects within the purvicw of the
Constitution. Does not this cover the VIII Ole
ground of the right Of petition' II is very
1. tk~
aud petition for redress of grievances, and to petit
ton Congress upon subject with which they have
nothing to DO aud which Congress has no control
whatever. Suppose gentleman rises in his place
and presents bill to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia, Il of course goes to the Speakers ta-
BILE. If he rises and presents resolution, il goe,
also to the Speakers table, and il they arc debated
do they not become part of the legislative history
Of the country, Certainly. The question as it is
presented here Is simply this Can one portion of the
Union petition against the rights Of anotherl Or
shall the power be given to those who como with the
prayer, or those who present t II they can debate
enc step they can debate all and to whom has the
Constitution given the power' To the Congress OF
the United States Tho moment gentleman hero
moves in any matter. the subject becomes legis-
lstive action, and not one of a personal character.
If il were otherwise, would it not be usurping ii,
constitutional power Of Congress II it was Of an
individual character how could ell the people
IL
has not the physical power TO pass through such
ordeal. So soon a petition comes here, Congress
must acnot the petitioners wsh-bnt in their own
wisdom. Therefore Congress has the Constitutional
power TO receive reject they shall think proper
This is limited Government, beyond which we can
not go The Constitution says that each House shall
make its own rules, and beyond that power we cam
not 90. II Petitioner asks to do an act which is
prohibited by the Constitution, cannot entertain
IT, much less to refer il to communicative can not
entertain it because we have not the power. n.
The gentleman from North Carolina Mr. Cling
mani put this question of petition upon the same
footing of prayer TO the Supreme Ruler Of the Uni-
verse; which he id might be granted or not
Mr.. CLtNGMAN here and said that ne used
the figure merely to illustrate his position and moi
to support the idea that Congress had right abo-
lsh slavery.
Then, according 70 this theory, we have right to
petition God for any thing that it docs not nure
oursef matter how injurious it may be to ohc rs,
which il just the case with the subject before the
House. We have q perfect right to petition the
Deity so Il does not conflict with the laws of Provi-
dence. SO has the North perfect right to petition
so long as they do not run in conflict with the Con-
stitution-the organic law Of the land.
Does any gentleman suppose that, IL we were to
ab dish slavery in the District Of Columbia it would
stop here Has man right TO set fire TO his fields
to the imminent danger of his neighbors property
Certainly not Neither has Congress the right t.
abolish slavery in the District Of Columbia to the
injury and detriment Of the People Of Maryland aud
Virginia, who ceded this territory 10 the Govern
ment and the rest OF the Southern States interested
in this species Of property. Is this right Certainly
not
When the Constitution is departed from, what
shall we dol What security have we when that in.
strument is disregsrded and Sc, at defiance DO you
suppose for one moment, that our fathers, who
framed the Constitution ever thought that this inhe
rent right to property would be thus questioned
The day is not far off, IL this course should be per
sisted in when the object and aim Of those who press
this subject with much pertnacity never relaxing
for a moment, will be consum mated. II will dis
solve this Union But he would not sing hallelujabs
to such sad calamity, should II befall this devoted
land. We, Of the South, can gain nothing upon this
subject by concession and those who natter them
selves with that idea have not studied closely the
history and progress Of nsons and anay zed the hu-
man heart. In New Hampshire, where the Demo
cracy Of that gallant State took bold stand Adolf
ton put down, but in Massachusetts,, where II
has been tampered with, it has ncre ased. Is not
tins practical lesson for here The spirit which
prompted the gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.
Adams TO present petition praying for dissolution
Is getting deeper and deeper root every day He dad
not wish TO say word upon this subject, but, II nc
other gentleman would take the responsibility, he
~opld, and warned them TO reflect seriously upon
what tbey are about to do. In the South dis
satisfaction is Increasing every day. and, II mol
stopped IL will end with dissolution Of The
Union The moment this House commences ac
upon the subject that feeling viii be aroused ano
no impediment can stop its progress. He believed
with the gentleman from North Carolina Nlr. Cling
mani on one point, and that was-no matter whether
the petitions be received and referred, not, u
would no, stop this wild spiri, Of fsnaicsu. Their
the best course would be TO stop their Roadway Al
once by retaining the 25b rule and not receive thei
MISSILES, thrown in here for reasonable purposes
II gentlemen arc determined to insist In thc
course, let the won't come bu, he hoped the Soutf
would stand up by their rights and maintain the In
territy Of the Union A. conceived in the wisdom O.
their fathers, and at every hazard maintain the j
honor and rights, Union or no Union.
1.-THE repor err feels confident lhatho Las not don'
Mr. Rhett justice in this sketch Of his speech, he
o.sc A uas ms.fsriv effort An yindcation Of Sout