The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-06

coming 10 q direct vote Upon the 21st rule,
which was the true question involved; and he
was opposed to that rule as violation of con-
stituuonal right.
Mr.. BEARDSLEY, of N. ", followed next in
a long constitutional argument upon the right Of
petition. MIR. b. disclaimed any desire for him.
self or his constituents TO exercise it but was
fully convinced that Congress had the power to
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia and
in the Territories sl ersq aaitf
Mr.. CLINGMAN, of N. c., then obtained the
floor, and made an argument fcplete with sound,
practical good sense. He was the only member
south of the Potomac, as he stated, who had vo-
ted to rescind the 2lst rule, He had been as
sailed IN various papers for his vote, but with
slang denuncaton which he entirely dsregarded
1t was not to this he should reply, but he wished
to state to the House, and more particularly to
his Southern friends, the reasons which governed
his course In the first place, he regarded the
rule as arbitrary and Unconstitutional He be-
lieved this Republic was the only free country
where the right Of petition was tramped upon.
1t had sometimes been said by those who argued
against the right Of petition that the people Of
this country were sovereign, and that it belonged
only to the subjects of crown to petition; and
again, that these petitions which were rejected
came from those who had no concern with the
matter about which they We're ntermeddlng ;
trict should choose to present petitions to Con-
gress upon this subject, can it be said that they
have no interest in the matter! Certainly no
one would pretend this, and yet the rule which
excluded these petitions made no exceptions-it
was of universal application, and shut the door
both upon the District and the Territories. 1t
may be said that they have no desire to interfere
on this subject; true, but this did not give Con-
gress right to forbid them. What, after all, is
&c r
ported upona There the matter ends. This cer-
tanly is not the point which calls for the resist
ance Of the South. Is there anything in the rules
TO prevent the gentleman from Massachusetts or
any other gentleman from bringing in bill to
abolish slavery in this District? Nothing, sir
and yet how much more Objectionable would such
a practical movement be than these silly petit
tons. You cannot rule out this subject. The
attempt to do this has served no other purpose
than to promote the mischevous aims of those
whose chief purpose was agitation. 1t has been
said to me, said Mr.. g., by Northern men, and by
some Southern members too, that they knew they
were occupying wrong ground on this subject
but that it would not do to retreat in the face Of
the enemy; this would only lead to defeat. Now
what wouldbe thought Of general who, having
posted a detachment of his troops upon ground
which he did not need to occupy, and where they
we're constantly exposed to the shot, when one
Of them came to him and said, /" General, we are
terribly harrassed yonder, but if this is vantage
ground, we will keep it" should reply, "the post
is of no service to me, but, having once taken it,
l will not permit retreat. y Yet this was pre-
csely the condition Of many Northern members
who have been acting with the South upon this
2lst rule. They say to us that their votes are
constantly exposing them to annoyance at home,
while they of no sort of use, but on the con-
trary, are only helping on the agitation of the
subject which we are striving to avoid ask,
said Mr.. c. If it is not better to relieve them, BY
permitting these petitions to take their proper
place, instead of refusing to- receive them? The
complaint now is that, by refusing to receive
them, we PREJUDICE the subiect--that tive will not
| even hear what they pray for. The right to Pc
| tition Congress in this country ought to be as
full and free as the right to pray to the Supreme
Ruler of the Universe. Let us, then, receive
these petitions, and no longer contend that such
things can be Of any real injury. Mr.. G. did not
believe, if the question were to come up to-m NOR
row, that there would be single vote in favor of
abolishing slavery in this District. g34 &alisf
Now if this was a fact, ought it not to be
known to the country and would il not tend to
quiet the subject more than these endless dis
cussions about receiving parcel Of petitions
that amounted to nothing practical and proposed
no tangible action If ever there should he a
majority of Congress in favor of abolishing sla-
very in this District, would they be deferred
from action by any rule of the House? Not at
all. He did not believe that such state of
things would ever occur, but if it ever should,
| why.th Union must be dissolved by this very
/ act. est s@s#tst H
Mr.. G. said much more, and all to the point,
which we regret that our space. does not allow
us to report @ a Ff8 systaeH
Mr.. DUNCAN next obtained the floor, and
moved the adjournment of the House. 79 ist
+ 4y0L Odd et-. MARRIAGES. $40 hgia5sasi
I On Tuesday evening the 4th instant, by the Rev.
A. C...eo~, Mr. EREnERlCK VHV iE To Mice