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

lhcss coucluso1s a. in The Judgment OF The commit
tcc may be bosl calculated to cnlighten the public
mind to alisy exciement to rePfess agitation 10
secure and maintain the just rights OF the sissebod
ing States aud Of the people Of this DIriet and 10
restore harmony aud tranquility amongst the various
sections Of this Union"
A committee Of nine, 1--WE ON the mons ayehod-
ing and four from, the slavehodiDg States was ap.
pointed and on "Wednesday, May IL, 1886, report
was made in conformity 10 these resolutions. Upon
these pr. ceedings several members from the South
declined TO vote and several other members from The
South voted in the negative, on the grounds
Is That Congress had no power to affirm OF deny
anything in respect 10 slavery " the States.
I'd. That to deny the authority Of Congress po-
sitvely TO the States and to place the exercise
Of the power grounds OF erpedieney, IN
resolutions Immediately in contrast with each other
as 10 the District of Columbia. 'oyeld the pooer
as TO the District and 10 abandon the ground occu-
pied by MIR. Alexander's report Of previous date.
Sd That no southern man even could afhrm, truly
that Congress ought not TO interfere ~ any way with
slavery nthe District Of Columbia for there were
cases Of municipal jurisdiction, as those reported on
by MIR Alexander, Mr. Randolph and Mr. Powell,
(all Virginia Representatives where Congress was
bound to interfere with certain relations Of slavery,
such have been described federal relations in this
report and
4th That report in such form and substance
would more excitement in the south, than IL
would allay in the north, or any where else.
ton higher than ever; and the scenes in the
House of Representatives were most exciting and
panh lily personal Mr. Pinckney himself in
suited in his seat and finally deprived Of il by his
constituents, for lnstitutng and making such re-
port. This report concluded its resolutions by the
following
Sind tchereas il is extremely important and des
rable that the agitation Of this subject should be final
" arrested, for the purpose Of restoring tranquility
10 the public mind your committee respectfully re-
commend The adoption of the additional II solution
viz:
80. Resolved, That all petitions, memorials, reso
lutions, propositions, or papers relating in any way
or to any extent whatever to the subject OF slavery
TO the abolition of slavery, SHALL without being Ell
lher printed referred, be laid upon the table, and
that no further action shall be had thereon"
This resolution was pass.d by vote Gill to OS,
and thus became The law of proceeding III the House.
II is precisely such 10 spoken OF, by some, in
lieu Of the 25lh rule. Time and events proved how
fruiiless il was Of any good The agitat on went on,
and rose higher at the next sion than PetI
tons Tot only by hundr, ds came into the House, but
assurlpg new and hideous shapes than for aboi
ishing slavery in The District. On the 18th Of Janu
airy, 1897, Mr.. Halves moved the following resolu-
ton:
Resolved, That all petitions, memorials resolutions,
propositions or papers, relating in any way, or 10 any
extent whae'e to the subject of slavery or to the
abolition OF slavery, shall without being printed
referred, be laid upon The table, and thai further
action be had thereon"
This was passed BY 1919 to SO. Thus was Mr..
Pnckney's rule again adopted, and with the same
success. Under its operation there fercer
excitement than On the 9th of February,
1887, member from Massachusetts Mr. Adamsl
informed the House that he held in his hand paper
purporting to be petition from siares, signed by
twenty-five persons declaring themselves to be slaves
and desired 10 know whether il came within the
der of the House of the Sth January. This pro-
duced a scene which occupied much of the time, and
consumed more of The dignity Of the House. This
rule admitted of the reception of petitions and yet the
opposition to it, and the agitation of the subject of
slavery, were more decided and as exciting as ever.
December ~, 1897, Mr. Adams presented a memo
nal praying Congress to abolish slavery and the slave
trade in the District Of Columbia, and moved that it
and all Others presented to the House at the then late
extra session, by the members from the State Of Mas
sachusets, be referred TO the Committee for the
District Of Columbia. This motion was laid upon
the table by vote Of 1875 to 10. On the same day,
Mr.. Adams presented several other memorials Of like
among the rest petit on of Ross Bull.
Mr. Lawler objected TO their reception; and on the
question Sha the petition be receiv. ~ il passed in
the affirmative yeas, las; nays, 60. And the pc
titioDs we're then laid on the table
December Doth, 1897, the House proceeded to
consider two abolition petitions, presented by Mr..
Slade on the lSh and the motion to refer the to
select committee, with instruction TO report bill
Y
tide in the District Of Colombia" A scene Of
extraordinary excitement arose on MIR. SHADES
course Of debate on this motion Many of the
from the slayehodiDg States
rose from their seats and left the House Mr. Sladc
was declared by the Speaker to be out Of order; OBJ
lection was made to his proceeding, and the House
adjourned in much confusion. The evening Of The
day the Senators and representatives from The
laveboldng States assembled IN the Capitol, and
solved upon tn. course Of proceeding They adopt
,l,,s,.. h. -.I, AZ. -.
man, MIR. Patton, of virginia. to offer it in in the
House OF Representatives, in the following words TO
wit
Resolved, That all petitions memorials, and pa
pers, touching the abolition of slavery; the buying
selling, or transferring Of slaves in any State, Dis
rict Territory Of the United States, be laid upon
the table, without being debated, printed, read
referred and that further action whatever shall
be had thereon
December 2Ist, Mr. Patton moved suspension
Of The rules, TO allow him to offer this, which was
carried by vote # l35 TO GO, and the reso-
luton passed by vote Of l22 t. "a This fall
ID TO arrest The agitation, though It admitted the
,ep,ion Of p ttions Many petitions poured in immc
iiaiey, to abolish the rue itself
TUESDAY, December llth, 1888, Mr.. A bert OBJ
aimed a vote Of two-thIrds 10 introduce, and the
House, on the 18th Of the same month, passed, by
'e,y large mejohtIes the following resolutions, to
wit:
al. Resolved, That this Government is a Govern
ment of limited powrrs and that, by the Constitution
Df the United Slater, Congress bas no jurisdiction
whatever the nsiu Of slavery in the several
STATES OF the Confeder,cy.
80 Rtsoirtd That petitions for the ab lii n of
slavery in the District Of Columbia, and the Terri
ories Of the United States and against the removal
IF slaves from State to another, are part Of
plso Of operations set foot to affect the nsitu-
ion of slavery in lac several States, and thus indi-
rccty to destroy that institution within their limits
RrSoIrfd CDppress has IN rio hi In do hat
which IT canno, do directly and that the
agitation Of the subject Of slavery the District Of
Columbia or the Territories, as means, and with
riew OF disturbing overthrowing that institution
N the several States is against the true meaning and
'pri OF the Constitution, an Infringement Of the
rights Of the States affected, and breach Of the |
public faith on which they entered into this Conede-
-acy.