Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-08

| sachusetts have secured 10 them, Dy ouI ihs.i'u
tons the high prerosalive OF calling upon Eo"-
press 10 abolish the guaranteed fi9n's VI '"o'o
who live not in Massachusetts, on I'D o.hei Pol-
lons of the Union. The abolitionis.sc nase seou,
red 10 them The privilege 10 petition congress 10
interfere with slavery, or they have not. IL tney
have then Congress is in duty bound 10 receive
and consider their petitions. If they have not
CONGRESS has not the right 10 receive ana consider
Them: and. of course is under no Oellgauon 10
In this question OF the reception OF abolition Pc
ti,ions are involved The rights OF two parties ! ne
refusal 10 receive is not simple denial OF poor
privilege claimed by those pcllIonins. IL Is 'lie
extension Of protection 10 constitutional il,ihuh
ties wanionly and arbitrarily assaileu' lne re-
crntion is moi a mere harmless compliance WIN
The wishes of the peti!ioners-it is q disturbance
and an invasion of the domestic concerns oil tnose
who are not responsible 10 The petitioners, nor 10
Congress. for the complaints made against them.
and when. in justification OF the reception OF
these petitions the plea OF protection OF Inc sacred
privilege OF petilioning is rut IN, why 90 NOSE
who offer il, forget the violence and wrong when
is thereby done 10 ohersI
Here then, is a conflict OF supposed rights {;
and as under our beautiful system OF Govern
menr there can be no Snch conflict between the
true rights and privileges Of the different portions
Of orr Confederacy The one or The other party
INNS, be wrong and il becomes the bonnden duty OF
frecmep and statesmen 10 ascertain who is wrong,
and 10 act accordingly And, in the investiga-
tiun of this matter, the enquiry at once arises,
has Congress under the Constitution, The power
10 receive and 10 acl upon these ISLANDERS, wicked
complaints and mad schemes OF fanatics, against
ms oithe Son,h2 The rights OF Congress are resrlc,-
Ell by lis powers. It's powers are specified and limit
ed. And the domestic concerns ofthe people OF The
Union are entirely under the authority and con-
rol of The people in the different parts OF IT, and
Congress has NOT the right 10 interfere, IN any de-
oree Our institution Of slavery is domestic
matter. These political ayoms will not cannot,
be denied in Virginia, By any Consequently,
The admission will be unanimous, that Congress
cannot grant the prayer 81 The petitioners ana us
urb our domestic relations; because, congress
ought mol to do any thing which il has not the le-
gal mower 10 do. Bear in mind, the Shareholder
| has rights which these petitioners seek TO disturb,
and finally 10 Destroy And the admission is, that
CONGRESS cannot Interfere with these rights. Con-
press is an agent for The whole Union, with speci-
fed powers An agent ought 10 do no more than
execute his trust. Otherwise, representative
government is a farce. And now, The next en-
oniry is, Have the abolitionists the right 10 petit
ton Congress for the destruction of the insliu-
ton of slavery? We ask this question Of The
slave holder himself MOI is the loud and long
response II they had, there would be an end 10 the
enquiry; and Congress would have to consider not
whether they had the power. but whether il would
be reasonable 10 grant The prayer Of the petitions
| The ahollonsls are without The moral or legal
| right 10 request Our common agent 10 destroy
our property. Our agent is without the power
| to comply with the request. What, then is the
| duty of the common agent When asked TO do
this illegal thing, he ought 10 reply, firmly, 81
CANNOT ~ This is what was done BY the rule of
| Congress.
But we arc told that the Constitution prohibits
Congress from The passing Of any law abrdging
''the right of The people peaceably 10 assemble,
! and petition the Government Tor redress OF
rrieranecs." Docs this rule do il? Does il pre-
vent the people from peaceably assembling .
Certainly not Does il prevent the people from
re,ionng2 No. Did not the petitions 20 10
| Congress under the rule Multitudes Of them.
The rule OF Congress merely said we have no
rover over the subject Of The petition What
more reasonable? what more Just? In addition
10 This common sense proclaimed there was no
"grisr0ute" in The case.
! Shall we. however, be told, tia, the petitions
ought 10 be received tor the purpose OF consider
ing the power and the propriely oferanting them?
! Any member of Congress, whose mind was not
made up on the subject ought to go for The recep-
on. But does Virginia mean 10 go for any
man who is for The power or whose mind IS not
made up7 The matter has been considered IN
Congress. and discussed there over and over
again; and there ought NOT 10 be shadow Of
doubt resting upon the opinions OF the representa-
tive OF slave holders on this subject.
1t is true, we are told, that, by giving the reins
to fanat,cism, il will be more easily curbet-
! This has been ricd-hu, the flame grew higher
and broader. These petitions were received, and
the three able reports OF Messrs. Patton Pinckney
and Anterior could propiae none OF the preu-
dices nor abale any Of the violence OF tanacisn.
| The nuisance increased To abale ii, the rule oil
| Congress was established
The rule Eo now being in existence, we are
told he petitions have decreased in numbers, IN
til they arc not now heard Of. This is a mistake
Tor, the cry is still they come. II they have dim-
/ nished al all il is because Abolitonsm has been
made drunk, by the incense offered up, in adula-
| ton 10 IT, br the destruction OF the rule OF Con-
gress; and when this effect shall be over, il will
| return with more diretul thirst Than ever: Tor.
when was ianatcism ever characterised by gene
rosv or magnanimy2 Besides, The past action
of Congress proves, that argument cannot salts
| ~ il.
/ The rule Of Congress on the subject haring
been repealed, The effort OF Mr. Bots now is, 10
rrrn The attention Of The country from the con-
,iteralion oil his advocacy OF the right oil ihese
petitions 10 disturb us with their petitions TO tie
fac; that the rule was repealed By the last House
| 81 Representatives, IN which The Democrats had
a majority. Bu; by whose votes was The rule
principally repcalcd} All of the Southern De-
mocrais, and some of The Northern Democrats
voted for the rule All The Northern Wings, and
some Of the Southern Wings, voted 10 repeal the
rule. Which party, then, is most 10 lie trusted Z
And the course Of Mr.. Bots, and those asso
| ciacd with him in this business, al the South,
| has had the effect anticipated. II Southern
men will not stand by their rights how can they
expect Northern men TO do i'll The Richmond
| Wing, once with US, on this question, has gone
over 10 The enemy Sill many Northern Demo
Gratis stand by The Democrats Of The South, in
vindica,ion OF their rights The eighteen mem.
bers Of Congress who voted against the resolu-
tions, declaring, 'fhe rule established in the Con-
stluton as the basis of representation and direct
taxation, resulting from a spirit OF concession
| and compromise essential 10 the formation and
| preservation Of the Union Of the States. ought
10 be held sacred BY the friends Of the Union,
were all Wings
Were the question, which CT the two parties
could best be trusted b. The South} there could be
no hesitation The question, however, is, who is
most entitled 10 public confidence on this subject
MIR. Bolts or Mr.. ScddoD2 This is the issue
This We are called on 10 decide. Mr.. Bolts says
he goes for The great right OF pelilionins. SO do
we We GO farther: We 20 for The srea. right
Of instruction. The subjects of monarchy, or
cespoism, lvmbly petition The government Tor
their rights We have taken step onward in
the progress OF human rights. We can com
mand and force obedience. The government
must obey the people: |, is their servant. The
lreemen OF our land do not pride themselves upon
the right 10 petition They occupy more elevated
ground. When they want their rights observed,
they use their authority, and command. When
they want some little exclusive privileges, they
petition. But the attitude of petitioners is moi
that which suits the freemen OF cur land, contend
! ing for great rights and constitutional immnni-
tles-and he who would SO represent il, is without
the spirit and the holiness of American freedom,
and would degrade The people, BY making them
supp'ioaie, where they ought TO speak trumpet
longued, and with authority.
PLOUGHMAN