The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-01-01
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Boston ArIay.
Washington, Dee, 81
THE VETO MESSAGE-THE RiCnr
OF PETITION

| THE VETO MESSAGE-IIIE RiCnT
OF PETITION
Although no particular business WINS ,r,r,
acted in the House today, ola dcRunc cI,"
acter, yet there were several things d..
which squint towards important results.
The Veto Message Of the President has IN
another stab,a the narrow-contractedon ic
ions therein contained have been opcply no
pudinted by more than II tro-hjrds pote in II,
House. The resolution was offered Ly N,
Wentworth, of Illinois, who by,hc w9v
find to be II very clever fellow, and was n
these words:
"ReSOiUed, That the General Goyernmer
has the power to construct such harbors and
improve such rivers as are neccSSGryand rron
er for the security of our navy and Of or
commerce, aud also for the deiences of Oh,
country"
Mr. Wentworth managed his resolution
adroitly, so as to hurry the House TO a direct
vote upon It, Having moved il he called "a
the previous question, which, being SECONDED
was carried. The yeas and nays wereor
dered and this brought the House to a direct
vote, and the roll being called, the resulwn
announced as follows: Yeas l3S; Nays 81
Every Wing voted affirmutyely, and mos,C
the Western Democrats. 1t was gOliov
vote, and shows conclusively that "Yor.
Hickory" has no influence whatever evl
among his own party. From all tbafI can
hear or loarn of the opinions Of members
here. am satisfied that there never was an
Executive, with, perhaps, the eXcepionof
John Tyler, who had so little respectpd,o
his opinions as MIR Polk has.
have also TO record another vote Wild
must rejoice the heart ofevery true NoraT
! l,o 70 f4k
tition presented today, by Mr. Gddingsw &
sundrv citizens of the District of Column
concerning the slave trade therein, NrGt
dings presented the petition, and moycdG \
it he referred to the Committee on the Jo:
ciary, with instructions TO report concenr \
the constitutionalty of The slave laws ofn
District. MIR Jones, of Tenn, a Loco fc
member, moved that the petition be lad
upon tue table. On this the yeas a1t
nays were ordered; Mr. Clngman, gaIert
true Wing of North Carolina, hoped that i
would be referred to the COMMITTEE Tile
yeas and nays being called, it appeared lha
nineny seven had voted in the affirmative and
ninety in the negatiye-a lie. Tile
Speaker then said that he had uniformly yo
ted for giving all petitions, coucbcd IN le'
spectul language, reference, lie Therefore
would vote in the negative. And So by the
casting vote ofthe Speaker,the House refused
to lay the petition on the table-and thus for
the first time, us Mr. Giddings informed me-
since he has held scat in Congress, has the
u. S. House of Representatives refused to lay ~
petition concerning slavery upon the table.
This motion TO lay on the table was reslS.
ted by every Wing from the free States, and
bv at least two from Slave States, while W.
Clapp ofMaine, Hezekiah Williams, and ''
in fact, of the Loco Foco members from lie
State ofNIaine, land believe from New llamH
shire, with the exception OF Mr. smart, IRON
the former State, voted to lay the petition On K
the sable. Let this fact be put on record
II is one Of tie most favorable signs Of NE
times. Contrast the present with the past.
Call to mind the time when Anterior
New Hampshire, introduced his gag res'.'
tons, by which the right Of petition W's%
MED. when petitions breathing word ohUs
subject of slavery. or in favor of making .e
bond 20 free, were denied eren a preSfnI@p'
in this House. There has been an ad'3Ir
in public opinion since those days, au"u,
spirit offreedom and of equal rights hasy@'
from it the chains by which 1t was Tor as&
hammered and bound; and | will not Ie .n
from saying all honor to The veneraGle Aa-P
and his Wing colleagues, aud to Jo gaD,,rS
Giddings for their faithful adherence'mTyI,S""
evil report, 10 the cause of liberty ''" WV
right of petition. ,..,o-No
The Hon. John p. Hale, of the SENATE ,,.
presentation of petitions being IN oroe ,,iLo
ose and said he had been intrusteu N", y.
petition ofcertain citizens of Indiana, E o:r.
ing Congress to use such means as "tle ''.ihin
" within its power, TO abolish Sla'el! ,oI that
the Union. Mr. Hale said he undersI0TI oy nh
it was the practice of the sena, .eh Ia The
petitions ofthis character on ne t Xf;co pres-
petition was then handed to me wv that il
dent. Mr. Hale expressed n'EH n, thoth
would not he laid upon the table, Uu p.o s
would he received. The Vice rr ',,;.e.~
Immediately put the question III J., .'E hid upon
alt is moved that this petiIon p Id hcorinO
the table, MIR Hale said ne nc, nav W;oo prcs
such motion as that made. Inc wv wv the mo-
dent said that it was presumeu W Ln sits pen
ton MIR Westcott, of Florida, wi" H., motion
to MIR Hale, said he would make .ira, - hyM
MIR Hale said that under the mot'on Jar W npcg
the table. debate would not be III oII Io 'toIh
the question, however, of laying Oh .i,J wee
he asked for the yeas and nays, WIN Al, Be-.
ordered. After few remarks ironl w. nooa
r;en who 7 understood to second the nV ii.
of MIR Wescott the question was taken Wbigs
lows. Avas %. Noes 10. All the and
Grom, tho Free States who were presepr, o,d
Mr. Underwood. from Kentucky FOro,
against LAYING on the table. Inc 10 so,edD
from both Free and Slave states, nd Fair
Law OH the table, including Bradbury a",nrshr,
field. of Maine, Anterior, of New il""'F
and Niles. of Connecticut. l.,
i IN