The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-01-06
NUMBER 20.

Mr. CALHoUN.-What is the subject mat
ter Of the petition?
The PRESIDING OFr1CER-The abolition
of slavery in the District Of Columbia
Mr.. HALE-If it be in order, will state
the subject matter of the petition. The pc
tition comes from the yearly meeting of
Friends, at Newport, Wayne county, India
ma, praying the termination Of the war in
, Mexico; and also, praying that all the pow
crs vested in Congress upon the subject,
shall be exerted for the termination Of slavcry'
Mr.. DUTLER.-That does not say any
thing about slavery in the District Of Colum-
bia.
Mr.. HAZE remarked that that was in
clndcd in the petition.
The question was then taken on the call
for tho yeas and nays. A sufficient number
Of members rising, the yeas and nays were
ordered and were taken as follows.
YnAs.--Messrs. Alien, Ashley, Atchison, Ather-
ton, Badger, Bell Bcrricn bradbury, Brcsce Bright,
Butler Calhoun Cass, Davis, lor Mississippi,) Dix,
Dickinson, Downs, Fairfield, Fetch, Foote, Hunter,
johnson, (oI Mmyand,) johnson, (of Louisiana
Nangum, Mason, Miles, Rusk, Sewer, Spruancc,
Sturgeon Turnoy, Wcscott, Yulec.-33.
NAYs-Mossrs, Baldwin, Clarke, Corwin, Greene,
Hale, Miller, Phelps, Underwood, Upham,-9.
So the motion to receive the petition was
laid upon the table.
Mr.. HALE presented the memorial of Da-
vid T. Burr and sixty.nine others, citizens of
Pennsylvania, praying for such an alteration
OF the Constitution and laws as shall abolish
slavery throughout the Union.
MIR. HALE said IL do not understand that
there is a standing rule or order of the Sen
ate that raises the question whether this pc
tition shall be received, or the motion to ~.
cciye it laid ON the table. | ask whether thn
motion to receive the petition is debatablpl
Am | correct, sir, in supposng it is dobata
bic ?
PRESIDING OFFIcER.-Iti is dcbatabc.
Mr.. HALE. So understanding it, sir,
wish to say single word in vindcation d
the course which | deem it my duty to take
on this occasion. 1t is with no desire to pro
duce angry feelings, or excited discussion,
but it is in discharge of my duty, under deep
and earnest convictions Of my understanding,
that attempt to discharge that duty. What
is the refusal of the Senate to receive these
petitions? 1t is saying that there arc some
subjects on which the people shall not ap-
proach this tribunal.
/ In this day, speculation is adventurous
We venture to inquire into all the secrets Of
the material and spiritual world. The re.
searches Of geological science have pcnetrat-
ed the bowels OF the carth and have there.
fore found the materials by which it is cssaycd
to prove that
g lie who made the world and its age rovcapd
To Moses, was mstalcu.'
Nay, inquiry goes with adventurous fight
to the very throne Of Eternity and under
takes to scan the laws by which He who
sits thereon governs His own actions and the
world lie has created. and sir, if specula-
ton is thus adventurous, have We, the United
ats itself above Cod dcfying examination or
enquiry, or petition even? Most cmphati-
cally, sir, do | conceive that at the present
day the people Of the United States have a
peculiar right to come and ask of this body q
respectful hearing of their petitions, and
respectful hearing on this very subject. Sir,
it is 10 mere abstraction. 1t is an element
Of political power in the formation Of our
Constitution it is an clement on which the
Constitution Of the other House is regulated;
and, it is an element in the political discus
sion and action Of the present day, which is
Involving the nation in a foreign and aggres-
siyc war at an expense Of forty or fifty mill
ions of dollars annually. And if the people
Of the United States are to be thus taxed for
a war, growing Immediately and directly out
of IN institution of this character, are they to
be told they shall not come and respectfully
present their petitions upon this ubject?
have thus discharged my duty to those
who sent me hero without any expectation
Of influencing the action of this body, without
any desire to excite angry feeling or discus
sion. | ask that the petition may be received.
Mr.. BERRIEN-The practice which has
been adopted by the Senate has been the re-
suit Of calm and deliberate consideration. 1t
has projected us from those exciting discus
sions which, in another branch Of the nation
al Legislature, have too often occurred. ! do
not apprehend that any thing has fallen from
the honorable Senator from New Hampshire
who presents this petition, which is cilculat-
ed to change the well settled conviction OF the
Senate on this subject. ! therefore, sir, the
question Of reception being before the Senate,
move to lay that question on the table.
The motion to receive the petition was
then laid upon the table.
MONDAY, Dec. 81.
In the Senate, Mr.. Bradbury announced
the death Of his colleague Mr.. Fairfield,
stating that he was in good health at the last
meeting of the Senate on Thursday. On
Friday morning he received the visits of his
friends with accustomed cheerlulncss, and at
noon submitted to surgical operation for an
infrmity of the knee, Ills physical strength,
however, was insufficient to sustain the agony
which the operation produced, and he
died at 90 minutes before o'clock the same
evening.
MIR. Niles followed with an eloquent eulogy
upon the character and public services Of the
tons The funeral was appointed to take
place at noon tomorrow.
The Vice President appointed Mcssrs.
Niles, Berrien, Crttendcn, Brcsce, Dix, and
Greene a committee to make the necessary
arrangements for the funeral Adj