The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-11
MFR. UNDERWOOD

| Mr. UNDERWOOD really, sir, have no great OBJ
ject TO subseye moving the instructions, but do think
that Tins was an appropriate occasion to have report
from the Judiciary Committee upon that subject de-
sire IT, because the petition ITSELF and the letter &C
companylng that petition, spoke OF proceedings now
IN agitation IN Kentucky in reference to convention
and OF the influence the report of this committee might
have upon the dongs OF that convention therefore re.
garded it as duty which owe TO the petitioner-and
my colleague informs me that he IS a respectable man
Know nothing about him myself, excepting from the
conversation | have had with my colleague; and al
though have transacted business for him, and know
the petition TO be genuine from the handwriting, felt
It due TO him, sir, to move the reference with m
strucuons, with the hope OF getting report IRON
the committee with regard to the constutionalty and
expedency OF measure OF this sort at the present SEES
sion OF the Senate do not expect any action OF the
Senate upon that report. wished merely that the opn-
ion of the committee should be given upon the constm,
lona question: and also in regard To the expedency OF
approprlatlng money for thus purpose
A SENATOR Are they to be forced out or do they
Mr. UNDERWOOD The petition prays Congress to
appropriate money send out OF the country free persons
OF color who will volunteer TO 60 and such slaves AZ
may be hereafter emancpaed for the purpose OF emgang
to Liberia Certain quarters of this country have been
perpetually eproachng the South upon the institution OF
negro slavery 1t is very we'll known, sir, that in the
slaveholdng States, there divided opinion 1t is per-
ecy well known that, among shareholders themselves,
there are portion who willing to emancpae their
slaves provided they be sent out of the country but
decidedly hostile to emancipation, If they to be
allowed to remain here.
Now, sir | do desire to test the opinions of northern
men-northern OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the question with
reference to the power and capacity of appoprIang mo-
ney out OF the treasury 10 relieve the country OF negroes
by sending them where shareholders may be disposed
to, send their slaves, II they know they will not be
allowed TO remain here In the remarks which !
made the other day. called the attention OF the Senate
and OF the committee TO the appropriations made Tor the
removal of Indians to the West and Tor the removal 10 the
coast of Africa of recaptued Africans and desired the
committee TO make Distinction ii they could, between
these appropriations and such appropriations as the pet-
toner asks Tor.
One remark more, sir and then am done 1t is this :
there to be seHsiiveness upon the subject OF
slavery which myself never have felt There Is
southern sensilvenesS, and northern sensitveneSS Ike
wise, which have never eyperienced and disposition
to agate in some quarters, which have alike and
always disregarded look upon it, Mr.. President. as
utterly hopeless utterly useless, 10 attempt the suppress
sion OF discussion OF any subject before the American
mind and our attempts to suppress it here or elsewhere
must always end in failure. We OF the South only do
ourselves an injury, according my opinion, when.
ever attempt to exclude discussion here, II
northern gentlemen choose to enter upon IT, Sir,
always was, while member of the other House, OPP
posed to the list rule opposed to every restriction
| here. | am for throwing the responsibility upon north
men, whenever they choose TO Investigate and speak
upon the subject to do it where and how they please
Sir, want 10 ascertain for my constituents the length
and the BREADTH the height and the depth OF the feelings
of the North upon this subject and what all its bear
ings both speculative and PRACTICAL and hold ii to be
my duty to get from those northern gentlemen ut all
times and upon all occasions, jus, exactly what they
intend to do. Therefore, sir have been always IN
favor of unshacklng them every opportunity 1t was
for this purpose that moved reconsideration OF the
by which the motions OF the gentlemen behind me
mir. HALE and Mr.. CORwINl were laid upon the table
Mr. President, do you expect does any sensl-
Bile, rational man ever expect that we are to aay this
excitement-which has been progressing from year 10
year, until it has REACHED the point OF almost severing
this naton-except you get nationally TO think
and nationally 10 talk with each other upon this subjects
/ A northern man or a northern woman sends n petition
here asking you TO egsate the subject OF slavery
as in the TO which have alluded asking you not
to extend slavery into that country which you
legslate DO you expect to concate the feelings OF
that that woman by turning around, and saying
"You had no right 10 speak or if you do speak, we
will not hear you: We will treat you with contempt"
Mr. President is utterly hopeless to expect to do any
good by the course which take in reference to petit
lions sent here. VIVA, has been the result of this
ia the other branch OF the national egsaturei When
first into Congress- all these petitions were referred
II went that way year after year, until at last we
passed the 2ls rule rejecting them without question:
without action without doing anything Has the pas
sage Of that 2lst rule done any good 1t has, in
my Judgment only aggravated the matter; and 50
the course which we take here. sir, can DO no good
excepting TO aggrava,e the question. What Is The
remedy! Refer their petitions and then give the proper
answer Now, sir upon the right of petition let me say
that entertain the opinion iha, 1t is not unlimited; that
there is a restriction upon it, and that that restriction con-
in two things Ii the body petionei has no power
to grant the prayer of that petition, then the petitioner
has right TO prefer the petition he prefers the petit
ton to body that cannot comply with the wishes OF
the petoner-tha has constitutional power to do
so-the presentation of the petition is to body, SIR
which, respect to the action which the petitioner DESIRES
has possible power to act and therefore there Is no
right in the case OF that sort of petition.
The other Limitation that where the petitioner
asks the body that has the power to act TO pass law
to modify law--to repeal law, which law does not
operate upon the petitioner but operates upon somebody
else they the individual who is moi affected by the law
and cannot be affected by it, has no right ntepose
and introduce petition to have law passed which shall
affect the rights and interests Of others, from whose ac
ton he is altogether exempt In OF that Sort sir
lit is direct desposn. 1t tyranny in the worst sense
for who does not feel the operation OF the law,
and who from his situation can never feel IT, to apply to
legislative body to put manaces upon others which he
is not to feel himself
Now sir, with these restrictions, the right OF petition
has been violated in lnnumerabe instances want the
North to understand that they calling upon the ma
are not to feel themselves! And want sir, in my view
of the subject, the committees of this House and OF the
ohert answer these peope-lo answer them IN a calm,
dgned manner, and say to them ''When your petitions
come here, you begging for thing which you are
not to feel by legislative action and which you are to
make others feel most sensiby."
Sir, there differences OF opinion upon this subject,
know These northern gentlemen and their censtltu-
ents may think, conscenhously as do that they have
the right to ask the legislation of Congress upon ques-
ton the effects of which they TO feel. think
petitions TO the committee, and then let northern
gentlemen who disposed giae this question, do II
at their peril. Sir we shall have all these things up.
This is inevitable These territorial bills in reference TO
New Mexico and California, bring the whole question
before us. And why upon this question: any more than
upon that, shall OF the South be allowed 10 speak
and why should not allow northern gentlemen to ar
que these points, Sir, experience no such alarm as
others appear TO feel feel though stand upon inn
pregnabe ground with reference to this institution |
think understand great deal better than they do and
4 ,l,, thin