The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14

! thihhj SIT, that the course thus indicated II
\ the right course. 1t is founded upon a correct
apprehension Of the nature Of the right Of petit
ton, and the true duty Of legislative bodies in
respect to such petitions as that now before US
do not concur with those honorable Senators
who have seen t to dsparage the the right of petit
ton as poor right "a right to beQD IL is the
inestimable right guaranteed by the Constitution
to the people Of making known, in proper form.
their wishes TO the Legislature. 1t is called. in.
deed, in the Constitution, the right Of "petaionr
Petition is the word used But what is meant
Not supplication, certainly but the right Of the
people TO express their views upon any subject Of
interest to them, and TO ask such action as they
desire. The word petition is used in tn,
sense that belongs TO il when used in judicial pro
eeedings. IL describes an application in writing
II may be an application for that which is de
mandable as an absolute right, or that which tn,
tribunal or body addressed may grant or deny a
discretion, that which cannot be granted at all
! for want Of power TO grant to act upon the sub
ject Of the application. But it is for the people
to whom the right Of petition belongs, TO deter
mine for themselves upon what occasions they
will exercise it and when they have determined
and have exercised it, and their petitions are pre-
sented here, or in any other legislative body
they should be received To refuse to receive
them is, in my judgment, an infringement upon
their right. When once received, they may be
disposed of as seems fit in any way consistent
with fair and respectful hearing To stop
short Of this-to refuse TO receive q peti.
tiou-to say to the petitioners, "you shall not be
heard us an invasion Of their constitutional
privilege. Sir, we cannot abridge that privilege
by law. II is pot in the power Of both branches
of Congress combined TO abrdge that privilege
By lays much less CAD We d6ridge 1t by mere
usage or rule.
Nor, Mr. President, does il seem to me wise to
denounce "a madmen those who come here-no
matter whether from the North or from the
South N matter whether their petitions be
presented by the Senator from North Carolina
or the Senator from New Hampshire - to ask
for action preparatory to dissolution Of the
Union They are mistaken men, but, hope, not
mad They ask for action which we have no con-
sttutional power to take, and which we ought not
to take if we had the power They are mistaken
if they think We have the power They are mis-
taken If hey think that the power If We had it.
should be exercised. They depict--the South.
erners as well as the Mediterranean no doubt
truly according to their respective ideas Of them
the grievances which hey desire to have redress
ed but they have mistaken the remedy. Ii is not
to be found in a dissolution of the Union. The
petitioners from the North who desire dissou-
ton Of the Union, desire that which, IL accomplish
ed, would in no degree advance their purposes
The petitioners or resolutionists from the South,
who contemplate disunion, look 10 chat which il
attained, would overwhelm all their hopes in ut
ter ruin ,,-.l----.
/ regret, Mr.. President that, upon the motion
to receive the petition now presented, We are not
TO have the vote Of the honorable Senator from
Illinois, Mr.. Douglas He apprehends, clearly
enough, the line of discrimination established
here. The question Of reception was made upon
the petition presented day or two since by the
Senator from North Carolina, Mr.. Manguml
That petition like this looked towards dissolu-
ton of the Union; yet the Senate decided to re-
ceive it almost unanimously. There were but two
votes against reception. One Of these votes was
given by the honorable Senator from Illinois, in
conformity with the usage to which he sdheres, of
denying reception to all petitions on this subject
or touching in any way the great question Of Sla-
very, whether they come from the North or the
South. But after the honorable Senator saw, AZ
he did see, that the usage to which he adhered
was to be disregarded, and that, instead of it,
there was to be mere invidious sectional dis
elimination in respect to the reception of petitions
! did hope that he would be inclined to give to
petitions from the North the same benefit of hear
ing which the Senate. by vote so nearly unani-
nous accorded to petitions from the South.
regret, also, that We are not to have the vote
of the Senator from Pennsylvania Mr.. Stur-
geon ! am sorry he could not see in the petition
from North Carolina for the reception of which
he did vote, the hateful characteristics which he
sees in this which comes from citizens of his own
State congratulate the Senator, however, ON
the applause which his discrimination has drawn
from honorable Senators on the Wing side Of the
Chamber, and particularly from the Senator from
Georgia, MIR. Dawson
The Senator from Massachusetts Mr. Davis,
too, avows his purpose to vote against the recep.
ton of this petition, although he voted for the re.
ception Of the petition from North Carolina
am sorry for this but he, too, has his commenda.
ton and his commender While the Senator
from Georgia MIR Dawson bestows the need OF
appreciation upon the Senator from Pennsylvania
Mr. Sturgeon, the Scnstor from Mississippi
Mr.. Foote baptizes with his applause the Sena-
tor from Massachusetts,
| have already said that have no objection to
receiving this petition, and laying 1t the table,
rs was done with the one from North Carolina.
| am quite willing that both petitions should be
referred TO committee, with such instructions rs
the Senate may see 6t TO give. But protest
against discrimination. Let every respectful pc
titon presented here, no matter from what quar-
ter it comes, meet with the reception due TO the
representations of the people addressed to their
representatives Let them be received. If the
Senate entertains in regard to the objects for
which they pray, opinions so unanimous, so fixed,
and so unalterable that reference would be use
less, let them be laid upon the table; or IL it be
thought desirable, for the sake Of satisfying the
petitioners and the country to answer the pc
tition by a statement Of reasons why its prayer
cannot or should not be granted, let it be refer
red a
Ia most things, Mr. President, il will give me
pleasure to follow the example Of gentlemen from
whom ] am now compelled to differ But in this
matter think it safer and better to follow the ex-
ample which has been set before me by the Legis-
ture Of my State. That example Is In favor of
receiving this petition and denying its prayer.
With the people of Ohio the right Of petition IL
sacred and sacred also Is the union Of the States
shall vote, therefore, for the reception Of this
petition and shall, also, on every occasion, by
my vote and by my action, prove that am, as
Ohio is, for the Union and against dissolution.
Mr.. Berrien then addressed the Senate on the
resolutions of Mr.. Clay, taking occasion to urge
the claims of the South Without closing, he
gave way for a motion to 90 into Executive ses-
sion
The House was occupied with action upon the
joint resolutions in relation to limiting the expen-
ses Of collecting the revenue. The amendments
adopted In Committee Of the Whole were re.
jected
Mr. Preston King then moved to reconsider
the vote by which the main question had been Or
dered, and pending the motion, the House ad-
journed.
LATE FROM CALIFORNIA
,.,,., mn co. I'm U~soNr An nm cxytS
SENATORS ELECT.