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

htre during the session Of Congress.
! He supported his amendment with reasons
which seemed to be generally we'll received by
the Senate but, lest it might seem invidious in
this case, he withdrew his amendment.
The Senate then adjourned
The absurd custom which Mr. Clay opposed
will, after this, be abandoned, we should think
On the sth, the subject of the petition for dis.
solution again came up, and Mr.. Douglas pro.
ceeded to define his position. He had always vo.
ted for the most summary disposition Of such pc
titions believing their tendency was to aggra.
vate excitement on the slavery question and
weaken the bonds of the Union As to this peti.
ton for dissolution, he would vote for its rejec
ton. But, he was for uniform rule on the sub
! ject Of petitions touching slavery, let them come
from what quarter they might-North or South
He had voted to lay the question of the reception
Of the proceedings of the meeting presented by
Mr.. Mangum on the table but he was surprised
that Southern Senators had refused to apply in
that case the rule they had so rigidly enforced
in reference to such matters coming from the
North
MIR. Sturgeon denounced the petition as spuri-
Gus, " the work of some violent, back-hearted abb
olitionistn
Mr.. Dawson Does the Senator from New
Hampshire Mr.. Hale recognise the power OF
Congress to dissolve this Union, either peaceably
or forcbly and if is desirable to lay the found
alton for the commencement of such project, does
he feel hinlse'fTas apatriut, as Ex-senator repre-.
sentng a sovereign State, called on to present
| that tremendous question in this body2 Ii he
believe Congress has that power, then let that
petition be received or if he should be instructed
by bis constituents to make the effort let it then
be received. Why are We constantly irritated
here by the presentation of petitions Of this kind
upon which he knows there can be no action on
the part of Congress? Is it for the purpose of
irritating one portion of the Union against an
other, is it to crafty the feelings of those who
are said to be fanatical on this subject If it be
neither of these motives, why disturb the peace
and harmony of this Union, and interrupt the
legitimate business of this body, by the presenta-
tion of such petitions? Is it to crafty personal
| feeling, or what object is there in il =?
The question about the Union is one that | am
not now going to discuss. IL gentlemen have ir-
! ward feelings driving them into desire to dis
solve this Union, they had better not express
them here. If they do, let it be done on an occa-
! sion when the members of this body can constitu-
tionally express an opinion.
MIR Hale Mr. President would have been
grati6ed if little OF this admonition had been
called forth on some o,her occasion, y hcr> *.
| here during this session, and | have heard this
Union not only threatened, but its dissolution an
nounced / sat yesterday and heard the Senator
from North Carolina MIR. Mangum say in ref
erence to course Of legislation which he well
knew had been adopted by Congress within the
last two years that if il was persisted in, he and
others had placed themselves in position of re-
sistance to it, in which they would defend them
selves at every hazard have heard it again and
again declared by Senators coming from another
section of the Union, that If Congress should
adopt certain measures, they would not submit,
but would resist them at every hazard. Such dec
| larations called forth no rebuke. The Senator
from Georgia Mr.. Dawson sat in his seat as
quietly as did; but now some people who do
no, hold exactly to that mode of doing business
who do not come here threatening and denounc-
| ing the Union. believing that Senators are in
earnest in their threats, ask US to do it peacea-
bly, as they are non-resistant and all this indig-
nation is worked up and poured out on my head
The Senate is called upon to put me down, and
an appeal is made to know why the Senator dared
to present such petition Sir dare walk up
| to the line of my constitutional duty, as under
stand it, dare do everything that | believe to
| be constitutional and the Senate cannot put me
down until they resolve to put down the constitu-
tiopal privileges Of the State which in part rep
resent here.
In regard to this petition, | see nothing irrita-
ting or insulting in it, We have to hear every
day from the other side of the Chamber very diff
ferent language from this petition. IL has moth
ing to do with any action in reference to slavery
it asks that Congress shall propose immediate
measures for the peaceable dissolution Of the
| Union And let me say, that If the argument set
forth by the Senator from Georgia Mr.. Dawson
to-day and by the Senator from Kentucky MIR
Underwood yesterday is to be the rule by which
the good people Of the United States are TO be
anything, for it amounts to nOthing.-Those Sen
ators put it on the ground that have no right to
present petition here for action upon a subject
upon which believed Congress had no power to
act. That is not my businessmen at all. IL is
for the people to judge as TO what they shall pc
tition for, and when the time comes for action,
then | have the right to judge as to what is the
power of Congress to grant their prayer The
people who petition have the right to judge also
whether Congress has a right to act and then
when the subject is before us, We have the right
to judge and decide on the propricty and power
Of Congress to act
Mr. Davis of Massachusetts, spoke with some
warmth against the reception of the petition 1t
called upon them to destroy what they were
sworn to support.
Mr. Foote expressed his cordial acquiescence
in the patriotic sentiments" Of the Senator from
Massachusetts. He then spoke of the course of
Mr. Hale, attributing ii TO the mcrciless castiga-
ton he had recently received from Disunion
Convention in the city of Boston, in which Mr..
Garrison and Abby Kelley figured.
But that condole so profoundly with the hon
orable Senator from New Hampshire on account
Of the compulsion to which he is from time to
time subjected, and the necessity imposed upon
him of doing many things here which must hope
are not entirely agreeable to his own taste, in or
der to keep up his popularity and influence at
home--that is to say, among the factionists whose
special agent in this body he undeniably isl
should be induced to apply to him and his conduct
on the present occasion the harshest language and
elimination. | should be even induced to 90 far
ther and to impose upon him the severest penal
ties to which member Of this body can be sub
jected. One thing is certain it was only few
years ago that John Quincy Adams himself was
very nearly being expelled from the House Of
Representatives for undertaking to present in
that body such petition as that now before us
Expelled he would certainly have been, but for
the merciful postponement Of action upon the mo-
ton for expulsion which was accorded TO his age
and former services, and the intermediate rendi.
ton Of semi Unsatisfactory apologies in one form or
another. repeat that but for the commiseration
which feel for the honorable Senator Of New
Hampshire, constrained, as he evidently considers
himself to be, to play the wretched part which he
is now playing as the representative and agent Of
factionists and traitors, should be not only in
duced to censure him harshly, but ! should even
be in favor Of enforcing against him the heaviest
penalties for fractional misconduct Perhaps
might even be willing TO submit such motion for
expulsion myself As it is ! will not do IT, am