Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-08-17
IA N. p, i;tors of the Enquirer.

unent which is being published al The National Era
office in This city, copy ." which has been sent yon ana
nn,hc, COPY forward by The mail that conveys this letter
, Era as your readers are aware is the central organ
of ,b Aboionila and the document is printed 10 me Or
4 If the Whg National Committee. Those who profess
m he sensitive The slavery question ana VINO cehou"ee
CAY John son fJr C( mercy towards poo u'o'''
oeor, will explain if they can, l"w II Is '''' 'S 0'
i, IN +, operate IL. General Scott and against
y, ,Eio Pierce. note. very singular !act maj WIN -
command Inc viii candidate particularly to tie sup
= bc Estmoad Wig. onI other papers and politicians
, cs,us is Thai wGl. the National Fra has been re-
~ al l,r. in liz administrations Of PIERCE il adS stt.r
suYitlc ugainst Scott! The Era thinks na' Scoi'
;u b !, "uood enough" Abclionst after the election
raj; Joc,msnt you will perceive is made up 81 an att
-, eo N. National Era headed "a Brief Chapter II ;he
riff. of General Franklin Pierce" and ">peech Q! "ia'
u c.o-a in the Senate of the United States July ~,
,o., IN m. Whale Fisheries and American comncfc: In
,ha Pacific The documents printed On The same shee'
mil If course will be circulated under one cover "Eat DO
Sou,hern Wings think of this connection Is II not oms.
mus Let Them heed the workings o! consccnce cl me
6 mo nropre;y of vote for Scott decide the question.
rbc silent monitor of the bosom speaks nEy wien wrong
: nosed TO be done If il fails unbaid when this act Is
osted the heart c.los hardened and lis Posssssorls
hndsd over" 70 the cravings OF The wcm that never 'rh
T. i r. 100 late for repentance fepuings will BE- useless,
,d o.rnas 10 the Union Will no, avail when Seward and
G,y and johnston Of Pennsylvania are the priests
in our political temple
Tho Erus article and Stewards speech make pamphlet
Of eighteen pages and as sld is printed 10 the order OF
r Wing Commit tee here nn' positive, but tttHh ,hat
.,,r..o who compose the committee have idea OF
ranking them souhwuTdy. (By way OF parentI'csis
,cuIi state that into the possession Of lew copies
he The mcrcst accident in word The reader may Judge
BY few bricks from the Erls Babel the character .! he
article. The following are preserved
,.u Pierce ,yl DC much surprised Mr.. Orr Of Sonh
arnna that IL" haa stood opposed I" any OF
,hr i.np,rous dturand+ Of he Son'h"
Friday December Is, 1885, itoaceh debate sprung up
in H.. House the presentation OF a p",iio" by Hr.
JACK sun cf Massachusetts, PRAYING the u3o!I"n 0 SLAYER.
in the District
now fairly commenced Up this time the usual mode q;
getrinr rid Of petitions had been by yin" them upon The
table without debate. This prevented their consideration,
and excluded III agitation But few Southern men 81 eX
IRENE views ncrGscd BY what they regarded assaults upon
The peculiar institution determined To open the door Tor
sections. controversy for the SIX: Il EMBARRASSING The nd
mnjsra,ion or promoting discussion cccrfi!ntt apon
more violent of procedure The presentation .! ne
ur,j,jon bv Mr. Jackson, used occasion Nr.
Hammond Of South Carolina moved it BE- rtI"c'r,: ir
Garland Of Virginia that il he laid up"n the tlhI" fil-
bling conversation followed points al order ~ last
for The purpose of acng the question q rejection, f
Hammond HIS friends agreed 10 have the petition con
sdered ana Mr. Garland Withdrew his molten 10 lay upon
the ,ah. Ii Immediately renewed by Mr. Benrdsley Of
New York The House brclmc again tplcXcd with points
II order until M Thoas Of Mdryan 10 relieve the mei-
beers who had voted consideration from their difficulties
moved 10 reconsider the melton by which the "i'" had
nnrced IN consider the petition exciting debate
followed Some Of The Southern members a"uwed that
they desired agitation FOR The purpose Al being abc 10 riGGl-
cate their institutions; SOME deprecated agitation; ali &C.
uounccd IL and they sustained by the Northern allies
of The slave power who abused the anaVery men, aud
were willing 20 all lengths for The suppression OF h"la-
o 50 they might be spared III" dangerous task Il an
undiS2usrd denial OF the right OF petition For himself
Mr.
the peton-a that should mark the opinion OF The
House upon the character Of sach petitions oy saying NJ
that would consider H. III they WOULD
meet the views honorable gentlemen, he was willing 10
modify his motion 10 lay The table, and 10 that the
House would consider the petition or would REJECT us
prayer although laying on the table lie thought was equl'
valrnt o either OF the notifications Indicated
"Mr Mason of Virginia. hoped that the gentleman from
New York would modify his motion that they could have
direct vote on rejecting the petition III the House
pared TO decide upon principle OF the petition why not
icc it al once? petition is act Of
ian WHICH can do no good and will do much mischief
He upcd the House would reconsider and then al once re-
fuse 10 consider the petition, or reject IT,
Fnnkn Pierce loped tie motion 10 reconsider would be
Withdrawn and that Mr. BcardsIey would 50 far modify his
motion az the appreciation OF al! VINO are most SEN
svc upon this asitating question ana e os' :. aa Ms
request The suggestion made BY MS ricnh from 'rGnlH
mir Mason Hc was anxious for direct vote upon lie
question:; he could not bear 'at any mpuiau9n Should r's
,on the Nor. consequence OF the misguided and lanai.
cal zeal Of a ew-conp irai,vty lew, nc
fhr reconsider was laG upon Tue tiolc-ychS
ll9. nays II.
Mr.
on the table so rid o. dba'" ana eXci'cment The
question taken: and ccncd IN the negaiive-yeas 70,
nays 2l Those who voted yea the conservative men
Of South and their Northern allies: those who voted nay
the OF the South, who wished 10 "rce an
undi cued denial right Of petition and the friends
Of the right II petition who were Intent upon putting an end
10 the policy b. which that right had been practically MILL
fled while technically recognized As might have been
pected John Quincy Adams voted nay and Franklin Pierce
yea
Tc motion hay upon the table having failed Nr Ham
mond m"y mai sad petition be- a:i te same i hereby
rejected TIE :ehat" then prpcccicd with great a;lini"m;
and during lis progress the Ac vas Drought to !e noc" "
House that sai'tr petition presented iat ',fy Gay ~
Mr. Briggs OF Massachusetts, haa through uat'st'ct osh
referred Ia The Committee on the pistrlc' oil Cuiumos
Mr. Puttua reconsider this vo'e ana then the whole
subject went I'll the following Monday, the House ad
lournng till that day.
"londay Dcccm5e. 2lst, il again taken up and after
debate The majority bciag unable 10 upon more
summary mode ct proceeding motion ~ lay upon The table
the petition and all motions III relation 10 II, rIevaed-yehS
l40 nays i6-he South generally and its northern allies
including Franklin Pierce voting ytG: john Quincy Adams
and his friends, witha few suuerncs hostile 10 any Kind
of ndrcciiU; voting
Eve completed record OF Mr. Pierce in tine House
dcunmstratss taI dn;ina the tim h. held seat in III"
House Of Representatives he earnest, ho:1a!, con
sislen, opponent of anti slavery agitation and antsia"cy
discussion; that nc constantly artaycd hgnas NJ
Adams, the lus'rl1us champion OF tnc right Of petition
that while recognizing tie technical right Of pciiiipn ne
uniformly voted virtually - a5fngate it; that when The
Shareholders attempted ~ crush NJ Adams and win hi
the hope Of free discussion in III" House he would not vote
venerable fair herring; Ia oft:,
that nc The nnwavefins ally nnd supporter :" ie slave
holding interest.
sln 1897 Mr. Pierce became member OF ic Uni
ted States Senate. Following him Ihhcr wr shall fn!
he cr'icGr! 10 pufsg" the iGe q roicy il rel
the slavery question: He took III stand by the nd"
OF NJ. Cinorn stood by him in MS Efforts 10 snppress
an.sluvcry agitation and discussion" >
Bat while SIR Pierce anxious 10 nut through all ihcs"
resolutions NJ Clay aud other savGhotag senators thought
lie !h AMI sixth too sweeping ar: untnaricAi and H.
moved substitute directed "nl. Ans interference by ~"
citizens with the institutions 1T another,
tanning declaration that attempts u hr,ns about ic ah"
tiOn IT slavery here wcrr direct an! dangerous ailac
uaun institutions al all Tho sluvriuing States but
cugnsn press terms, the duty Of Congress 10 receive
and respectfully all petitions IN dc:or1n~ language,
aEans slavery the District This substitute ivas adopted
xh Si4ht notification "a - l-iir Buchanan ard
lr. Clay voting yea 1ir. Calhoun ana Nlr Pierce,
subsequently The Substitute divided ana lis various
paris aTcnCi an1 adopted Succcs>lvcly- r Calhoun ana
MIR. Pi".cc gtnrrai!y voting together.
ave have presented The record Of Mr. Pierce a rcTr"sen
ta"c and senator in Congress Du;ing !I TWO terms IN
the House and Until he resigned his seat in the SENATE he
always the slave power ant gave 40 vote which
subjected hi.n 10 it, dS;leasurc suspIciH;.
II" may be said that others in those !ays voted az h. did
who stree then have shown their devotion 10 freedom True,
but he has continued unchanged When John F. Hale, hIs
intimate friend for years, faithful u hi convictions
III rinh; Texas. defiance 81