The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-22

Among the affirmative votes is that of FRANZ
LIN PIERcE.-Gales 8. Seaton's Register Vol
XII, Part /, p. ,l4l.
Wednesday, December Is, 1885, Mr.. Fair
field presented petition from l72 women. for
the abolition Of slavery and the slave trade in
this District, and moved it BE- laid upon the
table Mr.. Slade moved that il be printed
The question was taken on the first motion.
and decided in the affirmative-yeas 1870. nays
3l-the South, with its Northern allies. inclu-
ding FRANKLIN PIERCE, voting yea. John q
Adams and his friends, nay.
MIR. Nanderpoel moved to lay the motion 10
print on the table y; and this motion PREVAILED
yeas 1863, NAYS 49-FRANKLIN PIERCE again
voting IN the affirmative, with the Slavehod
ers.-Gales g. SeatOn's Register, FOL. xii, Part
2, p. ,965.
Friday, December l8, 1885, protracted de
bate sprung up in the House, on the presenra-
ton Of petition by Mr.. Jackson of Massacbu-
sets, praying the abolition Of slavery in the
| District.
The work Of petitioning on the subject of
| slavery had now fairly commenced Tn 10 this
time, the usual mode Of getting rid Of the pc
titions had been by laying them upon the table
without debate. This prevented their consid
Grafton, and excluded all agitation But few
| Southern men of extreme views. incensed by
what they regarded assaults upon the peculiar
institution, or determined to open the door for
| sectional controversy, for the sake of embar-
RAISING the Administration or promoting Dis
cusslon, determined upon more violent course
| OF procedure. The presentation of the petition
| by Mr.. Jackson was used as an occasion. Mr..
| Hammond OF South Carolina moved that il be
rejected Mr.. Garland of Virginia, that ii be
laid upon the table. A rambling conversation
followed, upon points of order. AT last, for the
| purpose OF getting at the question OF rejection,
MIR. Hammond and his friends agreed to have
the petition considered, and Mr.. Garland with
drew his motion TO lay upon the table. Ii was
Immediately renewed by Mr.. Beardsley of New
York. The House became again perplexed
with points of order, until Mr.. Thomas of
Maryland, TO relieve the members who had
voted for consideration from their difficult
ties, moved 10 reconsider the motion by which
the House had agreed to consider the petition.
A most exciting debate followed. Some Of the
| Southern members avowed that they desired
agitation, for the purpose Of being able TO vim
dlcate their institutions; some deprecated ag-
tailon; all denounced It and they were suS-
tanned by the Northern allies of theSlave Power,
who abused the antl-slavery men, and were will
ling 10 go all lengths for the suppression Of agi-
taton, so that they might be spared the danger
Gus task of an undisguised denial of the right
| OF petition. For himself, Mr. Beardsley said
| he was ready to give direct vote upon the pc
| tltlon, vote that should mark the opinion of
| the House upon the character of such petitions,
| by saying affirmatvely that they would not
| consider it. eff that would meet the views of
honorable gentlemen, he was willing to modify
his motion to lay on the table, and to move that
the House would not consider the petition, or
would reject its prayer; although laying it on
The table, he thought was equivalent TO either
OF the notifications indicated"
Mr.. Mason of Virginia hoped that the gen
tleman from New York would so modify his
motion that they could have a direct vote on
| rejecting the petition. :" If the House is pre-
pared to decide upon the principle of the petit
ton, why not reject ii at once2 To refer the
petition is an act of supererogation, which can
do no good, and will do much mischief" He
hoped the House would reconsider, and then
at once refuse TO consider the petition, or re-
| ject it,
FRANKLIY PIERCE hoped the motion to re
| consider would BE- Withdrawn, and that Mr.
Beardsley would so far modify his motion "as
to meet the appreciation of all who are mos
sensitive upon this agitatng question:" g anC
he rose TO add his request to the suggestion
made by his friend from Virginia" Mr.. Ma
son. He was anxious for a direct vote upon
the question; he could not bear that any impu-
tation should rest upon the North in consequence
of the misguided and fanatcal zeal of few
| comparatively few" sc.
The motion to reconsider was laid upon the
table-yeas 10, nays ".
Mr. Beardsley, perslSting in his motion t
lay the petition on the table, so as TO get rid O
debate and excitement, the question was taken
and decided in the negatve-yeas 95, nays l2l
Those who voted yea were the conserva,iv
men of the South, and their Northern allies
those who voted nay were the extreme men c
the South, who wished to force an undsguse
denial of the right Of petition. and the uu
friends of the right of petition, who Were inen
upon putting an end to the policy by which
that right had been practically nullifed, Will
technically recognised. As might have been ex
pected. John Quincy Adams voted nay, AM
FRANKLIN PIERCE, yea.
The motion to lay upon the table having
failed, Mr.. Hammond moved that said petition
be, and the same is hereby, rejected. The de
bate then proceeded with great animation, ant
during its progress, the fact was brought to tn,
notice of the House that similar petition, pre-
scented that very day by Mr.. Briggs of Massa
chusetts, had through inadvertence beeaSre
ferred to the Committee on the District Of
Columbia. Mr.. Patton moved to reconsider
this vote and then the whole subject wen
over till the following Monday, the House nj
journing I'LL that day.
Monday, December Dist, il was again takeI
up, and after debate, the majority being unable
to agree upon any more summary mode of pro
ceeding, motion 10 lay upon the table the pc
tltion, and all motions in relation to it, pre-
vailed--yeas lao, nays 76-the South generally
and its Northern allies. including FRANXLR
PIERCE, voting yea, John Quincy Adams ant
| his friends, with few Southerners hostile tc
any kind Of lndirection, voting man,
Mr.. Owens had previously sent to the Chan
the following resolutions:
"That, in the opinion of this House. the question
Of the abolition Of slavery in the District of Colum
| bia ought not TO be entertained by Congress
That in case any petition praying the abolition
of slavery in the District OF Columbia be hereafter
presented IL is the deliberate opinion of this Hous,
that the same ought to be laid upon the table with
out reading
He now moved that the rules be suspended
to enable him to offer these resolutions. The
motion was lost-yeas 100, nays ll5--FRANK
LIN PIERCE voting with the Shareholders, yea
John Quincy Adams and his friends. nay.
Mr.. Patton of Virginia called up his motor
to reconsider the motion by which a petition
for the abolition Of slavery in the District ha'
been referred and thereupon fierce debat
arose on the general question Of slavery, (occu
plying three days,) in the course of which thu
Northern view of the subject was presented a
length and with great ability by VIM. Slade
The question Of reconsideration was decides
on the 23d in the affirmative-yeas las, nay
6l-the South and its Northern allies, will
| EnIxxI In PlracR yoiinn ,ea and Ioun q uIN