The primitive Republican., 1852-07-08

rlc6 OF columbia, r
''And whereas it is extremely Important 5
md desirable that the agitation Of this sub. 6
ect should be finally arrested, for the pur-
pose Of restoring tranquility to the public
mind, your committee respectfully recon-
mend the adoption Of the following addition
al resolution, viz +:
ResolUed, That all petitions, memorials,
resolutions, propositions, or papers, relating
in any way, or to any extent whatsoever, to
the subject Of slavery or the abolition of slav
cry, shall, without being either printed or
be laid upon the table, and that no
further action shall be had thereon"
Various motions were made, and points of
order raised, and the subject went over to
the next day, when hot discussion took
place, few extreme men from the South OBJ
jecting to the resolutions, because they did
not assert explicitly the absence of constitu-
tional power in Congress to abolish slavery
in the District. The morning hour expired
before any question was taken, and the sub
ject did not again come up till the 25th,
when, after long speech from a Southern
member, the gag was applied in the shape of
the previous question, Mr.. Adams struggling
in vain to be heard, and the main question
was ordered to be put, yeas 100, nays So
FRANKLIN PIERCE voting with South
Points of order were raised by the friends of
free discussion, but they were overruled by
the Chair, and, on an appeal, his decision
was sustained by the usual vote-Franklin
Pierce voting in the affirmative.
The first resolution was generally agreed
to; the second, by vote of I32 to As; the
third, by vote of III to 68-Franklin
Pierce in both cases voting yea, with the
South and its allies, and Mr.. Adams and his
friends, nay. A few extreme Southern men
refused to vote for the reason assigned a
bove. =
This was the first gag law on tho subject
of petitions adopted in Congress; Mr.. Pierce
was member of the select committee that
prepared and reported it; and he gave his
influence and votes for it in all its stages,
until it was adopted by the House and in
a debate in the Senate, December, 1887, he
publicly avowed that he had concurred fully
in the sentiments of Mr. Pinckney's report,
and further examination had confirmed him
III Ills OplIl1Ou. uG ICpOIb COnGdluGu q
long and elaborate argument against the
abolition of slavery in the District, Con the
grounds that it would be a violation of good
faith, wonld endanger the interests of Mary
land and Virginia, would be a blow aimed
e at the institution of slavery in the South :
e and also an argument against emancipation
: even by the States, as fraught with the mos
mischievous consequences. t In all this
Mr. Pierce declared his entire concurrence.
: December 26, 1886, Mr. Adams present
ed a petition from citizens of Pennsylvania
for the abolition of slavery and the slav
= trade in the District of Columbia. In re
! ply to question by Mr.. Pickens, the Speak
er said that the rule adopted at the last ses
/ sion for the disposition of all such petitions
s. expired with the session. A motion was in
= mediately made to lay it upon the table, an
e. it prevailed, yeas 116, nays 36-Frankli
is Pierce among the yeas, j ohm Quincy Adam
among the nays.
O. january 9, 1887, Mr.. Adams presented
e. similar petition; Mr.. Glascock of Georg
is objected to its reception; Mr.. Parks move
a to lay the question of reception on the tabl
of and this motion prevailed-yeas 130, nay
sc w. w y OO 1Ob uuu LuG udlllCo 4CGO4OC
,ct but it is fair to presume that Pierce vote
IL in the affirmative, from the fact that he h;
voted afirmatively on an identical motto
le- made by Mr. Davis on the preliminary que
e. ton in relation to the reception presented
es, Mr.. Adams, February 3, 1886.
nd The Speaker said that the effect of IL
motion was to arrest the action of the Hou
ere on the petition, and not to lay it upon t
cas- table. In other words, the House refus
40. to receive it.
The same day, Mr.. Adams presented q
led other Anti-Slavery petition, and the questi
He was put directly on its reception The n
ak thern allies of the Slave Power were not p
prepared to deny in this gross manner t
not right of petition, though they had been CT
was stantly violating it in fact, and they vol
tho with Mr.. Adams and his friends to rece
lin- 1.-THE name of Franklin Pierce being
nti- corded for the first time on the same 81
dis with Mr.. Adamss. The petition havi
of been received, it was laid upon the ta
or without debate or consideration-yeas L
nays 50-Franklin Pierce voting with
:. yeas, John Quincy Adams with the nays
hr. January 16, 1887, several petitions
lect the abolition of slavery and the slave tri
pa in the District were presented; the quest
ana of reception was raised in every case,
on laid upon the table-the Speaker decid
Ter !, that the effect of the proceeding was to s
Ia lav pend all action, and leave the petition cxi
fere " where it was. We have no record of
OF yeas and nays in these cases but Mr.. Pie
ana doubtless voted as he had previously dor
i've Jan. 18, 1887, the House, under the SC
of the previous question adopted, on rnotio
lted Mr. Hawes of Kentucky, the gag rule Of
the last session, reported by the select commi
Sc of which Mr.. Pierce was member, an
hep the report Of which he entirely concurrec
avis 1t was adopted by similar vote to that
on en- for it at the last session *
yeas February 6, 1887, Mr.. Adams rose,
ting said he held in his hand paper, on wh
ans before twas presented, he desired to
mo- the decision of the Speaker 1t was
gu ton from twenty-five persons declaring th
en- selves to be slaves. He wished to K
whether the Speaker considered such
the tion as coming within the rules of
re- House.
s re- The reader of the debates in Cong
ding when Mr.. Adams was struggling aga
fearful odds for the maintenance Of
right of petition, viii recollect what
X took place. The House was shaken as
= = II Gales & seaton's Register, Vol. xii. Pa