Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-07-21
ENAANASMAaa
A.. National Era, abolition paperl
! = pTERCE AND THE ANTI
sr AVERY MOVEMENT.
EOlurrne Il.

0AMe~
have completed the record Of Mr..
,be House. II demonstrates that
,ho time be held seat in the House
-, ue was an earnest, tno-
consistent opponent Of Anti-Slavery
..ton and Anti-Snvery discussion; that
.eonstantly arrayed against Mr., Adams,
mnsrious champion Of the right Of petit
,bat while recognising the technical
4, If petition, he uniformly voted virtual
.brorate il; that when the Shareholders
,mr,ed to crush Mr.. Adams, and with him
bore Of free discussion in the House. he
IA not vote so as to secure that venerable
fair hearing; in a word. that be was
unvaveriug ally and supporter Of the
r.holding Interest.
u ihe year 1897, Mr. Pierce became a
nber Of the United States Senate Fol.
rne him thither, we shall find that he con-
-,,l to pursue the same policy in relation
he slavery question. He took his stand
the side Of Mr.. Calhoun, and stood by
D in his efforts to suppress Anti-Slavery
sstion and discussion.
December 1S. 1887, Mr.. Wall presented a
aion from anti-slavery ladies in New Jer-
pnyinq for the abolition Of slavery in
District Of Columbia, and moved to lay
On the table. Mr.. Hubbard moved to lay
At motion on the table. Mr. Clay was in
vor Of reference, and a report against the
tayer Of the petition, with view to quiet
excitement. Mr. Calhoun wished by
hmmary measures to meet the question at
nce. As the action Of Mr.. Pierce in this
nsc has been the subject Of misapprehension
ih our friends Of the EUeniNg Post we
Mall fully explain it. His whole course 10
be House had proved him an unrelenting
pponent to anti-slavery discussions and petit
ions; and he had uniformly sustained all
agresolutions on the subject. But while
alaiing the right Of petition in effect, he
i been polite enough to respect it in form.
as course be continued in the Senate On
/ occasion he was in favor of receiving the
.dion, and then Of getting rid Of it in any
uy test calculated to defeat its object and
eyant agitation He did not wish to give
Be Abolitionists a chance "to make up a
lie issue on the right of petition" In an
her place he said" All we demand is, that
noe we are to be the first to feel the effects
Z Abolition ascendency at home, should it
yer be acquired (which, by the way, by
20 means anticipated we may meet the ques-
lon unembarrassed, and not be driven by any
oure here upon a collateral issue, such as
De right Of petition or any other" This is
key to the policy of Mr.. Pierce. Mr..
iiTes was in favor Of rejecting the petition
% once-NIr. Hubbard, of laying the ques-
bon Of reception on the table, Mr.. Pierce, Of
aging the petition on the table. The avowed
9ject Of each was to stamp the petitions
Fith disapprobaton, to prevent all debate
Ind consideration, to get rid Of them as sum-
narily as possible, every one meanwhile de-
daring bis respect for the right Of petition.
when petitions Of this character should
be received" he said, he would be prepared
b act upon them without delay, to reject the
prayer Of the petitions to lay them upon the
fable, or give them any other direction that
might be thought best calculated to silence the
agiators, and tranquilize the public mind. As
amember Of the Select Committee Of the other
House, Of which Mr.. Pinckney Of South Caro-
ina was chairman, he had fully concurred in
'Ae sentiments Of the report presented by that
gentleman at the first session Of the twenty.
iourth Congress; and further examination and
f'Ho0tion had only served to confirm him in
the opinion he at that time entertained but
mad and fauatical as he regarded the schemes
Of the Abolitionists, and deeply as he deplored
ihe consequences Of their course upon all sec
tons Of the Union, he could give no vote that
might be construed into denial Of the rigbt
Of petition, and thus enable them to chance
their position, and make up false issue be-
fore the country"
He had voted once in the House TO lay upon
he table the motion to receive an Anti-Sla.
very petition but 50 severely had he been
handled for this, that he had become more
nrupulOus as to forms, and now aimed to
reach the same object by laying petitions on
The table without debate, printing, or consid-
ration.
And this is the man whom the NelO York
Rreaiag Post represents as having stood with
John Quincy Adams by the right Of petition !
December 27, 1887, Mr.. Calhoun brought
forward his celebrated resolutions on the sub
Jet Of Slavery in the District, Territories, and
States, designed avowedly to suppress the dis
'ussion Of all questions Of Slavery.
Several amendments were moved to the first
'our Of these resolutions intended to modify
uer nhrace,lo,,,v "a ,r "a ya,,,ov,o auv irnpica-