Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-06-29


thereby virtually refusing enteain the petition oaes
md Sea toms Register, Vol. xii, Part g. p. 2,UUil
Nav s 1885, Dir. Pinckney, from the select committee
On The subject made report concerning the disposition OF
papers relating I" question Vi sa'elyr c"c'ui'nS
fnlIowing resolutions:
"Rcsoyed That Congress possesses no constitutional a
,horly 10 interfere in any way win me institution OIL save
80 in any Of the States Of this Coniederacy
aResuyed That Congress ought moi 10 interfere III any
rav with slavery in The District OF COLUMBIA
nd whereas extremely important ana uesfuo'e uut
h ;,oon of this subject should DC nnay atfesteo, or
the purpose Of restoring tranquility to Inc puoc I
committee respectfully recommend the aaop'oh u w o
lowing additional resolution VIZ ,,;,,o MGR,
up lived That all petitions, memorials, rcso'us' pp
osi,lnns or Dapers relating in way, or 10 any extent
whatsoever 10 subject OF slavevyo the aooi'ioh"
shall without being either prln cd or reiG,So' " hnn
The table and that further action shall De mao ''c'eo
IG.Ies & Scaons Register vol. XII, part s. p 5'ao.J ~
Various motions were made, and points OF oroe' ~
and the subject went over TO the next Gay, "n.i Nv,
cu,.irn took Mace extreme men from the ooutH oo
eclinn the resolutions, because ihey ca not assert e
ncitIv the absensc Of constitutional power 10 Congress
abolish slavery in the District me morning h s, nou did not
again come up ill the 25h, when after long speech The
Southern member the gag was applied IN Inc SUPP hrd
previous question: Mr. Adams struggling IN VAIN no
and ib. main question was ordered 10 be pull yeas lo', ma!
S0-Frankin Pierce voting with the South ron.s =, NV
dor gerr raised by the friends Of free discussion o
were overrued by The Chair and, on an apTvu, m in
wss sustained Inv the usual vote Franklin Pierce WINS
b first resolution was generally agreed - ne
n q Co nd IL
lin Pierce in both cases voting yea m man, few extreme
allies and Mr.. Adams and his h .h n ossanod above
Southern refused 10 vsf" vol xii mart DID, 4O3 4054
lu na ~ , Ell gag law The subject OF Pelohs
n,sd T., cress; DIR Pierce was member oil Inc se'sc.
i,,oo mat prepared and reported 1t ana ne gave IN,
comlee for in all its stages until was adopted
m ne Hsdse: and in debate in the Senate december,
1851 publicly avowed that ne had concut'ea lu'y ~ a
sentiments of Mr. Pnckneys report and further examina'
ton had confirmed him in his opinion ooe,
vol. vi p 81 Tho report contained long ana elaoofhs
argument against the abolition OF slavery ~ e ;' o SI
endaneer the interests OF Mary and Virginia would be
blow aimed the institution of slavery in The South anu
also argument against emancipation, even by the states
as aught with the mschevus consequences apPeh
dix Gales Seaton's Register vol S part a. p. io4. III
all this, Mr. Pierce declared his entire concurrence: -
December o. 1886, Mr. Adams presented peuuoh itui'
citizens of Pennsy the abolition OF slavery ana e
slave trade in District Of Columbia In reply 10 que
ton BY Mr. Pickcns the Speaker said that the rule naope"
at the for the disposition OF all such petitions
expired with the session molten was Immediately maue
lay upon The table and prevailed yeas no. nays
franklin Pierce among the yeas John Quincy SaamS m
naps Gales g. Sentons Register, VOL Kill part p LOU
January g. 1897 Mr. Adams presented similar pcli'i"n
Mr. Gascock of Georgia, objected TO It's receptohi WI
Parks moved lay the question of reception on he ao
and this motion prevaled-yens $50, nays 6s we 40 mo-
find the names recorded but il is fair to presume 'nas WI
Pierce voted in the affirmative from me lact a ne nav m"
voted afirmativcly an Identical motion maao oS i "a
Wis on The preliminary question in relation TO me reception
OF petition presented by Mr.. Adams, Feb 3, 1885,
The Speaker said that the effect OF this motion was 10 ar
resi- the action Of the House on the petition and not TO lay
upon The table. In other words the House 70 re-
ceve it, Gales & seaton's Register, VOL KILL Fart l. p
| 1851
The same day Mr. Adams presented another An-Slavery
petition and question put directly on Its reception
The Northern allies The Slave Power were not prepared
10 deny this gross manner the right OF petition thos
they had been constantly violating in fact and they voted
with MI Adams and his friends 10 receive t-tho name OF
Franklin Pierce being recorded for the first time on the same
side with Mr. Adams The petition having been received
il was laid upon the table without debate or consideration
yeas 1885, nays Pierce voting with the yeas John
Quincy Adams with The nays Gales q Seaton's Register
January Is 1887 several petitions for the abolition OF
slavery the slave trade in the District were presented
the question OF reception raised in case and laid
upon the tablc-te Speaker deciding the effect Of the
proceedings suspend all action and leave the petition
exactly where it We have record of the yeas and
nays these but Mr. Pierce doubtless voted as he
had previously done.
January S 1897 the House. under the Of the
vious question, adopted motion OF Mr. Halves OF Ken
ucky the gag rule Of the last session. reported by the select
committee of which Mr.. Pierce WIS member and in the
report OF which entirely concurred 1t was adopted BY
similar vote to that given for at the aI session. aes
| Seaton's Register Vol. xiii Part :, p l4l2
February g. 1887 Mr. Adams rose anu said lie held IN Ills
hand paper on which, before presented he desired
have the decision Of the SPEAKER II was petition IRON
twenty-five persons declaring themselves 10 be slaves He
wished TO know whether the Speaker considered such
| tirinn as coming within the rules of the House.
The reader OF the debates in Congress- when Mr. Adams
was STRUGGLING against fearful odds for the maintenance
the right of petition, will ecoect what then took place
The House was shaken with tempest. Although Mr
| Adams
nossrssou declining send il 10 The Speakers chair
ill he had obtained the decision Of tie Speaker as 10 whe
,her if presented IL would come within the rule The Slave
holding members blinded by their indignation gave To
excuses of passion, with view 10 nHict punishment on
the venerable for act he had not committed. SIEVE
raj days were spent in this nsensae attempt 10 crush the
defender Of the right OF petition ard il was with extreme
difficulty he obtained the floor 10 correct the gross mrepre
u his adyersaries and vndcae his conduct
last ssy Paon Of Virginia following resolution" SUBJ
"ResnIved That any member who shall herrn.. roco,,
| Tho HoIsn
ought De considered regardless OF the feelings OF the
House, the rights Of the Southern States and unfrendy
| the Union
"That the Hon. John Quincy Adams having solcmnly dis
claimed all design n doing anything disrespcctfu TO the
House. in the inquiry he made of the Speaker as TO The pe
ton purporng be from slaves, and having avowed his In
,eniou hereafter to present the petition 10 the House.
being Of opinion that il ought not TO he presented; there
all further proceedings in regard to his conduct do
| cease"
II was moved 10 lay the whole subject the table but
MIR Adams and his friends keeny felt that after all the win
dc,ive assaults upon him, without opportunity having been
allowed him for defence. this would be disposition Of the
subject highly unjust They voted against the notion as
did tho Southern members who were anxious 10 have an
expression Of opinion on the transactions; the motion alled
but Ill. Pierce VOTE AT ALL. He would not vote
10 give Mr. Adams chance To be heard he would not vote
| against any Of his Southern friends.
February g. the SUBJECT being still under discusson the
motion get rid Of the subject by laying il on the table was
again made and with similar resuAlr Pierce still de-
| Ginning TO vote.
! The question then taken the first of Mr.. Pat
toms resolutions and decided in the negatve-yeas %
NAYS l05-Mr Pierce voting. The second resolution
was also os,-ycas 81 nays 1877 Mr. Pierce sIl
| ing.
Several Southern members voted against tho first resou
ton of Mr. Patton refused vote for H. inasmuch as
the peliton referred Tor the expulsion OF Mr. Adams
not for the abolition of slavery and they also unw
ling TO define in advance the kind Of punishment member
deserved who should present AntSavery petition from
slaves M Pierce, presume, agreed with thesc for on
the llh, find him moving 10 reconsider the vote by
which that resolution had been ejectedhe purpose being
10 modify it, Ii rcconsderedyeas 45 nays AZ, and
then modified 10 read
"Resolved-That slaves do possess the right of petit
lion secured People Of the United States by The Con-
slution."
After grea, deal discussion and denunciaton in the
course of which Mr.. Adams threatened by Waddy
Thompson with indictment by the Grand Jury Of the
District of Columbia his adversarie failing in their attempt
TO censlre him. settled down upon the following resolutions:
IAN inquiry having been made By honorable member
from Massachusetts whether paper which he held in his
hand purporng petition from certain slaves and de-
carinG themselves slaves within the order OF the
House Of the 18th OF January and the said paper not having
been received by the Speaker he stated that in so
raornay and novel, he would nke The advice and
| of the House:
"Rcsoved That this House cannot receive the said petit
ton without discgardng its dignity, the rights of
large class of the citizens OF the South and West and the
| Constitution OF the United States