Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-07-14

p nays 6l-the South and its Northern allies
d with FRANkLN PlERoR, voting yea. and Jon,
# Quincy ADAMS and his friends nag.
I; The petition and motion to commit were
then summarily laid upon the table, yeas IA
! nays 67-Franklin Pierce voting, as before
: nag John Quincy Adams yea.
February Is 1886, Mr. Pierce obtained
leave to make personal explanation. He
read from an Abolition paper an article ma.
king severe structures upon his speech Of q
former day, in which he had said that not one
IN five hundred Of his constituents was in IA
vor of the abolition Of slavery in the District.
He denounced the paper as insignificant and
odious," denounced the anti-slavery move.
ment, and untertook to discredit all the peti-
tions on the subject of slavery, whether from
his own State or others.
February s. 1886, the resolution of Mr..
Pinekney was adopted, for raising select
committee, to which were referred all papers
relating to the subject of slavery, and which
was instructed to report that Congress has no
constitutional power to interfere in any way
with the institution Of slavery, in the States,
and ought not to interfere in any way with
slavery in the District Of Columbia The res
Olution was divided, and Franklin Pierce
voted in the affirmative on every part Of the
instructions.
February 90 1886, Mr.. Adams presented a
petition for the abolition Of slavery in the Dis.
trict, and moved its reference to the select
committee on the subject. Mr.. Shepard OBJ |
jected to its reception Mr.. Davis moved to
lay that preliminary question on the table
and his motion prevailed, yeas l2O, nays So
Franklin Pierce voting yea. with the South,
John Quincy Adams and his friends nay.
The effect Of the motion was to lay the ques-
ton Of reception on table, thereby virtually
refusing to entertain the petition.
May Is, 1886. Mr.. Pinckney, from the Sc
lect committee on the subject. made a repor.
concerning the disposition Of papers relating
to the question Of slavery, concluding with
the following resolutions:
ResOirea, That Congress possesses no
constitutional authority to interfere in any
way with the institution Of slavery in any Of
the States Of this Confederacy.
Resolrea, That Congress ought not to a
interfere in any way with slavery in the Dis '
trict Of Columbia. J
"And whereas it is extremely important q
and desirable that the agitation Of this sub
ect should be finally arrested, for the purpose s
If restoring tranquility to the public mind, Il
your committee respectfully recommend the r
idoption Of the following additional resolu- c.
ion, viz b
Resoluca. That all petitions, memorials, q
propositions or papers, relating tc
n any way, or to any extent whatsoever, to
be subject Of slavery or the abolition of sla- sa
cry. SHALL without being either printed or re- b
erred, be laid upon the table, and that no th
lrther action shall be had thereon" til
Various motions were made. and points of Sc
rder raised, and the subject went over to the IN
ext day, when a hot discussion took place, "
w extreme men from the South objecting to
le resolutions, because they did not assert ex wi
licitly the absence Of constitutional power in fu
ongress to abolish slavery in the District. pc
he morning hour expired before any ques- III
On was taken; and the subject did not again Al
me up ill the 25th, when, after long pc
eech from Southern member the gag was ING
piled in the shape Of the previous question he
r. Adams struggling in vain to be heard and as
G main question was ordered to be put, yeas wit
l9 nays S9-Franklin Pierce voting with bin
0 South Points Of order we're raised BY ces
0 friends Of free discussion, but they we're tioI
erruled by the Chair, and, on an appeal. lshl
decision was sustained by the usual vote nae
franklin Pierce voting in the Affirmative IN
The first resolution was generally agreed :.
the second, BY vote Of 1872 10 As; the ~
I'd. by a vote Of III to 6s-Frauklin Pierce -. ~
both cases voting yea, with the South and
allies, and Mr.. Adams and his friends,
a. A few extreme Southern men refused res'
vote for the reason assigned above. gu
This was the first gag law on the subject Of
itions adopted in Congress Dir. Pierce ner'
q member Of the select committee that iron
pared and reported il and he gave his in con-
snce and votes for it ia all its stages, until o'
vas adopted by the House and in debate unll
the Senate. December, 1887. he publicly /"
wed that be had concurred fully in the sen. ing
ents of Mr. Pinckney sreport, and further any
animation had confirmed him in bis opin- quir
The report contained @ long and elabO- ton
argument against the abolition Of slavery avo'
4. n,~t~tnt for fha er.ourdr that "A rwnnlI Aha