The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-19

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instead Of me Who But duoitdnto exposeit Iould have
united with you in saying tha ad 4a't An apparent
Of courtesy the Senate and retetsncs to Goda
In the latter clause Of The same resolution YOU also say
That regard The whole toae and spirit of that debate
upon the privileges o large and respectable body OF eit-
zens &c.
And in the third resolution You say
That in office ministers, We have lost none Of
our prerogaes escaped our responsibilities az citizens
II is your obvious intention in these two resolutions to
convey the impression the world and induce the public to
believe that l. and those senators who participated with
me in the debate referred TO- denied to The sgners Of that
protest their right citizens in consequence Of their
icsslon 'clergymenp @eR
Unwilling as am to believe that yoa as the professed
ministers of Jesus Christ assembled in His holy name could
deliberately put forth charge unjust and uniounded,
yeti am unable to put any other construction upon your
language 60 conceive OF any other object you could
have had in passing these resolutions. tE
In yindicaton OF my character against the asper
ons which you haye unjusty cast upon it, you must
permit TO say you with the profound respect
for your Office minister's that if you had read the de-
bate yourselves before yon pronounced Judgment upon it
instead of following the lead of INSCRIPTIONS partisan
press you would have known that the charge any of
its forms and in all its length and BREADTH was wckedy
and wantonly untrue So far from denying to the clergy
of New England Of any other portion of this country
any Of their rights as citizens and far from question:
ing their undonbted right to petition protest. remon-
srae in respect TO any coming pending before
Congress in the manner and by the authority,
as other citizens under the constitution, the debate shows
that each and every senator against whom you have pre-
ed this grave charge distinctly and expressly recognised
and affirmed such right In order TO render my vindica-
ton complete and to dsabuse you of the error into which
you have aenfor in your case imus be error merelyI
proceed to establish this position by extracts from the de-
bate appears in the Congressional Globe aud repub
shed in pamphlet form at the abolition establishment in
this city. AT page II of that pamphlet you will find that
Mr.. DoucIAs said; "a
4 The senator from Texas the people have right to
petition lido not question do not uish 20 depr'se Minus
there any member of this body who has higher respect
and seneraon either for minister Of the Gospel Or for his
ealing II will not conrovert what the senator from Massa-
chuses has said to there being perhaps body of men
in this country three thousand number who combine
rcspectability than these clergymen." s saE
Permit inquire of you, reverend gentlemen, wheth-
r had read my speech and particularly this portion
oft when you charged me with committing, in that de-
bate AN outrage upon the privileges of large and re-
spsable body of citizens (referring 10 the cergymen
who had signed that protest and when in another
ltion you charged and others by implication with
the design Of dcprving you of your "prcrogatves c
ems on s, sSsoant ,o Of your se as inseTs T. ,,r
Christ citizens and as honest men, who under
high moral and religious obligation speak the truth and
to do justice to all men, withdraw this charge and make
an open and public confession Of the injustice you have
done sa1sss ae517taa h.s7ea 1qaa
Again, in your resolutions you do not confnc your
sure 70 myse but yol extend 10 Senators mason, But
paed in that debate IN opposition to the proprety Of the
protest Your language is, that you regard the whole
tone and spirit of that debate the part of the opponents
of said memorial outrage upon the privileges of
large and respectable body Of citizens &c.
Now, let US see whether your charge against Mr. Mason
that he committed an outrage on the rights of the
nemoralists as citizens be sustained by the record
Mr.. MAsos Thait is the right Of the citizens Of the
United states 70 petition Congress- either house of IT, upon
any subject that may be presented 70 them, denied
never should be demed and sach petition subject
public interest should be received and treated with the
respect which dine % ctzsqs trust shall never see the
thors OF such petitions upon any subject proper legislation
pending before the body cowing from the people Of the
United States, with augbt but respect "
Thus viii he seen that Mr. MASON expressly affirmed
the right OF every citizen, Whatever his profession
patton In life to petition Congress upon subject pend
ing before either house In another portion Of his speech
in favor of the right of every class Of our citizens to petit
ton, he said: .as Hr
'tit a respect due them but when they here
citizens but declaring that they ministers Of
the Gospel and the honorable from Texas de
olared them to be- yicegercns ~ The Almghtyso under
stood him 70 declare possibly be meant vice regents to
pervsc and control the legislation of the eountryI say,
when they here cas unknown To the eoyerpment
class that the government does know in
form shape not to recommend demonstrates but 70 de-
action great moral wrong bccane they
claim TO be the 'vcoregen Of the Almighty bound
the cloth which they do grace, but from respect 70 the
government from to tn sacred public trust which
has been committed 10 uto the policy OF the
eminent and refuse TO recognise them"
Mr. Msos expressly recognised and yindcaed the full
and equal rights Of clergymen, in common with All other
citizens 10 petition government for the redress Of grev-
His complaint was that the protesiants have not
approached the Senate in their capacity citizens that
they did not claim the right under the constitutions
being derived from any human authority earthly trbu
nal but casting aside all human authority and oonstu-
tona right they claim The divine prerogauye, the "yce
regents Of the Almighty earh to pronounce Judgment
Ia His name and by His authority, upon legislative ques-
ton which had been conhded BY the people in obedience
United States. t#h t @t
Senator Buffers speech next Let us see If your
charge be well founded against him
the pupit have such aTespect for II that would almost
submit rebuko from minister OF the Gospel my
Official but they lose portion Of respect when
organizatonfor believe, the first time in the his
tory Of this government-of oergymen within local pre-
cinc within the limits of New England, assuming be,
ing the Senate Of the United States citizens my
friend from Virginia has gad but the organs OF God for
they do not here petcnng presenting their views
under the sanction Of the obligations and responsibilities Of