The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-03-24
THECLERGY's MAMMOTH PETITION.
Exciting Debate in tho serotn

4
The Senate the memorial Of over three thou.
sand Clergyman of New England, of all de-
nominations, against the Nebraska bill.
The memorial was read as folows: /
To the Honorable, the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States, in
Congress assemblies:
The undersigned, clergymen OF different
denominations in New England, hereby, in |
the name of Almighty God and in His pres. |
cnce, do solemnly protest againstthe passage
Of what is known as the Nebraska bill, or any
repeal or modification of existing legal pro-
hibitions of slavery in that part OF our nation.
al domain which il is proposed to organize
into the territories of Nebraska and Kansas.
We protest against it as great moral
wrong: as breach OF faith tminently injudic-
Gus to the moral principles of the community
and subversive of all confidence in national
engagements; as a measures full Of dagger to
the peace and even existence Of our beloved
Union; and exposing US to tho righteous
judgements Of the Almighty.
And your protestunts, as in duty bound,
will ever pray.
Dated at Boston, Massachusetts,, the first
day of March, A. ID. 1854.
Ms Douglass denounced the protest as in
sulhng to The Senate, and slander upon that
body. He said there was not a particle Of
truth in.the allegation of the memoriulsts,
that the Nebraska bill, wasa breach Of faith.
He was very severe on what he called the
ignorance and "wilful false know ledge" Of the
signers. "These preachers" he said, shave
come forward with an atrocious fslsehood aRd
all atrocious calumny against this body, a~d
prostituted the pulpt-prostituted the sacred
desk to the miserable and corrupting infu-
ence OF party politics."
Mr.. Houston. of Texas, said he saw nothing
in the memorial that offered any indignity to
the Senate. 1t simply expressed the feelings
of those who signed it. 1t was the right and
privilege ofan American citizens to memori-
alize Congress in respectful terms. He did
not know what the object Of the memorial
was, but heshould suppose, from its contents,
ard from the character Of its signers, that the
memorialists believed there was something
radically wrong in that bill. They charged
that it was violataiion Of national faith. He
had made the same charge against IL in de-
bate. lie had shown that it was violation
Of ssiemn plighted faith with the Indiaas
thatit said to the Indians that all treaty obli-
cations were to be considered as nothing
more than solemn mockery. He had also
said that the repeal of the Missouri Comprom-
Use was as fagrant breach of faith as the
violation of the Indian treaties. lie saw no
greater impropety in ministers Of the Gospel
memorializing Congress than in politicians
or any other men doing so. He had told the
Senate that the passage of the Nebraska bill
would lead to excitement and agitation, and
1t was denied. This memorial, signed by
three thousand ministers of the Living God,
his vcegerents on earth, was evidence that
the people were deeply moved by it. The
ministers Of the gospel were men.--They had
the same political rights us other men. All
citizens had the right to petition, and that
right could not be denied. BY becoming
ministers of the gospel the memorialists had
lost none of their political rights. There
was no longer any use In denying that the
Nebraska bill had revived agitation and ex-
citement. He trusted it had now reached its
acme, and that soon all would be quiet, and
that the country would be restored once more
to that serene tranquility, happiness and
prosperity which it was enjoying before this
subject was introduced some weeks ago. 1t
was not the proper way to quiet agitation to
condemn those who memorinlized and pro.
tested against the act.
III the mcmorialists asserted uutruths, anu
spread fasehood before the country, the pro-
per mode to pursue was to have the subject
referred to the committee, to have repor
made OF the .acts, and then leave the intel
ligent people of the United States, with the
whole facts before them, to Judge for them
selves. Whether the Nebraska bill wa.
right or not, was question on which there
was room for difference of opinion. Sena.
tors were not in such high place as to be
above the right of the people to inquire into
and criticise their official acts.
MIR. Butler, of s. c., denounced the peti.
TONERS as having stepped out Of the line OF
their duty. These memorialists hase Quilted
the dulPt, and have taken their place in the
political arena, and they speak as vice-re-
gents OF God on earth, and presume, IN his
name. solemnly to pronounce upon the SEN
ate' the judgements of the Almighty. He
Sou'o "o ionSer respect tnem, when they
themselves abandoned the religion they pro.
fessed--the religion which was typifed oy
the meek and lowy lamb, and took upon
them the character of the political lion, going
round seeking whom they might devour, they
do violence to the Gospel and the religion OF
the Saviour lie knew not what more was
to be done than that Senators should express
their condemnation of the proceedings. lie
thought they deserved the censure of tho Sen
ate.
Mr.. Houston said there was no inyoca.
ton IN the memorial ofthe vengeance Of tAs
Almighty on the Senate. II was a respectfu
protest against measure pending in the Sen
ate at the time il was signed. Il wasa re-
sPectiul protest, in the name Of Almipht,
God, against that measure.
Mr. Weller--Who authorized them to d,
that!
Mr., Houston said that when no said ,hes,
gentlemen were Hcegerents of the Almpht,
on earth, he did not expect that the uso O
that word, instead of vice-regents, would hay
been commented upon. What he meant wa