New-York daily tribune., 1854-03-15
-. .af.rred 70 the clergy for approval before

;ts He had great respect for eergymen and Tor ther
pcnh he had no doubt but these memoralisis were
en ,esrping intelligence and respectabily, bat he
p vr, that there could not be found throughout tne
stry snyothe ribody Of men OF equal number VINO had
coe }gnofance upon this subject upon which they
pov vroested How many Of thom had ever read the his
ros PSthe act Of ls20i Not one. How many OF them
rad the history and the votes OF the Northern
rudiang al the time OF the adoption OF fthatvery
- Not one How many OF them had et or READ ths
-. and proceeding Of the acts Of 1850 Not one Yet
49, pTofei. to speak the viii of God upon subject in
,,pn nc 10 which they are profoundly gnoran.-they
ssk Of the sanctity OF national engag ements Dd any
Ss Of these three thousand preachers tell Their Peopein
sso ben the Fugitive Slave Law was resisted by force
a., r. was their duty to obey II on the ground
Hst n was a national engagement Of the constitu.
ton Of the United States No. one Dd they tell
,hst al ana in carrying out national engagement Not
ns m Il was part Of the duty of these 5000 clergynen
a. sneak about the sancty of national engagements
hs were they in $780, when in Boston the law open
,v rrs;sted by force They silent But now at the
Bidding Of tie Abolition Junts in Congress they come for
ySrd and arragn tho Senate of the United States in the
name Of the Almighty lie cared nethng personally for
this or many other insults caused by the addresses of Aoo
Ion confederates. He could bide bis time-;he day
would como when not man could be found who would
say he oppoed 10 the great American principle
of self government.
Mr.. HOUSTON again spoke.
Mr. SEWARD said he did not intend to be drawn into
,ny discussion now on the Nebraska bill but be had few
words say concerning the incident leading to this ds
fuson The motion not 10 receive the petition was ou OF
order becausethe petition had been received The other
notion to refer Che matter to the chaplain was NOT serious
ly meant ,,--,,, =, -,u,,.;..
Mr.. SEWARD said that it seemed 10 be assumed the
ys admitted such motion, therefore would not be
rressed The Senator from Illinois and Others having ex
ressed their senments have objection to the
raj going TO the table, which is what the petitioners de
fire though he did not believe this was the right way to
reply TO memorials and protests from the people bat
others had expressed their opinion to the memorial he
asked 20 do the lie then said if the presentation Of
ths mt mortal here s wIeng is either 10 regard 10 time,
place or circumstance character ofthe memorias or
argument which the memorial makes think those who
will reflect the subject viii zee no censure can Justly be
res upon the memOIiass in regard TO time has been
she habitua practice Of the Senate to receive memorials
npon subjects yet before the body for action and which
might be- Ofsueh character were the memorials upon
fbe subject of liberty of conscience to American citizens IN
foreign countries which have been received without ques
fon This matter subject oflegitmate consideration
for the Senate Although the Senate had acted its action
]; yet inohoate and liable to be reviewed When the bill
shall pass the other house. il it does il probably will
come back with amendments Even If this were not so,
the Senate might be convinced by the arguments OF me
orias or otherwise that they had acted unwsely and
piuriousy If 1t is not too late to resclnd our action
can take TO repeal the act II IT shall pass
ss there anything wrong In respect 10 the character OF
she who have presented this memoria 1t Ia said
ihey are clergymen but they nevertheless American
citizens and the broader qualification Of citizenship covers
over the lesser and inferior character and description of
elerrymen Every man who is a citizen of the United
Slsesand according TO my theory even every man who
although not citizen yet is subject OF the United States
Goyemment-hss right to petition the Congress q the
United States upon any subject OF national interest," or
vhich be legitimdtely subject of legislation Is
there then any well grounded objection 10 the fact that
fhey describe themselves cergymen Certainly not.
& the RIG hit of citizen il he petition to do in his
OVID way If he thinks there is anything in his character
position which entities his opinions to higher consideration,
or which leads to to- belief that he understands the subject
more thoroughly than Others, II is right 10 describe him
self by the appeatOn which designates his profession his
character or his office 1t is only this principle that
e Legislatures of States make their voices known TO
Congress by describing themselves Legislatures Of
States They here with their resolutions in charac
Of petitions remonstrances under that provision OF
be Constitution whi guarantees the right of petition,
no OF
ever Is there any well grounded objection to the Ian
yuage the time of the memorial think not While
on the hand il is such memorial as secular person
e myself would not be apt TO dictate or sign because
there is sOlemnty of tone, seriousness and religious
consideration which secular do not indulge or affect
Yet the other hand professional and natural ON me
part OF the memoriaist IL is in the character OF those
who make it, 1t is said they assume to speak the Will aud
Edgmen and pleasure OF the Creator and Judge OF man
and nations i do not understand them as assuming to
speak any such thing understand the as saying IN sub
,snee an follows 1--WE citizens of the United States
subscribng ourselves Cergymen, in the presence OF
Almighty God and in his name address the congress o
"ihe United States" What is wrong or unusua III the
You do not your proceedings mere IN any Ga
during the session without acknowledging ana declaring
ihst we begin in the presence aud IN the name ana
with An invocation and blessing OF, Almighty Goi,
M MASONIC the Senator will look at the memorial
be will find that the sgners carefully exclude the charsc-
fer Of citizens They speak of themselves as clergymen
in the of Almighty God and IN MS presence naAe
NJ. SEWARD may agree to the fact that they do
rot state their citizenship but believe there no dispute
the fact that they are NHV" S'"'O'
Mr. MASON-NOn cOnstat.
Mr. SEWARD say that it is 80 practically known 10
US that the clergy of this country are persons invested
with the rights of citizens They come mere uecias ~ %
tev come in the presence Of Almighty God III Is lhat
nniyersa and eternal presence in which we are al every
day and hour ve and from which we can neveror
momen even escape. s objected to because ter au
dress ia In the name Of Almighty God What is that but
mode Of arresting attention to their earnest renohace
and prayer while thereafe occasions on whch we SUI
FER ourselves to forget are responsible 10 he nSn
4 ia
name Of the Supreme Being. We may put OIL or lay
aside the thoughts of that awful presence during our see
lar labors and during life of care confusion ana t1rI
but when come to close our eyes upon lhe Woiiu
Ne cannot shut them without the reflection that we are
even here in the sight of the Judge of all men Every
man when he writes his will Instructions Tor tn0se 10
come after him reees that done IN the name OF U0u
should not adopt this mode of addressing the Senae OF
Coperess II is not my habit to do soi but know II is
he 6abit is in the character of those VINO nave sse1
this memorial see no oe)ScHon 20 III & - n,eU sb"nS saw
they sSeak to them in the of God anu IN MS pre-
sence If it be So ii must be because We cIam 10 os
here EXEMPT from the susenntendlng government ana
providence of that Being in whom, by whom we hve ana
hrouph whom We exist upon earth IL Is also oyeeted
iha, there is another offensive remarklhat the memo
rialists think the measure against Wuch ene! no0
Is immoral in it's nature; and that among us CON
fequences ii will draw down upon us-not upon
|ihe Senate; but upon the nahon the Y9ugmSen.
lo Almighty God. The great measure proposed 70 I oJ
moral or immoral There is no neutrality between morai
Ihy and immortality We may c0nscientiousy dluer IN
zcertauing which the moral side. but nevertheless
moral immoral These think 1t rs oi one S
others think differently Ii is right TO ACT ie lhem
ink what thew will Ii is their right to tell us the oPh
ION Just az they understand and believe 10y In9 Juus
ments Of God understand this moral tha' every huiA
act Of any magnitude is connected Hh Preceg course
and subsequent efects-ihat right act connecteu WIN
nsefulness happiness and all the blessings O JUST Ius
and to those which whether we deem them rd OF
mere are connected consequences of danger peril
nhsppiness and ruin This, in my Judgment, is all the