American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-09-27
LANCASTER OHIO; THURSDAY MORNING, SEPT n 1856 4
Gov. MedilI's RccOrd---Right or Petition.

4
Gov. Medill's Rccord---Right or Petition.
While Gov. Medill was Representative
id Congress from Ohio. he seems to have
lost no opportunity to show his disregard
of Northern rights, This is particularly
shown by his pertihacity in restricting the
right Of petition, and in his opposition to
John Quincy Adams.
!. We give below few items of record
etldehce III reference to the Governors
Congressional course.
On the 3Oth December, 1889, he voted
in favor of Mr.. Wise's resolution restrict
ing the right of petition, and on the same
day he voted in favor Of the resolutions Of
Mr. Garland, having in view the same oh.
ject. lrE7--si % +r
Again: on the 18th january, 1910, he
voted in favor Of the resolution of Mr..
Thompson, of South Carolina, and on the
17th Of the same mouth, he voted in favor
Of the resolution of Mr.. Coles, both having
in view the overthrow Of the right of petit
ton. 1. 'etl~ s'
This warfare respectingth right of Pc
tition was kept up by fire caters of the
South, aided by Medill, on the one side,
and by Mr.. Adams, with his patriotic band,
on the other, among whom was MilIard
Fillmore, until the 99th of January, 1910,
when it was decided for that session. Mr..
Thompson's resolution was the special busi
ness of the day. 1t was as follows: .,
Resoloed, That upon the presentation Of
any memorial OF petition, praying for the
abolition of slavery or the slave trade, in
any District, Territory, or State Of the
Union, and upon the presentation of any
resolution or other paper, touching that
subject, the reception of such memorial,
petition, resolution or paper, shall be con-
sidered as objected TO, and the question Of
its reception shall be laid on the table with.
out debate or further action thereon,
Mr., Adams proposed the following as I
substitutes: ..- -,
Every petition presented by thespeak
or, or by any member, with brief verba
statements ofits contents, shall be received
unless objection be made to its reception
forspecial reason; and whenever objection
shall be made to the reception of petition
the name Of the member objecting, and til,
reason of the objection, shall be enteroC
upon the journal. The question in every
such case shall be, Shall tie petition Je. re
jected2. And no petition shall be rejected
but by amajority of'the members present.
Whereupon, VIM. Cost Johnson, Of Ma
ryland. offered the following as an amend
ment to the amendment of Mr.. Adams:
| "That no petition, memorial, resolution
or, other paper, praying the abolition o
slavery in the District of Columbia, or an,
Stale or Territory, or the slave trade be
tween the States or Territories of the Uni
ted States in which Il now exists, shall b
received by this House, or entertained i
any way whatever" ~
! Upon the final vote ON the adoption Q
the amendment, as upon all previous votes
Mr.. Medill voted in the affirmative; an
thus, by,a majority of only sac votes, tn
twenty-frst rule, known as the "gag,
sprang into existence. '2 '5.t' 4
Again: on the 18th April, $40, wheI
Mr.. Adams presented the joint resolution
of the Legislature Of Massachusetts,, affirm
ing the right of petition. and asking re
scission Of the twenty-irst rule, Mr.. Ne
dill, true to his instincts, voted against tn
reception of the resolutions; and thus wa
one ofthe old original commonwealths dc
MED thespoor privilege even of a hearing
We have carefully Hooked through til
whole of Mr.. Medill's Congressional re
cord, and have failed to find single il
stance where he spoke or voted on beha
of freedom; aud while the ftold man elC
quent'' was devoting the brief remnant {
his useful and honorable life to the caus
: of civil liberty, he had the MOI ti6cation {
find in one of free 0hio's sons, an oppt
nent as persistent and unrelenting as an
whom he encountered from the South.
What friend Of the yenerated. Adam
shall now be found rewarding Mr.. Med
with his support e-,.,ess e.....,,,
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