The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-27
WINDHAM, PORTAGE Co., Ono.
To the Editor Ofthe National Era:

To the Editor ofthe National Era:
The contest in Ohio goes on with much AM.
nation; and it has occurred to some of our
friends here, that you might serve the cause
occupying the position which you DO, BY pub.
fishing the Congressional antecedents Of Gov.
ernor Medill on the Slavery question. He !,
claiming some kind of an Anti-Slavery charac.
ter. What kind of AntiSlavery man he proved
himself in Congress, his constituents are no,
fully informed. He is charged, VIXEN in Con.
gress, with having voted for the resolution cen.
surfing Mr.. Giddings, as also with the Southern
despots in the memorable attempt to censura
the venerable j. 2. Adams. He is also charged
with sustaining the eXecrable gag.Iatc of the
House Of Representatives with his vote. Upon
these points we want the Congressional rec6rl
Can you not give it us at once? Please pub
lish the resolution Of censure against Mr.. Gid
dings. Yours,
p. S. Please respond through the Era or
privately, as you may think the interests of the
cause require.
The following extracts and statements are
from the Congressional Globe:
DECEMBER 30, 1889
Mr.. Wise moved a suspension of the rules.
to enable him to submit the following resolu
ton:
ReSOtced, That upon the presentation of any
memorial or 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 me.
mortal, petition, resolution, or paper, shall b.
considered as objected to, and the question 81
ITS reception shall be laid upon the table, with.
out further debate or further action thereon.
Objection being made to the reception BIZ
Mr.. Fillmore,
Mr.. Wise called for the yeas and nays upon
the suspension of the rules, which resulted
yeas 100, nays II. Two-thirds being necessa
ry, the rules were not suspended.
Mr.. MediU, Of Ohio, voted yea, wih the .Soufb
The next day, Mr. Medill voted to suspend
the rules, in order to receive a similar resolu.
ton, offered by Mr.. Coles, of Virginia. which
declares that all petitions, memorials, &c. fo,
abolition, on the presentation thereof. without
any further action thereon, be laid upon the
table, without being debated, printed, or refer
red."-Cong. Globe, lst Ses. 26M Coma, y. 50
January 10, 1910, this resolution was under
consideration, when Mr.. Medill voted with the
South, against laying it on the table-Pdqe l2G
On the 18th, Mr.. Medil voted with the South
to suspend the rules, in order to introduce the
resolution of Mr.. Coles. Stanly and Lewis
Williams of North Carolina, Sherrod VII.
liams and Pope OF Kentucky, Gentry of Ten.
nessee, voted nay, with the North.-Cong. GloJe,
p. 1918:
January 2Sth, 1910, Mr.. johnson, of Mary.
land, offered the following resolution, as a sub
stitute for somewhat similar one then penling:
That no petition, memorial resolution. or
for lN,1.Y -
ry in the District of Columbia, or any State or
Territory, or of the slave trade between the
States and Territories of the United States in
which it now exists, shall be received by this
House, or entertained in any way whatever"
The resolution was adopted--lll TO los
The Ohio members, who voted in the aiirma-
tive, were Leadbetter Medill, Parish, Taylor,
Sweeney, Weller.
Gentry OF Tennessee, and Underwood Of
Kentucky, voted against this resolution-C0 COM.
Globe, page l5l.
On December 9th, 1910, Mr.. Adams offered
n resolution, resembling the foregoing DIST or
gag rule.
Mr.. Jenifer, of Maryland, proposed to lay the
resolution of Mr.. Adams on the table. Car
ried--yeas 81, nays So. Mr.. Medll voted nav
with the South, Mr.. Underwood of Kentucky
voting with the North.
AT the commencement Of the first session Of
the 10th Congress, Extra Session-May lsil,)
on the motion to adopt the rules of the prece-
ding Congress, Mr.. Adams moved to ercept the
2lst rule-the rule excluding nti-Slavery pc,
titions. After much debate, Mr. Adamss mo-
ton prevailed, III to l01-Medill. and others
of Ohio, voting in the negative GiObe, pogC
u. A day or two after, Mr.. Ingersoll, of Pa.
moved to reconsider the motion TO crccpt the
2lst rule. After long debate, the motion to re-
consider was lost-yeas l07, nays ll3-Medili
in the affirmative, Mr.. Underwood of Kentucky
voting with the North.-Globe, page ".
At the ID session Of the 9th Congress, the
rules of the 2Gth Congress were adopted with
out much opposition.
AT the Sd session, (Dec, 1922 Mr.. Adams
again moved to rescind the 2 lst rule, excluding
Anti Slavery petitions Mr. Weller moved that
Mr.. Adams's motion he laid on the table. Vel
ler's motion was lost, So to 93--Medll voting
with the slaveocrats, in the affirmative Mr.
Adams's resolution was debated several days
and finally, on motion of Cave Johnson, o;
Tenn, was laid on the table, (tantamount to a
rejection yeas l0G nays lO2-Medill III The
affirmative, with the slaveocrats, as usual ~
much for Mr.. Medill on the right OF petition.
He trent 1cH the ertrcme South az ccery "r
stance.
MONDAY, JANUARY %, 1912.
PETITION TO DISSOLVE THE UNION.
Mr.. ADAMS presented the following pei
ton:
To the Congress Of the United States:
The undersigned, citizens of Haverhill, in
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, pray that
you will Immediately adopt measures peacea
bly, to dissolve the Union Of these States
First Because no Union can be agreeable OF
permanent which does not present prospects Of
reciprocal benefits.
Second. Because vast proportion OF the re-
sources of one section of the Union IS annual.
ly drained, to sustain the views and course oil
another section, without any adequate return
Third. Because Judging from the history oil
past nations) that Union, if persisted in, IN the
present course of things, will certainly over
whelm the whole nation in utter destruction
This petition is signed by Benjamin Elmer
son and forty-five others.
Mr.. HOLMES. This is petition for a diSs0'
luton of the Union.
Mr.. ADAMS. | move its reference to a St
lect committee, with instructions to report an
answer to the petitioners, showing the reasons
why the prayer of it ought not to be granted.
Mr.. HOPKINS, addressing the Speaker
Is it in order to move to burn the petition u
the presence of the House?
Mr. TURNEY rose and moved that the p
titon be laid on the table and printed, that the
country might understand what its character
was.
Mr.. MORGAN moved division Of the ques'
ton.
Mr.. WISE, addressing the Speaker Is II
in order to move to censure any member pre-
senting such a petition, and to move that the
House do now proceed TO inquire whether
member has offered such petition to this BODY
and to proceed accordingly?
Mr. ADAMS. Good
The SPEAKER said he did not think such
could be taken, but it would be iO'