Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-10-03

essential elements Of greatness; and we
cannot withhold our surprise that his con-
stituency did not sooner discover his def
ciencies.
1t is not our purpose now, nor is it nee
essary, to trace his public life from the
time he joined the Democratic party, and
became candidate for petty county Of
flee. In fact, it would be waste of time,
ink and paper Suffice it, that after hold
/ ing subordinate positions for many years,
he became member of Congress in 1889,
taking his seat at the beginning of the
26th Congress.
HE VOTES AGAINST THE RIGHT OF PETITION.
|. better opportunity for great man to
"make his mark" to distinguish himself
to send his name down to posterity as
one of the great champions of Right--was
never afforded than at the opening of the
26th Congress. 1t was then that one of
the dearest rights of American Freemen
was assailed, namely, the RIGHT OF
PETITION-the right of the PEOPLE,
who are masters, to PETITION their own
servants (their Representatives in Con-
gross on any subject they might think
proper. 1t was then that the venerable
John Quincy Adams so long, SO ably, and
so triumphantly asserted and maintained
that right, without which all our boasted
Democracy OF Repuhhcanism is a sham.
| Where do we find Coy. Medill at that cri-
sis? Do we find him boldly fighting the
battle of the people? Or do we find him
treating his own constituents like slaves
refusing them even the right to PETI-
TION their lofty, dignifed, self-important
Representatives?
We charge Mr.. Medill with voting, not
only once, but continually voting to elevate
the Representative to the position of Mas
ter, and degrade his constituents to the
condition of Slaves, by refusing them the
RIGHT OF PETITION. For the proof,
! we go to the record:
On the goth of December, 1889, (only
a few days after he took his seat in Con-
gress) Mr.. Wise, of Virginia, moved O
suspension of the rules, to enable him to
, offer resolution that the question Of TIE
reception Of all petitions in relation to Sla-
very, should be laid on the table, without
any debate or action whatever. This was
the strongest possible denial of the right
of petition - being not only a denial of the
thing petitioned for, but a refusal to re.
ceive the petition; nay, worse than that
it was refusal to consider the question o.
the reception of such petitions of the peo.
, pie. Utter contempt for the prayers o.
the people could go no further. The vote
on Mr.. Wise's motion stood, ayes 100
i noes 77-not two-thirds, and was there
e fore lost. The Ohio members who votet
f in the affirmative were Messrs. Duncan
+ MEDILL, Taylor, Sweeney, and Weller
, 4 See Congressional Globe Of that gear
. page 89.
Two days afterwards, Dec. 31st, Mr.
: Coles, of Va, moved to suspend the rules
k for the purpose Of adopting resolution
that all petitions in relation to Slavery
should be laid on the table without remark
1 printing, or reference" MEDILL, Tay
: lor, and Sweeney were the only Ohio mem
g bers who voted for the motion-even Wei
i, ler went against it, See Globe, page SO.
January 18th, Mr.. Thompson, of S G.
made motion to suspend the rules 70
r the same purpose. Lost, 1873 to 77--no
two-thirds. Leadbetter, MEDILL, Stark
if weather, Sweeney, and Weller, of Ohio
voted for the motion.-( Globe, page l2l
January 18th, Mr.. Coles, of Va, re
s newed the motion, with the same result
d MEDILL, as usual, voting in the afirma
# tive.-( Globe, page 198.)
y January 28th, Mr., Johnson, of Md
is offered the following resolution, as a sub
y stitute for a somewhat similar one the
d pending:
n THAT no petition, memorial, or othe
le paper, praying for the abolition of Shaver
e in the District of Columbia, or any Stat
& or Territory, or of the Slave Trade be
,r tween the States and Territories of tn
IS United States, in which it now exists
l. shall be received by this House, or enter
& tanned in any way whatever"
ID The resolution was adopted, ia to l0t
ID The Ohio members who voted in the al
t, frmative, were Leadbetter, MEDILI
re Parish, Taylor, Sweeney, and Weller
n (Globe, page 1917
re Thus was the question disposed of, an
the GAG enforced for the balance of thu
session.
J. AT the opening of the Cd session of th
same Congress, Dec. 9th, 1910, Mr.. A(
a. ans moved to rescind the gag of the pre-
!, ceding 81 ssion. Mr.. Jenifer, Of Maryland
= moved to lay the motion on the tabl'
Of which was carried, 80 to 58-Messr
,e Allen, Bond, Hastings, Leadbetter, MI
ID DILL, Parish and Sweeney, of Ohio, vc
ting in favor of Mr.. Jenifer's motion.
At the commencement of the first ses
N sion of the 9th Congress, Extra Sessio
Of May, l84i, on the motion to adopt tn
ID rules of the preceding Congress, Mr.. Ac
r ANS moved to except the 2lst rnle-tl
rule excluding Anti-Slavery petition
Ae After much debate, Mr.. Adams motto
s, prevailed, l12 to l04-MEDILL, an
g, others of Ohio, voting in the negative
a, (Globe, page ".
70 A day or two after, Mr.. Ingersoll,
- Pa, moved 10 reconsider the motion
ar except the 2st rule. Aftera long debat
ut the motion to reconsider was lost, yes
ht t07, nays l13-MEDILL in the afirmi
e. tive Globe, page AZ.
:. At the Cd session of the 9th Congre'
'' the rules of the 26th Congress were adol