Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-07-12
RICHMOND WHIG.
To oe y, .E :,s,,,,..Is J, I.
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Democrat in their assaults on Mr. Fillmore AMI TAU
dations Of Mr. Buchanan
In the Enquirer of the 9Th inst, there is regular
editorial bill Of indictment filed against Mr.. Fillmore,
--one Of the most prominent counts in which, AYERS
that Mr. Fillmore "voted in favor Of petitions asking
that slavery be abolished in the District of Columbia
and the Territories, and that Territory, toe
rating slavery, be admitted into the Union" Now,
reply to this charge is simply that 1t is untrue.
Mr. Fillmore voted in fdror Of no such petition. To
vote IA fdOoT of petition is to vote FOR the reict
prayed for IN the petition Now we challenge our
contemporary to the proof and We demand that, as n
fair journalist if he prove his charge he shall
retract it.
IL is true that Mr.. Fillmore may have voted 10 rT-
csiee such petition but that is very different mat
ter from voting IN fdror of the petition.
The Democrat, more accurate in his language or
more fair his charges, than the Enquirer puts his
Indictment at the head of hs paper and in the fol
lowing words:
WILLARD FILLMoRE'S PLATFORM.
81 BrImvE THAT PETITIONS To CoNGRESs w
Jrcr OF SLAVERY OR THE SLAVE TRADE OUGHT To RI
crIsrD, RESPECTFULLY CONSIDERED ~ Tnr ar-
rRrsTSIATNLs THE PEOPLE ~
To this indictment we plead guilty. Mr. Fillmore
has expressed that sentiment, and has voted in ac
cordance with it, Aud what of that Does not the
editor OF the Enquirer aud the Democrat both know
that Mr. Buchanan DID the same thing long before
Mr. Fillmore IN Congress, aud that MIR Fillmore
was only following Nj Buchansn's example in doing
so: II they did not know it they ought to have
known il, and they have exhibited onderul ignorance
in not knowing it They should before attempting
to enhghten the public have some little knowledge
OF the subject OF which they profess To treat.
Nay more, did they not know that Mr. Buchanan
was himself the man who offered the petition to ADO
lish slavery in the District OF Columbia, which led
to all the excitement in the Senate; that Mr. Bucha
nan vas the champion of the petitioners, the
question of reception, in several elaborate speeches
in the Senate in opposition to Mr.. Calhoun, that Mir
Buchanan, an company with the late We President
King, Silas Wright Felix Grundy, and many other
Democratic senators voted for its reception and that
when the proposition was carried, by vote of 30 to
10, he made ubant speech over his victory
We ASK cur contemporaries, did We know these
things, OF not DO YOU defend yourselves on the
ground OF ignorance or what
Leaving these editors 10 settle the question with
their readers, To the validity OF the excuse they
may offer for inducing them 10 suppose that Mr.
Fillmore had committed grave offence 10y voting Tor
the reception of such petitions, we proceed To the
proof Of all We have charged against Mr. Buchanan.
We only beg to enquire in advance, if we prove our
assertions, will they abandon their support OF Burha-
nam II the reason is sufficient 10 justify vote
against MIR Fillmore, should 1t not Justify vote
against Buchanan:
-. I"'i J-..,, is9s, -.stist, of Ma. D,.,f'.-
nan, the Senate took up the petition presented by
him, from the Cain quarterly meeting of Friends, OF
Lancaster county, Pa, praying Congress to abolish
slavery within the District of Columbia. The ques-
ton pending, one raised by Mr.. Calhoun, "shall
the petition he receivedY" See Register of Debates
vol. IL, part l. p 209.
The question was discussed by many senator's from
time to time, and on I'd March, 1885 Mr.. Buchanan
made able and elaborate speech in favor Of recel-
wing the petition, extending from page GO to 600 OF
the volume above referred 10.
From this speech We submit the following extract.
taken from page 6sl
Let it he understood that the sacred tight Of
petition and the Of the abohtouists must rise or
fall together aud the Consequences may be fatal youd
therefore, Southern gentlemen reflect seriously In
what situation they place their friends the North by
insisting that this petition shall not be received
1--WE have just little right to interfere with slavery
10 the South have 10 touch the right Of petition
Whence is this right defvedY Can Republican Govern
msnt exist without it, Man might well attempt to exist
without breathing the vital air No Government possess
ing o the elements Of liberty has 1isteJ or cat
ever exist unless its citizens subjects enjoy this right
From the very structure OF your Government from the
very establishment Of Senate and House Of Representa-
hyes the right Of petition naturally aud necessarily result
ed representative republic established by the people
without the people having right make their wants and
their wishes knoEn their servants would be the most
palpsble absurdity This right il it were not ~
pressy sanctioned by the Constitution would result from
its very nature IL coud be controlled by any sctnn
Of Congress- either branch Of IT, II the Constitution
had been silent upon the subject the only CONSEQUENCE
would be, that il would stand the very front rank Of
thoes rights II the people which expressly guaranteed
to them by the ninth article OF the amendments to that in
srumsnt inserted from abundant but necessary caution
shall readithis article. IL declares that-tbe enumer,
ton in the Constitution OF certain rights shall not be CON
sued deny dispssge Others retained by the peopl.
Il would without any express. provision have stood in the
rank With the liberty Of speech and Of the pte nm,
have been entirely beyond the control Of the Government
IL right which could bave been infringsd vo,
sInSushing The vital spirit ol our institution. II ans
bad been bold attempt to violate t. il ~ould n.
eoeu conclusive argument say 10 them that the Con
sutueon has given You poser over the fght Of RET
ton, and you dare not touch IL
Again on pages 6ss--4, he say
The next argument advanced b. the gentleman M
Calhoun Is that not bound % receive tbi. MOI,
tob becau'et to grant its prayer you'd be- uneop
o. In this argument shall not touch The ,us.tion
whether Couge's possess the power 70 abolish SLAYER,
tie District d Columbs not suppoes they DO ma,
can The gentleman maintain the position that We are u
thorised b, the constitution 10 refuse 10 fece,. ut
ton fon the people because We mas deem ia. oi,ec 81
IL unconstitutional whence s any ucb festtirti,, I'd
the right ~ petition derived Who gsse ttouse Lei
10 be found n the constitution The peopi. arc nat m
sttutonsi lawyers bu they feel oppression and tno,
when they sfs sggreved The present their complso,
20 ne 10 the iurn Of petition. ash by shat sntb,,
refi-e 20 receive - They have right 10 .urs
their aud their ssbes beiofe ~. and 10 AL m 3,
dress We bound respectfully consider their p.
Quest and the best whirh We Gao rive then, ;
that they have not conferred upon the power md.
the constitution OF the United States to grant then, n
relef which they desired. On any other principle .
may first dc,1de that have power over partiso
sabiect snd fhen rsfu-e 20 hear the petitions Of D. Do
pie 10 relation 20 a. We soud thus place the constit
toasl rlgbf Of our constituents ~ p~tifiou 81 the mercy