Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-06-21

That the Tennessee delegation may so act, and
that in no contingency they may find themselves
embarrassed by the action Of State In regard TO
myself desire through you TO request that they
will not present my name to the Convention at Bal
timore, aud TO each Of them tender my regards. /
have the honor 20 be, &c. ANDREW Johnson.
HLr. BesI's slavery Record"
The Patriot Of yesterday contains cOmmunca.
ton from which the following is an extract
find the UNION AND ANERIoAN Of this date post
ing the Savannah Republican on Mr. John Bells
slavery Record. Permit me to make an addition
to said sRecord" In 1888 I find Mr.. Bell a
member Of the House Mr. Patton of Virginia. offered
q resolution which had the concurrence Of the
Southern delegation in caucus in these word
Rssolssd, That al petitions. memorials and papers, touch.
ring Of slaves in state District territory tie UDsd
81 laid the table without being debated printed read,
rel AID that no further action whatever shall be had there
Among the ayes we find John Bell.
True, Mr.. BELL did vote for This resolution,
which was adopted on the 2lst Of December. 1887.
On the 2sth of January, 1910, Mr.. Johnson, Of
Maryland, offered the following resolution:
"Res0lUed, That no petition, memorial, resolution
or other paper praying the abolition Of slavery in
the District of Columbia any State Territory,
OF the slave trade between the States Territories
of the United States in which it exists shall be
received by this House, or entertained in any way
whatever"
Against this resolution Mr.. BELL voted, as did
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS and JOSHUA R. GIDDSGs.
It viii be seen that the resolutions are identical in
spirit and almost in words, though the latter was
offered more than two years after that cited by the
Patriots correspondent
On the 18th Of April, 1910, Mr.. JOIN QUINCY
ADAMS presented certain resolutions Of the Legis
lature Of Massachusetts,, denouncing the resOlu-
tons adopted by the House Of Representatives on
the subject of Abolition petitions, a denial of
" the right of petition and unconstitutional, and
"asling that the same may be rescinded."
Mr. BELL voted against motion to lay these resO-
lutions on the table, as did JOIN QUINCY ADAMS and
JOSHUA R. GmDNGs.
On the 3Oth of December, 1889, Mr.. WISE, Of Va,
with a view of preventing the strife which had
heretofore agitated the House and country" moved
a suspension Of the rules for the purpose Of sub
hitting the following resolution:
"Resolusd, That upon the presentation of any me-
mortal or petition, praying for the abolition Of slav
cry or the slave trade in any District Territory
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 considered as objected to, and the
question Of is reception shall be land upon the table,
without further debate further action thereon"
Mr. FILLMORE objected to the suspension of the
rules, whereupon Mr.. WISE called for the yeas and
navs. which were ordered. Mr.. BELL inquired
whether the resolution could be amended if the
rules were suspended" and the Speaker replied
that he was Of opinion that it could" The yeas
and nays were taken, and Mr.. BELL voted in favor
Of a suspension of the rules, but two-thirds not
voting in the affirmative, the rules were not sus-
pended.
Immediately thereupon the following debate en-
sued
a. Mr. Bell inquired whether it would be in order
- move to suspend the rules for the purpose Of in
Producing the resolution of the gentleman from Nir
Cinia with this amendment, that al these petitions be
referred 10 the Committee the District Of Columbia,
without debate. 1t seemed to him that this would
be the most proper disposition to make Of them.
Mr. Wise The gentlemans amendment would
be wholly inconsistent with my resolution.
Mr.. Bell. Then will introduce new resolu-
ton Go this effect
Mr. Wise said he would object to this. He would
vote against this House taking any action whatever
upon these petitions, As a Southern man, he would
not admit that the House had any right to act upon
these matters.
Nr Bell should be very sorry to do anything to in
errupt the harmony Of tins body and would not pre-
sent the resolution if the general sense of the House
was against il but if it would be acceptable to the
Mr.. Adams inquired if he understood the gen
tlemaR from Tennessee as moving to suspend the
rules for the purpose Of offering the resolution alu-
ded to- that al Abolition petitions should be refer
red TO the Committee for the District Of Columbia,
without debate2 He would suggest to the gentle
man from Tennessee that there was but class Of
these petitions which could properly go to that COM
mittee, and those were petitions for the abolition OF
slavery in the district of Columbia. He had no sort
of objection to these petitions taking that course.
hut tlvre were petitions for the abolition Of slavery
in the Territories for the abolition OF the slave
trade between the States and against the admission
Of new States whose constitutions tolerate slavery
and certainly these petitions should not be sent to
the Committee for the District OF Columbia.
III was only making a suggestion to the gen.
teman IRON Tennessee, that petitions relating 70
slavery should 60 to different committees For his
own part he would be perfectly willing that the
committees on this subject should be appointed by
the Speaker according TO his Own views on tins sub
ject 0Blg tBd. these petitions should be received By the
House treated lCih respect aud TeteredtO appropriate
committees and these committees might be as strong
on one side as anygentleman here mightdesire them
70 be.
Mr.. Bell said it had always been his opinion that
The best mode Of dSp0Sg OF these petitions could be TO
refer them TO committee and hence it was that he
had proposed 10 introduce resolution of the kind
alluded to- but as objection had been raised to that
resolution he would now waitunt the question was
brought up by the presentation Of petitions on this
subject"
On the Slstof December, 1889, Mr.. CHTNy. CWhg) |
Of LOUISIANA moved TO suspend the rules for the |
purpose Of submitting resolution providing that
all petitions, memorials, resolutions and addresses,
of every description, touching the abolition Of
slavery in the District Of Columbia or in the states
or Territories, or in any manner relating to the
IS existence Of slavery or the slave trade in the
% Limited States he referred without ebate to a Sc
eject committee
Mr. BELL voted to suspend the rules, as did JOIN
QUINCY ADAMS and JOSHUA Il. GDDNGs The rule,
however was not suspended, but Mr.. BELL had suf-
fciently indicated the day previous how he would
have voted.
Endorsement OF sumner,s speech.