Right Of Petition Dead In The Senate

The following is an nccount n full fromtlie N. Y. Courierand Enquirer, of ihe pioceedings wliich took place in the Sonate of the UnitiJ States, on the presentntion by Mr. Hale of a Quaker memorial: Mr. Hale presente) the memorial of the yrarly meeting of the Anii-Slovery Friends of Indiana, prnying for ihe adoption of' mensures for the immediata termination of the war w t'i Mei:o, nnd for the immediate lermination of sl.v veiy. On presenting tliis petition, Mr. Hnle said: I suppose, Mr. Presiden', is the petition prays for the exertion of all the ers of Government so far as tley e.vtMid in relalion to this subject, it includes wiihin its provisions slavery wilhin the District of Columbia, nnd I nm informed that the practice in the Senate wl en petitions of this character are presented i to raise the question of iece)iioi ; such a molion is laid upon the table iind that there ihe drops. As tliis course d ps not nccord vi;h my own convictions of duly, 1 mist urge n diflerei.t disposition of this petilion; and I hope if exception be taken, it will be tnken without tiiis side blow of a motion lo lay en the table. VVith lhis view, if the question of reception be raised,! ask that it be taken bv ens and nays. The Presiding Officer.- Those in favor of taking the question by yeas and nays wiil rise. Mr. Hale. - Wos the molion made to lay the petition on the table? The Presiding Officer. - The question s to be put as a matter of course. Mr. Hale. - I was not aware that thi was the construction given to the rule but that being Ihe case, I would like to say a single word on ihe main question, as the motion to lay on the table is no debateable. Mr. Berrien. - [trust !hat the estab lished usage of tne Senate will not be de parted from on this occasion. When petition of this soit is presented, theques tion ol reception is raised by a motion t lay tht petition on the tibie. 1 raise tha question. J move to lay the petition o the tnb!e. Mr. Hale.'; - Upon that question 1 as ihe oyes and nays. Mr. Johnson, of Marylnnd, enquiree wheiher the question was now on the re ception o( the petition. The Presiding Officer. - The questioi tolay on the table has the precedence. Mr. Johnson, of Mart land, then snii that his only object was that the Senat might be full before the question was ta ken. Mr. Calhoun. - What is theques tion 1 The Presiding Oiücer. - It is to lay ihe motion toreceivethe petition on th table. Mr. Calhoun. - What is the subjec matter of the question ? The Presiding Officer.- The abo lition ot slavery in the District of Colum bia. Mr. Hale. - If it be in order. I sha: stale the subject nrit'er of ihe petiiion. - The petiiion comes from the yearly meeting of Friends at Newport, Wayne county, Indiana, praying for the termination of the war in Mexico, and also, praying that all the powers vested in Congies upon the subject, shall be exeried for the terminalion of slavery. Mr. Butler. - Thai does not say any thing about slavery in the District of Columbia. Mr. Hale. - I remarked that had been included in the petition. The question was then taken on tho cali for the aye3 and nays. A sufficient number of members rising. - The ayes and nays were taken as follows : Yeas. - Messrs. Allen, Ashley, Atchinson, Atherton,Badger,Bell, Berrien, Bradbury, Bréese, Bright, Butler, Calhoun, Cass, Davis of Mississippi, Dickinson, Dix, Downs, Fairfield,Felch, Foote.Hunter, Johnson of Maryland, Johnson of Louisiann, Mangum, Mason,Niles,Rusk, Sevier, Spruance, Sturgeon, Turney, Westcott, Yulee- 32. Nays. - Messrs. Baldwin, Clarke.Corwin, Greene, Hale.Miller, Phelps.Underwood, Upham - 9. So the motion 10 receive the petition was laid upon the table Mr. Hale presentedthe memorial ofD. P. Burr and sixty-nine otliers, citizens of Pennsylvania, praying for such an aleration of the Constituiion nnd Jaws as hall abolish slavery throughout the Union. Mr.Hale said: I do not know that there s a standing rule or order of the Senate iat raises iho question wholhor this petiïon shall be received, or the motion to eceive it be !aid on the tablo. I ask whetlier the motion lo receive the petition is debateablo? Am I correct, sir,in suppcsing thnt it ia debateable ? I'residing Oiïicer. - It is debateable. Mr. Unie. - So understanding it sir, I wish to say a single word h vindicalion of tlie course which 1 doem it my duly lo t.ike on on this occasion. It is wilh no desire to produce angry feelings, or excited discussions, bul il is in discharge of' my duty, under the deep and earnest convictious of my understanding, that I attemit 10 dischiirge ti.at daly. What is the refusal of the Sennte to receive these petitioBs? It is saying that there are some subjects on which the people shall not approach this tribunal. In this dny, speculation s ndventurous. We venture to enquire into all the secretsof th& material and spiritual world. The reiearches of geológica! science have penetrated the bowels of the enrlh, and h.ive there found the materinls by whicl) t is essayed to prove that he who made the world, and revealed its agp to Moses, was mistaken. Nay, enquiry goes wUb advenlurous flight to the very throne of Eternity nnd jndertakes to scan the laws by which Ile who sils thereon governs His own actions and the world He lias created. And, sir, if speculation is thus adventurous, have we, n the United States of America, an institution which exalts itself above God; defying examinntion or inqniry, or petition even ? - Mest cmphatically, sir, do I conceive that at the present day the people of the U. S. have a peculiar righ'. to come and ask of this body a respeclfjl hearing of their peiitions, and a rcspectful hearing on this very subject. Sir,it is hd mere abstraetion. It is an element ol" political power in the formation of our Constitution; it is an clement on which the Constitution of the otl.er House is regulated ; and, t is an element in the political discussion and action of the present c?ay, which is involving the nalion in a foreign anJ aggressive war at an expense offorly or fifty millions of dollars annually. And, if the peopleof the United States are to be tbus taxed fora war, growing immediatelv and directly out of an institution of this character, are they to be told that they shall not come and rospecifully present their petitions upon this subject ? I have thusdischnrged my duty to those who sent me here,without any expectation of influencing the action of this body, without any desire la excite nngry feeling or discussion. I ask that the petition may bereceived. Mr. Berrien. - The practice which has been ndopted by the Senate has been the result of calm and delibérate consideration. It has protected us from those exciting discussion fvhich, in nnother brar.ch of the National Legislature, have too often occurred. I do not apprehenc that any thing which has fallen from the honorable Senator from New Hampshire who presents this petition, is calculated to c'ange the well settled conviction of the Senate on this subject. I therefore,sir, the question of exception before before the]Senate, move to lay that question on the table. The motion to receive the-petition was then laid upon the table.