ht to make a
statement of the contents of the petition.

Mr. Pinckney desired the decision of the Speaker as to whether a
gentleman had a right to read a petition.

Mr. Adams said he was reading the petition as a part of his speech, and he
took this to be one of the privileges of a member of the House. It was a
privilege he would exercise till he should be deprived of it by some
positive act.

The Speaker repeated that the gentleman from Massachusetts had a right to
make a brief statement of the contents of the petition. It was not for the
Speaker to decide whether that brief statement should be made in the
gentleman's own language, or whether he should look over the petition, and
take his statement from that.

Mr. Adams.--At the time my friend from South Carolina--

The Speaker said the gentleman must proceed to state the contents of the
petition.

Mr. Adams.-I am doing so, sir.

The Speaker.--Not in the opinion of the chair.

Mr. Adams.--I was at this point of the petition--"Keenly aggrieved by its
existence in a part of our country over which Congress possesses exclusive
jurisdiction in all cases whatsoever--"

Loud cries of "Order," "Order!"

Mr. Adams.-"Do most earnestly petition your honorable body--"

Mr. Chambers of Kentucky rose to a point of order.

Mr. Adams.--"Immediately to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia--"

Mr. Chambers reiterated his call to order, and the Speaker directed Mr.
Adams to take his seat.

Mr. Adams proceeded with great rapidity of enunciation, and in a very loud
tone of voice--"And to declare every human being free who sets foot upon
its soil!"

The confusion in the hall at this time was very great. The Speaker decided
that it was not in order for a member to read a petition, whether it was
long or short.

Mr. Adams appealed from any decision which went to establish the principle
that a member of the House should not have the power to read what he
chose. He had never before heard of such a thing. If this practice was to
be reversed, let the decision stand upon record, and let it appear how
entirely the freedom of speech was suppressed in this House. If the
reading of a paper was to be suppressed in his person, so help him God, he
would only consent to it as a matter of record.

Mr. Adams finished the petition. The petitioners "respectfully announce
their intention to present the same petition yearly before this honorable
body, that it might at least be a mem