understanding with
the House as to the cause to be pursued in the debate, and the
disposition it will make of these Petitions.

At a very early period of the session, a gentleman from South
Carolina (Mr. HAMMOND) met such petitions with the motion that they
be not received. All the debates, which ensued thereon, terminated
in evasive and unsatisfactory votes for laying on the table, which
left every question of principle unsettled.

Afterwards, on a similar objection to reception being made by a
gentleman from Georgia, (Mr. GLASCOCK,) my colleague (Mr. ADAMS)
appealed from a ruling of the Speaker on an incidental point of
order; which appeal, and the matters connected with it, have been
put off, day after day, and week after week, and still remain
suspended for some future time of consideration.

Then came a set of resolutions applicable to a part of the prayer of
these petitions, moved by a gentleman from Maine, (Mr. JARVIS,)
under which there is a debate in progress, on an amendment moved by
a gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. WISE,) to the effect that Congress
have no power granted by the constitution to legislate on the
subject of slavery in this District.

Finally, on the last occasion when petitions of this kind were
presented, the question of reception being raised, that question
was, by vote of the House, laid on the table; as happened this
morning in the case of those petitions presented by my colleague
(Mr. ADAMS;) the operation of which is, practically, to refuse to
receive the petitions.

Now, I am wholly dissatisfied with this course of proceeding, and I
cannot submit to it in regard to the Petitions, which I am charged
to present. I hold that the question of reception, as it is in fact
and of necessity the first in order of time, so is it the first in
order of principle. It must not be pushed aside to make place for
the discussion of speculative resolutions, or for debate, on the
merits of the question raised by the prayer of these petitions. I
maintain that the House is bound by the Constitution to receive the
petitions; after which, it will take such method of deciding upon
them as reason and principle shall dictate. It should first lend an
attentive and respectful ear to the prayer of the People. Whether it
can or will grant that prayer, is an after consideration. I have
already kept back for several weeks the petitions committed to me,
in order to shape my course according to the deliberate decision