But such a collection of beggars would not be half so great an
evil as the petitions presented here on the subject of slavery. They
disturb the peace of the country; they impede and pervert legislation by
the excitement they create; they do more to prevent rational
investigation and proper action in this body than any, if not all, other
causes. Good, if ever designed, has never resulted, and it would be
difficult to suppose that good is expected ever to flow from them. Why,
then, should we be bound to receive such petitions to the detriment of
the public business; or, rather, why are they presented? I am not of
those who believe we should be turned from the path of duty by
out-of-door clamor, or that the evil can be removed by partial
concession. To receive is to give cause for further demands, and our
direct and safe course is rejection.
Yes, sir, their reception would serve only to embarrass Congress, to
disturb the tranquillity of the country, and to peril the Union of the
States. By every obligation, therefore, that rests upon us under the
Constitution, upon every great principle upon which the Constitution is
founded, we are bound to abate this as a great and growing evil. This
petition, sir, was well described by the Senator from Pennsylvania as
being spurious; and I have been assured of the fact, from other sources
of information, that petitions are sent round in reference to other
subjects--of temperance, generally--and, after a long list of names has
been obtained, the caption is cut off, and the list of signatures
attached to an abolition caption and sent here to excite one section of
the Union against the other, to disturb the country, and distract the
legislation of Congress, to execute which we have our seats in this
Chamber.
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