- Connell John
I wrote a Letter to Benjamin
Lundy for publication, and was occupied in revising my
speeches in the debate of Tuesday, reported by Stansbury in three parts— I
required of Mr
Gales that he should precede the debate by publishing in
extense the Petition of the New-York Peace Society— Gales told me that
he had it with an order to print endorsed upon it— I consented
therefore, that to precede the debate he should give only a synopsis of
it— I told him however that I believed he was mistaken, about the order
for printing; but he insisted he was not— He wanted all the three parts
to print the whole debate in one day’s paper; but I had accidentally
left the 2d. and 3d. parts in the Carriage, when I rode to the Capitol— My wife afterwards sent them
to me, but it was too late— I finished the revisal of them, and gave
them to Stansbury— H.R.U.S— Whittlesey of Ohio moved that the Standing Committee,
should have leave to report, and that the House should then proceed to
the consideration of private business but they refused and the day was
consumed in receiving Petitions, Memorials and Resolutions— I presented
the petition of Adam Brooks, for a
reward, and compensation for his silk-spinning wheel, and the memorial
of James T Morsell and others
asking an appropriation of Land in this City for the culture of silk
which were referred to the Committee of Manufactures— The Petition
ofee. on foreign Relations— I then presented
several bundles of Abolition and Anti-Slavery Petitions, observing that
having declared my opinion that the Resolution to lay all such Petitions
was Unconstitutional, null and void, I should submit to it only as to
physical force— I should leave the House therefore 720to dispose of the Petitions, as they pleased, and they were all laid
on the table— The Anti-Texas Memorials and Petitions were all laid upon
the table successively. I stated that I had a Petition for the repeal of
the Resolution of the 21st. instt. which I should not now present, but gave
notice that on presenting it, I should move that this infamous
Resolution should be rescinded— There were many other Anti-Slavery and
Anti-Texian Petitions presented, and Resolutions by the Legislature of
Rhode-Island, which at the motion of Mr Tillinghast were laid
on the table and ordered to be printed— The Call for Petitions was
carried through the States and Territories—and after 3. the House
adjourned— I enquired of Mr Franklin if the Petition
from the New-York Peace Society had been ordered to be printed, and he
said No! I went to the Intelligencer Office; and enquired about it there
of Mr
Seaton—and of Gales— It appeared that Gales had the
petition with the order to print endorsed upon it; but that some counter
order had been given— I expostulated both with Seaton and Gales who at
last promised me that it should be printed entire with the second and
third parts of my Speech next Monday— While I was at the Office J. C Calhoun, and Garland of Virginia successively came
in, with manuscripts of their Speeches.— Calhoun looks like a man racked
with furious passions, and stung with disappointed ambition as he is.—
The House adjourned over till next Tuesday— Mr Connell was here this
morning