On the 9th of March (1836) the following proceedings took place:
The Senate proceeded to consider the petition of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia, on the subject of the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.
The question being on the motion “that the petition be not received”—Mr. Calhoun addressed the Senate in reply to what had fallen from other Senators on the subject.
Mr. Clay made a few remarks in explanation, called for by some part of the remarks of the Senator from South Carolina.
The question was then taken on the motion of Mr. Calhoun, “Shall the petition be received?” and decided as follows:
Yeas,—Messrs. Benton, Brown, Buchanan, Clay, Clayton, Crittenden, Davis, Ewing of Ill., Ewing of Ohio, Goldsborough, Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, Hubbard, Kent, King of Ala., King of Ga., Knight, Linn, McKean, Morris, Naudain, Niles, Prentiss, Robbins, Robinson, Ruggles, Shepley, Southard, Swift, Tallmadge, Tipton, Tomlinson, Wall, Webster, Wright.—36.
Nays.—Messrs. Black, Calhoun, Cuthbert, Leigh, Moore, Nicholas, Preston, Porter, Walker, White.—10.
The question being next on the motion of Mr. Buchanan, to reject the prayer of the petition,
Mr. Clay made some remarks on the motion, and concluded by moving to amend it by adding to it:—
For the Senate, without now affirming or denying the constitutional power of Congress to grant the prayer of the petition, believes, even supposing the power uncontested, which it is not, that the exercise of it would be inexpedient;