the anti-slavery crusade-第13章

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　delivery　of　such　papers。　〃We　owe；〃　said　he；　〃an　obligation　to　the　laws；　but　a　higher　one　to　the　communities　in　which　we　live；　and　if　the　former　be　perverted　to　destroy　the　latter；　it　is　patriotism　to　disregard　them。　Entertaining　these　views；　I　cannot　sanction；　and　will　not　condemn；　the　step　you　have　taken。〃　This　is　an　early　instance　of　the　appeal　to　the　〃higher　law〃　in　the　pro…slavery　controversy。　The　higher　law　was　invoked　against　the　freedom　of　the　press。　The　New　York　postmaster　sought　to　dissuade　the　Anti…slavery　Society　from　the　attempt　to　send　its　publications　through　the　mails　into　Southern　States。　In　reply　to　a　request　for　authorization　to　refuse　to　accept　such　publications；　the　Postmaster…General　replied：　〃I　am　deterred　from　giving　an　order　to　exclude　the　whole　series　of　abolition　publications　from　the　Southern　mails　only　by　a　want　of　legal　power；　and　if　I　were　situated　as　you　are；　I　would　do　as　you　have　done。〃　Mr。　Kendall's　letters　to　the　postmasters　of　Charleston　and　New　York　were　written　in　July　and　August；　1835。　In　December　of　the　same　year；　presumably　with　full　knowledge　that　a　member　of　his　Cabinet　was　encouraging　violations　of　law　in　the　interest　of　slavery；　President　Jackson　undertook　to　supply　the　need　of　legal　authorization。　In　his　annual　message　he　made　a　savage　attack　upon　the　abolitionists　and　recommended　to　Congress　the　〃passing　of　such　a　law　as　will　prohibit；　under　severe　penalties；　the　circulation　in　the　Southern　States；　through　the　mail；　of　incendiary　publications。〃　This　part　of　the　President's　message　was　referred　to　a　select　committee；　of　which　John　C。　Calhoun　was　chairman。　The　chairman's　report　was　against　the　adoption　of　the　President's　recommendation　because　a　subject　of　such　vital　interest　to　the　States　ought　not　to　be　left　to　Congress。　The　admission　of　the　right　of　Congress　to　decide　what　is　incendiary；　asserted　the　report；　carries　with　it　the　power　to　decide　what　is　not　incendiary　and　hence　Congress　might　authorize　and　enforce　the　circulation　of　abolition　literature　through　the　mails　in　all　the　States。　The　States　should　themselves　severally　decide　what　in　their　judgment　is　incendiary；　and　then　it　would　become　the　duty　of　the　general　Government　to　give　effect　to　such　state　laws。　The　bill　recommended　was　in　harmony　with　this　view。　It　was　made　illegal　for　any　deputy　postmaster　〃to　deliver　to　any　person　whatsoever；　any　pamphlet；　newspaper；　handbill；　or　other　printed　paper；　or　pictorial　representation　touching　the　subject　of　slavery；　where　by　the　laws　of　the　said　State；　territory；　or　district　their　circulation　is　prohibited。〃　The　bill　was　defeated　in　the　Senate　by　a　small　margin。　Altogether　there　was　an　enlightening　debate　on　the　whole　subject。　The　exposure　of　the　abuse　of　tampering　with　the　mail　created　a　general　reaction；　which　enabled　the　abolitionists　to　win　a　spectacular　victory。　Instead　of　a　law　forbidding　the　circulation　of　anti…slavery　publications；　Congress　enacted　a　law　requiring　postal　officials　under　heavy　penalties　to　deliver　without　discrimination　all　matter　committed　to　their　charge。　This　act　was　signed　by　President　Jackson；　and　Calhoun　himself　was　induced　to　admit　that　the　purposes　of　the　abolitionists　were　not　violent　and　revolutionary。　Henceforth　abolitionists　enjoyed　their　full　privileges　in　the　use　of　the　United　States　mail。　An　even　more　dramatic　victory　was　thrust　upon　the　abolitionists　by　the　inordinate　violence　of　their　opponents　in　their　attack　upon　the　right　of　petition。　John　Quincy　Adams；　who　became　their　distinguished　champion；　was　not　himself　an　abolitionist。　When；　as　a　member　of　the　lower　House　of　Congress　in　1831；　he　presented　petitions　from　certain　citizens　of　Pennsylvania；　presumably　Quakers；　requesting　Congress　to　abolish　slavery　and　the　slave…trade　in　the　District　of　Columbia；　he　refused　to　countenance　their　prayer；　and　expressed　the　wish　that　the　memorial　might　be　referred　without　debate。　At　the　very　time　when　a　New　England　ex…President　was　thus　advising　abolitionists　to　desist　from　sending　petitions　to　Congress；　the　Virginia　Legislature　was　engaged　in　the　memorable　debate　upon　a　similar　petition　from　Virginia　Quakers；　in　which　most　radical　abolition　sentiment　was　expressed　by　actual　slaveowners。　Adams　continued　to　present　anti…slavery　memorials　and　at　the　same　time　to　express　his　opposition　to　the　demands　of　the　petitioners。　When　in　1835　there　arose　a　decided　opposition　to　the　reception　of　such　documents；　Adams；　still　in　apparent　sympathy　with　the　pro…slavery　South　on　the　main　issue；　gave　wise　counsel　on　the　method　of　dealing　with　petitions。　They　should　be　received；　said　he；　and　referred　to　a　committee；　because　the　right　of　petition　is　sacred。　This；　he　maintained；　was　the　best　way　to　avoid　disturbing　debate　on　the　subject　of　slavery。　He　quoted　his　own　previous　experience；　he　had　made　known　his　opposition　to　the　purposes　of　the　petitioners；　their　memorials　were　duly　referred　to　a　committee　and　there　they　slept　the　sleep　of　death。　At　that　time　only　one　voice　had　been　raised　in　the　House　in　support　of　the　abolition　petitioners；　that　of　John　Dickson　of　New　York；　who　had　delivered　a　speech　of　two　hours　in　length　advocating　their　cause；　but　not　a　voice　was　raised　in　reply。　Mr。　Adams　mentioned　this　incident　with　approval。　The　way　to　forestall　disturbing　debate　in　Congress；　he　said；　was　scrupulously　to　concede　all　constitutional　rights　and　then　simply　to　refrain　from　speaking　on　the　subject。　This　sound　advice　was　not　followed。　For　several　months　a　considerable　part　of　the　time　of　the　House　was　occupied　with　the　question　of　handling　abolition　petitions。　And　finally；　in　May；　1836；　the　following　resolution　passed　the　House：　〃Resolved；　That　all　petitions；　memorials；　resolutions；　propositions；　or　papers　relating　in　any　way　or　to　any　extent　whatever　to　the　subject　of　slavery　or　the　abolition　of　slavery；　shall；　without　being　either　printed　or　referred；　be　laid　on　the　table；　and　that　no　further　action　whatever　shall　be　had　thereon。〃　This　is　commonly　known　as　the　〃gag　resolution。〃　During　four　successive　years　it　was　reenacted　in　one　form　or　another　and　was　not　repealed　by　direct　vote　until　1844。　When　the　name　of　Mr。　Adams　was　called　in　the　vote　upon　the　passage　of　the　above　resolution；　instead　of　answering　in　the　ordinary　way；　he　said：　〃I　hold　the　resolution　to　be　a　direct　violation　of　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　of　the　rules　of　this　House；　and　of　the　rights　of　my　constituents。〃　This　was　the　beginning　of　the　duel　between　the　〃old　man　eloquent〃　and　a　determined　majority　in　the　House　of　Representatives。　Adams　developed　undreamed…of　resources　as　a　debater　and　parliamentarian。　He　made　it　his　special　business　to　break　down　the　barrier　against　the　right　of　petition。　Abolitionists　cooperated　with　zeal　in　the　effort。　Their　champion　was　abundantly　supplied　with　petitions。　The　gag　resolution　was　designed　to　prevent　all　debate　on　the　subject　of　slavery。　Its　effect　in　the　hands　of　the　shrewd　parliamentarian　was　to　foment　debate。　On　one　occasion；　with　great　apparent　innocence；　after　presenting　the　usual　abolition　petitions；　Adams　called　the　attention　of　the　Speaker　to　one　which　purported　to　be　signed　by　twenty…two　slaves　and　asked　whether　such　a　petition　should　be　presented　to　the　Hous