The framers of the Federal Constitution supposed the right of petition too firmly established in the habits and affections of the people, to need a constitutional guarantee.  Their omission to notice it, roused the jealousy of some of the State conventions, called to pass upon the constitution.  The Virginia convention proposed, as an amendment, “that every freeman has a right to petition, or apply to the Legislature, for a redress of grievances.”  And this amendment, with others, was ordered to be forwarded to the different States, for their consideration.  The Conventions of North Carolina, New York, and Rhode Island, were held subsequently, and, of course, had before them the Virginia amendment.  The North Carolina Convention adopted a declaration of rights, embracing the very words of the proposed amendment; and this declaration was ordered to be submitted to Congress, before that State would enter the Union.  The Conventions of New York and of Rhode Island incorporated in their certificates of ratification, the assertion that “Every person has a right to petition or apply to the legislature for a redress of grievances”—­using the Virginia phraseology, merely substituting the word person for freeman, thus claiming the right of petition even for slaves; while Virginia and North Carolina confined it to freemen.

The first Congress, assembled under the Constitution, gave effect to the wishes thus emphatically expressed, by proposing, as an amendment, that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition Government for a redress of grievances.”  This amendment was duly ratified by the States, and when members of Congress swear to support the Constitution of the United States, they are as much bound by their oath to refrain from abridging the right of petition, as they are to fulfil any other constitutional obligation.  And will the slaveholders and their abettors, dare to maintain that they have not foresworn themselves, because they have abridged the right of the people to petition for a redress of grievances, by a RULE of the House, and not by a law?  If so, they may by a RULE require every member, on taking his seat, to subscribe the creed of a particular church, and then call their Maker to witness that they are guiltless of making a law “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

The right to petition is one thing, and the disposition of a petition after it is received, is another.  But the new rule makes no disposition of the petitions; it PROHIBITS THEIR RECEPTION; they may not be brought into the legislative chamber.  Hundreds of thousands of the people are debarred all access to their representatives, for the purpose of offering them a prayer.