Afterwards, on a similar objection to reception being made by a gentleman from Georgia, (Mr. Glascock,) my colleague (Mr. Adams) appealed from a ruling of the Speaker on an incidental point of order; which appeal, and the matters connected with it, have been put off, day after day, and week after week, and still remain suspended for some future time of consideration.

Then came a set of resolutions applicable to a part of the prayer of these petitions, moved by a gentleman from Maine, (Mr. Jarvis,) under which there is a debate in progress, on an amendment moved by a gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. Wise,) to the effect that Congress have no power granted by the constitution to legislate on the subject of slavery in this District.

Finally, on the last occasion when petitions of this kind were presented, the question of reception being raised, that question was, by vote of the House, laid on the table; as happened this morning in the case of those petitions presented by my colleague (Mr. Adams;) the operation of which is, practically, to refuse to receive the petitions.

Now, I am wholly dissatisfied with this course of proceeding, and I cannot submit to it in regard to the Petitions, which I am charged to present.  I hold that the question of reception, as it is in fact and of necessity the first in order of time, so is it the first in order of principle.  It must not be pushed aside to make place for the discussion of speculative resolutions, or for debate, on the merits of the question raised by the prayer of these petitions.  I maintain that the House is bound by the Constitution to receive the petitions; after which, it will take such method of deciding upon them as reason and principle shall dictate.  It should first lend an attentive and respectful ear to the prayer of the People.  Whether it can or will grant that prayer, is an after consideration.  I have already kept back for several weeks the petitions committed to me, in order to shape my course according to the deliberate decision of the House; but that decision does not come; it is continually procrastinated for the sake of considering questions, which, in my view, are secondary in time and in principle to the question of reception; and I can no longer consent that these my constituents shall be held waiting, as it were, at the doors of the Capitol for admission, when, as I read the Constitution, they have a right to demand immediate entrance, and to be respectfully received by their assembled representatives.

I tender to the House, therefore, an alternative.  I place this Petition at their disposal.  If they choose to fix absolutely on a time certain for considering and deciding the question of reception, so that this shall take precedence of the other debate, they will then have this day, as usual, for its appropriate business of the general presentation of petitions.  But if they decide, as heretofore, to lay the question