- 21st Rule
Throughout the period before the
American Civil War , petitions and memorials relating to the slavery question appear in many records of theUnited States Congress . Between1836 and1844 , the 21st rule of theU.S. House of Representatives (the so-calledgag rule ) provided that no petition relating to the abolition of slavery would be entertained in any way; therefore, all such petitions and memorials received during that period were tabled.During this period, hundreds of petitions (5 ft.) relating to the abolition of slavery, slavery in the
District of Columbia , fugitive slave laws and fugitive slaves, the admission of slave states, slavery in the territories,African colonization and repeal of the 21st rule were tabled.ource
* [http://www.archives.gov/records_of_congress/house_guide/chapter_14_judiciary.html Records of the U.S. House of Representatives]
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