Anna Flores, age 15, of Glendale, Ariz., for her question:

WHAT WERE THE GAG RULES IN CONGRESS?

"Gag Rule" was the general designation of a number of procedural rules adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives from 1836 to 1844 designed to exclude from consideration by the House, or by House committees, petitions asking for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.

The first such rule was introduced by Congressman Henry Pinckney of South Carolina. The rules were supported by Southern congressmen and by many Northern representatives who regarded the anti slavery petitions as inflammatory and inimical to the continued union of the states.

John Quincy Adams, former President and member of the House from Massachusetts, led a long fight to abolish the gag rules. He contended that because the U.S. Constitution forbade Congress to enact laws abridging the right of petition, the refusal of Congress to consider petitions was, in effect, unconstitutional.

At the beginning of each session, when the House adopted its rules of procedure, Adams moved to strike out the offending gag rule. Finally, on Dec. 3, 1844, he was successful and the gag rule was abolished.