Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-09-12

Is allowed US what" right" do we enjoy
what immunity" can we boast, except
indeed the degrading exemption from the
. cares of Legislation and the burthen of
public affairs? 49,, III. -.
! , VIII 1t be said, that though our right
be admitted, yet Congress are to deter.
NINE the period when it shall be confer
red! This, we apprehend, would not ONLY
be contrary TO the words of the treaty, bu,
would be solecism in ITSELF. The words.
according to the principles OF the fede
raj constitution, to enjoyment of. the
rights" etc.certainly mean, 10 such riehta,
as are secured by the principles. of tine
constitution; or, that We are admitted 10
their. enjoyment in such manner as the
same principle direct !; and at any rate
the words :. as soon as possible" can ne
yer be construed, so as TO give right of
delerring it indefinilely.. Fit may be pro
crastinated Tor two years, we see no rca-
son, why IT may not be deferred for twenty
or an hundred, or totally omitted.-That
our verbal construction is true one, will
be evident from pursuing the, other expo
sitlon TO its consequences. IL the treaty
means 10 say that we shall he admitted as
soon as the principles of the constitution
VIII permit, we must look into that ms RI
ment TO discover what restrictions oppose
itsInmediate performance. Wes should ma
tpTal!y expect if this reasoning be true, to
lind some period limited before which we
could not become members of the Union
some requisites of population, or ether
circumstance, to be previously attained or
performed but on the contrary, the pow.
ers OF admitting new states IS vested in
Congress. without any restriction whate-
ver' that can be applicable to the presen,
case (; there is therefore, nothing that can
satisfy these words, if they are construed
as a Limitation; nothing hut the will IF
congress is reitrred TO in the constitution.
lh,s construction then, would prove that
the United States had stipulated, To admit
US into the Union as soon as they should
think proper; but a treaty implies COM
pact. and what compact can arise from
stipulation TO perform, or not perform, as
the party Shall deem expsdient this
Wonld be such a solecism in argument
such confusion of terms as must make
us doubt the propriety OF any construction
that leads TO them, and we feel ourselves
justified IN persuasion, that the treaty
intended TO incorporate us into the union
so snoD as the laws necessary for the pur-
pose could be passed.
We know not with what view the ter
ritoyy North of the SD degree, has been
severed from us and carried with it the
distinguishing name which belonged to US,
and to which we are attached; the con.
venience OF the inhabitants we humbly
apprehend would have been better consul
ted by preserving the connection of the
whole province. until greater degree Of
population made a division necessarys If
this division should operate so as TO pro-
long our state Of political ,utelage on &C.
count OF any supposed deficiency of nun
bers, we cannot but consider it as inluri
ous to our rights, and therefore enumera,e
1t among those points OF which we have
reason to complain. If there is force in
our reclamations, on the great question
OF fundamental rights-if we are Untitled
10 legislate for ourselves as a member of
the Union, and to establish the forms on
which that legislation shall be conducted
by t. aiming a constitution, suited 20 our
own exigenciesj then no further observa
| tons need be made on other parts of the
law--for the right of local legislation i'm
plies that of making the alterations, we
might deem expedient, then our judiciary
would become Independent the execu.
tive power would be properly circum.
scribed, and the legislative guarded a
gainst encroachment. There is one sub.
ject however extremely Interesting to US.
in which great care has been taken to
prevent any interference even by the 90
vernon and council, selected by the Presi.
dent himself. The African trade is abso-
lntely prohibited and severe penalties, inn
posed ON traffic free to all the Atlantic
states, who chuse To engage in IT,, and as
far as relates to procuring the subjects of
It from other states, permitted even in the
territory ofthe Mississippi.
IL is not our intention to enter into ar
gumenis that have become familiar to e.
very reasoner on this question, We only
ask the right Of deciding il for ourselves,
and Of being placed in this respe9 on
an equal footing with other states.-Tot the
necessity Of EMPLOYING African laborers,
which arises from climate, and the species
Of cultivation, pursued IN warm latiiudes,
! IS added a reason In this rouptrv oeruiiar