The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-25
CVoLumE ].

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by the contribution to be fubjcet of iegiflation
for Congrels and il you fhou,d give up the
exercli- OF the juriidi6tion for the pr,fcnt and
repeal the act CT afumption, your iucceIors
may repeal the repeating aet aid reiume the ju-
ridiction. Otherwiie you may deprive your
tuccehors OF all the powers of legiilation. In
she lection in which the power of exerciliny ex-
clnhve lcgiiation is given, is alio contained T.
rnongh other powers therein enumerated, the
power " to coin money and regulate the value
thereof" &C. the power OF maxine A uni
form fyitem of bankruptcy" &c. Theft pow
erS Consrefs may exercife or not bat can
they veit in Maryland and Virginia or any other
nate, the power of iegiflating for the Union on
theie iuhjects and thereby deprive their fuccef.
iors OF the excrciie of thefe powers, ihoud they
hereafter deem it advifable 20 rciunle them?
No Sir. Neither can we by any act OF oars
(nor can 1t be done in any way but by IN amend
ment OF the coTftitution) divsf our fucceiIors
OF an ultimate contropf over this territory and
OF the right of returning iuuifdittion ever it,
which you IN vain attempt TO give awav.
Then it may be probematical, at leaf WIG
therthe ttates of Maryland and Virginia, win
content to exercite powers, in coufeouence of
this kind Of Legislative depurstion ever oco-
pie, not within their territofia! limits, aud Who
form no more portion of the .cIi=ens Hfhofs
itates than OF any other fiction Of the uAion
why ihouic they expend their time ana lao- i,
n!ey, and encounter thofe di Is alties as yvrr
vlceroys and meretensnts stwill, w4sch you are
afraid to encounter yourfeives ? You might as
well veit in Maryland and Virginia the executive
right of iegiiating for Louiliana.
But, Mr.. Chairman fhould be glad if the
gentleman who propofed the reloTntions, and
VINO by the term recefiion and folae kind of ma
glcai operation, is to produce remuneration
OF this dittrict to the ftates from which, il has
been fevered, would inform me preciley what
he understands by the term, and what is to he
the refuit OF the meafure on the rights of the
people OF the diftri6t. prefume however, he
expects, by the adoption OF thefe refolutions
to reinftate them in all their former rights.
VIII this be thereby Infected Having been
cut of completely by the confitsltion the acts
Oh ceihon OIL the part of the ftates, and bv the
aets oi acceptance in 1870, from their parent
hates, they will be in the fame fituation as
purchafed or conquered people, and entitled
to no other rights and privileges but fuch as
their new matters may think properto concede.
they were, Before you fcparated them from
tneIr parent itates, part oftbe foyereignty of
thoic 'tates and theirrights fecured to them BY
their REFLECTIVE contributions.
But II will be faid, you may annex conditi-
on to the retroceflion compelling Maryland and
Virginia to reiHcorporate them into their re-
fpectve political fyfens, with all the I'M
munItIes and privileges they formerly enjoyed.
Evrn they are dcpendant for their rights, not
on the contribution Of ahofe ffates refpeetyely,
but on compact and legiilative pron;fes. But
yos have already made one Legislative proniic,
which you are about TO violate, and where is
the fecurlty that the Legislative pronni1es now to
DC made will not be violated again. ef,ecially
rs The very act which makes The new orr vic.
rates former one, accompanied with greater
iolemnity. Sir, we have had fome experience
as to the difference between people who have
their rishts fecured by contribution, and one
who depends for that fecurity, on conpaa. in
the people OF Louifana. By the treaty they
were to be Incorporated into the Union with ail
the rights, immnnties and privileges OF Amer.
can citizens. We know the latitude Of difcre-
ton and I he various ccnffruGtions which nave
prevailed, to deprive thefe people of the rights
stipulated by the treaty. Suppofe the ftates 20
whom you Propoic the rctroce Sion to be MADE
ihouid ailurne iimilar latitude, TO whom are
thefe people TO apply forredrefs /? They muft
invoke the aid of Congrcis, inftead of Appealing
as before to the contribution Of the ftates As The
guarantee oftheir rights.
but, MIR. Chairman, are the people of the
territory unworthy of moment confederation,
ard VIII their rcmonltraDces aCainlt the rneafjre
be altogether difresarded ? Let us take re-
Prospective view Of the circumstances under
which they were feduced from their parent
itates, and the manner in which they confentcd
to diiieverthe civil and political bonds by which
they were formerly connected what INDUCED
them TO aeaate their native allegiance, and
with generous confidence to fubmit them.
irlves TO your authority. Firf, the conftnti-
on held but the pledge and formed the bafs Of
the contract, involving propiile, that if the
people OF the dlitrict Of country, which ihou!d
be fixed upon for the feat Of government, would
give up the rights poHefed under the govern
ment ofthe itates to which they belonged, they
fhoald moreover remain under the executive ;u-
rildiction of Congreis. BY the act of Congreis
accepting The ceifOn, the territory received, is
declared 10 be the place fixed on for the tcrna.
aeaf/fat Of government, and the ftates ctde for
ever the iuridiGion OF the per(ons and ioil With
in the fame to Congress, for the purpofe OF ex.
erciiing therein executive legi1ation. Finally
you aiIume the government, eaabhfh your own
lyitems, and annuthofe ofthe Gaes. Confd-
ing in thefe pronifes, they gave up the con-
trosl Of their perfons, add fomc of them divided
with you their property. They came TO you
with one content, and hailed your arrival here
as the mott fortunate epoch in the annals OF
their country-dnd now, will you fet them a.
drift without deignng to liGen to their pray
ers
But all this is to be done to re1ore them to
their loft liberty TO enanCipstc them from the
ihackles of detpotifm with which they are in
numbered, and To- elevate them from their de-