Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-01-26

,o,vrr. in its nature SO enormous, ana so
nhv;ouslv when it occurred, calculated TO
excite Jus, Jealousy among the sta'es'
whose relative weight would be so essen.
,ialiy affected by such an infusion at once O,
a mass of foreigners into their Councils ana
into al the rights of the country ! ne want
Of all limitation OF such power w"uid nc a
strong evidence, were o.htrs wanting, 'ha'
The bowers, n:.y abou, to be exercised
never entered in.o the imagination OF those
thoughtful and p,sscitnt men, who con
s,ruct.d the fabric. But there is another
mos. powerful argumtnt against the exteh'
sion Of the terms Of This article 10 embrace
IN. riph, to create stat, without the of'Gi'
Ma, limits of the United States, dcduc'b'e
from the utter silence Of all debates at the
period Of the adoption Of the federal con
s,itu,ion. touching the power here proposed
to be usurped. If ever tnrrs was a
in which til" ingenuity OF the greats st men
of an age was taxed to find arguments IN
favor of ard against any political measure,
it was at the time Of the adoption OF this
constitution. All the faculties OF the hu-
man mind were, on the one side aid the
Other, put upon their stretch, % bod
the real and imaginary bl; sslnes or evils,
likely TO result from the proposed measure.
Now I cali upon the advocates OF this bill
10 point out, in all the debates ct that pert
cd, ia any one publication, in any one
pamphlet. in any one newspaper OF those
times, a single in,imation, by friend or toe
to the constitution, approving or csnsurIns
i, for containing th- power, here proposed
70 be usurpsd, "r a single suggestion that II
Nigh, be extended 20 such an object, as is
now proposed. | Go not Say that no such
suggestion was ever made. But this | will
say. that I do not brlieve there is such an
enc any were TO be found. Certain | am,
have never been able to meet the shadow
Of such a suegs sion, and | have made no
inconsidvrabie research Upon the point
Such may exist, but until it be produced,
we have a right TO reason RS though it had
no existence. No, sir The people Of This
country at that day had no idea Of tn"
territorial avidi,y of their successors, 1t
was, on the contrary, an argument, used a.
gains, the success Of the project, that the
territory was too extensive for a republican
nm of govrrnnr ut. Bu., now a days,
there are no limits TO our an bitious hops S.
We are about To cross tie Mississippi.
The Missouri and Red Rivers are but
| roads, on which our imagination travels to
new lands and new states 10 be raised
and admitted, (under the power now first
usurped) into this union among undIscover>
ed lands in the west. But it has been sug-
ges,ed that the convention had Canada in
view, in this article, and the gentleman from
North Carolina told thi. House, that a
member of the convention, as | understood
him, either now, or lately a member Of the
Senate, informed him that the article "a
that reference. Sir, | have no doubt the
gentleman from North Carolina has had a
Communication, such as he inlimat.s. But
for my self, | have no sort Of faith in these
convenient recollections, suited to serve a
turn, to furnish an apology for a party. or
give coler to a project. | do not deny, on
the contrary ] believe it very probable, that
among the ooursipes of some discursive
and craving fancy, such thoughts might be
started p; but that is not the question. Was
this an avowed object in the convention
when it foImed this article Did it enter
into the conception of the people when its
principles were discussed? Sir, i, did not,
it could not. The very intention would
have been a disgrace bolh to this people and
the cohvention: What, sir ? Shall i, be in.
timated shall il for a be admit.
ted, that the noblsst and purest band of "a.
triots this or any other country ever could
boast, were engaged in matchmaking me ans
tor The ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the territories
Of a power 10 which ,hty had pie drcd
friendship, and the cbst ryance of all tht
Obligations which grow out of a ssric, are
perfect amlty? The honor of our coup,r,
toTbtds and disdains such a suggestion.
(lo be continued
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