Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1811-02-25

lailJUe OF lIG COM iAltAA-4 AfN'i
I That a power under the contribution
( lhould have the ability Q change and
lrnihiiate the iuarumeng, from
which it derives all It's power and
! IF the treaty making power can intro
luce new partners TO the political
rights of the Gates, there is no length
I however extrayag4nt, or inconilltcnt
with the end, to which it may not
1 Be wrciled The prelent PRECEDENT
Of the u. States, when member Of
tire Virginia convention for adopting
the contribution, expressly declares
that the treaty makidg power rs
limitations, and he itates this as one,
/ 4" that If c1ns9t alien ate any eBentiaI
ripbt Now is not here an eilen-
tial right to be alieRated The right
10 that proportion of political power
which the contribution has fecurcd 10
every fate, modified only by fuch in-
terna. increafc OF Gates, as the exit
ing limits of the territories at the
time Of the adoption Of the cenitltu-
ton permitted The debates of that
period chiefly urned upon the COM
potency of this power to bargain a
way any Of the old itates. 1t was
agreed at that time that by this pow
or old ltates within the ancient limits
could not be fold from US. And /
maintain, that by il new itatcs with
out the ancient limits cannot be fad
died upon US. 1t was agreed, at that
time that the treaty making power
" could not Cut off limb" And |
maintain that neither has il the COM
potency to clap hump upon our
fhcuders The fair proportions de-
v.(cd by the contribution are in both
cafes marred, and the fate and felici-
ty of the political being in material
particulars, related TO the offence OF
his contribution, aft. ded. 1t was ne.
yer pretended BY the mott enthuhaf-
tick advocates for the extent Of the
treaty making power, that 1t exceed
ed that Of the King Of Great-Brltain.
Yet | ak, iuPpofc that monarch
fhould make treaty RiPulating that
Hanover, or Hindoitan, thould have
light Of representation on the floor
of Parliament would fuch treaty
be binding No, ir v; not as | be-
lieve, if Louie of Commons and Of
Lords could be found venal enough
10 agree to il. But although in that
country tina three branches of its le
giAature are called onniporent and
the people might not deem them
fclves juiti6ed in refitance, yet here
there is no apology Of this kind, The
limits Of our power are diitin6tly
marked, and when the three bran
ches of this government ulurp upon
this contribution in particulars vital
to the liberties Of this people. the
deed is at their peril.
| have done with the contribution
al argument. Whether have been
able to convince any member Of this
Houfe, am ignorant, | had almoit
laid Indifferent. But this will not
fay, becaule | an indeed deeply anx
ious to prevent the pafagc of this
bill. OF this am certain, however,
that when the di(cuilion Of this day
is pafcd away, when party fprit fhalI
TO longer prevent the people Of the
U. 5. from locking At the principle
atlumed in it, independent Of grofs &
deceptive attachments & antipathies,
that the ground here defended will
De acknowledge as a high conlfitu-
tional bulwa,k, and that the princi.
pies here advanced viii be apprecia-
ted.
will add one word, touching the
Gtuation OF New-Orieans. The pro-
viliOn of the treaty of 1909, which
ftipulatcs that il lhall be I" admitted
as foon as polIibIe," does not there
fore imply a vi'l;ion of the con1i-
tuition. There are ways in which
this may conitltutionaly be effected
by an amendment CT the confitu-
ton +; or by reference to conventions
of The people in the nates. and
do lupPcle, that, in relation t. the
obj,6ts Of the Prefent bill, (the PEG.
pie Of New-Orleans) no great Diff
Guilty would arile Conhdered as an
Important accommodation to the
: WeiterD States, there would be no
: viol4nt objection to the meafure.
But this would not anfwer all the
Projetts, % which the principle Of