Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-23
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY. DEC &.

FRIDAY, DEC 8.
The resolution dccia ring The admission
OF Missouri into the Uniou being under
consideration MIR. Storrs having con.
cludei his observations, as already pub.
!i.hed. auda pause having followed. in.
which u" gentleman rose 10 speak
MIR. p. Z. BARBOUR, OF Va. took
! The foor. lie had moi expected, he said, 10
have engaged la the discussion 10 day,
and should necessarily, therefore, speak
without preparation; but tie promised TO
the committee, HAT, in the few remark k
Which he should submit, he should OBJ
serve every possible degree of breviiy.
The subject now under consideration,
lie said, Was one which had becnme pain
iul 10 ih- nation. aud, he feared, painful
10 the House. But it was one to he de-
cijed, aud It vas his most earnest wish
that the decision should be such as to
| avert any possible evil fOr-scen by any
Of the gentlemen WHO had discussed The
subject.
The member from New York, (Alr.
S'oUs,) and the member from Pennsylva-
nia (Air. Sergeant,) whilst they had denied
10 Missouri the condition. of State. would
nni undertake To say to the committee
! what would be- the condition OF the Peo-
pie OF Missouri, should his resolution moi
! pass. Thai queStIon, they said, WAS moi
now before HE committee when, howe
yer. 1t should be presented al somr after
iIae and IN son,e Other shape, they would
endeavor 10 decide i, as under the cir.
cumstawces should then appear 10 be right.
But, Mr.. B. said. il is a question which
must at tins moment enter into The con-
sdrraiiou Of every member of This com
miliee, what is The coDditi"u Of Missouri
| IL is a question, the decision and consc-
| qnence oil WHICH are much aud intimately
| connected win the immediate question
| NOW submitted TO the committee. l.
| Missouri stale, or is she territory ? II
| she be a stale, Is she a sovereign and III
| dependent stale, unconuccicd with the
cnnirHeracy, orr stale dc wing !lc RIG his,
and subject 10 the obiga tons, which the
federal compact devnlvcS upon every STATE
ia HE union2 These are qu, siions
| which must be decided in some shane.
because they must br practically acird
| upon. Missouri IL government {: she
has an Executive. a Legislature, Iudici
! ary-a portion y! which at least have been
IN aciioo. Are We, said Mr. b. prepared
10 recall them Are we prepared to say
! 10 Missouri, your Legislature has no Ie-
| gislative powers, your Governor no exc
cuiive powers Are We prepared 10 say
To her, you shall revert 10 your territorial
condition., under which we are authorized
Ia icGiSlaie for you2 l. there any mem
Der OF the committee who sill rise in bis
place ana take that ground He presum-
ed not and, 1t uoi, he asked, what is her
cOnuiiloD II * this : the people of a
portion of The territory Of the u. States
| we're authorized 10 form "A consultation
! ana stale government, aud having formed
such stale government, we're 10 be rrcciv-
| ed into The Union OF these staies on An
| equal footing with every other state
| What is II HAT makes staie2 Is n moi
the iernai0n of consItulion-ihQ Gre.
alton of departments of goyernmant-ile
| delineaiIon OF The manner In which the
power at The people shall be exercised by
their Representatives, and ihedisir,buIion
OF that power among lie agents of the
People Has this been done in Miseou.
rt II has. The member from N. York
had acknowledged, that il Missouri be
state. she is a state OF this Union. MIR
b, said he imagined The gentleman was
driven TO His conclusion Tor, if Nilsson
| ~ be state, aud not one Of the United
| States, IN what relation does the govern
| meni Oi the u States Stand 10 her In
what character does IL stand as 10 lie
public lands. the navigation of her rivers.
| the revenue, AMI The various other rcla :.
lions OF the u. States 10 that territory p
! Will IL be commended, said lie. Thai we
can impose federal obligations unless SHE
has federal rights No, said MIR. Il. mn.
less she he state Of the Union, wt have
no control, m power over her. II minbi
even be questioned, If she was denied rc
he state of The Union. whal IS the ex.
tent Of The claim which We have 10 land,
within The territorial rXteui of thai state
These, Mr.. Il. said, were qnesiinnS hic!
IN lie view That lie should take Of th,
SUBJECT, he would nor discuss further
than 10 say, That, by HE provisions of tI,
act oil Tie last session, the People al Mis-
SOM were authorised 10 form consiiiu
ton and state government. Tbcy hayt
done so. When they had done so. b,
the force Of iliai law they were 10 be
state. That period has passed and The,
are state OF right, and entitled TO al
the privileges OF That condition.
THIS, however, WAS moi the view of In
question, which be rose for Tie purpos
0i presenting. ~ tic view v hicb lac VA
about 10 take. Ie should proceed upoi
The supposiliou that the constitution q
Missouri was properly before the com
nltiPe Tor consideration, and that IN
,snc enquiry was, does This constitute,
contain, or not, any provision incomps
, | tihlc with ibe superior provisions of Ib
federal constitution IL would be hi
end FAVOR 10 sIcw that il does not. VIVA,
ever opiuion he might entertain OF III,
condition of The state. or Of The powcr
ot this house ~ relation 10 it, dib no
I, impinge On The view that be should pre
Z, sent, which admitted, for the opponent
, Of Missouri, tie position most iayorabl
/, IN them, that Tie constitution was no,
. properly submitted for consideration, an
e Tor The examination OF HE question " lie