Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-22

fh@ new state may be admitted into the
UNon TIA! *, into the conieSlerary or
ia other %"rGs. u new state may by the
assent %! Congress he permitted TO be-
conIe L party inthe fedeTci compact. Here
then fhe srcciac compact TO he entered
Iuio iy the new sIa'" Is pointed out
ihe o"fg clause which authorizes any
compact. q, all, To he made witt, new
s'atc, acs'g"aies the pery compact which
shall bc iorrned with II. How then can
Congress, under the same ,lauSe, possess
Tie power 70 enter into any oshe, COM
pact, or in'o any compact differing from
,ilai which is so specified +? deem il i'm
pas>inir!
II indeed il be true, as asserted by the
memoriali>is thai il depends solely up
on the Wisdom oI Congress what c"udi-
hons shall he annexed TO the admission
of territory INTO i',c Union, II is not ca
sy IT, say what alarming consequences
Will not follow from So broad a doctrine.
We may yei live 10 hear il demanded as
Tie price OF admission, that the new
states shall lurpiSh subsidies OF troops
aud money TO the federal government
"iIeneveri, shall require. They may thus
become The tools OF lis ambition, and The
instruments of destruction 10 the sove-
reigntles OF The original States. Had the
trainers OF The constitution ever couiem-
plated the exaciion from new states OF
Other ternls than those OF The federal
compact, their political foresight would
not have permitted them To have been ST.
ieni on so interesting subject. We
should have found provision on the
subject introduced into the constitution.
They could not have been inseDSiblt that
according 10 the fair construction of The
nj ~ IL.
were TO be admitted upon an equal foot.
ing with the original states. II did not
enter INTO their conception thai our breth-
rem OF the Northwestern Territory, whose
admission waS mere Immediately contcm
piaied, were 10 lie made our bondmen, or
To come into this cou.ederary Of equals
upon HE principles Ofau unequal alliance.
~ dld moi enter INTO their scheme OF gen
crosby TO offer TO our coNutrymen The
privileges of self government, only upon
condition that we might make iSeir con
sfltniIon. II is AN Hibernianism reserved
Tor the modern discoveries in political
science, that a people can be free when
Others prescribe terms 10 them: that a
nation enjoys The inesilmable privilege of
sell government, when il is compe He'd
against its will TO submit 10 "A consiitu-
ton and laws imposed upon il by strong
er power. II did moi comport with the
Jealous feelings OF The states al the time
oil The adoption nt the constitution, 10
weld 10 Congress The power of adding 10
the conditions upon which new states
should be admitted ofdemanding terms
as The price OF their Incorporation and
oil making, if they those, the immense
territories 10 the vest which were at somr
day destined to form part of this noble
ri l. H..
power. They had TOO lately heard
an eminent statesman pronounce that
" three millions of men held in political
bondage would be fit Instruments TO en-
slave The rest of their fellow cit zens, 10
contemplate provision which by pros
trailing the sovereignty of every new state
before the power of Congress, mi git en-
able the federal government 10 trampie
down every barrier of the constitution,
and To degrade the original members of
the eoniederasy, by imposing upon
Them also, conditions unknown TO the
constitution, and destructive of their
independence. Happy shall we be, If the
successful attempt 10 make law for
Missouri, shall not al some future day
inspire the boasiful champions OF chm
mainly and emancipation" with the hone
OF making law 100 for our ancient and
veneraied commonwealth When The
vigorous prosecution OF the contemplated
scheme Of excluding southern emigrants
from The banks of the Missouri and Mis-
sIssppl, shall have drawn around us a
Gordon OF states, who forgetting The cOu
citation and torbearance OF our ancestors
shall be animated alone by mistaken zeal
Tor emancipation we shall have cause 10
tear fhe direst consequences TO our tran
al me- Il.
when The influence of the northern and
eastern states shall be predominant, aud
those of The south shall kick the beam,
we shall continue in the uninterrupted
enjoyment of our present institutions,
we shall owe il 10 moderation on their
part which for the first time in human
affairs, will l,ave manifested itself al the
moment OF success III the pOssessors of
power!
From the considerations which have
obercd II would seem 10 result, that both
The principles and the deductions of The
memoraiIsis are incorrect that Congress
has no such discretion on the subject of
admission OF territories into the Union as
will carry with ii a right TO annex eon,Ii-
tons; and that such right can never he
pretended in relation 10 Missouri. since
we are solemnIy bound by compac, 10 ad
mil 1t INTO The Uuion, as soon as The prin.
ciples OF the federal constitution Will al
low
| forbPar 70 enterinio the consideration
OF what Congress has heretofore done in
cases supposed to be analogous. We adj
init no inference 10 tie prejudice of The
people, from what may have been limo.
Gently or unadvisedIy done. Still less
can we admit tile liberties of any portion
OF them 10 be proper subjects of pro.
| scrlptIon, or The sovereigniies of The
| I..I. L. Il