Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-02-03
HOUSE OF DELEGArEs.

vi i've session. very little DINER business has
been transacted, with the exception of the
resolutions on the Missouri question, which
were called up on Tuesday.
The amendment from the Senate to the
resolutions which wrnt originally from the
House of Delegates and which amendment
rs In fact a substitute for them, being read:
Mr.. Herring nf ockiu.llam county moved TO
postpone the whole subject till the 3Ist of
March, aud upon this question called for the
ayes and noes. Mr.. Fl expressed his decided
opposition to the amendment and the original
resolutions. He confended, that one of the
resolutions from the Senate was incorrect i'm
SAYING that Missouri had right to he admit
ted INTO The union; that bv this was meant
she had right to he admitted immediately;
whereas Mr.. III contPHded that Congress had
a right TO Judge whether territory was iii
from the principles aud number other iuhabi-
fan's TO be Incorporated into the union; that
ConcrcsShdd right to admit and therefore
right To refuse, and Of consequence a right
toprescribe the conditions on wicha territory
Should be admitted ; and that il was due TO the
general welfare to forbid the extension OF
slavery, and that Congress had the power to
prohibit II in two ways, either by preventing
slaves from being introduced into the terrific
RES, or BY making an inhibition Of slavery
precedent condition TO the admission Of those
territories INTO the union. As TO the Louisiana
treaty, Nv. u. asked, whether il was compe-
tent for treaty tn annuI the constitution
Cah III give any power which the constitution
mas hots Can any act OF the remote agents of
tne people take away any power which the
people themselves have conferred Congress
are bouHd TO promote the general welfare
can treaty deprive them of the power to do
II! Are the peoples representatives hound to
register The edcts of The President and Senate
thuii.h such act should be incOmpat iblp with
tiie general weltaieI The words OF the treaty
10 admit them soon possible" must
mean the earliest day at which Congress NAV
deem II wise TO admit them; they ere to exer-
else their own discretion they alone are 10
I'M IN adj
souri, al this time, they have The same right TO
refuse her as they have 10 refuse the intro
dnciioH of Maine. Before then the people of
Missouri can complain ct any breach OF faith,
~ Is Tor them To prove that tits wise for l'Ou-
gress TO admit them without any restriction OF
slavery, though Congress may consider this
restriction essential TO the " general " etare.'
Congress are 10 provide also for the - common
neiehce; but can any one Suppose that il
would promote the common defence to plant
a state which should abound with slaves Mr.
III iamented and re ROTATED in strong and
indignant terms the extension and existence
OF slavery and csnciuded by saving, that lie
had only expi essCa sentiment in this respect
winch every VirginiaD felt. He added that
he had called for the ayes aud noes on The
question of posiponemeni, because on vetiug
for this questiOn,he wished to shew that he was
opposed 10 the whole subecr he could not
gam THIS object by the ayes aud noes on adopt
ing the amendment of the Senate /; because lie
should vote for il i'll preference 10 the original
re buttons.
Mr.. Baldwin (of Augusta replied to MIR
Herring with great animal ion.-te began with
observing that lie felt some embarrassment mt in
addressing body, whose minds were already
convinced; yet lie knew there were some four
or tVr doubling minds IN that Assembly whom
II he ere liable 10 satisfy he should think hinse
amply compensated for his trouble What Mas
Tie question III was whether slate rights and
sla'c sovereignty should be respected; il Was
whether the Congress OF The United states had
Il n f9i md mia 40
their sovereignty at its discretion. Tins IS no
question of slavery, but of the safety of lie
constitution. Is this The time to discuss the
question OF slavery, as The gentleman last up
had done! No! we are not the advocates OF
slavery; but we know that it is a system entail
cd npon Us, and That we cannot yet rid OF il.
And who are they that have stirred the III esent
question: Some meddhmg phIIautbropIsts OF
the north, who remove ed al "A distance from the
calamitIes which they would invoke, are will
ing To be lIuinaue at our expence Political
views too had mingle with this question, and
under the cloak OF humanity some ambitious
politicians are seeking To erect a political
ascenhancy on orr runs &C.. Humanity Mr.
IL. demanded, whether il would serve the
cause OF humanity to lay such restrictions as
were proposed; and whether the chances of
emancipation would not be iessened by con-
centrdtiDg the slaves in particular section ?
Mr.. Il. entered upon the constitutional oues-
ton. He called upon MIR. IL. TO Law his finger
upon solitary word IA the constitution which
Justified the pTetensions set up ; he demanded
whether Virginia would have ever subscribed
To this constitution, If she had supposed that il
gave Congress the power TO shut her Oui of III g
iair fiel,S of the west. and to appropriate them
entirely 10 our northern brethren; he demand.
ed by what right did Congress NEEDLE at ali
with internal slavery; he coateuded that had
such power been claimed in the convention
under this constitution, Henry would have
graspediis pillars in his arms, and sbak EN- the
edltice TO ruins he asked, how could il be nos
Sible that il should be necessary TO convey i
express terms the power 10 patent even a spin
ning wheel, and set that this great control over
slavery, il meant 10 be given, should be lett to
Il vague and visionary construction. RI heniph
tbat Congress had right TO dictate terms
for where would this power cea.e2 They
might dictate ANY terms that they pIPascu:
they might destroy every atom of soyereiputy:
aDd might 20 so far as TO give sairap to M
degraded state. He denied throughout the
doctrine of mr. II. that az they might admit
they might refuse and that they might die
tate any conditions which they thought pro-
per, precedent 10 their admission. All that
Congress can say, - whether they will or v i'll
not admit country, such as Canada, into tie
Union, hut after agreeing and admitting her
inha bitants to the rights of citizenship after
agreeing to admit her into the anon, they have
no right TO refuse. They have no right to keep
her ~ stale of perpetual pnpiliagP. Nor have
they then discretionary powers 10 dictate
terms to her. they must admit upon the prIn-
cipies of representative republic with alI
tie rights and sovereignty ct Siate.--As to
Tie treaty question. MIR. u. coutehded that
ihongh Congress were not imperAtively bOnpd
By lhe constitution 10 yteid their own powers
aud acquIesce in the act Of the pres dent and
Seinie. yet they wee bound by good faith to-
carry INTO effect tins treaty OF paris.-He
confessed that When I've looked AZ the grea'
question which Was now before the nation his
whoie frame was shakeH- IT we yielded 10 ttte
~ A.