Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-12-26

he, IN continuation, IS pecuHarly and EN-
phatically ours. We are sworn TO sup
port the constitution before we enter OF
the duties to which we are called Jude
il; aud he believed the gentleman iron
South Carolina himself, aud every othe
member Of this house, would go alon,
with him in saying, that their support o
the constitution ought TO be active AM
jealous, and not cold and penurious sup
port. II ought TO be no calculation, hoy
much they might give up Of that Consti
tuition, but determination not TO give Vi
an inch of it--a determination that, ever
ii there be doubt, that doubt shall be de
termined in favor of the constitution. !
should be thus, said be, that, by ecu
slant, warm aud cordial support Of It ber'
we may invigorate and quicken the re
spect aud veneration for that instrument
which trust is entertained By the whole
people of the United States.
With respect 10 the proposition to tnrr
over 10 the Judiciary, The decision Of the
question involved in this constitution, Mr.
S. said, he must declare, that, with The
greatest respect possible for the Judiciary
with the highest confidence in their recti-
tnde and wisdom, with the greatest viii
lingness 10 submit to their decisions IN
their proper sphere, he could not consent,
on a question which was properly pre-.
sented for his own decision, to say, let
the question sleep till some humble indi-
yidual some poor citizen, shall come Tor
ward aud claim decision of it. He
never would pass duty by, by leaving
it to some Individual TO do what Congress
ought to have done. No, Mr.. S. said j;
bis idea Of supporting the constitution was
to give it such 40 active support as should
convince every body that even the ap.
pearance OF violation Of it would not be
permitted. And he begged gentlemen.
before they consented 10 take course diff.
ferent from this, that they would consider,
seriously consider, what may be the effect,
in government depending on public o.
pinion for its support, OF adisrespect oil
its authority on this floor.
Mr.. S. then noticed the argument which
Mr.. Lowndes had derived from The Jour
nal OF this house of the last session, il; the
case of the motion of MIR. Taylor to ameud
the Missouri act go as to require her con-
stiiution, when formed, 10 be approved by
Congress, &c. before she could become a
state which motion was negatived by two
to one. Mr.. S. admitted the fact, but
argued that it proved nothing in favor Of
Mr.. Lowndes's argument. Gentleman
had voted against it on various grounds 4
some, he knew, had voted against it be-
cause they believed it superhuous. hold
ing the opinion which he was now main
tanning, that the constitution must OF course
receive the sanction Of Congress before IL
could be Of any authority, &c.
Mr.. S. then referred for illustration to
The case of Louisiana, who was required
to submit her constitution TO Congress,
and it was submitted and approved ac-
cordingly before it went into operation.
If Congress, according to the gentIemau's
had no right to do so, this pro-
ceeding was all unconstitutional and void
And it was worthy Of remark that, at the
same time that constitution was required
to be submitted to Congress. il was also
required TO be not repugnant to the con-
stilution of the United States. Yet Lou.
isiana was not intended TO be admitted on
different terms from other states, but ON the
same, &c.
But, independently of the act Of the last
session, it had been asserted that Missouri
is now a state; that she is state in fact.
Mr.. S. asked Of gentlemen seriously to
consider this position. what lime
has she become a state From the mo-
ment Of the passage of our act, from that
Of the adoption OF her constitution, or from
that Of the organization Of her government
He did not distinctly understand from
what point Of time the gentleman from
S. Carolina dated her Independence
Mr. Lowndes here explained what
point of time he referred TO. Ii was at
the moment when, the question having
been formally proposed to the People OF
Missouri, whether they chose to form a
constitution and state government, they
voted it expedient to do SOFT was then
that he thought arose the right ID them oil
self-government.
Mr.. S. did not consider the point Of
time in this respect material. The ques-
ton was, is Missouri entitled TO the rights
of state until she be admitted into the
Union by Congress ? In support Of this
opinion, he said, no reason had been as
signed that was founded in the consiitn-
ton Of the u. States. Reasons had beer
assigned by The gentleman Of Sontli- Caro-
lima, which appeared to him TO be founded
10 convenience which amounted TO sorl
Of necessity, but no argument had beer
drawn from the constitution in support d
this position. We have The power to adj
..,:t !, etata into tla IIninu said Mr. -