Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-12

s.dcnt and Wee President = few DAYS at.
Ter the above date, those OF Iad,aua, gives
before TIC paSsag, Of the declaratory re-
solution, were received and counted II a
people may rigkuu,lv, and ev,u without
ubleC iion, elect Il Governor, Legislature
and Judses-may elect and send To Coa- |
gress. Senator'S and IL presenlativ.s, aud, |
finally, n:ay vote for P,csiieui aud Vice |
Prc-ii.ui-upon hal principle will i, be
said that Il People, enjoying and exercis
ins all these rights, are not u state; or
that 10 constitute Them stale, requires
The further interposition OF this House
lie could not adm, 1t, he repeated.
These Observations, Mr. l.. said, he
had made with view 10 shew how little
foundation there vas firan opinion, which
he had understood was not uncommon,
that the act OF The last session WAS merely
| Suggestion II the People OF Missouri,
! THAI they migti inrm 4 constitution il II
pleased them, aud ,haf, il thai Consiitu
ton met The appreciation of the Congress
st The U. States al the next session. they
should then be admitted into the Union.
| Anoiber circumstance, Mr.. L. said,
shewed, beyond dispute, that il was MOI
intended by this House, in passing the
act at the last session. merely To give au.
thoriiy 10 the people OF Missouri 10 pro
| pose Constitutions, but that il was i'll
! tended 10 conieT on Missouri, BY thai &C,
all the rights which The oldest and proud
est states Of III" Union are supposed 10
possess. When thai act was under con
siderai,nn. 1t appears by the Journal of
THIS House, that d motion was made by
Mr.. Tayio 10 amend The bill by striking
out these words" And the said stale.
when formed, shall be admitted into The
Uui0n upon an equal iOoting with the
original states, IN all respects whatever; -
and inserting in lieu thereof those which
follow: " And 1t the same, Chat is The
| Consti'u'op.) shall he approved b, Con
gress, tho said territory shall BE- admitted
| INTO the Union IA a state, upon the same
footing as the original s,ates"--Ihe differ.
euce being Thai, in the bill az il stood,
tbe act as II now stands we made her q
| S'ate-anu IN the other we were TO give
her authority TO form a Constitution, and
leave our appreciation 10 be a condition
ot MS hnal adoission. A very large ma
Jnriiy, (l20 In 49,) even al that time of
strong excitement and nearly equal dvi
sion OF opinion with respect 20 The res
friction, vo,ed in the negati.e.
The substance of Mr. LIS argument
then WAS, he said, thai. by the act au.
'horizing The people of Missouri 10 form
a Constitution and State Government,
|
farmer practice of the Government, he
had endeavoyed to slew that the mere
circumstance OF asserting To the propo-
si,ion OF Congress vas enough to consii.
tute the peopir state, the act at de
ciara,ion, now proposed to the House,
being mere surplusagc. Missouri, had,
! Then, right, 10 TORN d government alb
soiuleiy and inalitnabiy Ii she had mol
nov Tie rights of state, lie, il be shewn
iow she has lost them. Il Is contrary
To The principles oil The Constitution, con.
irary 10 The genius OF Our governn eni,
that, having once given them The right
OF sei-goyerumeni, Congress can now
take il from them.
Considering this question as settled,
the neXiimpOrtaut question was, whether
the constitution formed by ihr state Of
MISSOURI becomes void by the admission
in;o IL ct a clause not compatible With the
constitution Of The q. S admitting, for
the sake!ot argument.i that such Is Tie fact
Whether that particular clause of The
constitution. 10 which exception was MA
deistood 10 be taken, was constitutional
or not, the Interest, of The nation, Justice
10 Missouri, and respect for itself, requir-
ed that The house should not undertake 10
decide. la taking ibis grouud, Mr. l. said
he k"ew he should be considered BIS some
As evaiinS HE performance OF a duiv
which, IN tie present case, they supp1s-
ed 10 be develved on this house On
this account, MIR. l.. sail, he should al
tempt 10 siew that no duty devolved on
| ihiS house 10 express an opinion with
respect TO that clause; and minated
thai he could show, were it necessary.
! That similar provisions were cOntaneu in
various acts OF The United States, 10
which exception had been taken in
neither house. The clause of the Mis-
| souri constitution To Which lie referred
was that requiring the Legislator. 10
! pass laws TO prohibit the settlement OF
| free negroes in The Stale, which was
supposed 10 conflict with the provision
81 the constitution OF the United States
| which provides that" the cihzens OF each
stale shall be entitled 10 all the privileges
AMI lmmuDilIes or citizens IN the several
states" Mr.. l.. here went into an argu
Meni OF some detail, the amount Of which
WAS. that, as 10 numbers, very large
majority of The free blacks in The United
States were not considered citizens in their
respective states and that, in constituting
ahy general provision of constitution,
II was fair to consider il as having a zen
cral application, and mol as being with
out exceptions. La any view, there could
be nothing more clear than that, if the
objected provision was capable OF a cOu
slruclion which would reconcile il With
constitution. il ought 10 receive that con
slruciion. For example, in This case of
Missouri, be thought il might be quite
lair to say that thai provision respecting
free people OF color must be construed
literally. rs Intending TO exemp; from
Its operation such oithem as we're citizens
III other states. However this might be,
he co@tcnded, rs The committee had laid
n eintun IL, il,.ir rnr,nr, H., :. -