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

Oh 'he same spiri, 1ay repeal ar eB1SI
laws directing the mode Of election of
Representatives "a may best suit their
purposes. But. il suri, clause as Is row
proposed be isseried in the Cuusiiiuiiog,
such p'Wer Iu This House, CAPABLE vi
beng so dangerously employed, would be
DESTROYED.
MIR. Smsith, of n. c. said, tho simple
objects Which. h. haj in view, were. first.
III regard la the election of President, 10
give ihe minority as well as The lnajosily
1T The people OF every state, Il Chance of
being heard. With regard 10 The elec~
ION Il Representatives, he well knew that
The Constitution gave 10 Corgress The
power Of prescribing ihr node, aud il
was to guard against that very power that
he Wished the amendment tn p,eyail--
lie Vas unwilling. for one, that Congress
should ever exercise that power: because
they might, as had BEEN suggested, ey-
ercIse IL IN desrOlic and dang ,rous man.
her.
The motion Tor postponement 10 Mon.
day neat, Was agreed 10, 50 TO II.
MISSOURI.
The House having. on motion Of Mr..
Lown':eS. resolved itself iuio a committee
ot the whole on the state Of The Union, Mr..
Nelson OF Va. WAS called to the chair
Inc resolution declaring the admission
OF tn" State of Missouri INTO The Union
on al equal footing with the original
states. having been read
Mr. Loasndes rose, aud delivered aspecch
OF nearly two hours IN length. Of which
iHe following Is b!lei sketch.
lie nr-i observations of MIR. L. Were
iosi 10 The reporter, from the cor.
fiisi@n arising tom members changing
Their seals, &c, When MIR. L's observa.
Il.f al Ia.
ing OF the difficulty under which he SHOULD
labor, III what ne had Ia say, from being
obliged 10 dileri his observations 10 ar
.nments not ye' urgea, and in regard 10
WHICH lie u!ust depend upum what he had
heard III other quarters, and Upon con-
lecture.
La the outset, he said, he WAS mel by
an objection OF general nature. applica-
bic to Other cases as we'll ~ thai noa
presented 10 Ike ilonse. lie could not
doubt, he said, from whai he had heard,
ti!ai There were members oil the House
who considered themselves bound, by
tie same principles which Influenced
ihem al The last scssitn, To vote al this
session against The resolution declaring
HE admission of Missouri into the Union.
On this point, he addressed. himself 10
ihe moderation aud good sense Of the
iiohsc-oi tbosr gentlemen parIiv uldriy
who believed The constitution irameri,by
Missouri 10 be incOnsisieH, with The pm
cipies OF our government, 10 say, whether
u WAS uut inconsistent WITH The character
of our government. and OF all gnverii-
menls. thai questions once deciued by
HE legitimate authority oi the country
should be considered as YET open or IN
conclusive! Did mol such a course cf
reasoning lca. 10 The conclusion that all
lt.n ,.t, "A.
only on the majority who vntsd forl benz
Thai all Compacls are void, for exataD!e.
Ia the minority which, refuses to sanciIDn
them Suppose, Ia regard 10 debt iu~
cufred Ia caTryins on war. party sub
sequeit'iy IN power were To aay ne did
n0t vote Tor The debt; ice did uOi sup.
port The war We are not bound TO paw
the debt. Would such an argument he
entitled 10 respecil fake, for exa ample,
tue deb, incurred in ihr iaie war viii,
Great Britain was il uGi essential Ia
The charactrrt ot the nation tia, that
debt should be considered obligatory IA
"eH upnh those WHO approved, as op
those WHO disapptovrd, Tie purpose for
whicb the deb, was contracted? aud
vere all The members OF THIS aud The other
house MOI equally bomuj by The &c, of
The LAST session respecting Missouri p
K.
10 The people OF Missouri the power 10
foIm constitution aud state 20, erumen,,
sc haye gwen II Whei!i,r or 90; We IN
tIlvdualiy Wished Missouri 10 form a
consultation, 'lie authority To- Go so vas
given by Congress. The constitution was
formed, aud Congress we're now asked
To declare iha, 1t was so. For himself,
MIR. J.. went on to say, he heheted HAT
tho law o! tic last session gave Missouri
right TO form con.i iGilup aud that,
having done 50, she is now stale.
! If ue look at The course which Con.
| gress has pursued hitherto IL will be found
! shal, on ricvaiing territories from the
| grade aad dependence Of q territorial
government. Congress has doue 30 more
ilian emaHcjpate tllem froIs lis control. -
! On doing tlns, said Mr.. l.. you have re-
served nothing like al authority 10 re-
maDd ihcm 10 their colonial condition.
You have determined, III each case, by
TIC aci of allowing The territory ~ tarm
81 consultation, that, Tor CERTAIN purposes.
she is an independent state. LIZ The aci
Of the las, session, it would be found, OIL
rcirrrllg io it, lh,rr YEAS no difference
between the mode of iegi Station 10 Mis-
souri,, and IEat "llicb had occurred in
regard 10 The oldest of The States admit
ted into tie Unlom. Comparing thai act
with Other acis for the admission of
States, u would be found 10 coLgcr the
same powers aud impose the same res.
trlctiOBs. ii Was imp sslbic 10 distin,
gnish, ~ any manner, brtweep tie pow or
which has Gpen given 10 Missouri and
that Which had, III Ike circumstances,
been granted 81 the oldest vi HE ne W
states. MIR. l.. went OH 10 quote the cas-
Ps 81 admisslOUOf States TOTO the Union