The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-01-24

Tic l1tBliOUtA
8 in the resolution oil the 26th of Angus
"last.n
Mr.. Adams very adroitly attempts Il
draw your attention To the exceptionabl,
writings of Mr.. Paine, published subse.
quent 10 the date of his own essay, enti.
tied PnJltcota /; but they can have no effect
On The character OF Mr.. Paine, and his
writings, as it stood in 1891 nor do the,
afford any apology for Mr.. Adams, whose
object seems 10 have been To discourage
the progress Of liberty, and to lower the
standing oil Mr. Jefferson, whose name he
had no occasion 10 make use of, if his sole
object was To combat the arguments Of Mr.
Paine.
DOW proceed to consider the explana-
tions given by Mr.. Albums, of those votes
from which drew the conclusion, that he
opposed the administration of Mr.. JelIcr-
son, and Is no statesman. Mr.. Adams
would not vote for the act to take possess
sion OF Louisiana, as he says, because the
second section was Unconstitutional. That
section provided a temporary government,
organized on the principles of the former
foreign government, TO continue until the
end OF the then present session Of Congress.
lie admits now that Congress have con-
strucllpe power To pass such law but
says The advocates Tor the bill could not
shew the power.
should have expected the advocates of
the bill to contead and Il statesman readi-
~ to assent, that beyond the limits of the
United States this nation has the same
power and rights that any other nation
has beyond lis limits that these rights can
Gully be exercised by the government, Ell
ther with or without law, as the case shall
require; that the treaty making mower of
this government is as full aud perfect as the
treaty making power ofother governments;
that Congress have power to make all
laws necessary aud proper TO carry into
execution any power vested III the govern
mcnt aud, consequently, have power to
pass the necessary laws to carry into exc
cntIon the treaty making power / should
nave expected them also to have called
III AID that clause Of the constitution which
provides that Congress shall have power
10 make all needful rules and regulations
respecting the territory belonging to the
United States; and, as Mr.. Adams says,
- - ~ pO"tl ~ iiIdht lllt Treaty.,
lac had no doubt, rs having been granted
ny The constitution )" | cannot perceive
how 1t happened chat the advocates of the
measure found II impracticdhle to conS ncr
nm that Congress possessed power to pass
me laws necessary and propcrto carry thc
treaty into effect.
Nj. Adams does not appear TO have ex-
pressed any objection to the provisions of
The act for taking possession of Louisiana,
as conierrhg ar'lrfy pUwer. He Was OPP
posed, he says, to any legislation respcc-
ting Iouislana. If the treaty ofccssion
had not changed the rights OF the inhabi-
IaniS, they would have no cause to com
PLAIN OF being for a few weeks, governed,
rs they had before that time been govern
ed and TINS law, winch Mr.. Aams oppo-
'ed, guaranteed to those inhabitants " hat
before they did not possess, TIE FREE
ENJOYMENT OF THEIR LIBERTY PRO-
pEnTY AND RELIGION. No new power
powers usually cxcrttistd there Were re-
and the salutary exercise thereof
MIR. Adams, it seems, would have taken
possession Of Louisiana, and would then
have taken the SENSE Of the Inhabitants of
that country, before lie would have passed
any laws to have force there. Wei sup
pose Gen. Wilkinson and his army in pos
scs ion OF the coud ~ aud its fortications;
the sense Of the inhabitants is taken, and
the various people from All the nations of
Europe, the men Of color, che Washnan-
Cos, and The Indians, are brought 10 the
Poll, and majority of the whole number
vote administering subject to, or united with,
the United States Would Mr.. Adams, as
a statesman, have given up the country,
ana lost our ! ) millions
Perhaps Mr., Adams might bave admit
ted that We had right 10 the land but
even that could not be sdd without lcgis-
iatlns for Louisiana. The doctrine con-
tended for by Mr.. Adams will not do in
practice. We possess the same rights as
other nations, aud the same power as other
governments, without the limits Of the
state. War is game, which, if we should
at any time play at, as we must pay what
we lose, 60 Tr shall take what We win
But neither Ceylon nor Cuba can become
one Of the United States, BY treaty. That
can only happen By THE CONSENT OF TIE
AMERICAN PEOPLE IN CoSGREss ASSEM-
ELED for Congress alone has power to
admit i state. The President and Senate
cannot by treaty exercise "A power, which
the states and the people have committed
only to Congress.
II IS worthy Of apecal remark, that Mr..
Adams, in the treaty negotiated by him
with Spain. provides that the inhabitants
OF the Ftorjdas SHALL be incorporated in
" the Union Of the United States, as soon
as may be consistent with the principles
of the Federal Constitution, and admit
ted to the enjoyment OF the privileges,
+" rights, and iInnuuities, OF the citizens Of
f" the United States" We find no provi-
sion here for asking the consent of the peo-
pie OF Florida. But this is not all. Mr..
Adams was desired 10y the Committee of