The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-01-17

uP"" winch acted, was, bv ~
ierIng the Resolutions which did a.. VI
10Th January, 1904, and by yo,ins 'ae
ealnst all the acts of Congress. legi.Is,;''
upon the people of Louisiana, during ,b's,
session. uldl
Let me repeat, that all these question.
10 The extent of the powers OF Cons
were at that time new and nnse,tled -
forming my Judgment upon them N
recourse only to the faculties of M, 'aa
understanding, TO the letter oftb. ~, O"a
luton, to the Grst principles of society ~,
government, MS recognised in our re.,, dI'
can institutions, and to the light of b LII a
cusslons IN both Houses Of Cungre.s ,.' U's-
That occasion. There was no precajP pun
upon the record. The annexation or 'eht
reign people to the North America G. ~
ffderacy, formed new ara in o. VII
tional annals. The principles upon I'd "a,
maj great change IN our condition w.
oe elected, and the forms by which IL
10 be made lawful, conformaBly to ,h.. es
DRY OF human rights, involved con.id' 'le-
tlnns OF magnitude of which W. arc
aii yet aware. The laws of that 5. ssioo ro1
latlfe to Louisiana, have very reca'. IT,
been followed as precedents in tile san,'s5
alion 10 tins union OF the territory,and
pie OF Florida. In the perfectly rsanI,-
exercise, and Tor purposes of the most p;,. -
rous justice, of powers Identical win - o. o.
assumed and granted by that ljttle .a use
winch have quoted, you have recen,''
witnessed scenes against which. IN. HI
congress, the streets of Your cit,e. ~ ~
submits of your mountains. and tho nv
choes of your yallies, have resonnded v;,.
clamonrs of violated rights and uncons,i,n'
tonal acts ofdespotism. 1t was not in ,b.
exercise, by General jackson in 1871 IS
powers SO incompatible with all our in.6
tullons, 1t was in the assumption and qran.
by Congress Of those powers in 1909 tba,
the real constitutional question vas inynlr-
ed; and 1t is no small Satisfaction +, r,o
mat am enabled to refer YOU TO thoss
very votes which General Smyth innpteS
TO unworthy motives for proof that. from
the first day that was called 10 act ia ya,a
public councils. have held the goyern,Do1.
OF your unlon To he government of limit:
cd powers that Congress could NOT law.
i9iiy exercise any powers not granted 70
mem by the people in the constitution. and
mat powers, in themselves oftraDscenden-
Ial nature, cannot be assumed by constur.
iron as incidental TO express powers of on.
parent import 50 much NOR, limited tbl,
themselves. ''''''
Among the citizens who, in 1908 and
1904, voted for all those laws relating 70
Louisiana, there were some who nnoo
questions of far inferior magnitude. 3ecarI'
ing To my conception, have been less liberal
III lilelr indulgence To constructive powers
IL Is not for me either to question their mo.
lives or to reconcile their opinions With
themselves. "'S
Aiter those questions had been settled
by large inajOrities of both houses of or
eress, and sanctioned by the acqlliesc.nce
OF the people, both of Louisiana and of1hn
ohlleu States, have considered Them as
no longer controYertible. But the consex
qotnces OF the principles then unsettled.
and by those very acts against which yo.
ted, have been as vel but very INNER EFT.
developed. When the day shall come 6p
YOUR iepr'sentatiVes TO determine, whether
The territories Of Ceylon or Madagascar, OF
Oorsica or Of Cuba, shall be goyernedb y
rules AID regulations emanating from YOUR
Congress, whether the inhabitants of those
TERRITORIES shall be governed for di.cre-
tlonary time by such persons, and in such
manner as the President of the United
States shall direct, and whether their peo-
pie shall ultimately be constituted INTO
states, represented upon the floor of your
national legislative assemblies then will
be the time for discovering in distant per.
| spectlVe the full import and final conse-
| quenc2s OF That second section of the act for
taking possession of Louisiana.
Let me again remind you, that the oues.
ton Is not, OF the advantage to this Union
OF the acquisition Of Louisiana, noreyen Of
The powers of Congress, as they are now
established Ivy tie constr uction then given
TO The constitution. The question is, whe-
'her my motives mua have been factions
or antl-repubcan, because, believed that
the constitution of the United States
had not authorised the Congress to in.
vest the President with all the absolute
powers OF Spanish monarch over Span.
isti colony: to annex the people OF that &C.
lony 10 our federal union, and to give them,
without naturalization, aud to thrust upon
ihcm, without their consent, all the rights
privileges, and lmmunities, duties, and bur-
uehs, OF the constituent members of this
! confederation.
II was upon similar principles, fortified
ny daditl"hai considerations, that gave the
TWO votes, from one of which General
Smyth thinks he has fixed me 10 diem
lna either of acknowledging myself
f"iLNp TO THE sLAyE-TRApE, or that
was deslrous to render the acquisition of
Louisiana injurious, by permitting the IN.
restrained influx of foreign slaves; while
upon the other, he denies me the benefit
even OF this sorry dilemma, but takes it for
proof anquesttOadtle, that am friend to
the slase-trade.
he INST of these votes, given on the
2olh OF january, 1904, was against a clause
MlIch InrAuLn d.. ......--.-. z l-..u. u.