Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-02-15

the extent OF the powers OF Congress. were e
that time new and Unsettled. in forming ny
judgment upon them, had recourse only to
the faculties ct my own understanding, 20 the
letter of the constitution, TO the first pruciple5
OF society and government, as recogrized III
aur republican institutions, and to the Ugh. Of
the discussions in both Houses of Congress-
efen that occasion. lberewas nc precedent
upon the record The annexation ola foreign
people to the North American Coniederacy,
formed a new ara IN our national annals. The
principles upon which that great change in
Our condition was to be effected. and the
forms by which ii was TO be made lawful, con.
formally to the true theory of human RE ATS.
Involved considerations Of q magnitude of
which we are not all yet aware. The laws Of
that session relative to Louisiana, have very re-
Gently been followed rs preccdents in the an.
nexation to this union Of the territory and peoa
pie OF orida. 10 the perfectly regular exer-
else, and for purposes OF the most rigorous
justice, ofpowers identical with those assumed
and granted by that little section which have
quoted. you have recently Witnessed scenes
against which, the halls OF Congress, the streets
OF your cities, the SUBMITS of yoar mountuins,
aud Che echoes Of youryaley, have resounded
| with clamors OF violated rights Ard upconsti-
| tuuonal acts OF despousm. 1t was not in the
exercise, by General Jackson n 1921. Of pow.
ers SO incompatible with all our institutions, it
was IN the assumption and grant BY Congress
! OF those powers IN 1903, that the real consti-
tuuonal question was involved; and IL IS no
small satisfaction to me, thit am enabled to
! refer You to those very votes which General
| SMITH imputes TO unworthy motives for proof
that, lrom the first day that l was called to at
IN your public councils, have held the govern
ment of your Union to be a government Of
| limited powers that Congress coui not lave
fully exercise any powers not granted 10 Them
| by the people in the constitution, ana that
| powers, in themselves Of atlanscenaentai ma
lure, cannot be assumed BY clfst action ~ in.
cidental TO expressed powers o. apparent i'm.
| port SO much more limited than fheu.seis IS.
Among Ire citizens who, IN 1898 and 1854.
voted for all these laws relating to Lous ana,
| here were some WHO, upon questions Of lar
! inferior magnitude, according 10 NY concep-
| ton, have been less liberal in their indulgence
to constructive powers It's not for me eitaep
| 10 question their motives or to reconcile tEe;r
! opinions witt themselves.
| After those questions had been settled hy
large majorities Of both houses of Congress,
and sanctionedby the acquiescence ofthe peo.
| pie, both OF Louisiana and ofthe United States,
have considered them as no longer contro,
| Vertible. But the consequences of the prns
cples then settled, and by those very acts
against which voted, have been as vet but
very imperfecty developed When the day
Shall come for your representatives, to deter.
mine, whether The territories of Ceyon or
Madagascar, or Corsica or of Cuba shall be
governed by rules and regulations emanatng
from your congr' IS; whether IT, i4h,,,ta,ts
OF those territories shall be governed foc q cis-
cfetonaiY time by such persons, and IN such
| manner rs the p esiden OF the United States
shall direct, and whether their beople shall uIti-
| nateiy be constituted mic states, rcpr scented
upon the floor Of your national legislative as.
| sembles; ihen will be the tine for discover.
| ,ng in distant perspective TIC ilii mpor, and
| tna consequences Of that second section of the
act for taking possession Of louisiana
let ne agan remind you, thai the O. estion
| not, OF ae advantage to his Union Of &C.
QUESTION ct Louisiana, nor even Of the powers
ut Congress, rs they are now established hv the
construction tien given 10 the ccnstft -.
Fhe question Is, whether my molv Is mast
iaPe been ftct0us ar ant-republcan because
believed that the constitution IF the United
ates had not authorized the Congress TO IN.
81 the President with al the absolute potsers
Spanish monarch over 4 Spanish colony
| o annex the people oftl,at ebony TO our fede.
raj union, and TO give them, without natIraliaa,
ion and to thrust upon them, without their
consent all the rights, privileges and immune
les, duties, and burdens Of the constituent
members Of this confederation.
II was upon similar principles, fortified by
additional considerations, that gave Il c two
'otes from one ofwhich General SMITH thinks
ne has fixed me III dilemma: either Of &C.
knowledging myself FaiEsn TO THE SLAVE
TRADE, or that was desirouS to render the ac.
QUESTION of Louisiana injurious, by permitting
the unrestrained influx of foreign siayes:
while upon the other he denies me the bcne.
st even of this sorry dilemma, but takes it for
proof unreasonable, that am friend to tbs
slave trade
The first OF these votes, given on the Goth Of
Ian'ary 1904, was against a clause which for
bade the importation of slaves into Louisians,
rom places without the United States. The
second, IN December, 1906 was against bring
ing ina bill 10 prohibit, after the LIST of Janua.
~, 1903, the importation of slaves into the
United States.
1t will be recollected, that in the constitu,
ton OF the United States, there is a clause ir.
the following words: "The migration or i'm.
ponstion of such persons as any of the states
now existing shall think proper to admit sAal
mn be brohjbjted By the Congress, prior to the
year l9J6.' The votes which General Smytt
wishes now TO blacken with slave trade cone
pleSions, were given in January, 1904, and
December, l935, two and four years befois
this express Introduction upon the power q
Congress, expired. AT both these periods the