Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1837-02-08
MICHIGAN.

L ~ "AASAAA9hNs .
The following message, in writing
wxs from the President Of the u nited
States, in both houses of Congress, on
Tuesday, Dec. 9Th:
To The .Ssn0ie md
Mousse Representatives:
BY the second section of the act tsto
establish theNnorthern boundary Inc ol
tho tate Of Chic, and to provide fol-
the admission Of the State of Michigar
into the Union, upon the condition:
therein expressed" approved June Is
1886, the constitution and state gov.
erament which the people of Michigan
had formed for thensclveswas ratified
and confirmed, and the State of Mich.
gan declared 10 be one of the U. State.
of America, and admitted into the U
Mon, upon an equal footing with the O.
riginaI states; but Oil the express, con.
dition that said state should consist of
and have jurisdiction over, all the ter.
ritory Included within certain bounda.
ries described il the act, aud none 9TH
er. Ii was further enacted, by the Sd
section Of the same law, that, as a com
pliance with the fundamental condition
of admission, the boundaries of the
state Of Michigan, as thus described,
declared, and established, should re-
ccive the assent of convention of de-
Iegatcs, elected by the people Of said
state, for the sole purpose of giving tho
assent therein required; that rs soon as
such assent should be given, the Presi-
dent Of the United States should an
bounce the same by proclamation; and
that, thereupon, and without any lurth-
CT proceedings on the par, Of Congress,
the admission ofthe stateintothc Union,
as one of the United States Of America,
should be coasi Tered as complete, and
the senators and representatives in the
congress of the United States entitled
to their seats without further delay.
y In the month of November last, re-
ceivcd communication, enclosing the
official proceedings of convention as
semb!cd at Ann Arbor, in Michigan,
on the Goth of September, 1886; all
which (marled 4 are herewith laid
before you. 1t will be seen by these
papers, that the Convention there re-
fcrrcd to-, was elected by the people Of
Michigan, pursuant 10 an act Of the
state legislature, passed on the 25ih Of
July last, in consequence Of the above
mentioned act Of congress, and that it
declined giving its assent to the funda-
mental condition prescribed by con-
gre.s, and rejected the same.
On the cath Instant theaecompany-
ing paper marked b., with its euclo-
sure, containing the proceedings Of
convention Of delegates, subsequently,
elected, and held in the state of Michi-
gan, was presented to me. BY these
papers, which are also herewith. sub
mitted for your consideration, it APP
pears that elections were held in all the
counties Of the state except two, on the
5th and 9th days Of December instant,
for the purpose of electing convep-
tion of delegates to give the assent re-
qnired by congress; that the delegates
then elected assembled in convention
on the 18th day Of December instant;
and that on the following day the as.
sentofthebody to the fundamental con-
dition above stated was formally given.
This latter convention was not held
or elected by any act Of the territorial
or state Legislature; it originated from
the people themselves, and was chosen
by them in pursuance Of resolutions
adopted in primary assemblies, held in
the respective counties. The act Of
congress, however does not prescribe
by what authority the convention shall
be ordered, or the time when, or the
manner in which, it shall be chosen.
Had these latter proceedings come to
me during the recess Of congress. !
should therefore have felt it my duty,
on being satisfied that they cmanated
from convention Of delegates elected
inpoint Of fact from the people Of the
State, for the purpose required, to have
issued my proclamation thereon, as
provided by law. But as the authori-
ty conferred on the President was evil
dentIy given him under the expecta-
ton that the assent OF the convention
,,y ~ =. a :, =; :, :, ~ -.