Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1837-01-21
MIC IIIGNN.

The following message IN writing was received
from the President of the United Srates, bN the
hands fins private Secretary, ANDREW JAokso>,
Jun. Esq.
To Ii, SeaGi, aud House Of Representatives.
otths Unitsd States Of ,im,rico;
By the second section OF the act "to establish
the northern boundary line OF the State OF Ohio,
and To provide for the admission Of the State OF
Michigan into the Union, upon the conditions
therein expressed" approved June 18th, 1896,
the constitution and State Government which the
people of Michigan had formed for themselves,
was ratified and confirmed and the State of Mich
gan declared to be one Of the United States OF
America, and admitted INTO the Union, upon an
equal footing with the original States, but on the
express condition, that the said State should con-
sis Of, and have jurisdiction over, all the territory
included within certain boundaries described in
the act aud over none other. II was further
enacted, by the third section Of the same law that
as compliance with the fundamental condition OF
admission, the boundaries of the State of Mchl-
gan, as thus described, declared, and established,
should "recene the assent of Il convention Of del
egateS, elected by the people OF said State, for
the sole purpose OF giving the assent therein re-
CURED; that, as soon as such assent should be-
gwen, the President of the United States should
announce the same by proclamation; and that,
thereupon, and without any further proceeding on
the part of Congress, the admission of the State
into the Union, as one of the United States Of
America, should be considered rs complete, and
and the Senators and Representatives in the Con-
gress Of the United States, entitled to take then
seats without further delay.
In the month Of November last, | received
communication, enclosing the official proceedings
of convention assembled at Ann Arbonr, IN
Michigan, on the 26lh of September, 1886, all
which (marked Al are herewith laid before you.-
1t will be seen by these papers. that the conven-
ton therein referred to, was elected by the people
of Michigan, pursuant to an act oilhe State Legs-
ature, passed on the 10Th Of July last, in conse-
quence OF The above mentioned act OF Congress,
aud that II declined giving its assent to the fnda-
mental condition prescribed by Congress, and re.
jected the same
On the oath instant, the accompanying paper
marked Il, with It's enclosure, containing the pro-
cecdings ola convention Of delegates subsequent
ly elected. and held in the State OF Michigan, was
presented to me. BY these papers, which are al
so herewith submitted for your consdc; alton, it APP
pears that elections we're held in all counties of
the State, except two, on the 9Th and 9th DAYS of
December instant, for the p,rpose Of elccilng
convention ofdeegates to give the assent reGulr-
ed by Congress; that the delegates then elected,
assembled IN convention on the l4th day of De-
cembcr instant, and that on the following day the
assent of the body 10 the fundamental condition,
,hn afa iod rnrn,,,lI,, ,YiVnn
The latter convention was not held or elected
by virtue oiany &c, oithe Territorial or State Lee
gslature; il originated from the people themselves,
and was chosen by them in pursuance OF resolu-
tons adopted in primary assemblies, held in the
respective counties. The act of Congress, how
ever, does not prescribe by what authority the con-
vention 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 il my
duty, on being satisfied that they emanated from IA
convention OF delegates elected, in point Of fact,
by the people ithe State for the purpose requir-
ed, to have ISSUED my proclamation thereon, as
provided by law. But as the authority conferred
on the President, was evidently given to him I'M
der the expectation that the assent Of the conyen-
ton might be laid before him during the recess of
Congress, and TO avoid tho delay ola postpone
ment until the meeting Of that body, and as the
circumstances which now attend the case, are in
other respects peculiar, and such as could not
have been foreseen, when the act Of June 18Th
1898, was passed, deem it most agreeable to the
intent Of that law, and proper for other reasons,
that the whole subject should be submitted 10 the
decision of Congress. The importance Of your
early action upon it is too obvious to need remark
ANDREW JACKSON.
WAsHINGioN, Dec. 81, 1885,