The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-06-17
A CASE IN POINT.

SASE IN TOIN1s
We do not rcccllect Of seeing the case of Mich.
igan ,on its admission into the Union, alluded to by
any the writers in favor of the suffrage party in
Rhode Island. II shows the recently expressed
sense Of congress in favor of the position, that it
is competent for the people, through a convention,
chosen by majority of them, without the sane
alter their Constitution. The following are tho
facts connected with the subject, rs they appear
fom the Congressional documents, journals and
debates of the day.
The territory OF Michigan, according 10 the or
dnauce of the 18Th of July, 1857, for the govern
ment OF the territory northwest Of the Ohio ryer,
was entitled TO be admitted into the Union, as one
Of the confederate States, when she should con-
tain a population Of sixty thousand souls. In June
1885, when it was ascerluincd that this territory
contained population of more than one hundred
thousand souls, the people Of Michigan, through
the medium OF Il convention, chosen for that pur-
pose, met and formed Constitution for State gov
ernmenl. The preamble to this Constitution de-
cared the territory Of Michigan 10 lie as establish
ed by the act Of Congress Of lSO5,' which sepl-
rates Michigan from The Indiana territory.ln 1889,
Michigan presented her Constitution TO Congress
and asked for admission into the Union. A ques-
ton, as TO a considerable portion of disputed terri
tory, had as II will be rrcueCted, for some time
agitAted the State Of Ohio and the territory Ct
Michigan.
Congress was anxious TO restore tranquility be.
tween the contendng parties. Accordingly instead
of absolutely accepting the Constitution Of Mich-
gan, and admitting her at once, into the family Of
States. Congress at the same session passed an
act by which the Constitution and State Govern
ment which the people Of Michigan had formed,
was "accepted, ratified, and confirmed, provided,
that "A np,y hnunInrv line t,ns p.uIli hv hi
the whole, or part Of the disputed territory should
be given TO OHIO and Gas compliance with
this fundamental condition Of admission" Con-
gress, by The third section of the act, provided,
"tmt the boundaries of Michigan us declared By
the act Of Congress, should receive the assent Of
= convention eleb,ed hy the people of said State,
for the sole purpose of giving the assen! required
in the act Of Congress-" In September, 1886,
Convention ofdeegaes which assembled in Mich
igan Pursuant 10 an act Of the Legislature Of tia,
Territory rejected the condition, of admission held
out by the act of Congress, by vote Of 81 TO 2S.
On the liih day of December, 1886, an
other Convention, ,chich originated through pri-
mary assemblies Of tie people, withOd The concur
renee or sanction of the Legislature assembled,
consisting Of seventy eight delegates, and unann-
ously accept the conditions contained in the act Of
Congress; and after many days debate, Congress
decided that II was a valid acceptance on the part
Of Michigan, und thcreupon admitted her into the
Union. The grounds of this decision are as fol-
lows First, that il was competent for n majority
of the people, in their primary capacity, TO make
alter, or modify their Constitution; and secondly,
that, IN that case, it was clea- that the majority
of the people were in favor Of altering the former
Constitution, so far as it regarded the extent of ter
ritory which ii was 10 cover
To show that the very question now raised by
the friends of the Royal party in Rhode Island,
was then raised and discussed, and overrulcd BY
the solemn decision of Congress, we will make an
extract or two from the speech reported at length.
| of MT Nandcrpool, on that occasion, who was
member of the Judiciary Committee which report
ed the bill to The House Of Representatives. The
remarks of Mr. Vanderpool are the more oppor-
tune, because one or two of the wing prints of this
| city seem to think il extremely naughty in him 10
have appended his name TO the call oIlhe meeting
lately held at Tummany Hall. The brief extracts
we suhjoiu, show that this gentleman did on an
other occasion, and as early as the 2ih January,
1887, hold and express the sentiments which he
now cnterains and avows in reference to the con-
troversy in Rhode Island
Bui (said Mr. w it has been urged tina. al
though the people are sovereign, they can act
| through a legal organization, when they undertake.
10 change their organic laws that is TO say, through
the medium of forms and regulations, as o limo
and manner, prescribed 10y the Legislature.
"Ths doctrine, (said Mr. W. Is con rary to the
whole theory and spirit of our Institutions. il puts
the servant above mastcr-ihe creature above his
creator. The idea that every pcaceahle move
lnent of the people to change their organic law Is a
| flclious or IebelIious movement, is, indeed mon
strous.
"Deny to the people the RICH, of changing their
/ o,ernment when it becomes either oppressive or
inadequate TO the purposes for which it was instilu-
ted, aud you deny the very cause which gave eS-
| isience to us rs a nation. You open and recng-
nize sources of sovereignty, other than those which
Your fathers taught YOU, and array yourselves a.
gainst the principles, which were promulgated 10
the world in that immortal instrument, which de-
clared your independence as n nation. To call the
orderly proceedings of The free people Of Michigan
in this instance a revelation, is, indeed conadic-
ting all our former notions Of government"
After the recent decision Of Congress in the a.
boye case, and the authorities cited hy us IN our
article Of yesterday, NAV we not safely say, that
the position taken by the suffrage party in RHODE
Island, is sustained by the highest authority.
". Y. Ereaing Post