The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-07-01

NCIIUTsTIUH
or square miles of land unnhabiied and the annex
| ing of foreign people, who having formed them
selves into government, attempt TO unite WIN llose
Of another nation. The ability to purchase territory
! without inhabitants is thing to annex foreign
government that is the people Of foreign govern
| meni, with their habits, their moral and political
! views, is another and different subject. We must
! bear in mind that Mr. Jefferson President, and
that the Territory of Louisiana had been purchased by
| .renty negotiated under his administration, which,
at the date Of his letter Mr. breckenridge, awaited
! the sanction Of Congress. The letter dated on
| the 18th of August, 1903, and in it he says: "'The
treaty mnst Of course be laid before the two houses
of Congress, because both have important functions
! to exercise respecting il. They, presume, will
their duty to their country in rayng and paying for
it, so Ms to secure good which would otherwise prob
! ably be never again in their power. But suppose
eu must then GpDeal 10 the nation for additional
article 10 the Constitution approving and confirming
an act hich The nation had not previously authorize
| ed,' These were his words. He, sir, had never
conceived the idea that the Constitution had authorz
ed the purchase Of foreign territory. He was con-
! scous that the purchase was without any constitu-
| lona power, and suggested That an amendment to
the Constitution should be proposed in order to sane
ton the act But, least his views might not bo fully
and explicitly understood, he proceeds to say; "Ihe
Constitution has made provisions for our holding
foreign territory, STILL LESS FOR INcoPoRATING
FOREIGN NATIONS INTO OUR UNION. Here,
sir, is the doctrine from the pen Of whose opin
ions upon the Constitution have always been accus
I VI
themselves Je6ersoniqn Democrois' Do you acknowl
edge tho authority of this great apostle Of democracy?
Or will you reject it, and take that Of John Tyler
and John &. Calhoun? | need not appeal TO my dem
ocrntic colleagues, for the voice fthe people of Ohio
has been expressed on this subject. a resolution
was introduced into the Senate, of our State,
six years since, adhering to this doctrine Of Jeher-
SON. and declaring that the Federal Government has
no constitutional power to annex Texas to this Union
Not member of the Senate, Of either party, was
found willing TO risk his reputation by dissenting
from this construction of the Constitution Such too
was the in the House of Representatives, where
il also adopted unanimously. Since that day
there has been change of the Constitution; and If
my colleagues of the opposite party prepared
to'reec the voice of our State, and in opposition
to the opinion Of our people was then expressed,
hope they will come out frankly and say 80, and
let the issue be made up fairly, that we may pro-
coed to trial before the people at the coming election
without any cayling to the point in Controversy
But trust, sir there will be but voice these
questions, now forced upon the country. will not
believe that single elector Of that Stale will dis
grace the buckeye" character as TO estimate the
Texan holder of five slaves equal in moral worth to
four frecmen Of OHIO. Or that the Constitution of
country, and the opinions Of Mr. Jefferson, to
be disgrnced in order 10 maintain slavery in Texns
to perpetune the slave trade.
was saying that the Legislature of Ohio had a.
greed with Mr. jefferson in his construction of the
Constitution. | believe the legislatures of Vermont,
and II hode Island, and Massachusetts have all coin
cided with nearly unanimous voice, in the snme con-
strucon And also notice that the executive Of
Connecticut in his late message, expresses he same
opinion This, too, wss the view taken mt the time
by the venerable member from Massachusetts (Mr
ADAAds) who opposed the passage Of any law, ex
tending the pie of the territory of Louisiana
until the Constitution should be amended so IA to au-
thorize the passage of such law. Here this diff
ference Of opinion between Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Ad-
The former believed that could not hold
the right OF soil in the territory purchased without
amendment Of the Constitution giving such powers,
while the latter gentleman appeared TO think that
such holding of territory widely different from
Incorporating foreign pcOpie into Government
Mr. Adams held that we had the power TO purchase
the acres, square miles Of land, but agreed pre-
recy with MIR Jefferson to the absence of all pow
to extend our laws over the people of Louisiana
until the Constitution should be amended rs to au-
thorze the act. lie was then member rthe Sem !
ate, and voted against passing law prohibiting the
introduction of foreign slaves into that territory, for
the that he believed Congress had the con-
stitutionnI right legsate over those people, until
the Constitution should be amended This was the
construction then put upon The Constitution by both
Jefferson and Adams But as the people of I.ouis- |
lana, and the people OF the United States appeared
to be unanimous in their desire have that territory
incorporated with the States ma ory of Congress
felt willing to do so, and thereby save the DELAY and
trouble Of amending the Constitution and il was thus
done by universal consent. And Texas might now |
be admit ted if the hole people Of both Governments
desired it. ltwould. indeed, be violation of The |
Constitution, but of no one could complain of
it afterwards
Under the Old Confederation, provision was made
for admitting foreign people to union Of the States,
in order TO incorporate Canada with the United States
when they should be prepared for such union. But
when the Constitution framed the treaty Of 1898
had been ratified and the limits Of the United States
vera defined and every understood the extent of
sur territory; and at the formation of the Constitution
every member had reference to those boundaries
The Old Thirteen States had each borne portion
fthe burhens, and had shared in the dangers of the
Revolution. Their people understood the objects for
which they had commended. And should like to
find the man who will say, that he really believes the
trainers OF that instrument intended to give authority
to the Federal Government to annex the people Of
these States to Mexico, to Brazil, or to Great
Britain, by which institutions would be subyered
and all the blood and treasure expended in the Rev
olui'en would be lost to postery3 Sir, no man be-
ieves that such intention entertained by a single
member Of the Convention And it is perfectly clear
that when Mr. Jefferson wrote his letter some fifteen
years subsequently he well understood the powers |
intended to be granted. 1t is equally clear that when
he purchased Louisiana, he was conscious il was |
done without authority, But the people acquiesced
IN the act, rather than to amend the Constitution