The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-24
SPEECH OF MR. woopnuRv.

In secret session on the treaty fer mean
 nexation of Texas to the United States
 alr Woodbury said:
 If understand the substance otsalt the
 objections to the ratification of the present
 treaty, whether expressed i'll resolutions or
 debate, 1t Is this.
 Firs. that the government of the United
 States does not possess the constitutional right
 or power to purchase Texas, and admit her
 people into fhe Union. Next, that the pre-
 sent government of Texas alone has not the
 right or competency to make such cession
 ofher territory and sovereignty. And, finally,
 that 1t IS not our duty at present to complete the cession, even were the right on both sides clear.
 This seems tn me to be the iyifole case, when stripped of details and perplexing ap- pendages shall examine these positions separately, and trust with that fairness and dispassionate spirit which belongs 10 a ques- stlon so momentous to our-own country, as
 well as to a sister repubic--a question, too,
 on which speak IS the organ of no admin
 lstration or party, but above and beyond them
 all. as all independent senator, of all indepen-
 dent State, and trying 10 regard her interests,
 and those of the whole Union, in the long
 vista of the future, no less than al the present
 moment
 Some deny the constitutional power 10
 purchase any territory situated without our
 original limits; while others deny not only
 that, but the power, at any time, to admit such territory and inhabitants into the Union as States.
 Both of these powers have been exercised sia the cases of buying Louisiana and lhe Flor idas, and afterwards of admitting the three States of Louisian, Arkansas, and Missouri, carved out of the former territory They have, therefore, long been regarded as settled questions, till the opposition to them ill this chamber, by the senators from New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, [Messrs | Miller, Choate, and Simmons has burst forth with such yehemence, that il may be well to advert to a few principles and authorities in their support
 do this the more readily, as the pretenee that such a purchase and admission into the l Union are unconstitutional, is the only plau- sible justification for the otherwise treache- l rous or fanatica cry of plsuNIoN, which so often deaiens our cars. That cry originated [ on an occasion almost identical with this, r when the act for admitting Louisiana as [ State, in lS1l, was pending.
 In the debate on that occasion. member from Massachusetts overAowed with such r threats, till he was called to order for his Violence, and escaped censure on an appeal from the Speakers decision against him, only from conviction in some of his opponents, that his threats would prove harmless. IL was then the memorable sayiae was first ul- tered, which Is now ringing again in our earst from the same class of politicians and from the same State, but with less point and ele- ganee in these degenerate days. Mir Quincy said:
 [" If this bill passes, t is my deliberate opinion that il is virtually disaolulisn Of the Union--that 1t will free the45sAtes from their moral obligations; and that, as it will then be the right of all, so it will be the duty of some, definitely to prepare forseRaration- Il they can, foreibly if they must.n (see National Intelligeneer, Jan. 9, 1Sl9, and Lambert on Rules, 71th page*
 It is true that the madness ol faction can threaten disunion on the smallest, as well as greatest occasions, and may at times venture ,n 1t, unless deferred by dread of the halter; put II is equally true that there is no more cal occasion or justification for itnow, than 7, here was when so much vaporing passed off :. in ls03and lSll about Louisiana, j 'r than there was in the purchase of Florida :; Il lSl9, or the admission of Missouriin 1929. l. If those purchases and admissions were con l. so are these; and in order to allay he renewed excitement on this point, (honest i, With many, have no doubt,) the patience of e he Senate is asked few minutes.
 The words of the 3d section, article 4th 'f the Constitution, are: "New States may 'e admitted by the Congress into the Unionn C This is the whole that bears on the point I lowl under consideration, and is broad and C 'xplicit enough to cover all cases deemed | ,xpedient and proper by Congress, whether | 'ituated without or within our original limits. a admit that Mir. Jefferson, not having been a member Of the convention which framed the { did at first consider it doub;ia! whether, by construction, this power ought lot to be confined to States within our former l imits; and he even went so far as 10 have $ lause for the amendment of the constitution s prepared, 10 cover the case of Louisana.- 5ut, after full examination, and conferences | with others, 1t Is inferable as certain that he Q ecame convinced that such an amendment Q vas unnecessary, as 1t was abandoned, and Il e not only completed the treaty, but signed u he act of Congress establishing territorial s overnment over what had been purchased, q nd Mr. Madison, with his republican coad- V utors Tn lSll, became convinced that the Il owcr, now, and then, questioned, clearly xisted, or they never could have supported Il he act for the admission of Louisiana as c tate. In truth, so fully had their opponents Il ecome of like opinion on this point, that u le admission neither of Missouri nor Arkan- Il IS was resisted on this account; and the a urchase of Florida in 1919 was approved as Y constitutional by every Senator, iederalist or l publican. Ia The reasons for change in opinion with Il ome undoubtedly were, that the words in O 'hich the power was conveyed to Congress a rere unequivocal and explicit is favor of its t 'ldest scope-that they bad been made more a 0 Ill the progress of the constitution fbrouCh G