The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-06-25

|
lormer limits and he even went so fal as 10 nave
clause for the amendment Of the constitution pfepa
| cd 20 the case OF louisiana. But ai'el ~
g. animation, and conferences with others IL 10 nie
| able as certain that he became convinced sush 'i
amendment was unnecessary, as IT was abandoned
and he not only completed the treaty but signeu tno
| act OF Congress establishing TERRITORIAL government
| over what had been purchased aud Mr. Madson'
with his republican, coadjutors ~ 1911, became con-
vncod that the power, nov, and Then, questioned,
clearly existed they never could have supported
the act for the admission Of Louisiana State Ia
truth fully had their opponents become oil ike
opinion on this point that the admission neither OF
Missouri nor Arkansas resisted this account
| and the purchase OF Florida in 1919 approved
oonsi tutional by every Senator Federast OF hei
| publican.
The reasons for change in opinion with some un
doubedly were, that the words IN which the power
was conveyed to Congress unequiyocal and ex-
| pioit IN favor OF its widest scope-that they had
been made more in the progress Of the constltu-
| ton through the convention and that this was
known TO have been done SO not only TO include
foreign territory, In the case Of Canada, which
had been specially provided for in the articles OF the
Old confederation, but 10 embrace all the contiguous
British, or Spanish, or vacant regions whose future
union with US might afterwards be mutually desi-
| rable.
| The trainers of the constitution were men who
| looked deep into The future, and had no design TO
strip themselves of any high national powers OF des-
| TIMES.
IL
that, this construction States might be admitted,
| not only contiguous but in the West Indies, South
America, and even Europe, the reply seemed sensl-
Bile and pertinent, that on the American theory OF
| self government, reason existed why should
not be allowed to admit any State that would con
form to representative system, and whose union
| with us should, by the majority OF both countries,
| or the proper authorities be considered mutually
advantageous and that we might well wish to extend
the blessings of our government as widely as practi-
| cable.
So far convenient AMI beneficial, the whole
world may thus become partners, says Mansfed's
| Political Grammar, lab and l44. This extended
construction Of the power has proved saulary
.--(Story's Constu ionl Glass Book, p. So 1t
is settled beyond practical doubt.(Duer's Outlines
of Constitutional Jurisprudence, p. 1867
Such is the view in fuckers Blackstone APP. v. /,
p 275. And the Federalist itself looked 10 the
clause for admitting States generally design
ed to include foreign territories adjoining US (See
AID Mo-
So Mr. Macon said in the debate as to louisiana
that the constitution was designedly made broad, so
as to admit such foreign territory and government
Canada, when agreeable to both because the ter
ritory and people within cur limits were already
within the Union, and entitled to be, under old com
pacts, treaties, and cesslons
such also the view of Mr. Jefferson, under
the confederation, ". |, Life, p. $3.50
Indeed, how could wars be prosecuted for wrongs
| inflicted and Just indemnity obtained, II any con-
quests OF territory made could not be held They
can be and become part Of the naton-(l Pcters'
| X. p 5i2.) And if SO we to treat them IN due
time, and when fit, equals and component parts of
the Union? or exhibit the shameful injustice well
as mpocy of keeping them in DISTINGUISHED and
Illuminating seryitude
In Story Con. 1913, it is laid down that "the
general government possesses the right to ac9uire
territory by conquest or by treaty" Again. 1901
'The consttutionality of the two former acquisitions
louisiana and Florida,) though formerly much
questioned, is now considered settled beyond any
| practical doubt"
1t was objected in 1903, that, "under the form
Of a cession may become united to a more pow
erful neghbor or rival and be involved in European
other foreign interests and contests to Interim
nable eXtent.-(p l57.)
But the reply was that "the right to acquire terri
tory Is an incident to sovereignty up. 1881
Every government that yet existed possesses
q competency to add to its territory. 1t ceases to
have the functions of an Independent nation If II can
not, by treaty or discovery, obtain new BOUNDARIES
for convenience, new lands for culture, or new
ports for commerce and, as before suggested, 1t is
stripped of the national function Of acquiring terrific
ry when assai,ed by unjust war, and holding either
for indemnity, pr FL, or security. And II we can
acquire IT, reason as well as the words OF the Con-
stituion, requires US, IN due time, TO make States
out of it, aud admit them Into the Unon.-( 100 y
Story says in note to this page, that the rUord
Contention proposed TO prevent such admission. IN
less by vote Of two-hirds OF both Houses and by
report in that body indirectly denied the authority
to admit States any territory without our original
limits But this doctrine has slept with that Conyen-
ton SINCE it IS believed, tall revived by Mr. Adams
IN his Texas speech, in 1888, in Congress- and his po
, litical address in New York in 1889.
How little ground exists for such doctrine, even
in the opinion Of the greatest constitutional lawyer
Of his own party, may be seen by looking TO 81 Sto
ry, pages 100, l6l.
"SHc. 1888. The more recent acquisition of Flori-
da which has been universally approved, acques
ced in by oil the States, be maintained only on
| flag prin tnla sh,sa
ton Of tue TRUTH that constitutions Of government
require liberal construction TO effect their objects
and that a narrow Interpretation Of their powers,
however may suit the views Of speculative phiOso-
piers the accidental interests OF political parties,
is incompatible with the permanent interest Of the
State aud subyersye Of the great ends Of all govern
ment, the safety and independence Of the people"
, This construction does not, as the senator from
New Jersey argues prevent the 81 SINGS Of liberty
from being enjoyed by the posterity Of our fathers
as they designed. Because there Is enough at the
bounleous table for all that posterity and any
associates. All such participate with them in
that freedom they do in the air, wafer, and sun,
without loss to either, and without exclusyeness and
misanthropy.
In TRUTH our whole history serves TO demonstrate
the wisdom general we'll constitutional prin-
cples, Of expanding our limits within the vast in
crease Of our population and wealth. Such expan-
sion prevents many Of the evils q too dense a popu-
lation, aud the predomnance Of the safe vlr-
tuous and republican pursuit Of agriculture II Is
! said that we have Sparta, and let adorn t. But
is there never to be an escape from the infant she
any enlargement Of the she'll itself suit the
p growth Of the animal within Is our Sparta to be
. confined forever TO garden SPOT single psnta-
ton single cityi or few barren acres as in
Greece, with iron only for money, black broth only for
food, and our sons taught stealing accomplish
. ment-nstesd Of spreading over half continent,
improving the sciences and the whole Of civilized
world covering remotest oceans with commerce,
and helping TO spread abroad and at home superior
E education and purer religioni Thank God the
scales fell from eyes this subject more than
: quarter Of century ago, when louisiana was pur-
chased and instead Of irving 10 repane them II