Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-05-09

LISDrswALD. April 90, 1874.

Nh pm ~ -
Ny Dr,R Sra Your letter Of the 21tho 4 Marcl last was
duly received
Acting : an ur, lcdgei delegate q the Bllimore convon-
'ipr, YOU ak my opinion in regard TO Tie oon>tIiutionalii,
and exreiency e an inpr date annexation Of Tcx,s to ths
tniiei State, OF as .oon as the assent II Texas may be haC
10 such annexation. Upon the receipt # your letter. | caus-
cd YOU to he forthwith informed that ,ouf request should ts
compliei " It'll IN full ,eason for the convention. This pom
lie shall now perform. But. lest my motives IN making
public avo~a al OF my oPinion~, whilst a negoti,tion Is sup.
posed to be pending. should be misconsIucd, shall send TN,
To Amend Who VII delay ITS delivery a, long ~ that can BE-
done con istentiy with a faithful compliance with the re-
quiements Of yous letter, and the gene.ai Objects for which
al was written.
You BY no means overrate the Importance Of the subject
upon which you have been pleased TO adde's me. II i no,
only a question o intense interest 10 every pait0 OF The cuun-
try, but l. unhaPgiiv also one in regard to which we mayinot
promise ourselves that NJ auiniiy in opinions which Is 50 I'M
poriant when great rational questions like this are 10 b. de-
ciicd. that rhoe which am about u express will, in al
least one important particular, differ fom that Of many
fietds, political ard personal, whose Judgments and putty
OF views had in high and haliiual respect, can well i'm
ae'.e ana y 5 quite evident hon The tenor OF yonr iite',
that they Will not ~ all respects coiies, ond with your own
If, however. such 4 MY fellow -l' Izens as ac neither lnAu-
enoed by p''Jnd'ces' 20, warped ~ >eli-inietest. eoncece 4
my opinions the me u 4 having been formed under view,
directed T. The preservatiln and advancement Of The honor
aud best infetesi> Of ous common country, as a Whole, aud
expressed with a sincerity which has ~ ilo,k cd, a far as
our feeble natures vii permit u to D.. all personal oonsid-
eia'toiS- my m'St favorable artgI a ions Will tc realized.
u has already been made my duty 10 act officially on az
least two several occasion but in different forms, uion The
suticc'-maftcr to which Won ausstio hav rcfclence.
Having charge Of the Department Of Stte IN 1929, PEE
Pared by direction II The President, instructions 10 oui min
lister at NIexiro. ~ which he wa dmerted 4, open. without
delay, a nes9tiafion with The Mexican government for the
purchase Of the greater part # the thea ploviute of Texas.
AMI ~ which he WIS likewise authorized Z, insert ~ the
treaty a pr1yi ION simia. 10 that IN he Louisiana and Flor
ida treaties. for the iacnporation Of he inhabitants 81 Tex
as mo the Union as soon a : At c uii be done consistently
with he trlnciyies II the fctc al constitution. The reasons
IN fdvnr oil this measure : afsd al large h that document.
In taking Ibis siel, the administration Of presi cnt jack
son renewed (hut. a : "a supposed. under more fav rable ci-
eams'aroe>) an attempt TO acc ,mpllh Tie sme OF jcci which
had been nasdc 10y it innneti,fe predecessor. iu-ttuction>.
sinFii'r n their general III Ct, hal. ~ the second year 4
the latter administration. been sent fiom The Department Il
State - the same American mini.tel At Mexico. am not
aware hat there Were any mater sI difoIe FENCES between hem,
o'fsi IMAM Those 81 81. ptotesed an acquisition of teuIioy
as f.r wet as the Ri del Notte-bcns. | believe. he ex-
edloT ~ fts>Iitnt Jackson extended only rs far west ~ Tie
centre Of the Desert o. G. and Frame, which lies cast OF the
Hver Nuece<; and that. for The f,tHse', the payment IF
one million OF dlliIS was authorized, whist, hy The admin
istiaron OF l~tcilcnt Jackson. the American minister was
&c. United to 20 4 : high a. four. and, # Indispensable, five
MILLIONS. BON authorized ageemens for smaller poItlOus
of feuit,Iy, and the payments wee modified accordingly.
In respect % the proposed siiputai ion for the ultimate incoi-
poration Of the inhabitants Into The Union both instructius
were ilentral.
In Aasu.t. 1857 a proposition was received a, the Depart
ment e State. f,m The T.Nap miurtct At Washins ion. pro-
posing a negoti'iIan fr the annexation of Texas l. the unt-
ted State>. Thi. was The FIST tune he question Of The an
n'Nafi'" f a foreign ndrpenisnt state hid ever been PFC
sentei 10 THIS SoVeIrment. In il cidIng up n the d>pO>itl n
TIA ought l. he made 4 II. Idh mol find II nccc>sa ' to con-
'iief The Fnesii II Of son>irui nal p'we'.n M the IN .nncr in
which The 'ijcet should be ACCOMPLISHED, # dec med expedi-
~ 80 p'Pi. TN 'he>e y ih'> were 'h'Ilo'', IN To- ms,
lss>ed over IN The reply Of the ; cie'aiy Of State I, the
Texan mini>i'r as Subjects The console aton of which had
not been entered "a on ~ The executive.
The list & the -c-vi<: Constitutional p ,wer-iS row PFC
senc' ty Your InQutII : A: MT. however. IN peel civ the
same io'm Then The Application "a>tuf the immedi'te ad-
MISSION OF Texas into the Union as N independent State /;
your guesi' II lonks ouls to its annexation as part Of The ter
rfoty 81 the United States. There l. No express power Civ
en- I" any department Of the government TO puicha>e IetrIto-
~ EXCEPT ioi the objects specified IN the tousiiiu,, n. VIZ:
Tor a's'rai>, &c but the pow has. on several very Import
ant occa>i n, been regarded - embraced IN The tcaiy-mak-
ing POWER; and teiutlrcs have been % annexed with a
view sni under eng gemeuts fr their uliin,te admission in.
II the Uaion as States II there lie n. thing IN the u uation
CT condition ot the Territory Of Texas, which would render
it, admission hsical or INTO the Uni N asar,w Sac m
proper. | G mot receive n e tleCftD ION. q "A G 4n~ffuf14n4I
grouncs, 10 Il. anne alton as Territory. In steskIns of the
risht 70 admit new STATES. | must. If c.u So. be under>to,l
a referring T. The power Of Congress. Tie executive aui
Senate may. as have aIrs ady observed. by the exe,cisc f
the treaty making iewcf, acquire teiIituy tui new States
over the SUBJECT. which Is gwen To tly the CouStrufIan, -
eonissncd IN tie following provision, w: "new >iatcs may
he admitted ~ The Congress iut' thu JnIep-" The only re-
suet'"n> imposed ugan this general power are. lst: Thai TO
new ~ te> III ~ tie fumed r erected within tbr jurisdiction
OF ans other state no.. sniiy. ANY >tae fN mtd by he
Jonei n ! Two o mo- St'eS. or parts 4 >aie>, WITHOUT
the consent Of The lesi>ia'uic> concerned, = well as Of Con-
gfeSs'-icstfIciion whieh lave no hca ins upon the pIc>cnt
9ueuh- Inc miiier, fhelei fe, stand a Il would H. the
CONSTITUTE n sad new States nav he admitted Ly The (o,-
gss> into 'hs unin.' wi h.u adili.n er ret ictioa. That
these wosd>. taken ~ thenseIves. arc hro.d ,poush ., IN
ihcrize the admission # the T,uii0iy of Texas. cannot
think. be well doubted: noi a | perceive upon vlat ,rinef-
pic We can set NJ imat.tion> 10 \ ~ " > :, up,,,Lse4ly :.
e'gnEet ~ ihf consiIfuIan IN the plaI1 simple wotds | have
qn ted. and with which 10 other p ovi>ion + that instrument
conflicts IN The slightest degree But #. with no other gui.,s
than our own d crction. We assume limitations nan . now
or 50 general. we are Al least bound 10 give to them seine m
tenisible and definite character. The most natu,a al. and m
49, -" Rtf wv VI qua HAtNit a = Na~ iGFn <1FrRNff1 Ynt
which wa presented by Mr.. JeffsI>on whilst he cnfct tanned
doubts IN respect 10 the constitute nal power to admit LOUIS
iara. y. that The ncw States 10 &c admitted must be folnei
cut OF Territory. not foreign. hut which c rs ituled A mart Of
the jniet States, al the tcclsGafiun Of inlepenien Q or the
adoption Of the constitution. 50 fr from there being any
thirg m tie language of the Constitution. or 10 be found IN
The ext aneouS and cetemrofancaus cucum. tnncsS which y e.
seied af ateHfsd It's at Ttoa. T. show that such was the
Intention OF Is isamefS, they are. 40 my judgmci I. all strong
" the o her way. In the first place, the a iticies e cinfsd-
efaiton. Gn-er which the Union w4s originally e. med. aud
~h'eh gave tiee 10 the present c Institution, looked diG,c ~ 7
aoio'def extension 4 the coafcicfacy. IL contained a
provision that "Canada. acceii I, The eoufcder IN. nj
Jointns IN The measures Of The United States. <haI ac adm l.
Tel INTO, ard Quilted % al the adya liar.s a. th< Jain:
bai No OTHER COLONY III II BE- ainried mt, the same. uaicss
sach admission be agsei 10 b nine >fafes.- The ptaruca-
btiiN,a a. We'll a. espeiiency. II making Canada a member
y Union, d1 certainly. 10 some extent al least. cceun, the
minds "A our public men. a. well before he close OF The 10
'oHuth n. a between that event ant the formation II The
new Constitution. This y, however only a Ink IN the chain
OF evidence, 70 make p ohabic whit suhseauent ev.nt r,at.
certain. that Inc trainers Il the c0nstit,ff hat tbe;r rvcx
upon tbs ,efy question. when this section was 6oaly s.t-
Tied That part of the constitution. a : appears by the mr.
nal 81 the proceedings OF the convention. was pfescniei IN a
vaile'y OF iaIms before II assumed the shape IN which II was
hsalls adopted
In the resolutions offered by Nr. Edmund R,nJolph. a.
. basis Tor the new constitution. and which contained The
hrs, propositions Of that character which were submitted +
to ". The power ~ question vas described A. 6,lnx. ,fr
ths' provision ought 10 be made fot he admiss ion Of St,,ss