The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-07-11
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. THURSDAY, JULY IL, 1914.

loot the laws and authorities of that State.
In c%onnexion withthe subject on. which ]
am now addressing you, the manner of ad-
mission of Michigan into the Union is wor-
Thy of notice. According the usage which,
had uniformly prevailed, prior to the adj
mission of the States of Michigan and Ar
kansas, a previous act ofCongress was pass
ed, authorizing the sense of the people of
the territory to be taken, in conventions, and
regulating the election of members to that
body, limiting their choice TO citizens of the
United States residing in the territory. Mi
CHI gan, without the sanction of a previous
act of Congress, undertook, upon her sole
authority, TO form a constitution, and de-
manded admission into the Union. In APP
pointing the members 10 that COW ention, a
Great number of aliens, as well as citizens of
the UE4ied States, were allowed TO vote,
against the earnest circumstances Of many
resident citizens. Under these circum-
stances, she applied TO Congress to be adj
mited into the Union. No one questioned
or doubted that she was entitled TO be re-
ceived, whenever she presented herself,reg-
ularly and according to law. But it was
objected against her admission, that she had
assumed to act against all usage, without
the authority of Congress, and that contrary
TO the Constitution and laws of the United
States, she had permitted aliens to partake
ofthe elelectIve franchise. The danger was
pointed out, of allowing aliens I'M
naturalized, and without renouncing theil
allegiance to foreign sovereigns and poten-
tates, TO share in that great and inestimable
privilege. But all objeclion MS were %unavail-
ing; the dominant party under the hope Of
Strengthening their interests, IN spite of all
irregularity, and in contravention of law,
admitted Michigan as a State, into the
Union.
In intimate connexion with this case the
subject OF Dorrlsm may be noticed. Rhode
Island had an existing government of long
duration, under which her population had
lived happily and prosperously. 1t had car
ried her tr%iumphanlly through the war ofthe
revolution, and borne her into the Union, as
one of the o original thirteen independent SOW
ereign States. Under the operation oft,
the people ONO State in the Union, in pro-
portion to her. population, had displayed
more valor, patriotism and enterprise. Dorr
did not find his ambitious aspirations %suffici-
entity gratifed under this venerable govern
ment, and he undertook to subvert ii. As
serting the principle that every people have
a right to alter, modify and change their gov
crnment whenever they think proper-an
abstract principle which, with cautius limita-
tons, may be true-without consulting the
established government and the public au-
thorities, he undertook TO beat up for recruits,
to hold irregular elections, at which persons
qualified and unqualified, dead and living,
were Pretended TO have voted, and thus Sc
curing a heterogeneous majority, he pro-
ceeded TO form a new Constitution and to
set up a new govarnment. In the meantime,
the legitimate and regular government pro-
ceeded in operation and prepared to sus-
tain itself and put down the insurrectionary
proceeding. Dorr flew to arms and collect
ed a military force, as irregular heterogeni-
Gus as his civil majority had been. But on
the first approach ofmilitary force on the part
OF the legitimate and regular government,
Dorr took to his heels and ANONYMOUSLY
fled, leaving his motIy ~confederates to fare as
they might. Now, fellow-citizens, what has
been the conduct of the two parties in re-
spect TO this Instruction which, at one time,
seemed to be so threatening? TheTWhigs,
every where, | believe 10 a man, have disap-
proved and condemned the movement of
Dorr. 1t has been far otherwise with our
opponents. Without meaning TO assert that
the whole of them c-ountenanced and sup
ported Dorr, every body knows that all the
sympathy and encouragement which he has
received, have been among them. And
they have introduced the subject into the
presentHouse Representatives. We shall
see what they shall do with it. You can
readily comprehend and feel what would be
the effects and consequences Of Dorrism
here at the South, if Dorrism were predomi-
nant. Any unprincipled adventurer would
have nothing to do but to collect around him
a mosaic majority, black and white, aliens
and citizens, young and old, male and fe-
male, overturn existing governments and set
up new ones, at his pleasure or caprice!-
( What earthly security for life, liberty or pro-
perty, would remain, if a proceeding so
traught with confusion, disorder and insub-
ordination, were tolerated and sanctioned
r Then there is Repudiation-the dark and
foul spot upon the American name and char
acter-how came it there? The stain has
been put there by the democratic majority
of the Legislature of Mississippi. Under
] special pleas, and colorado pretexts, which
any private man of honor and probity would
scorn TO employ, they have refused TO pay
the debts of that State-debts contracted
by the receipt of an equivalent expended
within the State! The Wings Of that State,
who are the principal tax-paying portion OF
; the population, with remarkable unanimity,
are in favor of preserving its honor and good
, faith, by a reimbursement ofthe debt; but