Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-03-08
POLITICAL.
EXTRACTS FROM Mr.. SHADES SPEECH

sey attempt, because | consider absolute annern-
nop' as entirely out of the question. Texas will
never he uniied to this coniederacy. There are
principles of repusi0n which forbid the possiblIi.
" OF 'n'on There may be attempt, either
by an abuse of the treaty making power, or nh act
otCongress, or both combined But Ivy whatever
ms'ns II may he attempted, by how many soever
hgehciesi dlrec, or iudireGt-the moment the deed
Is uone, there will be demonstrations OF feeling
winch the mad cap mowers of the scheme little
dream Of Gov. GlImer affects TO think that the
exehemeht will he salutary." He believes that
:" . VIII bring about better understanding of oCr
rea!Ive rlgh,s and Obligations" And 20 do L.
Sueh an understanding, indeed, as shall reach the
Uoiom OF our ederal ComIact-iaking hold of
inc FOUNDATIONS on which IL rests--slitlng tho
roughly the whole matter Of the compromises OF
i've c0nslltution-showing the extent OF their yio-
Itlloh ny The slave -sNposing the enoruI-
oHs encroachmeuts of slavery, and its utter in
compatibility with lreedum-an above ALL
proving to demonstration, what is asserted in the
Resolution am considering thntannexaIion will
~sllsh HE old, by HE constitution of new 10.
lrni family, aud tlIuS break up the foundations
OF our Federal Union"
THIS last point has not received the considera.
ion II deserves IL seems 10 be taken for granted
by many, that tile Question of appreciation Is 10 be
treated IKE any other question OF mere expedien-
cy. Governor GiImer thus treats it /; and holds
out TO the North mud West, the lure of pfoft--us
though II the advantages in that respect could be
established, the whole question would be serlcd
inns Is u fatal crrGr. There is deeper question
than HAT of pecunary profit and loss Anuexa-
lion would he, ipsO jdcto, destruction of the
Union. The introduction OF "nne stntes' or one
state, from beyond its present limits-I will say,
irom beyond lis original limits-inakes it u new
political family organized or attempted to be or
ga1izpd upon new basis-not the basis Of the
ConsIulIon-not the tasis Of the will of the
tii, nh mi, IL, H.. ::
tue basis OF treaty, or an nci Of Congress- which
the President and Senu,e, or Congress have no
tloie right 10 make or enaci, than they have to
declare that these United States shall be annexed
TO, and form part OF, The Brush Empire 1t
would not be an ordinary violation oil The Consli-
Iuuon, 10 he corrected by the ordinary process Of
judicial decision. The disease would non he Ittnc.
tloHdi, but organic. 1t would chunge the structure
OF our Federal System, or rather the parties to the
Union-so that it would cease to he The Union
formed by the Constitution of 81. IN the Ian
guago of the Resolution, "Ihe foundations of the
Federal Union would be- broken up"
il anncxaoR is to he effected at all it must be
the dct of the people in the exercise OF their or-
glnal sovereignty. To form the netp Union, the
same process musl b3 gone through with, that
preceded The formation Of the old one. No dele
gated power. under the old one, can be adequate
TO the formation Of the new
This reasoning which would be conclusive ia
regard 10 The attempted annexation of any kind of
State 10 the Confectionery, is especall, So in ref
crence to the attempted annexation OF u Stare
SiaIe. Slavery is an exotic III the soil oflreedon
u was felt 10 he such when the Constitution was
ornieh The "sell evident" truth that "all men
are created equal" was Tie soil which brought
forth HE Constitution OF our Union. and the Con-
siltulIons OF The S'ales that originally compose, It
The preamble even to the Constitution OF III ginia
expressly asserted that great truth.
But slavery existed and for The sake oC Tho
UnIon, IL was suffered 10 reInnin nos. however,
as Cherished clemenp of our yslenl, but as a
thing 10 be tolerated during the brlel period which
il was supposed wOlfld hmn lis existence. WIN
PiNcKSEy spoke tue sentiments ui tia, day when
he sanl, in the Maryland House of Delegates in
1882" The lily and The brambie MAY gro,o in 50.
c'al prorintb 6m liberty and Sidvery delight in
SePdrGttoa" The extension ut slavery was not
dreamed OF, even wnhIn our original mts-
mu' less 10y the addition Of States beyond those
hm'Isi and sill less hy the addition OF States
Obtained Tor the auoioed purpose OF such extension
The unEexaIi0n OF Texas, tUiM us sldperg, would
therefore give the lnninmentai violation OF the
Constitution of which have spoken the agra
vn'"n OF an attempt TO make slavery permanent
element OF power, quarter OF century, at
least, after the mcn Of 'e7 thought 1t would cease
10 Je
But it is said the Constitution expressly pro-
vldes That "new States may he admired bV Con-
sress into the Union" Very true ; but is this to
be taken without limitation? If there had been
no territory wniIIn our original limits upon which
this provision could take effect, il would have
been conclusive OF The question MS TO lie power to
admit new States hey ond those limits. Bnl there
was such territory. We had the territory North
NesI OF the river Ohio, which had been ceded by
Virginia and in regard 10 which the Oi duance
OF 1857 had provided tor its admission, as "not
less than lhl ee nor no han five sale>' into tie
Union Aud new states 1t was contemplated,
nigh, he formed out OF the existing Sales some
OF which had large unsettled territories. - Hence
II was added TO The clnuse author zng the admis-
sion of new Slntes,-" But no new State shall be
formed and created within The jurisdiction Of any
olher State, nor any State be formed by the juno
lion oftwo or more states or parts of states, with
out the consent OF the Legislatures Of The States
conce;ned, as we'll as the Congress"
Here, then, was an ample field Tor The exercise,
0Hd exhausiou OF tie power of admitting new
States. II was within The immediate view, aud
evidently in the contemplation of the trainers of
The Constitution. ltis Incredible if the admission
OF states hey Ond these limits was contemplated,
ihat other and more specific language should not
Have Oaei employed 10 grant that power--a pow
er which, il construed TO extend 10 The admission
OF foreign States without limit and il is without
inili, II al ALT would not need the sagacy Of
very Wise men 10 see would involve a power OF
adding oIates 10 such an extent, as 10 overshaduw
aud make them mere appenduge 10 The added
foreign States.
Aud ali Ibis is placed within the power Of Con-
gTeSS, which, though II cannot alter u line OF The
Constitution, would thus be invested with power
10 bring that instrument, which was expressly or
dalned "io secure the blessings OF liberty 10 our
se'res and our pOsterity" within The annlhilang
power oil the whole North American conlncni.
Bur The precedent OF the purchase of Louisiana,
ami the admission Of the States formed from II
into The Union, is relied on. Il sufficient re-
PITY 10 this, that Mr. jefferson himself admitted
that, IN making the treaty, the powers oI the Con-
sIiIuIion were exceeded. Tins is fully declared
in the poshumous publication of his writings, us
will appear by the following quotations from
them:
~ hen consider that the limits Of ,he United
States are precisely fixed by The Treaty Of 1883
that The Constitution expressly declares itself to
be made for The UniIed States l cannot help
believing that the intention was not to permit Con-
n ul I'.,.r