Democratic banner., 1845-06-21

ions. car Republican form 81 govern
imcnt I mere shadow, our name by
wcr3 with the nations Of the earth:
sit nav be said, that inasmuch a
the Constitution Of Florida has re-
ccivcd the sanction of Congress, IT'S
provisions have derived thereirom
all the weight and authority rightly
due to the act Of Cangress itself,
which attcsrcd that sanction by re-
cciving her into the Union. mPaft-
inc to, and accepting from her. SOW
elcign powers, and thereby giving
to those provisions activity and
force. and putting them in operation.
Certainly, it is fair 20 infer, and a
gree in the main. that whatever pas
ses Congress receives It's approval,
and as the impress of its authority;
but then these differences have their
limitations and restraints. and can
only be true aud allowable in those
cases where Congress has the right
to examine. and the jurisdiction to
decide. and the power TO re. ect. the
several and particular provisions
which the instrument passed upon by
Congress may contain. Does Con
gress possess so large 4 jurisdiction
in the premises that 1t may exercise
supervisory powers and discretion
over State Constitutions submitted
to its approval without limitation, &
therefore without control! | have
not so read the Constitution, and car
not think so.
Son the applications Of Terrific
I rics to be admitted into the Union
as States, Congress may. indeed, adj
; nit lhem. or refuse to admit them;
but can it impose any binding con-
: ditions Of admission which are incom-
) patibie with that precise and mdis
pensiblc equality among the States.
in reference both to the sovereignty
i parted with, and the sovereignty re-
served, which the Constitution at
T once allows and requires. establishes
and secures! There is no onc prac-
!. teal equality more precious or priZ-
ed, than the cXclusiveneSs OF the
{ power. inherent in every new State.
: TO determine for itself. without the
5 "let or hindrance" of Congress, what
! provisions its own Constitution shall!
) contain, just as every other State
L which has entered into the Union has
: decided that question atoretlmc for
u itself. Congress is, indeed, to take
care that each State provides itself
. with a "republlcon form Of govern,
ment," fornone other could be adapt.
cd to abide the restraints, or realize
the privileges, which the Constitu.
5 ton imposes in the n case. anG
: c~oniers in the other. Beyond this
T. and IFS general acquiescence in the
usual and essential results, of substi
tuting State for Territorial forms O
u government, nothing, in my opinion
: is to be inferred from the admission
u or rejection of a State, Of the assent
! or dissent of Congress, either t. the
" whole or to any of the particular pro.
: visions contained in ITS Constitution
+ which can be regarded as in any wise
u conclusive, or even as authoritative.
If future scrutinies shall make mani.
! fest 4 repugnancc Of any Of them to
the Constitution, laws or treaties Of
{ the Union, it would be past all the
powers Of Congress to protect. and
u hence nothing in the act of admission
u could save them from the penalties
:. of nullity and avoidance, which The
Il Constitution itself denounces and in,
{ licts. On the other hand, those pro.
" visions which are free from such re.
s. pugnance, and obnoxious TO no OBJ
Elections, derive and have all lheil
u force and virtue from the Conven'
tons which established the State
{ Constitutions, and the people who ac.
~ copied them, and none whatever
" from the imputed but impassivc sane
{ tons of Congress in admitting into
/ The Union the States which made
u them. If this were otherwise, wha.
else could follow, but that amend
ments, made in State constitution.
{ dftcr the States were admitted into
the Union, being without the sane
, ton Of Congress, would be held a.
d less authoritative, and therefore o
!, slighter obligation, than the provis
s. ions contained in them at the time
they were admitted! Such discrimi
nations would soon originate the
principle and arouse the incentive
= and those influences being brought
to bear, would shortly thereafter in.
: troduce the practice of submitting al
such amendments and the State con
situations themselves O the revision
l and action Of Congress. This woulc