Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-18

one case, The power was clear and palpabie-i'
was found in The very language of the Consii'u-
lion-in The other, the power arose by conslruc'
lion-it was an implied power merely. Inc
power 10 ailn;, new States was an express grant
The power 10 acquire foreign territory arose py
imricaion-yet the argument OF the gentleman
from Kentucky. (Mr. Morehead,) went to make
The subordinate and implied power override Tue
expressly granted power.
difficulties; bat did he say one word about resort
ing 10 the Treaty power? No; he referred al
ONCE 10 the fountain head he did not go 10 lhc
streams. He doubted as 10 The power Of Con
gress 10 admit joreiga State ;,
(Mr. Morehead) Did not ne deny the power !,
Yes, he denied it; but, alter The letter oil Mr
Nicholas, (who had been in the country al inc
while; whereas, Mr.. Jefferson himself had been
absent in France,) in forming his opinion or
the question, he changed his mind, and said ne
should acquicsce in the acquisition on me snS'
ccsiion OF his friends. Mr. Jefferson yielded &c
the arguments Of his friends. During iEe inter
val between the formation OF the Treaty ana us
submission 10 The Senate, he certainly did enter
tain strong doubts; but il was manifest, those
doubts must have been subsequently removed, ioi
he approved and signed the Treaty and inc aclioi
the territorial Government Of Louisiana WIN his
own hand. Since, then, the power has oeel
exercised over and over again.
But what had been the argument OF the oeha
Tor from Kentucky. Had he done any thin more
than cite The letter of Mr.. Jefferson! lie laid ms
entire foundation in that letter; he iaised ms
whole argument on il. Yet from acts oil Mr
Jefferson, (and actions spoke louder than words,
il was plain that he had become convinced thaI
he had been in error. Surely all who knew MIR
Jefferson would admit that il he believed an acl
would be a direct violation of his oath 10 support
the Constitution, lie was the last man living 10 DC
it. After this, we heard no more OF bis proposal
10 amend the Constitution; the question passcl
away and the doctrine was now established thai
We might Cat least by treaty. admit new States
formed out Of foreign territory.
Mr. Morehead here inlerposed; and Mr.. u
having yielded the floor for the explanation, he
inquired whether the honorable Senator from
Pennsylvania intended TO argue that Mr.. Jeiler-
son had ut any time admitted to the iull extent
Mr. Nicholas's argument, that Congress could adj
nit foreign State? The acquiesceace OF which
Mr. Jefferson spoke, was in the acquisition, moi
in the right 10 acquire.
Mr. Buchanan replied, that the Senator's Ques-
lion had been answered before il was put. "a
lauch.) lie had said that Mr.. Jefferson had
acfcd 10 affirmation Of this power. And. as Mr..
Van Buren had before him argued, MIR. Jefferson
must have changed his opinion, or he never
would have acted as he did in the admission 0!
Louisiana.
Mr. g. here went on 10 say, that il was very
sincnla. mode Of getting rid OF a plain clause
in the Constitution, b. arguing from The incon-
ycnicnccS which resulted from ii. The Senator 5
argument in this way applied as well 10 admls-
sion b. the treaty power as 10 admission by act
of Congress. And the consequences he threaten
ed were about Is much TO be apprchenGcd As that
lie sky should ial-wdca Il dM we should catch
larks. CA laugh)
A wise man would leave as little TO the discfe-
ton Of hi, agents as possbe-hut he must leave
them nme Congress had from The Constitution
the war-makin. power; aud they might, il such
was their pleasure, declare war tomorrow morn
ing against the whole world. Was that an al.u-
cuncnt aeainsl The power! II they ever should
be insane enough. they might in like manner
ab;ae any and every other power rs vel! a> Tins
81 admitting new States. New States may be
admitted by the Congress inlo the Union. Was
i, an argument against hi. power that Congress
might admit China, with her august Emperor,
the brother Of the sun and nioonl Congress
mieh. admit France, or Austria, or England hc:-
sell. when those countries should adopt a Eeruh-
lican form of government, and ask for admission,
bot not before. Nor was Congress bound 10 ad-
nit them, even then.
The question now was, not whether We should
admit the Chinese, but a people Of kindred blpoi
to our own-our brothers and our ssiers-a peo-
pie capable oil liberty and fit for liberty; peo-
pie trained from infancy in the principles oil our
Governments and that when the country they in
habiled was necessary 10 complete The security OF
Cur own territory and 10 secure To us The navlsa-
ton OF the Mississippi. To argue against such d
proposition, because by the same power Con
sr.ss nigh, admit China and all the world
amounted in MIR. BIS judgment, 10 just nothing.
Mr.. L. said there was portion of The general
argument on the admission OF Texas which he
shoud not discuss. II had been well met, and
he had expressed his views Oft on former oc-
caSion. Ii was the position that we could not ad-
init Texas without the consent OF Mexico. The
day had gone by for that argument And tina,
We could not do it without breach OF The Eaiion.
al faith AMI without war. The day for such an
argument had forever passed away. He should
MOI open it anew Suffice it to say, that Texas
never had owed allegiance TO the present govern
menl Of Mexico for single hour; and II she once
did she had achieved her independence on The
bloody fields of San Jacinlo. And what she'll
acquired hv the sword she was able 10 maintain
against Mexico by the sword. The angIo-SaS-
on blood could never be subdued By anything tina;
claimed Mexican origin. Texas had maintain
ed her independence for nine years. How could
gentlemen thus contend against the very princi-
rles Of our own revolution? How could they
say that that young but glorious people, who had
thrown off The yoke and bravcly vlndlcacd their
freedom, were only quasi Independent until the
consent oil that very power who had nnlustly at
tempted 10 hold them in bondage should be obtain
ed This argument, however, had been but III
lie used, and did not seem 10 be much relied on.
And here Mr. B. said he might stop; but, as he
was DESTROYS OF fully doing his duty 10 this srea
question, he would advances little further.
lie commended that Texas ought 10 be admit
ted into The Union because il would be bond Of
perpetual peace between rs and England, and
France, and ali The manufacturing nations OF the
world This might, al lis first annunciaion
sound strangely; but il could be demonstrated
What was that which had raised the power o
Great Britain 10 greater height than any other
single cause? Undeniably it was the cotton ma
nuiacture; it was this which, above all else, had
contributed 10 place her i'll the elevated position
she now held before the world il was necessary
no. 10 her prosperity merely, but almost 10 heI
national existence itself Without il she would
sink 10 the rank OF a second or third Power
France, 10 some extent, was in similar circum
stances. England was WISE and understood hcr
own position She was exploring sea and land
10 find some genial soil and some propiiious Hca.
ron, under which cotton might be made To flo
rsh Tor the supply Of her manufacturing popula-
,ion. Brazil, Egypt and the East Indies had all
hecn tried in turn, but all he: efforts in those
quarters had proved in great measure vain
Either the climate or the soil had turned
ont TO be unlavorable, and the experiment
had failed. Meanwhile, Texas had arisen as
ont Of the ocean; and presented the finest cot
ION region The world ever saw. Mr.. Buchanan
did not blame England for her endeavors TO &C
quire an influence in such a country. She would
be false 10 hersef she did not attempt TO dePrcss
a rival by seeking TO establish an independent
Power al its very door. Give US Texas, and we
should then possess all the valuable cotton re.
gions OF the world and this would have more
effect in preserving peace with England than an
army OF hundred thousand men prepared fol-
battle, and fleet equal TO her own. !: she was
dependant on us for nothing else, she, then, must
be for this great staple, 50 indispensable TO heI
very being rs a nation.
Texas Mr. B. admitted, never would be CO
lony Of England; that was most certain; but II