Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-02-22

say sDsndon the opinion first expressed by him that foreign
tbs ooon = = so.nsututionay acquired by treaty. But
0 oo' ~ earnestly and emphatcaly expressed by him
IN ms letters to Mr. Nicholas and Mr. reckenIdcs ,hs,
suei he cause giving power CONGRESS 10 "adnt eo
a,l.;. NV m onoi tnere was authority OF color of
auo, 70 use his own language, incornorate fyeo,
nations into our Union, was in any uannr - = e.
degree Ieacted abandoned qualified by him either +; t
OF word Louisiana acquired by treaty, and v asra
subsequently passed appropiatng money 10 carry ~
hto elect by the payment of the purchase money All M,
received the Official sanction of Mr. Jefferson But lst h
honorable Senator from Pennsylvania tell me when or whes
word or by deed Mr. Jefferson countenanced the idea
that Louisiana might have been admitted as feiD S,.,
INTO the Union by the Legislative scon of mere majority ~
inc TWO Houses Of Congress Mr. r. ayerred that the solemn
suony OF Mr. Jefferson, in his letters both Mr. Nicholas
anu Mr. breckenndge, against monsous doctrine re-
NAMED unreyoked TO this day in all its pristine vgor and
would SO remain to the last syllable of recorded time
what Mr. Jefferson hold that Congress could admit reign
nations as ne,o States into the Union whether England Ire
or Holland which he had put examples in his letter
10 mr. Nicholas, Texas much foreign nation al this
moment as either Of them by the Legislative action Of mere
majority OF Congress He utterly abured such an idea And
coud tne spirit OF that great descend into this Hall
woua Indignantly rown upon the doctrine All the plori
denial. ' re~ - 30
Mr. X considered this the solemn question which had
arisen since the formation Of the Constitution and it became
every man TO look well what ground he stood His hon.
orabc friend had referred the history of the proceeno m
the Convention which formed the Constitution and asserted
that question formally taken on the RESTRICTION &c The
power Congress 70 admit new States into the Union to the
territorial limits OF the United States and that the restriction
decisivey rejected by of that BODY Ahonob The
Senator had said that he entertained not doubt respecting his
Interpretation Of the Constitution, Mr. r. would fake The
liberty of saying for him, that he had done as he M
had donc- he had examined minutely step by STEP the
proceeding of the Federal Convention on this subject he
wou have found that there is particle Of foundation for
the idea he has taken up Che could not but think second
hand that there any Of that body deciding
q Init States sho
not be confined to the territory of the United States meaning
of course the actual territory Of the United States the time
when the new State to be admitted Mr. R. avered that
there never any vote proceeding of the Convention
fairly susceptible of such interpretations and this he would
now undertake to demonstrate.
In pursuing investigation would be necessary back
70 the rst resolution moved the subject which part
OF the Virginia propositions moved by Governor Randolph in
the frst days of the Convention II was in the following
words sIl f- '~-1 f'"e
Reoed That provision ought to be made for the admis-
SION OF states agfty arising sDitn the limits of the United
Mates, whether from voluntary junction Of government and
territory otherwise, with the number Of voices
less than the WHOLE
Before leaving this resolution let us comprehend its real
bearing and import As part of the history Of the times
must bear in mind that the State Of Vermont which had
violently separated herself from the State Of New York. Of
which she had been part and within whose lawful iusdic-
ton she was still claimed to be by the authorities Of New
o had for years been earnestly and approximately apply
ing for admission into the Conderacy under the Articles Of
Confederation Hardly any subject occupied and dis
vided the States into two distinct PARTIES some for others
against the admission of Vermont. Mr. Madison then a
member of the old Congress, of those who
tanned and theoretically expressed the opinion that the adn
sion OF Vermont under the circumstances of her violent
paraton from New York, and without the consent of New
York to her admission would be dangerous precedent
leading to ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of other large States and Viz
ginia among Others by similar unlawful means He there
fore steadily and firmly opposed the admission of Vermont
INTO the Confederacy without the express consent of New
York. as will be from many of his letters contained in
the first volume Of the Madison Papers.
The opinions of Mr. Madison this subject are of special
Importance In this connection, because know (sad Mr. R
rom communication of that great and vrtuous man. made
with his characteristic decacy that he proposed draught-
ed mainly the resolutions which offered in Convention
by Gov Randolph who selected the organ Of the
OF the Virginia delegation in that body With the evidence
then, afforded by Mr. Madsos published correspondence, Of
hs opinions the Vermont question, enabled
to see the particular sgnfcancy and import Of the restrictive
clause in the resolution just read provision ought to be
made for the admission Of States tpuy arising ttn the
hms Of the United SeasD 1t most clearly had in view the
Vermont question, and intended guard against the adj
mission OF States into the Union which, like Vermont should
have violently separated themselves the parent with
out the of the latter There indications Of
and impatient desire for the Independent condition
OF States at the time, the part of Maine Massachusetts
FARMLAND he infant Tennessee North Carolina and also
IN the western part of the State Of the honorable Senator of
Pennsylvania himself, have already mentioned, which
seemed to make this wise precauon necessary Accordingly
the resolution presented by Gov Randolph precisely have
read to the Senate adopted by the Convention first in
Committee of the Whole, and then in the House, and finally
referred together with general propositions same
subject by Mr. Pnckney Of South Carolina and Mr. Patterson
Of New jersey to the Committee Of Detail who were instruct
ed to report draught of Constitution.
In the article prepared by the Committee Of Detail on the
subject of the admission Of States the restrictive clausen
Gov Randolph proposition retained in substance though
varied slightly phrseoogy, and several additional clauses
were added TO It. will be necessary read the Senate
the whole article reported by the Committee of Detail that
we may better comprehend the true effect of the amendments
afterwards underwent The article as follows and for
,eedngs Of the Convention upon it its several clauses
numbered
"New States, ayfy constituted or established rvn the
limits Of the United States may be admitted by the Legisla-
lure into this Government but such admission the
sent oil two-hirds OF the members present shall be
aiy 3) II State shall arise within the limits Of any
of the States the of the Legislatures Of such
states shall be also necessary its admission II the admis-
non be consented the States shall be admitted the
terms with the original States 81 Buthe Legislature may
make conditions with the States concerning the public
lebt which shall be then subsstng." sssi $3.50
When the article taken up for consideration in the Con-
yenon Mr. Gouveneur Morris first moved strike out the
ourth and the fifth causcsthe declaring that the new
States be admitted the with the original
States and the other providing that conditions be made
With the States respecting the public debt They
stricken out by the vote Of nine States to two
Mr.. Luther Martin and Mr. Gouvcrneur Morris then moved
strike out the second clause, requiring the consent Of
birds Of the members of Congress present the admission of
State. 1t carried, and by the Of nine to
Now, Mr. President, forbcar rcu,akiug that
mid the eaoses respecting the balance Of power which
nown TO have existed between the Northern and Southern
'orons Of the Union in the Convention and to which every
age of Mr. Madsons Debates bears the impressive tes
mony each apprehenvc Of the pepondcrancc OF the Other
is morally impossible that either would have consented to
AVE placed so powerful means of disturbing the original ba