Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-03-01


Of them had positively rejected the Constitution and the 9th
er had DELAYED but at length both Of them did
embrace it, and then they admitted Mr. H. had said
right but without any other form ceremony Of any
kind and their representatives entered the Hall Of Repesen-
tatives and took their members of Congress He
next remarked that when Congress received States,
erected from territory OF our own, entered into spuations
with the people Of the territory and prescribed conditions
which they should be admitted State into the Union but
that the representatives of Rhode Island and North Carolina
had without forms Of any kind Congress might
prescribe terms TO Texas she did TO other States He
did not any inconsistency these positions with each other
Mr. BUCHANAN said he did not rise to debate the ques-
ton. He had heard of his respected friends from the
North in whose sincerity he had the most entire confidence,
observe that hese resolutions should pass the Senate the Con-
situon would receive mortal stab. II Mr. Is. thought so,
great the acquisition about TO make, he should
he the last existence acquire the richest benefit the
world could hold out to grasp at such price.
Mr. Is. said he might have assumed the privilege of reply
which belonged to him from the position he occupied the
Committee Of Foreign Relations but he waived it, Not be-
cause the arguments the other sdehad not been exceedingly
ingenious and plausible and urged with great ability but be-
cause all the reasoning and ingenuity the world could abo
s the plain language of the Constitution which declared that
"new States might be admitted by Congress into the Union
But what States The Convention had answered that
question in letters of light by refusing the proposed limitation
of the grant States lawfully arising within the United States
The clause began in that form, and after full discussion, ii
ended IN the shape now held without limitation resc
ton of any kind This historical fact II could not be
denied Planting himself upon that fact, and having heard
argument which efectualy shook the poonbeevng he
most conscienousy did believe, that the Constitution would
not be violated in the least by the adoption of the pending
resolutions, he here entered his solemn protest against the
solemn protests which had been made ohe other SIDE and
which went almost the length Of implying that he and the
advocates of these resolutions knowingly and Of design
violating the Constitution and their oaths ayore
political measure.
This the greatest act in which Mr. b. had had the
honor Of acting an humble part he should do it cheeruy
gladly goousy because he believed that his vote going
to confer blessings Unreasonable Upon his fcowen now
henceforward and forever.
Mr. BERRIEN said he would that this debate
should close with the declaration of the Senator from Pennsy
vana Mr BUcHANAN) that the Convention had deter
mined the sense of the term 6 new States"
Mr.. BUCHANAN rose to explain. What the Senator
from Pennsylvania did that at first the clause granting
power to Congress to admit States the Union had
been confined to States arising within the United States, but
that after debate and full discussion the Constitution
forth with the clause present clear unrestricted FORM
written in letters of light
Mr. BERRIEN said that the Senator had stated his
position at FIRST it meant much as he stated it now, it
next to nothing What the gentleman had said when first
up was that thu question what "new States de-
cded in the Convention Mr. b. had already shown from
the Journals of the Convention that that phrase had refer
ence to States not merely arising within the Union, but
lawfully arising, particularly with regard to the
OF Vermont y and these words "krwfuly arising
that the debate in the Convention turned and the ultimate
decision Of that body had So far from the of
States having been decided by the Convention to
foreign States, quite contrary decision arrived at
When the clause first proposed, t'new States not
there the word Sc States alone used and the word
new" afterwards added, instead of asng within the
United States being equivalent to these latter words.
The substituted for the other Mr. b. had made
these remarks because he did wish that msstaement
on this point from distinguished individual the hon.
orabe Senator from Pennsylvania should pass without such
contradiction Mr.. b. might be able to give it.
In reply to the Senator from Alabama, (Mr. BlGaY, he
would Observe that he had said that that Senator
admitted that the power admit States belonged excu
svey to the treaty making power but what he contended
for was that that gentleman had distinctly asserted that he
could not sustain the resolutions they came from the
House. and yet he now about to commit the determine
ton to the President of the United States, whether those
solutions should he adopted whether resort should be had
to negotiation and treaty that whether course he dis
approved and could not sustain, should be adopted not
The option moreover left not merely with the President
but with Texas whether she would in under the
utons under the amendment BY voting for this aggom'
Grated resolution the Senator did Certainly consent that the
President pleased the annexation should he effected in
mode the Senator could not approve sustain
Mr. MOREHEAD said he did not rise to enter into any
discussion OF the question at issue between the honorable Sem
ators from Pennsylvania and Georgia. (Messrs. BucHASAS
and BERRIES He felt that in the present attitude Of this
great question, there another and perhaps last view,
which might be taken of before the final action of the Sen
ate should be taken He regarded all attempts prevent the
contamination Of the entirely hopeless it was ut
ment of decision This admitted on all hands by the
Senator from Pennsylvania and by his friends it must in
Deed be admitted by all that this of the most import
questions which had since the adoption OF the
Federal Constitution Now, he would appeal to Senators Of
all opinions settle it in the spirit and the same
great and enlarged principles and views which had led to the
formation of the Constitution ITSELF That holy instrument
had been well characterized in this debate ga bundle of
concessions Nothing but enlarged and magnanimous
spirit of concession and compromise brought to its sue
cessfn conclusion And surely, if there question
in which the members Of dgnfed and elevated body
this should be goyenedby the spirit this that question
When gentlemen here, representing weny-sx States of this
Union, at an hour like this socnny declared their
performed only by the treaty making power not
of those crises public affairs which presented the ttes
and the est occasion for the manifestation OF such spirit
Here far could be considered illustrating the
views and feelings of the American people, the opinions Of the
nation equally divided Under circumstances like these,
would gentlemen insist rushing upon Of this
magnitude If the American people determined that
Texas should be part this Union, they would have IT, Why
push now Gould be that the spirit of our immortal
longer in the lands Was that living pervadng
alendung, asacr6cng spirit ofhe patriots 76 quite dead
among us their descendants When twenty independent
Senators declared upon their oaths that the about
be done against the Constitution would gentlemen show
no respect to their feelings He appealed Senators
members Of family brothers Of tho faith and
the blood He looked at this pre-emineny ques
ton of compromise. He again invoked that spirit The Con-
suon could be long preserved but in the spirit which
gave BIRTH Let gentlemen remember the Missouri question
them look back that alarming period when the dark and
lowering clouds Of dcord and impending dsunon hung low
and threatened to burst on them and all hopes let
them remember how this spirit then appeared, bright
angel breaking out Of the Darkness and how at its those
threatening clouds retired and gave back the stars and let
in once more the glorious light of the trembling
land Was this Senate Of the United States the conservative
body in cur system Dead utterly dead, to the spirit which
alone gave the Constitution being lie claimed that the
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