The Arkansas banner., 1845-03-19
-,rrcH OF COL. ASHLEY
rxAr1nN DE TEXAS
OF ARKANSAS.

.aJ s,ates-the question immediately
 ll' 7, heinz proposition for indefinite
 Donement'
 ,sHTEY said he rose to address the
 aaon this occasion, embarrassed by a
 sTere uP cold, and embarrassed by the
 a in which he had been placed in con
 no Dn of the able arguments which had
 Iss Seard upon this question. Situated,
 n, n' as he was, he would feel that he
 ,ss s,5ant to the duty he owed to the noble
 ebich had confded to him the position
 hs now occupied, if he should suffer
 rsstion to pass without doing something
 %.n to give his silent vote. When he
 'bat this whole subject was new one
 '' and that he had had no further oppor- l or examining it than that which he
 ! E.onred since he had been member of BDJv it would not be surprising perhaps
 Ro sbould adopt what had been adopted EsntIemen who had preceded him. The ! oC this debate had been surprising to oerbaps for want of information. He l ] of the mode in which this question {bocn areued-the mode of construing [pmnions and judgment and wisdom of EIarplathers, which had been set down bg any course that he had ever heard of
 e practice of law.
 \ him ask gentlemen if it had ever oc- sIbsforc that an argument lad been made Rf for ascertaining what were the motives |arge body of individuals by referring to rotiyes of large number2 The con- Er that framed the constitution was l of men as large as those who composed Bssembly-somewhat larger, he believed. Whose opinions had been taken as evi- ' of the motives of that body2 The Eons of Mr. Madison, GouFerneuf Morris, kr Martin, and some two or three other E1uaIs; and the motives of these few Taken as the motives of the whole mass l convention. Take one of your stat- Lake the post office law, which we had Eacting upon during the present session Egress: some half dozen gentlemen had En upon the subject. It was passed Esh by majority of B. When that |romes to be questioned in a court of Ie would it not be extraordinary if the EDns of those half dozen who had spoken the subject should be taken as express |be opinions of all. and the general opin- E the whole assembly should be disre- |d3 It was, to his apprehension, the ] est course imaginable, that we are to to the motives of few individuals for rpose of ascertaining those which gov he whole body. He would, in any grant the propriety of going back to lpoancous history for ascertaining all tssion of the situation of the whole coun- but he would not grant the proPriety of Iaing the opinion of three or four men. Der what circumstances had this argu- been made use of? For the purpose owing doubts as to power? For the pse of putting construction upon the pf that which admits of doubt? No: sach purpose; but for the purpose of b a doubt to destroy the plain and ob- |consuucGon on the faceoof the consti- !, Was not this true? Had not the bent made use of by the honorable Sen Fom Virginia, Mr. Rives, and by the brirom Kentucky, Mir. Morehead, and other gentleman on that side. been led to that object3
 |is mode of proceeding was different Iany course which he had ever seen led when . question of construction came adjudication before a court of justice. would be as brief as possible. He fd that this territory belongs to us now; Fe had never parted with it; that we b power to part with il. He claimed by the concurrent authority of every |nent man in the country, we did ac- Texas by the treaty of 1903. This |een assented to by all-by the public Ters on both sides, and recognised by banish minister himself. Assuming that |e, then-and he had heard many men the truth of the proposition, and yet That Texas, in consequence of the sub- 'htactlon of this government, continued a pn of the territory of the United States fld she lose her citizenship or nation- by any act to which she did not con- was an advocate of the strict construc- of the constitution. He had been edu- to believe that 1t was the only manner nlch we could keep up government of Ried powers within the limits prescribed and he would apply this course to all upon which he should be called upon 'le' He was willing to extend 1t as llb- as the nature of the case would legltl- " require, to carry into execution those 'aled powers. The power to admit new E into this Union must be exercised in pr two different ways. How was it to Itfclsed? What authority does this grant o%er s, give? If 1t be necessary that we U ad acquire the territory first, then the con ''on must give the power to admit that 'ory into the Union; because, unless we llad the power to bring it in, we could rect States out of fl, "arising acitljn thc ol the Unlon.o Let us take the con ol the proposition. Have we, in con snce t ot this grant of power to form new 4 lhe right to dispose of the people ?-
 ne dld not admit the right. Let him o the only clause of the constitution T n, which we would act:
 'ae tut Congress shall have power to dis
 o'i and make all needful rules and regu- DS respecting the territory or other pro oelonglng to the United States; and ing In this constitut;on eball lao so, com