Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-03-01
sSPE ECU
Ofts HON WILLIAM c. RIvES, Of Fneinis on
W Sc NV "fS' ~ ' '"s"s "
the Resolnfiea Tor TIE Annexation 81 Texas.

Mr. RivES rose ard addressed the Senate in opposition
To the point resolution for the admission Ut Texas III
Un"n lie commenced by obseE wing that u was very wei
known To the Senate aud no, unknown TO the eonn'rs
tar any humble opinion OF hi could be deemed
mpottai,ce that he not opposed to the acquisition
Texas when, could be fairly and honosably accomplish
ed in accordance with prn,isios Oi tho Constitution
and without sravely disturbing the harmony " existing ~
siions between OF this country aud anO,h
and between tis Government a1JolheT Governments
SO far from IL. ths, hc regarded that eonbin-
nS important national advantages. commencing it &
tire consideration of the whole couuifyo the North and
the West more than the South.
In much Of what had been said by the honorable Senator
from Pennsylvania (Nr. Buchanan yesterday, in REGAIN
TO the expectancy OF the ion hi ccncnrrcd. Blu
liar higher question than that before Ever,
thing that might be deemed b. oxpcdienti not there
fore. lawful and js6abie. y at wond i, profit sho1d
gain Texas, ifn doing lost ,he security and pro
lection Of that sacred instrument which the boad o
national union, the pledge and palladium of liberty and
haPPineSs The mode IN which Texas was 10 be acquired
ITS aspect the principles Of potcSl compact
was, with him. vitoi avd paramount consideration We
had heretofore made important acquisitions o tuTcign tern
tory than doubling the ut original limits but
we had made the acquisition nv OF the Aing
power and IN this OF Texas too the treaty power had
been called into action achieve the ol
tom but the having received the constitutional
sancon OF twohirds ol this body nnw a, last dis
covered that all this reference the reat' making power
mere useless Ceremony; work az tcrrgauon
dle iLing orna; and tina; the Oh could be bet.
accomplished by aioin;csoluucn, be passed by
MAJORITY o the two Houses ~ Congress Under these cir
Sums,ances, the question pa - ic ludncn and
mode oiPoceediuS warIanodb b. the Constitution AMI n
conformity with the good faith which ihe icoplc oi tho
several States had pledged tn each other when hey adopt
| ed the Constitution and promised Ia abide = H.
IL the pTouG Distinction and the peculiar happiness
/ OF ths country possess a written COnSutUuon-eu
which only limited The general pow
delegated 20 the Government but which dcned the par
cular powers be exercised by each branch o that Co
vrnmeu According its porvi.lon., each department
had IL appropriate sphere Of ac- each ol them
checked and wac IN turn checked by M Vtes' and Klaus
the whole together preserved tbc aiegu-Ij ci the public
liberty The legislative d Governments
arrogIei To itself supreme LIVER, the iHPci
but thank God. such es sauye supremacy unknown
IN o,ifs. The legislative well the other departments
a.: Government sys "a, were, the Impressive
language OF MI. Jefferson eha..ed down" by the in!ta
lions OF delegated authority a. elective despousn, "a
lac had we'll sad, twas the Government fought
Tor" In oar system the powers divided and
balanced between the bodies OF magistiaey that
neitIer could transcend limits without being in
mediaicly checked by the others. This the fonda
uienia! conce pon OF American constitutional liberty.
dersood by the enlightened founders OF t, Rep ,c, and
u had been faithfully carried the Consuuuon OF the
United States la that INSTRUMENT all the legi alive pow
CTS OF the Government specifically la;ei and
vested M the Houses OF Congress the Executive pow
defined and entrusted h-1s y! the President:
while the Judicial authority I TO the supreme
Court and 10 such other subordinate -g!si should be
established from time time bv Congress This or.snza-
ton embraced all the gTea, internal Interests the
Try.
But there remained other o. provided fer.
which had respect the relations o. this eagrlsy with
,ign Powers. - important TIC poN . ic controlled
these, that Locke. IN this celebrated Treatise G,ycT-
meni, had ranked It along With the lr and Exrau-
uve as coordinate nuCpeadcn; power. under TIE
OF the FedcFa,ive power AL these whether ii
peace war, OF alliances OF commerce. o-.i.
tory, o! boundaries, regulated 10y treaty. 1t sio,
therefore, IN laying the icuucat - 81 tse SsCrnmen
matter OF primary importance Jmlue where this
power should be lodged. III al , modern C;oySnr.is
OF Europe was apPentags &, a. Execu, bur in ,uis
1t ~as'c!lleEeni CGder the Cr.ic oL~e Confederation
this power was Eeposed a Con the consent Of nine
States was requisite IL 10 any treaty or alliance.
When me I'rfIon met To iraEe tic Constitution.
embafSsinc. well Important inquiry where
this power should be deposited. The first idea
place in the Senate excllsiycly ten It was .ug
gesied that the President SHOULD be with the Sen.
ate; and when this resolved on then question
whether the President aud mere majority Of the Senate
should exercise the power whether itan majority
should be required. In this question great were
involved The NoTth States enorinncd great jealousy
IN regard TO the Interests Of the fisheries cared lest IN
the future o2igenci,s OF the Republic, these might come
TO be cectcd by treaty. while thc Southern States Were
equally Jealous respecting the navigation OF the Mississippi
and lhe question oi th.ir Western b.unuaCs both
points then in controversy with Spain Both the
North and South, therefore, united demanding that more
Than simple majority 1t the Sensio should be requisite Tor
the ratification Of treaty. and the Pop!On oi ~ thirds
! was finally agreed
The Constitution ha,in: been adopted by the Con.
vetnon which framed IT, pies, l;ei the people -.
senbod IN Conventions o" lho.r several States for accep
lance OF REJECTION. Nhen tu drauct ci The ias:Tu
before the Convention ~! Vi,c.n. no feature IN
1t attracted So earnest and .ehn= degree attention
as this power form treaties. Tic thunder Of PatrcS
Henrys eoqucnee immediately launched against; be-
cause he thought ITS arrangement ol tic % w.
or did not sufficiently the South aud the Yves
their rights III reference 80 navigation ul the " ss
sipp ana To their western boundaries lie compared Oh,
new Constitution with Lie ul ucies # Confederation ia
RUS respect and endeaNolFe " show tia is States had
enjoyed greater security uude- The ailpr they would
10y the new airangeiRcHi 50 the anxiety in the
virginia Convention spccul. ne s.'y of Western
ests that most searching inquiry instituted into tht
acts of the Continental Congress res Getting negotiation
Tor toe temporary surrender ut night navigating ,h
Mississippi and members O the Convention ho had be
delegates Congress called she stand a. Witnesses
aud required TO testify what had been done ~ that matter
Nor until after days OF doberaiion Virginia
nHI!y consented 10 fatty the Constitution; b- ac
cnmpanied her ratification with proposition Tor s an II
men, demanding higher security respecting tie Irrcs
Of the Eeniymakng power. Her demand was. hat j,
commercial treaties the OF all the Inc II,
bers OF tie Senate should be requisite a: ~ the tfea
ties respecting crritora! rights aud bou tine asscD
OF threeiourtns Of both Houses should +. .ui-,r I'll.
noble and poic State OF North CaToai caGrurfcj wild
virginia ~ this amendment, but not -ds {, l.,
the other States, the requisite Number Of them a,ag rat
he'd 1t with the treaty clause a. It now stood.
soon after the Government went into ration MI
important discussion Couatess o. g. re extent al
'ls veTy power. lie referred The uniuru.a, 81 .ronr,
Vi opingn tween tie House Eeprcseutrty-r and Pre-
sdcnt "7sngtOu respecting the Bnii-h treaty ucz tatc
10y MI Jay. The House called tho r... dent .f t
instructions under which the treaty had tc,n made a.,
General oshingt'n cont em answer iu which. viii
the highest authority which bad ever accompanied On,
merely human word, ED gave is inI5ty the iru,
intent and meaning Of this part Of he Consultation. ia
/ WORDS were lhCsf:
"ilayiug been member % tho Crn.l Convention m,
knowing the prime pies which the c. -iutun w. torn
cd have ever entertained bat Opinion on iis sal,
Ieoii and, f1m the irs eiihisment 81 The Government
tlis moment, my conduct has esemped that opni, tia
tie power Of making neit' cKc.sy,iy vested ~ Oh,
Pestcnt, by and with ie advice and consent Of tie 50 mic
provided twpIhirds Of the Senator'S present concur no,
that every uoniy ~ mad. anJ promulgated, theucef5r-
! wsrd became tho law of the land
alt n n fact declared by the General Convention an.
universally understood lat hC Constitution a. the Unite,
States vas the result 81 syn Of amity and mutual d.
cossiOn. And u IL well known lhai under this inuaner
the smaller States admitted 10 oquBl rcpree ltion
the Senate Nth the larger States; aud this branch Of ,p
Government was invested with geat pDwers. for on Oh.
equal participation Of those powers. the eighty ON
political saioy Of the smaller Slaes deemed essen
italy 10 depend"
MI. X. was happy to say that ha' 'ri,tc and cnighi
ened House OF Representatives. incIsIy nl il did,
men o. Madison, Nicholas, Livingston. rui Ga'1'u. au
going a. 81 Gid, t. extent hardly Irsfcd u l.gar
10 th'H constitutional night freely 10 pa. pas ac
T. redeem the public aiiu when D.. gated ly Heaue >,
dd disclrn, in iic most pua.uyc any agoufy