Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-10-03
From The Cincinnati GazeHe.

The joint resolutions for the annexation
Of Texas, which President Polk submitted
to the Texan governments, and which tue
government and people OF TeAas have a.
greed to, are silent on the question OF the
representation Of the new STATE in Con-
gress. IEe number Of Senators b. GiXed by
the Consultation, at two from each State
The number Of Representatives Is based
upon population, and fixed by Congress ev-
cry ten years. But the Constitution guar
antics at least one representative to each
State. Congress then, when it shall ap-
prove Of the Constitution oI Texas, and adj
nit her into the Union as IA State, must de-
termine how many members she may have
in the House Of Representatives until the
censuso of 1850, 1t is claimed that the new
State shall have hyo representatives, AVID
that number was provided for in Walkers
resolution, which the President has not sub.
milted to Texas, On the basis of popula-
ton, the new State can have no right to
two representatives. HerpopuIation does
not exceed, if it equals the population Of
Hamilton county, and we have but one Re-
preventative. If Congress shall award 10
her two Representatives, it must be on ac-
count Of the superior intelligence Of her
people, or for some other cause unknown
to the Constitution.
Some Of our contemporaries raise diff
Guilty in connexion with the representation
Of Texas, or of any foreign territory acqui-
red and admitted into the Union. The Cd
section Of the ist article of the COnstitu-
ton does declare chat "no person shall be
Representative who shall not have been
SeUen years citizen Of the United States"
and the Sd section OF the same article de-
cIares that "no person shall be Senator
who shall not have been niRc years Ctl-
zen Of the United States" This language
is plain and direct, and admits Of no lali-
tude Of construction, Suppose that Tex
as shall he admitted into the Union on the
LIST Of January, 1916, and by the act of ad.
mission her citizens become citizens Of the
United States; will not their citizenship
date from the act of Congress declaring
them such! But they are 10 be admitted on
the footing of the original States. Very
well. The original States are prohibited
from sending to Congress, Representatives
not seven years citizens, or Senators not
nine years citizens. Texas may possibly
get over the difficulty by eecting Senators
and Representatives from among persons
who have been citizens Of the United States
the required time and inhabitants of Texas
at the time Of their election, and who have
never lost their citizenship, The Consti-
tuition requires that the persons elected to
Congress shall be "mhabdGnLs Qflhe Stale
from tohich they ShGH be chosen" But it
is not for US, but for those who have brought
about the difficulty to point out the way of
overcoming it.
Nor do we suppose the ruling party will
hesitate TO adopt any measure deemed eX.
pedient for the admission Of Texas, on ac-
count of the provisions of the Constitution,
The oath of members to support the Con-
sttution and the laws made in pursuance
thereof, as the paramount law of the land,
has not in this Texas matter been found
strong enough to balance the obligation of
members 10 party. Allegiance to the Con-
sttution and the country have yielded, and
will yield again, to the more powerful alle-
glance TO party. Congress in 1841-2 pass
ed an act, in conformity to the Constitu-
ton, requiring the States to be districtad for
the election Of members TO the House Of
Representatives and the election of one
member from each district. Four of the
States, New Hampshire, Georgia, Mssis-
sippi and Missouri, refused to carry out this
aw-nuIliRed it--and elected their Repre-
sentatves by general ticket. The party
majority in the House, in the face OF the
Constitution and their oaths, admitted these
members to their seats. By this unconsti.
tutional act, twenty men were admitted in.
to Congress, by the mere act of a party ma.
jorty in the House, having no lawful fright
to sit there These men took part in the
passage of laws which govern us. Laws
made in direct violation Of our Co institution