The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-25
SPEECH OF MR.. HENDERSON,
OF MISSISSIPPI,
On As Resolution tor the .innsraiiOn Of Tsxas.
IN sENATE-FEBnvARY 20, ls45.


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JUG JOINT rosoiauon IRON inc iouse OF Representa-
| lives for the anne xaton Of Texas
| Mr.. HENDERSON addressed the Senate as fol-
|
lows
When, within the year past measure was pend
ing before this Senate looking the ultimate attain
meLt By the preliminary Intervention of tho treaty
power Of the object as that proposed 10 be
accom- llshed by the direct action Of the Congress-
several Of the honorable Senators who then opposed
the treaty and were successful in defeating it, did
chiefly on the ground that from the relation. Of Tex
as " Mexico, and Of these United States to Mexico,
We could not ratify that treaty without sacrifice Of
our good faith and national integrity did not con-
eur Ia those objections then ana do not now And
the facts still subsist and the same relations
now interviews among the several parties as did then
| shall have occasion before SIT down TO show, il 1
can, that those objections and still faacious
and uniounded. But thus far in this debate the OBJ
jeeton have made only preliminary question OF con-
'Ns Tse ia powe1i a.. -,
=, r JIM H., uo p'VPos 'ue assen
So Nv, M. H. o.. 80, w. a., ~
- = ~ 49, ."o,i, ~ ~ a.,'',t s' ~
| ,sSa.,,,,,ioS ~ 49, Iiai,.I So 49, "
' oS"s''' s.a VI "'e on"eu p'a mnIch Iesos
this Union" sc.
| Our adNeIssries say this warrant Is not broad
L
admitted by the Congress into this Union, arising out
" territory Viihin the United Slater" These words,
they insist, are necessary Interpolation 10 expound
the text That lis correct meaning Is only properly
asoertaned by adding these or equivalent words Of
| construction.
10 sindIcation OF this glossary upon the iert they
appeal with much confidence to the history Of The
times previous 10 and contemporaneous with the
adoption Of the Federal Constitution, and challenge
US with equal triumph to the journals Of the Federal
Convention IN support Of their views. Having lis
Tened 10 their Arguments and expositions and exam
med 10 the extent Of my capacity the new lights they
believe themselves TO have derived from these
sources, am prepared 10 give II my opinion that
the friends Of this measure have nothing TO hazard
from these investigations.
MIR. President, lhis question Of admitting new
States, or rather colonial confedefstes took &c.
neral possession Of the public mind soon after the
! breaking out Of the Revolution. The Canadas were
| earnestly expected TO Join Us In early conflict
with Great Britain Accordingly, the eleventh arti-
Gle Of the Confederation Of 1918 provided
| ac.Dad. .o,.d,,x =, 49,. co.e.l.u.,;o. and
| -. A. ~ ee ~ :, 49,, $50 ~ - ~ -
da;,,sd INC e a ~ W. oui' gu .na,' oS
~ IT, ''to SUI au''ueu W Az we "
,ha ~ ~ 'ha'' W =. s nv
Stsiss ,, 'O'' '10' "1A''0" W 'e'''1 :" " "'''
| From this article il seems that the then thirteen
States contemplated probable union with other CO.
iones besides Canada but as to such other colonies
they we're only TO be admitted by the concurrence Of
tnOlhirs poic Ii is to be noted too that this con-
tempaled extension Of the Confederation had no re-
ference to our pesterp errfors, but Justice Story
| 10 his Commentaries consider, IL had reference 10
other British colonies Vol ill D. 1874 sec l3lO)-
Suffice II for the present TO saw that the Iangu ge
broad enough to extend TO any adjacent colony and
the article demonstrates that there was no fastdous
apprehensions-no fear Of contamination, by assoc-
aiing with other colonies out of the United States, pro-
-
proved the association
Peace ensued the Confederation still in force and
the question of new States arising within the limited
States soon obtained an absorbing attention with the
public. The learned jurist before quoted saws and
believe rightly " that the eventual establishment of
new States within the limits of the Union seem, 10
have been wholly overlooked by the trainers of the
articles of confederation ~ Storys Com Sd vol. o.
! 1874, sec. 1900 And the honorable Senator from
Pennsylvania MIR. BucHAsAs) has well said. in this
debate that at this period of our history the old tbr
teen States had only provided for the admission of
new States from out The Union and not from territory
within the Union Yet regardless of the restraint or
want of power under the Confederation to admit new
States from territory within the Union the Congress
of 1887 before the adoption of the Constitution Of the
United States proceeded, by majority VOTE to enact
the celebrated ordinance of 1857, by which new
States mot less than three) should be organ
lied and admitted into the union of the Coincide
ration on an equal footing with the original States
| This zeal in the Northern and Eastern States was
stimulated by the acquisition of territory to the Union
in which they were to participate, from ces,ions
made principally by the Southern States of the great
western wids, which these States severalIy held as
property among them One of the most profound
jurists of Massachusetts drew up this famous ord.
nance and the Northern States generally supported
it, do not recur to this act, Mr. President, for any
purpose of reproof Mr. Madison then considered
The proceeding unwarranted by the powers conferred
in the articles of confederation; and Mr.. Story so
far concurs as to Justify i, onv as an act incident IN
sovereign po.oer Sd vol Story's Com DID, 1874 ls5.
| 1856 sec. 1910 1911 1927 But advert to il his
torcally to show that the northern States. or the
old thirteen States have not ALWAYS regarded the
QUESTION of territory foreign or domestic with such
holy horror and that the Northern States did not on
this occasion object to the acquisition unless acceded
to BY the popular voice nor did they even require
two.,hirds vote of the States in Congress- to sanction