The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-01-18
THE TEXAS QUESTION.
SPEECH OF MR.. DOUGLASS,
or ILLINOIS,
IN the House Of Representatives,
JANUARY 6, 1915.


II .
hssed At would be II must be done in accordance
with The principles Of the constitution. The gentle
man IRON Massaehusett. Mr.. Winthropl has taken
high ground upon this subject and denied the exis-
tenee OF the constitutional power ia thi.
10 annex foreign tsniiory, 10 extend u. jufisdc
tion by any means whatever beyond the original lin-
ats He has defined his position fairly and assumed
II WIN boldness that exhibits his confidence IN us
correctness. He has goos farther and confined him
sell strictly within the line he marked out Tor himself
and friends In his opening remarks. lie raised The
questIon-suggested the dlfiieuly-paced The block
la our way, and left 10 Remove At and clear the
path loT those rho shall follow u.s. He does not con-
sder IL incumbent upon him 10 the objscton
| II was sufficient for hn TO make Il. Well 4 am nod
sure bui what THIS was the more prudent course The
httie fofetase that that gentleman and hi. POLITICAL
associates had In the discussion Of this alton
question before The people throug bout the length and
breadth OF the conisderacy, during the late pres.n
tai campaign, has taught them a lesson which they
seem disposed To profit by. They have learned wis
dom from experience, and not to be caught again
IN lull discussion Of this question, in all ITS bear
lngs, before the country Never was an issue pre-.
senled 10 the American people directly or dis
inelly, and never Was the enlightened Judgment Of
the nation pronounced more emphslically IN approba
oh oil any measure than In the late election favor
OF the annexation Of Texas. IL was the watch ord
the war cry-the rallying point Of one party and
the target at which the missiles and thunderbos of
the other were mainly directed. Ii was the main
point OF attack and defence and in degree CONTROL.
ed the result of the contest The victorious pary
come INTO power upon this more than any other issue
ana Is committed by every principle of honor and du-
Iy-by It's promises, pro essons and pledges faith
July 10 execute the viii of the people In this respect
ne PRESIDENT elect stands erect upon this ion
ready 10 carry the verdict OF the people into effect
aud We will prove fathess, and deserve to be con-
demned and repudiated by an honest and indip nj
people, IT we fa to practice after election what we
protested before But while duty 10 this respect
PLAIN, ahd immediate action Is required it must be
done with scrupulous regard, not only to the prn.
ciPies, but the forms OF the constitution Ii becomes
our duty therefore, TO examine fairly the c,nstitu
uonal dihcuity which the gentleman from Massa-
chusets has attempted TO thrust in our way | will
call his attention, add that of the House. not only 10
he constitution and the proceedings of the conven-
ton by which 4 was formed, but To the articles of
confederation, IN order to trace the history of the
provision providing for the admission OF new States
4 During the revolutionary war there was a general
desire that Canada should make common cause with
the thirteen original States and be received into the
| Union.
Hence provision was incorporated into the arti-
eies oil confederation, that Canada might be admit
teu as oil right upon accedng To the terms of conede-
ration, but that ether colony should be received
except by the assent of nine States This provision
clearly SHOWS the intention OF the trainers of that in
srument, and demonstrates that they contempla ted
not only the admission of Canada, but also OF such
o''' soso'ies as nlhc Oh tnc original States should
deem advisable. This might have reference to New
81 unswck and Nova Scotia, Il Q east or to the
forldas, LOUISIANA, and the Mexican States on the
west OF to any other adjacent territory hch in the
progress OF time, might desire admission, a nd the
United States should proper to receive. These
contingencies were ioreseen, and all provided for at
that early period. When the convention assembled
In lIoi, TO revise the articles of confederation and
form the present constitution of the United States an
attempt was made TO conlne the power of admitting
new states 10 such as might arise within the limits Of
the territory belonging TO the original thirteen States
One of the propositions was the admission of STATE,
a'cfnLy arng pithin the limits of the United States ~
ana several DINERS OF similar import were offered at
different times. Further attempts made to re-
strict The exercise OF thus power by requiring the con-
currence of wo-thirds of the members OF esept in or
der to admit new State. All of the propositions
after M citing with favor at first were finally
rejected and the general clause as it now stan in
the constitution, providing that ne,p States ,au be
admitted by Congress into The Unon, was adopted in
leu OF them. Thus, 1t will be perceived that in
stead of restricting the power it existed in the ar
cle' of confederation, greatly enlarged in the
constitution, so as TO authorize Congress to admit
new States by vote Of majority of each House
whether within the original limits of the United States
| or not. =
This view of the subject is illustrated and sane.
toned BY the action of all the departments of the
government IN the acquisition of Louisiana and Flor
IDA, and the admission of the States of Louisiana
Missouri, and Arkansas into the Union. Whatever
doubts may have arisen therefore, in the minds of
distinguished statesmen at one period of our history
those doubts have long since been dssipated and the
doctrine sanctioned and settled by the universal opn-
ION oil the American people, that foreign territory
/ may De annexed, organized into Territories and
States, and admitted into the Union on an equal foot
ing with the original States.
| But while II il now generally cOnceded-tbe ran
teman from Massachusetts, TMr WMruRop1 of
course excepted-that foreign territory may be an
nexed and admitted into the Union as States there
are those who entertain doubts as to the power of
Congress to annex territory, with the view to such
admission. This objection requires serious consd-
GRAFTON also for IT is not sufficient that we have the
power to do the act, but must have the right TO
do II IN the manner proposed. The constitution saws
that " new States may be admitted by the Congress
into the Union )" and for the purpose Of establishing
the rule OF construction by which the expressly grant
ed powers shall be interpreted and defined, 1t has
further provided that Congress is authorized to
make the laws which shall be necessary and proper
for carrying into execution the foregoing powers and
all other powers vested by this constitution in the gov
eminent OF the United States, in any department
or ONCE thereof. Under this latter clause differ
ence OF opinion has arisen, which has divided the
people into two great political parties on all grea,
constitutional questions, from the adoption of the
constitution until the present time the one adherIng
to The very letter OF the constitution and insisting that
no power should be exercised unless it was expressly
granied-or, IN the language OF that instrument was
Necessary and proper to carry expressly granted now
er into effect; and the other contending that they
were no, to be strictly confined to the words neces a.
~ and proper, but were authorized TO pass such
laws as were Convenient and erpeden in the e1ecu-
ton OF the sPechc powers, BY substituting con-
renenee" for necessity" and srpeency" for ,,ro-
PrNty' they enlarge the powers Of the constitution,
and extend them to objects not authorized by it
Under this loose rule Of construction they claim the
power to incorporate United States bank, upon the
spacious plea that il - convenient and expedent in
the collection and disbursement Of the public revenue
On the other hand, the opponents of bank insist
that the revenue can be properly collected and dis
bursed without such an Institution, and hence bank
y no, neetsarV to carry the enumerated power into
execution. ! could cite numerous instances TO illus.
rae the distinction, butt Is unnecessary to consume
ne as the cases and the principle involved are ia
milisr to The House and the country Il is sufficient
to remark that peIoal party, and SO far as NV in.
lormsilnn nOes. no individual sfsi,anan has nua.