Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-03-04
s PEEC n
U ~ HON. WILLIAM c. RIvEs, Of rirsinia o
fAs Rsssisf'ss Tor fAs Asssrsfioa Of Ttras.
~ skxArx UNITED srArrs-YsnsuAsy Is, ls45.

70 bsck 6rs resolution moved on the SUBJECT which
YES pert Of the Virginia propositions moved by Cover
net ksnds,ph. In the first days Of the Convention. II
vss In The following words; M -.
Rssoved, That provision ought be made for the ad.
mission Of States lawfully arising within the limits Of
shs Uu1eed Ststss whether from voluntary junction OF
end Territory otherwse with tho OF
number of voicesless than the whole"
Before leaving this resolution let comprehend its real
bearing snd import As part oi the history Of the times,
we bear in mind that the State Of Vermont which
he'd violently separated herself from the State New York
oi which shc had been part and within whoee lawful
utisdieton che stl claimed DO by the authorities
u New York had or years been earnestly and impor,u
nsssly applying for sdmssoa the under
The Articles q Confederation. Hardly any subject, more
occupied end disturbed the deliberations the Continental
Coagss Il divided the States two dsnc parties
some fvs, Others against the admission Of Vermont. Mr.
hsdisou. then member Of the old Congress, Of
thoss who entertained and expressed OPT.
noa that the admission OF Vermont under the
o. her violent separation from New York. and without
the consent OF New York her admission, would be
dangerous precedent leading to Acknowledgement Of
other large States and Virginia among Others by similar
unlawful He therefore steadily aud firmly opposed
The admission OF Vermont into the Coniederacy without
the express II New York. as will be seen from
many Of his letters contained the frs, volume Of the
Madison Papers.
The opinions Of Mr.. Madison on this subject OF
special importance in this connection, because know,
(sad Mr.. R. from communication Of that great and v
man. made With his characteristic decscy that he
proposed and dsushted mainly the resolutions which
offered in Convention by Gov. Randolph who was select
cd the organ Of the views Of the Virginia delegation
that body. With the evidence, then. afforded by Mr. Ma
dsou's published correspondence, OF his opinions
Vermont question. enabled once the par.
ticulsr sgn6csncy and import Of the restrictive clause
the resolution u read provision ought to be made for
the admission Of States arsiy sising within the limits
Of the United States" IL clearly had IN view the
Vermont question: and intended to guard against the
admission Of Staes the Union which, like Vermont
should have violently separated themselves from parent
State, without the Of the latter There were in
dcaons Of resessnsss and inpatient desire for the
Independent condition OF States tme on the part of
Maine in Massachusetts, Frankand the infant Tenncssee)
in North Carolina, and in the western part of the
State Of the honorable Senator Of
have already mentioned which seemed to make this wise
precnuton necessary Accordingly the resolution pre-
senied by Gov. Randolph, precisely have read il to the
Senate, adopted by the Convention fret in Committee
of the Whole, and then in House. and finally referred
together with general propositions the sub
jsct by Mr. Pnckney Of South Carolina and Mr Patterson
Of New Jersey. the Committee of Detail who were IN
suucted to report draught OF n Constitution.
In the article prepared by the Committee OF Detail the
subject Of the admission Of States the restrictive
clause In Gov RandoPhs proposition retained in sub
stance, though vared slightly in phraseoogy, and
sddvua clauses added it, IL will be necessary
read TO the Senate the whole article reported by the Conn.,
mtee OF Detail, that may better comprehend the
effect OF the amendments 1t afterwards underwent. The
article Is ss follows, ana for the sake Ut Simplifying the
upon II, It's several clauses numbered:
~ .New States lawfully constituted or established with
in the limits Of the United States may be admitted by the
Legislature into this Government 2) bur TO such ndmis-
consent Of twothrds of the members present shall
he necessary (s If new State shall arise within the
limits any Of the present States the consent of the Lee
rslaturcs Of such States shall be also necessary 10 its ad
miss,on ~ II the admission be consented to- the new
States shall be admitted the with the o:igi.
nal States (5) But the Legislature may make conditions
with the States concerning the public debt which shall
be then subsisting."
When the article taken up for consideration in the
convention Mr. GouverneuF Morris hrst moved to strike
OUT he iou'n ana MIN one declaring 'hat the
new Smes were 10 De admued on the same terms WIN
he original Staes' aud tne ohcr providing that condons
were 70 DC maoe WIN 'ne new states respecting inc pub
nc dent Ihey were stricken out by the vote OF nine
Ses "'mo
., s,,L - o, ,ha s.ad I.~so ;; IL ,"O ~
80 49, ~. r ~, ~ 1911 efuns 'e "
,n;s.;nn 81 new, S,,,. 7, ~ $3.50 "a 49, 81" go
H ". - u ~ ~, n 'ieo, anu ny '"e e
Remaining that amid tho ;s,orscs rsnoc,ng oh. LI,,c.
Of power which arc known to have existed between The
Northern and southern pooos of the Union IN The
yenton and to which every mage of Mr. Madison,s De
hate, bear, the most each
rive of the preponderance of the other ia nora inn
= sha VA consented to have plasd so
nowerfur. u,suns an ri,,naI i..
now.r (so carefnlIv md n,;nnIIy od;ns,J ss, H.,
as IN. Admission Of foreign States int The Inon would
obvi,,sly nrove into the .nds of r,oro ,.;o,;, r c.
gre.s I'VE ,nye seen ,b,t ven undcr Tho y,i.Ios Of on
teder.uop and in ,im. of war when ,bar. vors s ma,
inducements 10 inc,eas. the n,g,.-,. ,n,., IS ,Lo .
feder.ey by tho ai,u OF new mem oers twotnrds vote
was deemed an safeguard i'm regurd 10 the
sdun,ssion OF tn. neighborng British colonies
But, 10 proceed with the history of the changes which
this article underwent the Convention After the sue
cessve amendments which have mentioned what remain
cd Of the original article reported by Committee of De-
tail as follows:
"New States a,pfuv constituted or e,taBl,b. With,
,be limits of tho Jni,ad States NAV h. ad;,,a 80 H.
Legislature into this Government, If new s,.,o ali
arse within the limits Of any OF the present s,ae. ,be
consent OF the Legislatures Of such States shall he also
cessary TO such admission"
In ,his STATE of things Mr. Gouv.,ro,, N,,;s ,,
the ,ph.,;,u,e nj which so ,n,.h h.. - - - Wv -
,lipbtes, foundation in a correc, connrehons IS ,I %
ceedines Of the Convention and of The ana o,;
which influenced hoss M, -, ooJinns IT., ,,',, ~ :.
The followino words. " "
..N.w Co. ,n,, b. .au,;,,., - A. ,.-,.
,L H.. 81, ' o. S.l ~ 'ne Legislature INTO
-, - ~ ~, ~ se. S s"i' DC ERECTED "''hin 'he
,na .r;,i.,,,,a - 80 g, "r'ou 'S consent OF
Ia;s,s,..an " ~ '' Is We" d Vi inc GENERA!
No",sr' niue fenechon and knowledge OF the con-
hcune interests ana opinions IN the Convention will show
once tse real bearing and operation OF MI Morrs sub
suue mere was ou one opinion IN the Convention That
inc want OF power IN the old Congress- under the articles Of
confederation TO admit new States should tie supplied and
mat power should be gwen TO Congress undor the
constitution The general proposition, therefore, 10 give
70 congress he power TO admit new States destined
ton. Isut thn