Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-08

How can this compact be adopted by a State
which is moi sovereign? How can it be made
with the States Of a Contederacy, whose Govern
ment controls the State How can a portion Oh
sovereignty be delegated by each State TO the Ge.
neral Government, when the State possesses noEe!
How can power be delegated by the subjected
party, TO the ruling2 How can she grant mat
power to the Government, which she holds al rs
iciu and pleasure? She cannot do it. II is alb.
surd 10 suppose, that any State can be admitted
as SUCH without being entirely flee sovereign,
But if she be independent OF, she is, necessarily,
foreign 10 the General Government.
The action Of our system has been in accor,
dance with these views When a State is formed
out of the territory OF the United States, Congress
,vithdraps its control from the State, and leaves u
10 exercise the highest work Of sovereign power,
in adopting State Constitution and the Fede-
raj Constitution, if it wishes
1t thus appears, that the nature OF our nslllu-
tions is such, that it would be absurd, and con-
trary to every principle OF the system, 10 suppose,
that any State can be admitted which is not TO-
reign Slate.
If these conclusions be not correct, wha, would
have been the situation OF any fonr States refus-
ing to ratify The Constitution in 1881? II VIII
be recolleced that nine States ralifyng establish
the Constitution as 10 them. Where would have
been the four States refusing7 They would have
been foreign States strangers 10 the Union; and
the harsh construction given to this clause would
thus have closed The doors of The Union 10 them
forever; would have blotled elernally from The
common banner Of the Coniederacy, those stars
in the bright constellation of the American Re-
yolution, which served 10 light the way 10 The
achievement OF a common victory, common
glory, and common independence. Was such
a construction could il have been, intended?
But Mr.. Kennedy Of Maryland says that as
cit,scns of the United States for seven and nine
years are alone eligible 10 the lower and upper
houses Of Congress, and as This could not be
the case in a foreign STATE, therefore foreign
Stale cannot be annexed.
Who are citizens Of The United States No
one can be citizen ofthe United States taken
as one country except those born on its common
territory. II they be citizens Of any Stale, they
are citizens of the United States; else there would
be few Senators and Representatives
MAY not foreign Stale have citizens! u II
be admitted into the Union the naturalization
laws OF the United States, would control its own.
Bearing this modification alone in view, would
not every citizen OF The foreign State, be citizen
of The State when admitted? And OF course OF
The United States? How was it in the case Of Yer
mont, when admitted The same rule was ap-
piled as il must always be. There is no force III
Mr.. Kenncdy's objection
have thus briefly and impcrfecly shown, on
the face of the clause, from its history and from
the nature Of our Institutions that foreign
State may be admitted; conclusion which opens
the way 10 the investigation Of the scheme Of an
nexatun in its effects upon the progress OF free
institutions, upon the progress OF American con-
troll on this continent, the entire exclusion OF
Great Britain in its influence upon the industrial
pursuits of the country, in its protection from
external aggression and internal violence, and in
the vast benefits which may flow from it in per-
peluatngo our glorious Union and producing har-
nony amongst the discordant materials OF which
il is composed.
a EptrSn or rrtr CnNsTfTTTiOS