Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-02-22

power to admit new States was destined To receive general
support in the Convention But the restriction Of that power
70 States lawfully constituted established within inc
limits of the United States would, clearly foeseen al
the opposition of the States friendly 70 he aams
sion Of Vermont and calculated also 70 excite he
Of those States (parcuary Maryland Delaware ana Wy
Jersey which had long bean engaged In controversy WIN
the larger States respecting the waste ana unapPoPaioa
lands within the limits of the latter Tins last cas
Of States woudbe prone look uPonth CLAUSE inc
proposition of Gov. Randolph and IN the aruce reported D
the Committee Of Detail as Of guaranty Of the territorial
claim Of the larger States In this state OF opinion ana eenng
in the Convention Gouveneur Norris with the tact and sa
ciy for which he was so p'ousn,
rward his substitute merely changing the arrangement and
phraseoocy Of the article reported by the Committee OF Detail
so as present the first part Of 1t the naked proposition to
confer upon Congress the power to admit new States upon
which the whole Convention agreed and to transfer the
latter part Of the precautionary and restrictive principle
quirng the mutual accord Of the State and that from
which it dsnembeed which it foreseen severe
struggle must take place.
Accordingly the vote Of the Convention was first and sepa
raey taken upon the first part Of Mr. Moss substitute de-
cang in general terms that new States be admitted
by the Legislature into the Union y and il unanimously
adopted Then the question came up on the latter clause
embracing the principle Of the restriction Gov Randophs
proposition and the article reported by the Committee Of De-
TAIL which require the consent OF the dlsmembered
State condition necessary to the lawfM formation and
admission Of State and the moment that PROPOSE
ton presented for the vote Of the Convention Luther
Martin opened vehement attack upon it. appealing directly
to tn feelings and interests Of both classes of the macontent
sNothing would alarm the limited States to make the
of the large States claiming the western lands nccessa
~ to the establishment Of States within their limits u
is proposed guaranty States Shall Perno he reduced
by force favor Of the States claiming u frdnkhnd and
the western county of Virginia were in like situation
The taken and the latter part Of the substitute
carried by only six States FIVE, New Hampshire and
Connecticut the friends and allies Of Vermont and Maryland,
Delaware New jersey the antagonists OF the large States
of the old grudge respecting the waste and
popriated lands within the limits Of the latter all voting
A made vhic
understood provide for the of Vermont and that drew
off the two States Of New Hampshire and Connecticut from
tho opposition but Maryland Delawareand New Jersey held
out in unmiigated resistance to the last.
is seen, therefore, Mr. President that the question which
in the Convention had the slightest reference the
restriction of the power to admit States to the territorial
limits of the United States No person moved, sug
gesed limited that the power of admitting States ought
not be limited the proper territory of the United States
II seemed to be taken for granted by every body that this
power like every other power of Congress- limited by its
nature and matter of course the territory Of the
United States and there is the abundant evidence in
other proceedings Of the Convention that such the uni
yersa understanding of the body The only question which
arose upon Gov Randophs proposition and Mr. Morss sub
stitue as has been shown regard to restriction of
wholly different character referring the of State
arising within the limits of another and requiring the
OF the latter In such necessary condition the hc
u establishment and admission Of the new State ino the
Union The whole affair of Gov. Randophs proposition and
Mr. Morrss substitute about which much deusion has
been popagaed has absolutely therefore, the slightest
bearing upon the question which under discussion.
Thus the law and the Constitution were his judgment,
beyond all controversy With due Difference honorable
Senator from Mississippi, (Mr W.LKEa,) in what he had
said few days about the opinion Judge Supreme
Court (reeng he presumed the opinion Of Judge John
in the Of the American Insurance Company
ter he would take the liberty Of saying that if the gentleman
would look at the record he would find that the
opinion Of that learned Judge correspondent strictly with that
lie had expressed and amounted to this, that obtain
foreign territory by the treaty making power then might ad
init new States from that territory by the legislative power
This the law and Constitution of land and on this
Mr. r. would take his stand and he now said to his honora
BILE friend from Pennsy vana and to the other friends Texas
IN that chamber that Texas should be brought into this
Union by plain and palrabe inracton of the Constu
uon such Is proposed would prove and not
boon impossible that the blessing of Heaven could
rest upon any measure consummaed in defiance of su
men they had sworn to support No in the anxiety Of gen.
temen per as a neas, to get in Texas, setting aside the
PROVISIONS OF the Constitution, which required the of
twohirds Of the States of this Union
agreements with foreign Powers they would open in this land
fountain of bitter waters which human power could
stanch Legislative repsals would be made and
OF retaliation attempted under which this Union could
stand Mr. r. did say suppose that would produce
Immediate and formal dissolution of the Union but this
he did say, that this high handed should be
mated would lead to anmosies, contentious and mutual
conflicts, which would ember the Union as 10 render
violent disruption Of it almost inevitable He did not say
final disruption, for he still willing believe that if such
separation did take place. must be temporary only for he
had endeavored show, during the last session. that
herself had bound together this glorious constitutional
liberty, that it impossible for the violent passions of
permanently dissolve the ties by which its various parts
are linked together But the danger that the reunion
would be effected by the sword and then would follow the
senness of military desposm extnguishng here, in their
last retreat the hopes Of liberty and law earth That was
his fear.
Let now, Mr. President, attempt to follow out in the
visions of the future what likely occur it. in the face
oil the circumstances of those who took their stand upon the
pghed faith of the Constitution this should con-
summated by majority of the Houses Of Congress
when the next Congress met surprising the people of Texas
TO have accepted the terms proposed what might happen
His friend from Pennsylvania had spoken Of this ioni esou
ton pldging the filth Of the nation Mr. r. would ask
could act IF The Legislature pledge the faith of this ma
ton to foreign Power tic up the hands of a succeeding
Legislature Mr. r. did not read the Constitution The
same legislative majority which passed the joint resolution
might repeal it. Who could for the changes that
might take place in the great deep Of public opinion = Who
could say how future elections might out What secu-
y had gentlemen that the Congress- by their majority
power might repeal the of the present Congress- and
when Texas for admission the door slammed in her
face-what then
But suppose Texas TO be admitted. The honorable Sena
tor says ne likes this joint resolution because the slavery que
ton settled by it, and finally put the Of the Mis-
SCUM compromise Could the honorable Senator say there
was any peculiar sancy in this joint resolution must ex
empt rom the power of future legislation Might not
future Legislature, under the excitement produced by what
mey aeemed wanon invasion of the Constitution rise up
ana declare haf had the right act upon this ques-
uon as Us predecessor that former Congress had no right
to bind them and, though previous boy had undertaken
70 spulate the observance Of the Missouri compromise in
Texas, yet when State formed out az ts terr,or
should come knocking for admittance had the s,e y, ~
prescribe conditions those who had gone before the, J
that would not admit the Texan States but pon