Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-14

/ fears should deter rs from duty. Fiat jn&Hia,
,uoi cce1ns. But these were unreal fears-empiy
menaces. On this il had been argued, lha! II we
first acquired the territory OF Texas hy treaty,
thee would be no difficulty in Tie CASE but mat
4 if we SO much as attempted il 10y legislation,
there was danger of disunion. And yet the very
gentleman who urged this argument had nm
| self, al the last session, voted against annexing
| Texas BY treaty, and preferred it 10 be done BY
Congress. Now they offered him proposition 10
annex il by legislation, and he was just as intch
| opposed 10 lhst. Texas must not come IN by
I treaty, and she mnsl not come in BY ACT ol Con
grcss; and vet such persons said they wereiriends
OF the admission Of Texas; that they were &C
tuated by feelings OF fraternity towards her,
| and wished TO see her in the Union. Mr.. w.
would put this question: II these gentlemen were
friends TO Texas who were her foes l-whose
sympathies for gallant people were mesmer1zeo!
in kind Of magnetic sleep? In other aspects
ofthe measure, disunion, disunion, had been rnnS
long and loud Us, and it had been sounded
Just as loudly in 1912, when the State OF LOUISE
ana was admittcd and in 1903, when The terri-
tory of Louisiana was acquired. The same
threats had been made then. 1t had been admit
ted By both sides, at that time that il Louisiana
ever came in as State, it must be BY act Of Con-
sress. She did come in by an act signed by Mr..
Madison's own hand. The Northern States did
no, acguiescc, but used very angry language then,
as now: bul al both times alike without any
echo from the great public voice OF The country
at large. Ii was a soft OF nonomania, III lroli,
bic. for all of us to talk loudly oil DIsUNluS and
RUIN The worst threat OF diSunlon ever heard
in the halls OF Congress was uttered by MEM
Der from New England in 1872 on the admission
OF Louisiana, and il was then even said that all
the States which had been admitted from terrific
~ moi within The Union at the adoption OF The
Constitution, were not lawfully members OF The
confederacy Yes, Sir, instead of general assent
and reclamation then, as the Senator from Virgil
MIA mr. Rivesl supposed, the same threats we
now hear multered in certain parts OF our conn-
try had then been heard over and over again. IL
was held just as illegal and unconstitutional as
the admission of Texas was now. The proceed
ncs Of the Hartford Convention related in part to
this very subject.
Their report now before me questioned the
cons,iutionaly as well as the prOprely OF the
admission of Louisana-(See Miles Register.)
One of their resolutions proposed also TO change
The clause for the admission OF new States and
Justice Story very frankly says in substance, that
the views Of that Convention as 10 the admission
OF Louisiana, were unenable and unsound.-(3
Story on Con.) Yet after all this, il was now,
as then, insisted by some that an act OF the peo-
pie only could legitimate the admission of Ar
kansas and Missouri, because they had not been
first admitted b. the treaty power and Massa-
chuselts denounced both as mol lawfully coming
into The Union, although purchased first by treaty.
She was difficult 10 suit. In 1912, what came in
first By treaty was unlawful Now, what is ad
United first without treaty, is, with her, equayii
mol more unlawful. This is maintained by her,
too though several OF the strongest opponents oi
the Louisiana purchase in 1903 admitted that if
foreign territory was 10 be introduced al all rs
Stale, il must be by Congress, and not by treaty.
Gentlemen will, in reading the debates o. that day,
find them full OF these admissions.
In order that the Senate may see do not mis-
apprehend the extent and grounds OF objection
now urged by Massachusetts TO The admission Of
Texas by This resolution, will read some proceed
inss which have Just passed one branch of her
Legislature BY large majority.
"Rcsolrcs concerning Mc admission Of Teas.
IL. Rsolred,i That Massachusetts has never
delegated The power 10 admit into the Union
States or Territories without or beyond the orisi-
nal territory of the States and Territories be-
longing 10 this Union al the adoption OF The Con-
situ,ion Of The u States and that, in whatever
manner the consent OF Massachusetts may have
been given or inferred 10 the admission OF the
States already. hy general consent, forming part
of the Union, from such territory. the admission
of such States, in III. judgment OF Massachusetts,
forms no precedent for The admission Of Texas,
and can never be Interpreted 10 rest on powers
granted in the Constitution.
% RcSoircd. That there has hitherto been no
precedent cf an admission Of a foreign Stale or
foreign territory into the Union by legislation
And as The powers of legislation granted in the
Constitution Of The United States to Congress Go
no: embrace 2 case OF the admission of foreign
state or foreign territory by legislation into the
pf nj ho M
binding force whatever on the people ot Massa
chuSclt>.
- Rcsolrcd, That the power never having
been granted by the people Of Massachusetts, 10
admi, into The Union States and territories not
within The same when the Constitution was adopt
Cd remains with lie people; and can only be
exercised in such way and manner as the people
shall hereafter designate and appoint
H. Rcsolred, Thatlhe people Of Massachusetts
will never consent 10 use the powers reserved to
themselves, 10 admit Texas, or any other State or
territory, now without the Union, on any other
basis than the perfect equality OF ircemen and
that while slavery or slave representation forms
any par, Of the claims or conditions OF admis-
sion, Texas, with their consent, can never be ad
United"
These resolves were adopted in the House Of
Representatives on Tuesday last-ycas 1885, nays
Al.
The recent anil Texas Convention there, whose
members and speakers embraced the GaIrisons
as well as The Philipses, and Grinnels, and Adj
amscs, leaders of the opposition, came 10 like
conclusions In their report now before me, in
the Liberator, one of The propositions is This:
81. There is no constitutional power in any
branch OF tie Government, or all the branches OF
the Government, 10 annex a foreign State 10 this
! Union"
| BIT enough q this
There was another argument pressed in favor
OF action by a treaty rather than by Congress-
which was somewhat extraordinary, coming
from large State, and one formerly very SEN
sitive and Jealous of executive power. The last
Senator who had spoken from Virginia, (Mr
Rives, had insisted that The security OF the South
would be incomparaby greater if Texas should
be admitted with the treaty power than il she
should come in by simple act Of Congress, be-
cause there was such great conservative iniln-
ence in the Senate. The Senate represented
States alone, and was thus secure TO small States
Docs she not act this resolution, and thus give
the same sccurityl Is here not greater barrier
TO wrong in a majority of the representatives
OF The people than in the difference between
majority Of the Senate and two-thrds OF the Sc
| nate
Were small or large bodies most exposed 10
corruption, or other sinister influences? "CGmr
ariih Senate at his heels" or they, checked by a
numerous body Of representatives, fresh from the
I people? II is, likewise strange that any Of The
/ South should engage in this kind of reasoning
against a measure SO favorable 10 the security Of
their own peculiar interests. Our opponents
/ talk about uniting with st. Domingo. Who
wished 10 lraernize with ST Domingo? Whu
avowed opinions which run in this channel, aud
abolished the laws against inlermaTiages be-
tween blacks and whites Not the friends OF the
resolution. The great advocates of such ANAL
gamaton were among those opposed TO us
some with whom it seemed "madness ruled The
hour"
What party in This country has always rallied
most at The compromises of the Constitution,
given in this respect some stable protection to
certain great interests in the South? If any
one doubts, lei him read, among numerous other
evidences, the very first and foremost resolu-
ton of the Hartford Convention now before
4