The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1845-03-27
WOODSTOCK, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH e. lsa5.

h spirit of the constitution, because it was as
a snmed that no additions to our terrlor
# were contemplated or thought Of, he woul
= detaln the Senate moment longer con
G cerulng it. Why, sir,what is the design Of
constitution in this view of the subject? r
make provision only for each particular
= case then talked of! So far from that, i
= is to make broad general rules for all sub
. sequent cases coming within their lette
and spirit, whether then thought of or not
Otherwise senators on the other SIDE nigh
object to the use Of steamboats, o. ralrord
to carry the mail, because they were not in
A. ID. 1893 thought of or contemplated
So as to the magnetic telegraph: for public
communications, in war or peace, never
dreamed of in the convention. But were
the safe course Of construction different, is
there not ample evidence, beside what has
already been mentioned, to show that an
enlargement of our Union beyond its orgi-
nal limits was often and seriously locke ed
to.
Mr. Madison in the Fcderaist, look ed
to no limitation TO the extent ofthe Union,
except such distances as to prevent con-
vcnlent meetings at the centre; and he
uses another expression pregnant with the
idea of going beyond our own bosoms:
"Add to them such other States as may
arise in their own bosoms or in Mtir ncigh-
borhoods." &c.
So Hamilton, though surrounded by
politicians of more narrow grasp Of mind,
writing in June, 1897, to McHenry, at.
ter speaking of ships and troops, says;
"Besides eventual security againq inva-
sion, we ought to look certainly TO the pos
session of the Floridas and Louisiana; and
we ought to squint at South America"
Even the old confederation had conlem-
plated the admission of Canada and other
colonies, British, Spanish, or French
Could all this have been in contemp lation
so early as l776; and was not it so much as
to be heard of now, or in 1882 Would
gentlemen say that no enlargement of the
Union was contemplated by those hardy
western settlers who we're ready to fight
70. the possession Of the mouth OF the Miss.
issippi? We had extensive northern re-
glons yet unsettled, and every emigrant
thither from our own firesides or abroad
had right to all these meditated expan-
sions, whenever such additions Of terrific.
ry or States became useful to protect
either their families from border butchery,
or their property from pilage on its way to
the ocean or to foreign markets. 1t was
settled as early as in the old Congress, as
well as in the convention, that the mighty
West and Southwest should be protected;
and as incident TO that great decision, and
no other constitutional duties devolved on
us for preserving the tranquility and
property of all, we were bound by the iron
bands of both duty and policy to give that
protection, whether by buying Louisiana,
or Florida, or admitting Texas to unite
her destines with ours. We stood, then,
fully justified in carrying out the present
measure, not as one merely within the
words of the constitution, but its leglli-
mate object-one sanctioned by the spirit
no less than the letter of the sacred chart
er formed by the great patriots and states
men who made the decision before men
Toned, and introduced the proposition for
admitting new States. Such a course and
uch an expansion of our limits accord well
with the genius of our people and the gen. {
Illus Of our governenmt. All these consld- {
,rations, with many more have not time {
o enumerate, show the present measure
o be within the spirit both of the clause
We are considering and ofaIl our inslitu- :
ionns the provision in the confederation
hows it, the changes in phraseoogy in the t
show it;the remarks ofM adison
nd Hamilton show it; the duty ofprogress
nd protection to our people show it; and =
he statesman who, after all this, and the
vdences Of our growing destinies on the ,
western continent, Can be content TO over t
ook all, and make Chinese wall against {
ur enlargement in the West and South r
vest, must, in my apprehension, limp far r
ehind the age. You may as well, sir, al o
empt to dam up the flow of the waters of
he Mississippi to the ocean, as to stop a
his advancement ofour people. Disunion f
vas another horror conjured up against
his measure! But if it was right and
Ist, no menaces or fears should deter us f
-om duty. Fiat juStitia, ruit celnm. But {
hese were unreal iears-empty menaces. n
IN this it had oeen argued, that if we first f
cquired the territory Of Texas by treaty, II
lere would be no difficulty in the case; 81
ut that five attempted it by legislation, il
1ere was danger Of disunion. And yet "
he very gentleman who urged this argu- S
lent had himself at the last session, voted Il
gainst annexing Texas by treaty, and o
referred it to be done by Congress. Now 9
icy offered him proposition to annex 1t J
y legislation, and he was Just as much W
opposed TO that. Texas must moi come in 81
y treaty, and she must not come in by 9
n act of Congress- and yet such persons g
lid they were friends Of the admission Of Il
exas; that they were actuated by feelings II
fraternity towards her, and wished to S
e her in the Union. MIR w. would
1t this question: If these gentlemen et
ere friends to Texas, who were her foes? er