Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-03-01

sre saw Why gentlemen should we negotiate with you
on this NATTER when authorized by your own act TO
come into the Union at without any negotiation -
But Mr. b. had entertained hope Of changing vote by
this amendment And if thsas possibly II might be-was
be the last public act he should have to perform no de-
sired the opportunity OF recording his vote in vindicauon o. he
Constitution of his country :.
Mr. DICKINSON raised question OF order; con.enoig
that after amendment had been inserted In bi couid
not itself be amended. !,
The CHAIR decided the amendment to be in order and
the question being on its adoption ..,,,;.n :.
Mr. WOODBRIDGE said Il had not been ms n'e'''io,. "
say word on this subject He had listened with great aue
ton to the arguments ably urged on ooth oes' anu na
formed conscienousy his own opinion do. nc naa hes
stated by the honorable Senator from Kentucky iMr INT
In The opening of his argument that, on great
and vital Question Of the Constitution and OF our national po
cy such as this 10 ought 10 shrink behind he barrier OF
his own silence Mr. w never had been YET. much gwen
Il shrnkinc and ne should not shrink Yet he should
not fatigue the Ivy discussing the reasons which would
influence his this occasion This however, he must
saw that he considered the adoption Of these resolutions from
the House of Representatives one OF the most vital saDs e
Constitution had ever received The Senate had been adj
onished by the Senator TO limit their views to President
makine or TO conne them to the passing politics OF the
day. Mr. W. did admit that the Senate could, with JUS
ce be charged with this but the further views taken by the
honorable Senator the highest degree philosophical and
well founded In bold and beautiful manner, he had thrown
himself wcre into the midst of postery and had led
down the views Of the Senate to the day when Cuba throw
ing of the shackes Of colonial bondage might come knocking
he had taken one look ury, and there he had
with Great Britain and Mr.. ". could not but
think that the taking did tend in that direction
Our Federal Constitution little else than one bundle OF
concessions and compromises but what would be the effect oil
the measure now about to be carried 1t throw all the
interests involved in and secured by the Constitution COM
pee out Of balance, by attaching new and distant territory
to the Unon contemplated by those who framed or by
those who adopted the Constitution was received maxim,
to which sound lawyer would object that the intention Of
the awgyer constituted the law So the intention OF the fra
mers of the Constitution constituted the Constitution Now,
let Senators soemny ask themselves whether the trainers OF
Constitution intended to delegate to majority OF Congress
power annex another nation this Union The act went
to destroy the identity of the nation
Gentlemen talk strengthening the interest of slavery
Was this the way to do it Hitherto the widness and
eckessness Of the aboonss had been restrained and kept
in check In every instance the guarantees of the Consttu
ton had been extended Southern property every FORM
The non-savehoding States adhered to the bargain, and
wished to do nothing ese But here what asked OF them
To extend the guarantees of the Constitution and to give to
large section of the Union representation the ground
of property, while to another section this prohibited
And this difference to be extended yet further An ar
preparation had been made in the other House for erecting
additional public buildings here in Washington but did not
gentlemen know that the balance of power marched to-
wards the slavehong Sates the seat Of Government must
march the South and West 1t double the distance
from this Capitol to Texas that it from here Maine
1t commonly said that in Congress all the Representatives
ought to vote according the interests Of their several
tons of the Union But would gentlemen from the North
vote to destroy the balances of the Constitution But he
should not enter into the subject it had already been fully
discussed; and he had only all because he OPP
posed any Senator'S Withholding his sentiments great
aud grave question as this.
Mr.. BAGBY said that whatever might have been the diff
cues the minds of other Senator's he had himself his
way perfectly clear from the very beginning He did not deny
that II the could have been accomplished by the treaty.
making power he should have preferred its being done that
form but the time for that passed The Senator from
Georgia abored he conceived under entire msconcep
ton IN representing Mr. b. and those who acted with him on
tins occasion about epose their conscientious obligations
in the hands of the Executive of any other human being
Mr. B should not occupy any deceptive ground any n1
ground He might far he then knew, have had
to pass through all this dismal alone but he had even
then this consolation that his destiny to walk through
the shadow Of political DEATH no need fear evh his hand
the Constitution and with the appreciation Of his constituents
aud of his conscience He had then indicated how far
he would and how far he would CO. He had argued that
as this was new case, called for the application of
remedy He had distinguished it them and he distinguished
now from calling for the Intervention Of the treaty
making power tshat Texas after her admission, would
no longer continue be- she before distinct sovereign
and independent Power After further remarks too in
distinctly heard by the Reporter be clearly given, Mr. b.
concluded by saying that this transaction should be placed
the footing suggested by his able and friend near him.
Mr BENroS whom and whose important he trusted
the people of the United States would be ungatefn
forget he should be well satisfied hut if he called on
all gentlemen to witness that he should oppose Its final con-
summation.
III
fered presented the precise question whether Congress had
the power to admit foreign State. 1t agreed by the
friends of annexation themselves that this could be done at
ALL the tynakng power competent to do 1t and
had been demonstrated oday by the Senator from Kentucky
(Mr. CRrrrKSpES) that if the power to admit be in the
President and Senate, twas exclusively there for if the
People, when they invested Congress with the powers con-
timed the Constitution, declared that to be done by
the Executive, by and with the advice and consent of two
thirds Of the Senate and yet the time declared that
could be done by simple majority OF the two Houses they
had ordained contradiction and an absuriy. On the ques
ton whether they had done Mr. b. prepared TO vote
The question taken, and decided by yeas and
nays as follows
YEAS--Messrs Archer Barrow, Bates, Bayard, Berien
Choate, Clayton, Crepden Dayton, Evans Francis Hunt
Pearce, Phelps, Porter R,es, Simmons, Upham, White
Woodbridge--25.
NAYseMesms Allen, Ashley Atchison, Atherton, Bag
by Benton Brecse Buchansn Colquitt Dickinson Dix Far
Dufie Merrick Miles, Semple, SEWER Sturgeon, Iappan
Walker, Woodbury-26.
SO the amendment not agreed to.
The question again coming concurng, in the Senate
with the amendment made in Committee Of the Whole
Mr.. CRrrTENDEN said that the argument which had
been used in favor Of this that Congress was
empowered by the Constitution admit foreign State into
the Unon acquiring thereby not the people only the land
only, but both people and territory 1t said that Congress
could do this under the clause which declared that New
States might be admitted by the Congress into the Union,
and thai this had in fact been done in several instances that
dent and Of the letter Of the Constitution positive The
Senator from Mississippi (Mr HKSnEnsos) had insisted that
North Carolina had been admitted foreign State so had
Rhode Island and that by the right Texas or Mexico
might be admitted and gentlemen had traced the admission
Of these foreign States They said that law had been
for their admission but that adopting the Constitution their
Representatives allowed to walk the Hall and take
their seats after which these States considered part of