The Arkansas banner., 1845-02-26
To. ihe Banner.

Democratic Uaion
 
 For inc Banner.
 MR. EDIToR--Absence from Little Rock has heretofore delayed reply to your edito- rial in the Banner of the 9th instant, under the head of '.acqaisiioa of Terrjforyn Sir, you are mistaken in supposing that deem the first position taken in the communication signed '.Civis,n to be my strongest point, and upon which I mainly rest my case. It IS no stronger than the second position taken of acquisition of territory by treaty; they are both authorized by the constitution of the United States, as have shown heretofore. and being authorized by that instrument, they stand in point of strength upon par with each other. deem it libel on those politi- cal sageS who framed our admirable consti- tuition, 10 suppose that that instrument does uot amply provide for all the necessary wants of the people and States for whom 1t was intended to form the great outline and land mark oi their future government and pros perity.
 That they should have left 50 essential d provision wholly out of the constitution as the acquisition ol Territory and power so "tmPerdfiDe and indispensable" for our safety that lr. Jefferson was under the "imperatiYe andlndlspensablenecessity" ofacting without (or may say contrary to) the constitution In acquiring Territory both organized and unorganlzed, larger than the whole of the [ Id thirteen States This measure was sane toned by the Republican party," and so was the treaty by which Mr Monroe purchased Florida and disposed of Texas sanctioned by the Republican party, and never understood that this sanction was had under the plea of "mperatve and indispensable necessty,n but always supposed that 1t looked to the const- tuton Tor that sanction; at the present time the sale of Texas seems to be looked on as rather all unnecessary bad bargain.
 As you seeem al a loss to know s.preciselv what '" Civis" means by the terms tvrants' plea of necessity" in all courtesy will say that he means that kind of governmentusually termed tyranny, that acknowledges no consti- tuition or law for government other than the will or caprice of those who have the control ol the government, when what they in their errng wisdom deem necessary, becomes the law of the land or the rule to govern. Now. sir, when such vast interest as SeIfprcSgr- ration has depended on getting possession of LontSiana, and t7orida, and Oregon, was it not unfortunate, under your construction of the powers of the constitution, that the execu- i've and legislative authorities of this nation have been compelled by S imperative and ill., dispensable necessity to act wilhort or con trary to the constitution that they had all most solemniy sworn to obey and support. No, sir, the framers of our admirable consti- tuition were not so blind to the future as 10 leave without provision in that sacred nstrll- ment such an essential provision as that of acquiring other territory than that which they then had and possessed ; and which you admit was "imperative and essentiallyr ne- cessary to the defence and protection of the government that they were then engaged in framing,
 Sir, you are mistaken in supposing that :. Cir's seems good deal perplexed and con- fused in mind" by that portion oi the eonsli- iullon which provides that .'the Congress shall have power To make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory and otherProperty belonging tothe United Siates.'' tad you not have been so much tickled with
 '~N s' AN'@N VT NtHoHuiHL tllc W B0n0.= ! you woull have seen, without relerrjng to any other part of the constitution, ;,,at ii referred not only to the "ten miles square for seat of government, and To places for lae erection ef forts, dock yards, &c.,n bu, You would have found lhat Il referred eouaIly to lhe territory aud property iu Florida. Iowa and Oregon, as h the ten miles square. at- though neither oi Iae lauer territories were wilbia the taea jurtsdictioaal limits of tbe United Smies at the imc that this provision was inserted iu tbe constitution. Bulsuopo.e thal the power of Congress tn make alI neeIi. inl ihlrs and regulations respecting the tFFri. ,ast aad propegl} belougiue iu tue Uuiiei ,iales only io relev ,a tiie ien miles sauafe .af seat oi government, ana tn plaess lsr '3fis' dneA yanis, &r., Whefa will Voa F1d .ae .i power or auihnalY laf governing Hlefiaa. l''es'san' Iowa of Oregon win vou 20 Ia "l- t'n'' convenient of all dcpasliaas aI laiillesl power, "imReaHve an1 iaa5sasazs. 1le aaeessi,v ;n
 Hls V g mast tuHtHntnut tesl4t fl aftaaz- .ale i' any lasW when aasnan, in the esa- .stsA o' ile tasaeA s#se- iusl ceaer.ge s .ttiirg imperative anl mslisprusahls as-es. and hata l4 tAe safaHi f,- He sazzsi