The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-02-05
CONGRESS-:
WAsHISeros, Jan. "a
HOUSE.
TEXAS DEBATE


The House having resolveditselfinto Com
s,ittee Of the Whole on the State oil the
Onion, the Texas debate was resumed.
MIR. Dromgoole of Virginia, addressed the
Committee on the subject in speech Sh:ch
commanded great attention. He announced
himsefin favor of the annexation OF Texas
but said he could not vote for the plan rec
commended BY the COMMITTEES on Foreign
Relations. So hssty an action cannot re-
ceire my sanction. 1t looks like the last and
expiring effort Of the Tyler administration.
(SensatioD. Il proposes to revive and rati-
Is in totideHa reIbis, q rejected Treaty.
DIR. ID next argued that tie acquisition oil
territory beyond the Constitutional limits
was unconstitutional Proof enough was
afforded Of this, and Mr.. Drcmgoic quoted
Mr.. Adams in lS2;3 when he defended the
acquisition Of Louisiana, to prove this. Mr..
Dromgole, however, by poor sub,ehuge,
soon fell from tie sublime 10 the ridiculous,
BY declaring that we could admit Texas as
state. Being State il ceased to be foreign
territory.
MIR, Dromgoole endeavored to find some
example for this view of the case, in the ad-
mission of Vermont, Connecticut aud Rhode
ISLAND 10 the Union. These States were re-
garded as holding The same relations to The
Union as Texas does.
Mr.. d. closed by contending that we should
not be held liable for the debts Of Texas.
AIr. Barnard New York was the next
successful competitor for rhe floor. Mr. Bar
n1rd made an able and most conclusive con-
stitutonal argument against the admission Of
Texas. Ii was highly complmented by Dir.
Adams, and members on TIE other side were
Invited by Mr. 4, TO answer the argument.
MR. ADAMs's SPEECH.
Mr.. Adams rose TO continue the debate,
The members focked around him. The
crowds in the gallery leaned over to catch
the words OF the speaker, and tie House was
soon breathlessly silent. Mr.. Adams said he
rose TO take part in tie debate, :.iih great re-
Mctance. The inclination OF his heart and
mind was 10 remain silent to the ED under
the ample discussion the subject had received.
Circumstances, however, applying person
ally and peculiarly TO himself, referring to
past events, aud his agency in these occur
sences' affecting his own reputation here. in
elre country, and everywhere, forbid that he
should remain silent.
In Ire month Of July, 1913, said Mr.. i'd
ans, passing from Montreal 10 Quebec, "a dis
distance CT $50, Rilss, in ii hours, in con-
rersation with young counirymsn, upon
beautiful moonlight eyeaing, | was prompted
TO ezcllIn "W hat beautiful river 20 Yes
was response Of my country man, land it
mus, be cuT5."
ltmight be, | remarked, but for an injunc-
ton Of Olden time-"Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's goods" "Yes,'' was the re-
Spouse "hut nature has given it to IL, we
must have it," This sentiment, continued
Mr.. Adams, to me is the only unanswerab!e
argument have heard in the present debate.
BH; this was principle Of action more ap-
p,npriate to other Governments than our own.
All other arguments introduced into the de-
bate were founded more upon imagination
III IN upon facts.
The question we had had before us until
this time was Joint Resolution for "lhe re-
annexation Of Texas" Spoken with an ep-
P.lasis tli7t made all laugh.) That Joint
Resolution contained the arguments for the
~ 'asuTe, and was preceded By preamble,
declaring, first, that, Whereas Texas was
ceded to the United States in 1862
An Imagination and not a fact
'aud whereas the Federal Constitution au-
tharlzes the cession of Texas to the United
Steies,"
Again founded upon an imagination and
not fact.
The whole preamble started upon an as
slned fact which was that the country
called Teras was ceded to us in 1903. He
denied the statement, and it therefore went
for nothing.
The gentleman from Illinois (Nr. Doug
lass,) with genius and eIoquencc peculiarly
his own, pointed To rae with great emphasis
as the author oflhe proposition to annex
Teras 10 the United States 1t was so far
true, but he had failed to state what as
Judge be should not have omitted, that this
purchase was 10 be made by the common
consent of II the parties concerned. There
WIS all the difference between his yroposi-
ton ana the one now before the House, that
there was between purchase and burgla-
r. :
or himself, he was free to admit that he
had always been i'll favor of erterding the
territory of the Uuited States 10 the Rio del
N'rie, provided, first, that The people inter-
esisd, woail consent TO this jurisdiction, and
providing further, that Slavery should be
ahalished- When he had proposed to pur-
case Texas, there was no slavery there.
Gave nis Ieras with the consent Of all the
people concernd, and without slavery and
will vote tomorrow to extend the jurisdiction
Of the United States to the Rio del Norte.
tahaPpily as Mexico is now situated bv a
civil war there was no slavery there. aud
there was none when he proposed to amer .
Texas 10 the Z. 5.
HF. Adams then read the trraty Of IsA3 /
II prove that there were no provisions in il
which warranted us in claiming the country
oil ieras,-none that proved that Texas was
annexed 10 Louisiana. All the names. plsces.
settlements, proved different state of fact.
All The negotiations. and Mr.. Adams referred
n them, showed that Texas was no part of
the uuited States. Whenever any pronosi-
ton was made by us TO obtain part Of the
country. /; was rejected over and over
again.
2!r. Adams traced cut these nego,;,,;,rc
and his speech became more and moro ;ntcr'
esting.
Ii has been said upon this floor and NTH
t7nnt said Mr.. Adams, tina, the only nronosi,
tons for the negotiation of FOREIGN iar,i,o,,,
came from gentlemen from NasscbrseJ,SS
Massachusetts and myself, slid NJ. 49,
might well have been saretl this ins;J;ons IS.
tack, Tor cauno. speak oft in other So
1t was the same gentleman vLo o-,.H,.,