Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1845-02-11
SPEECH OF
HON. JOHN w. TJBBATTS,


in the House Of Representatives JsnuS
Fry l3, lS45.
Mr.. TIBBATTS being entitled 10 the
hOoI, rose and said that be was eensinly
under great obligations 10 the COMMITTEES
Tor Tibe courtesy anil indglgence they had
extended 10 him BY posipoBing THE dis.
cusslon until 10 day. though be did not
feel that he shOul.. in the present staia
ot his health. OF in The hour which, under
t1s rules Ofihe House b. q ID the ght 20
occupy, eiihsT do justice 10 himself Ur the
important question under discussion.
MIR 7. sad that he had lie ened Sitea.
ilve'y 10 The genilcman f5om Maryland.
Mr.. J. ?. Kennedy who had addressed
The committee on Saturday, last, bot had
heard nothing fall from him which he
could cOnstrue inin an argument against
The constitutional power Of Congress 10
admit 1exis into the Union as . State.
That gentleman seemed 10 content him.
self with referring tie committee 10 the
case Of the shoulder knots, related in
Dean Swift's admirable and celebrated
production. 'The Tale Of q TBb.' u
seemed to him (Mr 7 that the genlIs-
man from Marylan and Others who had
opposed this measure. had made tho same
disposition Of the constitution of The U.
States, wi i:h. after many difficulties and
iTials,had been finally made by the Ihreo
brOIbers, in The Tale Of Tub,'OC tbe
Troublesome win Of their father. AS
SWif tells Us that
'Fashions'p 'perpetual!y altering in that
age. the scholastic brother grew weary Of
searching farther eVAsioHs, and solving
everlasting contradictions, resulVed, there.
fore, at all hazlrds 10 comply with the
modes Of the world, they concerted mat
tiers together. and sgreed UNANIMOUSLY 10
lock up their fathers will in 4 strong box
brought out Of Greece or Italy, Il have
forgotten which, and trOubIs themselves
no farther 10 examine il, but only to refer
TO is authority wherever they thought
it.'
II seemed 10 him that the gentleman
from Maryland had not ih0uRht il worth
his while TO trouble himself with the COD.
siiIution at all so far as regarded the
question Of the power OF Congress % add
new States TO the UniOn-for so for a. he'
recOllecied.the only reference which that
gentleman had though worthy Of being
made 10 the constitution at all, Wss those
clauses which regulated The qualifications
of representatives end Senators in Cen
gTess. The gentleman from Maryland
had objected 10 the proposition Oiihe
eeptleman { omVirginia { Mr.. DROMGooLE)
because, as he commended, the .'immedT-
ale admission into the Union Of Texas
asa a State, would brig into Congress
senators aud representatives who will not
have the constitutional qualifications Of
nine and seven years"
Ilis true that the constitution provides
that 'nO person shall be Representatives
who shall not have been seven
years citizen the United States,' aud
that mo person shall be q senator who
shall not have been nine years
citizen Of the United Stales.' Now,
admitting the position of The gentleman
and the construction which he placed
upon those clauses 10 be correct, what
(asked Mr. t. had that 10 do with the
question under cOnsiderati0H?-with the
constitutional power or right Of Congress
10 reannsx Texas 10 this UhlOn either as
State OF TerritOryG 1t would only Ope-
rate as an inconvenience TO the people Of
Texas, ii they were placed in that posi-.
tion--sn Inconvenience, however, for
which they would NJ doubt find a thou.
saod remedies from this county, il Tex
as should be reannexed TO it--but il was
no argument against the constitutional
mower Of Congress To reaDnex that coun-~
Iry TO this. But Mr, T. conlended thrt
the constitution ought not 10 receive
such construction. If Congress had
the'consllu,ional power toadd Texas,as
anew State to this Union, which was the
prelimary and main question, we ought
not TO give such consIglelion 10 any
other clausein the consolation as would
make tbaLpowef nugatofg. The consti.
tuition is TO ia construedh such manner
as will give effect TO every power grant.
ed, and to every word in the grant oe
that power, and where the grant Of two.
powers would seem 10 conflict with each
other, such construction shouIdb be eiy,
en- to each as that both NAV sland--snd r
one power be auxiliary TO another. r
must be so construed as 10 aid ia caTtvihs
out the greater power, and not so ss
obsnuctits operation. If lbe conSli,w.
tion cOnGeFs upon Congress the power M
admit Texas as State, then such con-
strliction must be given 10 ibe cIstlses in
relation to tn qualifications Of sen,tsrv
and representatives, a. will coaiport win
that power, and not deprive that STATE e
( its Just representation under The scopsij-.
f tuition. Ifihis can be done wilhon, a..
stToying the plain ssnss OF the words. ID
) oughtiO be done, Otherwise he cons,i-
tuition would be- 20 shsuFiily. TIE cilis