The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-18

g., . ,ha language of the Journal, "opened the main
business of The session. or, As he expressed hlmse
The great subject of their mission 1e spoks " ,a
81 he crisis the necessity OF revising the lea
i .,am The properties such government ought 10
sss The defects OF the confederation, the dangerous
situation Of the States .n aas Ias Of the articles
Confederation so as to accomplish the opects Oh the
institution, were stated in series OF iesoiuols' one
which declared that provision ought to be made Tor the
admis.on ri States lawfully arising within the limits OIL
the United States whether from voluntary Junction oil
government and ,enSry Or s 81 Snmb
Carolioa who present. plan of federal constitution,
in which was provided that the legislature should have
power to admit States into the Union on the same
srms with the original States provided wothds of the
members present in both houses agree. We all know IN
what manner these propositions were medihed IN the
subsequent proceedings OF the convenon and The UNI,
ta,ons by which the OF the power guarded
BY the trainers of the constitution. How far the extern
sion OF political jurisdiction beyond the existing
boundaries of the States and their territories was IN con-
temptation at that time, do not stop to inquire we
have given practical construction to this provision on
the constitution We have admitted INTO tne uhon SIX
States beyond the limits of the thirteen original States
and their errloresone Independent haton, ana the
others colonial dependencies at the time OF their acqui
siti0n. IT,, - =.
have had an exclusive reference the admission of new
States from territory then possessed show hal even
in these cases the extension OF the proposed SYSTEM so
s to include new members, deemed matter of the
utmost decacy and importance, not only as Affecting the
proper balance Of its parts but in respect to the moral m
whole This disposition in the original States to sur
round the system with all the safeguards necessary to
insure its stability and to perpeuate the principles IN
which its foundations laid, had earlier date
than the of the federal constitution. IL Is shown IN
the ordinance of the Congress of the confederation pro-
vidng for the territory northwest of the Ohio river The
ordinance prescribed rules for the OF that ter
Iory its moral well as Its political relations; and
it imposed upon the admission OF the States to be formed
of it, in respect to representation, conditions more
onerous than those which annexed by the federal
convention the representation of the thirteen original
States These exactons and conditions all had for their
object to maintain the purity OF the system the homoge-
neousness of its parts and the harmony of its
They looked to training and discipline IN the school OF
representative government before the communities which
to be incorporated into the Union were raised to the
dignity and equality of sovereign States.
Sir hold 10 this prudence and caution in the founders
OF the republic believe to be due to ourselves TO the
institutions they framed, and to the future millions whose
destiny for good or for evil In some degree to be wrought
out in political action.
deduce then from the organization of the government,
this practical principle, which hold 10 be fundamental
that State ought be admitted into the Union which
has not been prepared by tamiar knowledge of the
theory and practice OF political system, and by such
training in the discipline to free institutions render
its participation the administration of the general
Germs an aid and an advantage, not an embarrassment
and obstacle, to the steady action of the system.
This requirement. which | consider absolute is not
fulfilled by the condition OF California The bill reported
by the select committee admits that territory into the
Union at sovereign State That, too the
pupo of the amendment OF the senator from Tennessee
though il embraced New Mexico Also This proposition
of the republic from its foundation to the present day.
is in papabe violation of the principle have stated
inherent in the organization OF the fedeal government
II dscards all the prudential considerations which
ed into the reasonngs OF the trainers OF the constitution
concerning the extension Of our political system.
Let state some of the leading objections to IT, they
relate to the condition OF California; l. Its present nhabit-
ants are TO considerable extent Indians Mexcans of
mxsd blood 2. They for the most part neducated
self-government 4. They do not speak Ian
guage S. They would not into the Union with an
enlightened understanding of the principles of polt
cal system, or with the general cultivation and nell
gence essential to such fulment of the duties and
sponsibies of the American citizen render them
safe participants in the administration OF the government
need not enlarge upon these propositions Those who
familiar with the condition of California and the char
acter OF the people will assent to their truth. hold
these objections to the immediate admission of California
into the Union as State-objecuons drawn from the
character and condition OF the peopsto be nsuperable
know very well that territory is rapidly filling up, and
that it is receiving from us thousands OF citizens active
enerprising, and of unexceponable character But
know also that is receiving multitudes OF adventures
from almost every quarter OF the sobe-from both hemi.
spheres-from Oceanica the European continent and
islandssome for permanent abode. but for
temporary purposes, | wish 10 this heterogeneous
pass through the process of fermentation 10 which
is destined, and settle down into something like
slstence, before undertake TO endov with all the
attributes of sers-government.
This vew OF the subject il sustained by the uniform
practice of the government l. Oar alien laws have al
ways prescribed period of probation for individuals
who come among us for permanent abode and to unite
several years in duration The most liberal and of these
have always claimed to be one) have proposed to
dispense altogether with this probationary term The
only question to its proper extent proceeds upon
the principle admitted by all, that shall become
member OF our political association until he has been
taught by experience to appreciate its advantages and to
take part its deliberations with some knowledge of its
requirements. q The same principle which has gov
erned in of individual immigration has been APP
piled 10 territories acquired by treaty. and to large
of persons When Louisiana coded to BY France,
stipulated that the inhabitants should be incorporated
into the Union and admitted as possible, accord
ing to the principles OF the federal constitution, to the
enjoyment OF the rights, advantages, aud immunes Of
citizens of the United States and in the mean time that
men of their liberty their property, and in the exercise
OF the religion they professed
Louisiana was acquired in 1903. The inhabitants made
repeated applications for admission into the Union they
protested against the ardy action of Congress they ap
peaed to the treaty in vndcaton of their right to such
admission Yet Congress refused to admit Louisiana into
the Union State until 1912. Nine years were deemed
necessary prepare the inhabitants for the exercise
the highest political rights though there strong
infusion OF our own citizens among them.
Florida acquired in 1920 and in the treaty with
Spain there stipulation nearly identical in Ian.
guage with that which contained in the treaty with
France for the cesson of louisiana respect the all
mission of the inhabitants into the Union Yet Florida
was not admitted q State until lsi5-a quarter of a
century after its acquisition know that numbers had
something to do with this delay; but other considerations
doubtless had their influence also These territories
both foreign and, when acquired, their inhabitants
presumed to have but little knowledge of the theory
practice OF our political institutions.
But, with own territories and our own peo-
pie we have dealt with the canton and the
prudent regard to the privileges which admission into