The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-22

such thing that there was an organized State govern.
ment IN the district OF Kentucky.
MI. bEhkiEN Before the act of Congress passed.
M. bfLL. We'll sir, thus is the general ground upon
Mnlen Inc argument is founded No matter what the
which speaks for itself The people who would organ.
lie government, must establish State government be.
fore Congress can admit it into the Union, upon the
ground that Congress can create State, ii the peo
pie are the only competent power create State Nv
argument is that Congress is the only power that can
create It The people may ask the privilege and govern
ment may veto 1t over and again They will not
then become State unless it is the exercise of the
primary right of revolution, throwing off their allegiance
and dependence upon the federal government do not
they do at the peril of being compelled again submit
10 the jurisdiction of the federal government That is
my argument Ii is, that any act of theirs forming
State government will not have efficacy until Congress
authorizes go into existence and operation. That
has been the practice OF government notwithstanding
the allegations Of this report
Unless there has heen some organized government.
come law. some civil organization is said they
be admitted and that no civil organization exists in Cal
lorna that no laws exist in California. take the po
sllon sir, that that is not well founded that the
quirements of the constitution so far that clause
could co. requires Congress to admit States. pro
vded republican government shall be formed. That
government may be In any form. 1t may be a legis-
lative council; it may be governor and council;
| It may be Chairman and council; it may be any
form OF government to which the people shall con-
sent; any form OF government, however simp!e-how-
ever imbcciie, if you please-howeveI inefficient
gress to admit it into The Union would call attention
to that feature of the constitution which guarantees
republican form of government If State should form
State? By no means, sir. We may conquer her upon
the same principles that would conquer foreign ter
ritory. II there We're kingdom upon our borders,
could conquer that kingdom, overthrow the monarchy,
and transfer our sovereignty it. We could add
nit that conquered kingdom into this Union forth
with as a State, and should leave to them the for
nation OF a republican form OF government. Further
more, lay down another proposition, based upon the
constitutional pledge to guaranty republican form OF
they thereby be out of this Union Not ALL There is
ground Of authority upon which that be assumed
in the constitution They still belong the Union States
and would be the duty of the federal to
the establishment of republican forms Sir look at the
State of Rhode Island as it existed for great while
do not know now sir what may be its condition. but its
form OF government has been very defective. believe
it existed for great number of years, prosperous and
happy merely under the Old charter government she had
granted by the original sovereign of this whole country
In 1Si5 believe there was change. Sir there is no
particular form required and say there are laws in Cali
ornia and New Mexico there the civil laws modified
by the Spanish custonsby the customs and laws OF the
Mexican government They have been civilized people
for ages It is laid off into civil districts. but they have
very imperfect and inefficient, admit But, sir it is not
only "a government. but it is republican government.
There is no king about it, admit its imbecility its want
of proper vgor and energy to regulate its affairs and
protect its citizens from volence still Is repub-
can form OF governmen-not organized as it should be,
but susceptible of being organized The question is.
whether shall be organized INTO the form of territorial
government with territorial Legislature, or whether we
shall authorize them to form State government, in form,
instead of a territorial government.
Now, sir all these objections with regard to the char
of the people living there is question OF eXped
cncy and proprety and not question OF power We are
clothed with all the power that is necessary but gentle
men do them TO be admitted into the Union, and
it is the acle mode in the world of getting rid of
the difficulty to say that the people are not qualified by
habit or education to be admitted State Well sir,
when New Mexico and California were first annexed
the nation my opinion that they were ill qualified.
to be sure To say they not qualified at all, might
be going too far but they were i'll qualified from habit,
experience. or education, to enable them to form
State government However that might be at
the time of the ratification OF this treaty, the
question was, how could admit such mass of
people into the Union' How could we think ii expe-
dent for moment to allow them to form State govern
ment But, Mr. President, they were not the only IN
habants of that territory at the time OF the acquisition.
| There some very prudent, discreet men-whte
men, Spanards, Mexicansat the time OF the acquisition
by the treaty--very few, admit; and the small num-
Der formed objection with to the ratification OF
stipulatons OF that treaty.
How is it to day By the computations made yes
terday seems that at this moment there at least
ten fifteen thousand competent reemen there from the
old States of this Union, and the States OF the valley OF
the Mssisspp and that these Mr. President, voters
They are qualified to go 10 the polls and give an
intelligent voe-to meet in conventions-educated in the
habits of freedom and republican FORMS That is not all
They have gone there without their families few of them
have their families with them Suppose tins is similar to
ordinary emigration, and these equivalent to seventy
eighty or one hundred THOUSAND OF the ordinary pop
uation OF territories. They have yet to bring their
families with them, and equivalent to seventy
or one hundred thousand souls, rate population
when we come to speak of admitting States into the
Union and they intelligent, sir. My friend from
Illinois says the number is even double what have
computed intended to be within the mark. According
to the ordinary rules there equivalent to eighty or
one hundred thousand freemen competent to take their
places with of them in this hall as we'll as any
other. But sir press this because fear they will be
overrun by adventures from other quarters OF the worl
who will overwhelm them by their disorders and by their
disposition desperate and unlicensed pillage Ii we do
not do this within three four months, they may be be-
yond our control.
cannot but recapulate this argument of not hav
ing constitutional power. They have law; they have
organization admit. In the constitution
there is none prescribed necessary condition OF their
coming into the Union If give them the power to
hold this popular sovereignty and say what shall be the
form OF that State, give them the character OF State
of this Union, when we are the only power that can DO
this
/ have dwelt much longer this than intended be-
cause this is the main objection. We have population
there entirely competent and qualified, and there IS
no objection except there not being TINS pe,eXsuhs
organized government. | admit 1t would be less EN-
barrassing this peoplenot much less TO us, slr'
so far as we are concernei--if they were not 10
send member TO the Senate or House of Representa-
tves for forty years 1t wonld not impair 'he'r gh',
whenever they chose to do, OF elecng representatives
and senators according to the forms pescrioed oy ne
constitution Until then, they cannot have voice IN he
national legislature until then we extend all our laws
over them imposing taxes collecting revenue extend the
laws OF the United States over mem anu pIoec. ,hel
from The Indian tribes We can take the census without
their authority 1t would be IN our power to apporuon
according to that their represe ntaon, and let
them come when they please. Ii we DO tins, there Is
little doubt but al the very next session OF Congress you
will find them here presenting the certificates from the
Al L. It,. l-l.,