The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-14


bin and the amendments that have been offered. hare
abstaned from doing m0c than 10 record my votes either
in favor Of OF in opposition % those smendments that
b. the honorable senator from Mississippi Mr. DAvls1
who sits near me. seems 10 be So extraordinary, thai
cannot LEI y pass without noticing IL He says be objects
70 ns part OF the BILL because Congress has power TO
purchase this territory acquire it For my part see
no foundation Tor this conclusion. Why what have.we
been doing, ever since the government first organ
and from domestic Saes-irom Indans-from ali
sourees-from people in all sitations II we fecolect
we will know that in half Of the States have land for
me erection Of our public buildings, and IN all the
States the United States owns large portion OF the pub
lc domain Certainly il IL too late il me, TO say
anything about this mateto say that the government OF
the United States cannot purchase territory
he says that they purchase Il for the States from
foreign States but not from own States Now that
would have been very good argument, II the honorable
gentleman had stated the proposition j exists IN The
bill. They do not pretend 10 take this territory by virtue
OF any Legislative authority il The United States ITSELF II
is proposition, TO be done with the consent Of
Texas Does not the gentleman iecollect perfectly well
that there is an express provision IN the c1pstuon OF
the United Sates that the Congress of the United States
and the Safes themselves may divide the States and they
can do until each State is divided twenty times over, il
should be deemed necessayi II requires the consent
Of the Slaes but 1t also clearly implies that The States
can be divided nd fBfaifum
Mr. DAVIS, OF Mississippi, Tin his sea) Not to make
MIR. DOWNS do not see any difference We can
acquire territory We have been long in the habit Of
acquiring territory that hardly tell when the com
mencement was Before the constitution was formed we
mad begun to acquire territory by means OF cessons from
foreign powers and cessons from States There was the
cession OF the Northwestern Territory by Vrginia-the
cessions made BY New York. and the cesson Of Georgia
II had been so much matter fcourse under the coned
Grafton, and continued unnerruptedy since. that
must express my astonshmen that the power should be
disputed now.
Now the gentleman seems to have confused the pro-
vision intended to be exercised here in fixing This bound
airy with the power given by the constitution 10 Con-
gress to purchase Tor specific FORTS arsenas
and dockyards Thiss very different purpose, regulated
by different rule What is the object OF the purchase Of
these dockyards etc. ii not to be under the exclusive
jurisdiction Of the United States, though within the limits
OF the States themselvesl They like ship at
where the flag of the United States alone is acknow
edged But all this is matter in which the consent Of
the State must be gained for is very important mat
ter and very proper that the United States should not OBJ
tain any such jurisdiction in State without the consent
q the State TINS = different purpose but !, can
be no room for reasonable objection. There is no i'm.
portant power been exercised SO frequently as
this.
able senator if he understood 10 deny the power
Mr. DOWNS. do not know thatyou denied itspecifi.
caIly.
power to acquire territory in the southern States. But
that has nothing to do with treaties with foreign nations
The honorable senator referred to grants under the con-
sntution Thought that only those powers were con-
ferred which specifically and specially granednot
that all conferred that was not prohibited ask the
honorable senator where that grantisl
Mr.. DOWNS. shall satisfy myself with saying that
Mr. Jefferson had some doubts upon this matter of
the power to acquire territory. But thirty forty
years ago he seemed to have been satisfied OF it, and the
II is too late to question certainly did not intend
10 say that the gentleman derived the power to acquire
territory from foreign powers. alluded to it only to
show that the argument did not hold good regards the
States But if the senator right in his position
that Congress has right 10 purchase territory in the
States, have they not the right 10 make adjustment OF
title between two States or between the Stale and the
general. government Certainly Have we not since
the existence OF the government been doing sosettlng
boundaries between States Even admitting that there
may question OF this right which do not see any rea
son for questioning. cannot the United Staes having
difficulty to adjust with Texas do just she would with
Great Britain with Spain. any foreign government
as she has done with Georgia and in other casesl IL
she has the right to hold public propery-pubc domain
she has the right to adjust boundares and there be
doubt that the United States has the right in this
do not think that that portion OF my friends argument
But the senator's feelings be very much shocked
al the idea that money j. 10 be paid for this transaction
to transfer this properly IRON the jurisdiction Of the South
10 what may be dErrsnt jurisdiction There seems TO
me to be one important consideration connected with
this matter which the senator has entirely lett out of
view, and which is worthy OF some consideration and
notice. There Is consideration for this money. which
would be well worth notice, IL Texas en-
titled 10 dollar for the territory; and that is how
this money 10 got large portion OF il is 10 go to pay
before she cane into the United States. The United
States are bound two grounds to degree TO assist
IN the payment oil this debts rsi upon the ground that
Texas rst pledged her revenues Tor the payment OF
that debt and these revenues from have all
come into the hands OF the United States; and upon no
principle OF fairness and OF honor she entirely free
herself from the payment OF these debstha is as far as
these revenues would have been payment lido not pre-
tend TO say that she Is bound for the whole debt hut in
spirit OF fairness and justice she is in part bound for
the payment II this the case. there is a moral
obligation growing out OF the contest for independence
mtiee on this subject This debt contracted by Tex
As IN the revolutionary war; Texas acquired this coua
Try, more valuable perhaps than all that has been ac
quired IN the Mexican She maintained her inde-
pendence and brought THIS country into the Union We
paid nothing TOR IT, We did mol purchase II. But Tex.
ANA. Florida, and California Now, Mr. President,
without saying that this absolute obig on the
part oil the United States TO pay the debts OF Texas
ask all fair and honorable TO say il there il moi an
lniucement for the United States to pay Il, and for
Texas 70 receive remuneration for this large do.
nam, u IS not worth while TO answer the objection
that she kept the public domain herself The iursdc-
lion that she added to the United States hsgthe re-
sources that she brought into the Union, Independent OF
the question OF the public doman-he blood that she
has expended, without exacng dollar from the treas.
ury OF the United Sztes-shoud lead us not 10 be too
exaciing in our action towards her
II viii not do IN Directing TO this bill 10 say that money
has been given argess induce Texas to part with
THIS territory There justice in H. independent OF all
OF this kind We ought to take into con.
sideratlon this matter when consider the worth and
cost OF this domain. and pay a large sum for il.
One other point and done this the idea that this
territory which is to be given up by Texas is to be given
% the Jurisdiction OF free soil Ido not 80 understand
There - nothing in the bill that changes the jurisdiction
Of the country with regard 10 the institution OF slavery