Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-06-01
Speech of Hon. Albert G. Jenkins, Of
Virginia, ION the admission Oh Min
nss0ta into the Union, in reply to
Hon. John Sherman, Of Ohio. III

l.NPGttH vi HOH.3 AIUtFt u. 5tuAiHbi VI
Virginia. ION the admission Oh Min.
nes0ta into the Union, in reply Il
Hon. John Sherman Of Ohio
Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio. having concluded hi
speech against the admission 81 Minnesota
Mr., JENKINS rose, in reply, and said
Mr.. SPEAKER. It was not my intention
to address The House on this subject; and
III should not have taken the floor for that
purpose now, ii it had mot been for 1.-THE
remarkable course Of argument pursued
by the gentleman from Ohio, who has
just resumed his seat. / have taken llur.
ried notes what he SAID, and will reply to
his positionsIin the order in whieh3he
presented them. 9t3.f
The honorable gentleman set out with
the remark that il might occasion sur.
surprise in the minds Of some whenaLAey
should discover him opposing The ad-
missionof free State into the Unioni
A moment ) reflection will satisfy gensle-
men that those who will come in here as
Representatives upon this floor, If Min
nesota be admitted into the Union, will
in their political opinions Be radically OPP
posite 10 the gentleman from Ohio, E1n
this / find a satisfactory solution Of the
remarkable anomaly of.the gentleman Be
ing opposed TO the admission Of free
State. AS Democracy and socalled Re
pubheanism Are antsgonistie throughout,
50 it requires no intellectual fnessingite
comprehend why the Republican gentle
man from Ohio Should opposethe admis-
sion into tile Z MON Of Democratic Min
nesota.
The FIST proposition which the gentle
man lays down. and in which he sup
poses 1hat#ihg finds an argument agains,
the admission Of Minnesota, is, <that the
wrong number Of delegates were elected
to her constitutional convention. u will
read the law on that point. The thifd
section Of the Minnesota enabling act Is
as follows HID
SIC. 3. Arid be il furtAtr enacted, Tint
on the first Monday in june next, the legAl
voters in each Representative eI district then ex-
Using within the limits Of the proposed Slate,
are hereby authorized to elect two delegates
"
may be entitled according To tlte apportionmelt
for rrprssentatiytsEto the Territorial Legisla-
ture, which election for delegatts shall lie
held and conduete dj ard the returns made, in
all respects in conformity witA-the ws 81
Said Territory regulating the Electi@h of fepre
sentatiYes 4 and tile delegates sotfected Shall
assemble at the Cltitol Of sail Territory Oh
| the second Monday ii July next. and first ID
tennine, BY a vote, whether lit IS the wish d
the people Of the proposed State to be admit
ted into 70 the Union at that time and If sd,
slall proceed t5 form constitution and TAXI
all necessary steps for the establishment Of i
Estate. government, in continuity with TIL
| Federal Constitution, subject to the APPROX 81
and ratification Of the people Of tf1e PROPOSED
State.n N
IL will be observed that this law Is susE
Iceptible of two entirely different construct
tons, depending upon tie signifcatio4
which you &ttach TO the word 6 represent
Etdttpes.' I'M narrow. and constrained
interpretation Of the meaning Of thatwordI
I itlwould embrace only the members 81
the lower branch of the Minnesota Legisi
latufe. A more enlarged and liberals Coz
struction would also include the upper
branch. of Senate. This is question
toflegal Interpretation, upon which some
difference Of opinion might naturally
arise. The honorable gentleman from
Ohio prefers THE former construction,
which would have made SERENITY weight the
proper number Of delegates fob be elected
10 the constitutional convention Tlre
Legislature and people of Minnesota, 81
all parties, placed the latter construction
upon the word and acting upon this,
called i convention of one hundred and
eight delegates. Il Now, sir. this was
done il good faith. It could have been
done in no other Bpirit. What could the
people Of Minnesota gain By putting this
construction upon1tle law Anything?
No, sir nothing.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, submit to the
candor and good sense Of this House. Il
This argument ofthe gentleman from Ohio
against the admission Of Minnesota has
any force or validity ? How stands the
case, sir, when plainly put, and disrobed
Of the sophisms which the honorable gen
tlenan has sought to throw around i -
Why. thus: Congress passes an enabling
tact containing such vague and loose
lphfaseology az to admit Of two corstruc-
tons as 10 tleInumber Of delegates TO be
elected under ita matter, blythe way, 81
notEthe slightest importance The peo-
| pie Of Minnesota acted upon what they
considered the proper construction. and
| elected their delegates and now the gen.