Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-25
VOLUME LVII.-NUMBER 90

States
Bat further: NOR shall territory he acquire
by treaty, unless the votes of majority Q, Il
Senator'S from each class Of States hereinbcfo
mentioned, be cast Us part Of the two.thlrt
majority, neccssaTy to the ratification Of sue
treaty."
This section was offered and adopted as
substitute for the second section as propose
in the report of Il c juu,ittee appointed b
the Conference--a Committee consisting uf or
Commissioner from each State represented
the Conference, selected by their delegation
The corresponding section in the report, Is
came from the Committee, is this.
"Territory shall no. be acquired by tn
United States unless by treaty, nor except 70
naval ard coinucrcial stations and depots, ur
less such treaty shall be ratified b. four-hfth
Of the members oi the Senate
Nov, by this provision, it will be perceive
that the acquisition Of territory is restricted t
treaty alone, and ac1uiSitio;: by resolution i
cut off When hT treaty, il requires the rat
fcation should be, not by ;wo.lhirdS Of tn
Senators, as now provided in the Constitution
but hy four tifl,S 1t struck scne of us tha
this was un unnecessary aud oppressive bur
then upon the trcaty-making power--hcavy
but not equal, or in the best manner 1rotec
tive. | ln.oppsed the End section, as it nop
| stands, IL ! substitute for the End section q
| The report Of the Committee did not thinl
i, desirable that, in every imaginable case, th
acquisition Of territory should be restricted
10 treaty. thought that while islands, ncwl,
discovered in the ocean I'm arctic OF antarct
| cuntingnt-if any such awaits the hardihoot
and enterprise Of cur people, might possibly b.
brought in upon the right Of discovery, and up
on principles Of international Law. II Was not
thing Of iupcssibility, however, that coun
try nigh. be 50 overrun in war as not to leave
any competent authorities 10 treat with. In cas-.
Of war with Central America or Mexico, tn,
government might be so completely overthrow
as 70 Leave no government TO deal with. Il is no.
difficult to Imagine government SO shattered
broken ard crushed out, as 10 leave no sniff
clant authority to contract with. In such
contingency, what disposition could be made
of ths conquered country, under a Constitu
lion which restricts you absolutely to treaty
10 not think it desirable to unnex foreign
lands, by a Iiat resolution Of Congress, as was
done in the case Of Texas. Yet, there might
bc, under peculiar circumstances, necessity
for such power 1t ought, however to bc
carefully guarded. By the section ~ adopted,
it will be necessary in case of annexation by
j1lnt resolution. that majority Of the Senators
shall be had from each class Of States, and,
where thc acquisition is made BY treaty, that
the votes OF Il majority Of the Senators frcn,
each class OF States shall form couponen,
part 81 the two.iiirds maj ,rity nov necessary
10 the ratification. We leave tho ratilying
power in the hands Of two.thirds oi the Senators
rs it is now in tie Co.stiu.cn provided it
DC made u2 Of majorilics from both sections Of
the couutry.
You will observe that this will not oppir TO
ordinary cDmmcrcial treaties. Ii has no appl.
cation to treaties oi amity, peace and the like
IL Is only applicable To treaties Of acquisition
acquisition Ol territory. In treaties of this lat
ter class We have good reason and warrant for
departure from the rules of ordinary treaties.
Restricted rs II is TO the acquisition of terrific
ry in these modes and not applicable to treaties
OF other character, 1t seems 10 he that it is the
most perfect security that the South can have.
III" very first question that arises in the mind,
both North aud South, when the acquisition o,
ioreisn territory Is spoken Of, is what is 10 be
Lhe condition Of that territory in regard to the
VI allSl ~ SlllIl uuEc UCGll
brought n? We all know that.
We could not carry the division Of future
ain,i'''ueh.,, W Crlttendcp. with Mr.. Powei's
partition Of Territory hereafter to be brought
in. We proposed, therefore, TO substitute
10: rlua! partition of Territory where ii
could not be had, equality between sections
IN The right and power Of acquisition. Mr..
Crittrndens plan proposed fair and equal
partition OF Territory hereafter to be acquired,
making no change in the mode Of acqul ius it.
We all voted for the Crltendcn proposiei."
under the resolutions Of the General Assembly.
We could not obtain il. We then sought a
substitute for this partition in advarce-thiS
equal partition of Territory hereafter 10 tc
bought in between the Northern and Southern
States as an equvalcnt--and that was best at
tairc,i by equality Of power in the acquisition.
II gentlemen will permit their minds
to have free action upon this subject, and il
thcy will give it due consideration, shall
have little fear Of any coming to the conclusion
that this is an objectionable feature.
In the first place. 1t commends itself TO US
in this that it establishes perfect equality be-
tween the sections upon this vital sectional
question Of slavery, where We need it most
/. is not merely concession Of equality,
but it is a concession to the weaker section, and
places that weaker section upon an equal foot
ing with the stronger sections, SO far as all fu
ture Territories arc concerned, both in then
procurement and in fixing their condition.
If We were ell in union again, ha7moniously
Us one great political family-and no one
uourns that it is not so more than do, ant
no one is more hopeiu! than am, that it vii
be 50 yet-!hcre would be 10 slave States It
10 non.slareholdng States. The second sec
ton would, in that case, give to every Southern
State neli(tsenth of power instead Of one
thirty fourth part Of power-the whole numbc
of States being 81. In the present unhappy
condition Of things, with only 8 slave States {
| n.slavcholdrng States, making q IN aIi
it gives to.evcry Southern State one.eiShth
the power and influence instead Of one-tWcnty
seventh.
II is said by some, that territory will never
be acquired under this provision. How car
slave territory ever be acquired under the re
port Of the Committee, four-flths Of the Senate
being necessary to 4 treaty, or by leaving j
where il now is to q two.thirds vote, or unde
q joint resolution requiring majority: Th'
power in either case being in the bands of th
Northern States.
Mr. President, much has been said, from Mr.
Calhoun down 10 the present time, Of tn
guarantees needed by the South touching thi
peculiar property. believe there was reso
luton Of the General Assembly passed aite
the resolution appointing the Commissioner
to Washington which affirmed the belief O
iha. body, that security was only 10 be had b.
some self protecting power Of sections. w
have heard OF dual executives end double legis
latve chambers present this section as tn
first example, from the foundation Of the gov
crnment 10 the present moment, as an amend
ment proposing this self protecting power c
sectioas. It is the entering wedge; 1t is tn
! iist and only Instance in which SUCH po6e
has ever been obtained or whcro there was tt
slightest probability Of its ob:einmcnt.
Nuw, the virtue Of this arrangement will b
this: Nrlhrr section Can acquire territory
either for freedom, las they cali it) or for sla
very. without the consent of majority Q
| a., 81 5ft m. class