, 1882-05-06

usual interest in the proportions Of vest
eru territories for admission into the
Union The Chicago Times says the
| statement in the bill Ito enable Wash
ingtou Territory 10 gain adm:ttance into
the Union" implies that Warrington Ter
ritory is q foreign country. Suck n not
the fact. Ii is within the territorial and
political jurisdiction of the American gov
ernment. II Is within al the boundaries
of the Union. Ii certainly has not beeu
outside the Union since 1876, whsn, BY
( the treaty Of Washington, the north
western boundary between America an6
British Columbia YVES established Oe the
49th parall.d of latitude Prior to that
time, the region known as Oregeu was
claimed by both Britain and America, and
was, by mutual agreement Of the claimant
powers, made in 1918, for ten years and
indefinitely continued and extended IL
1927, free and open to the ships and citi-
zens and subjects Of beth powers In
1916 America gave the requisite notses
for the discontiuuance Of the joint occu-
pation and in the same year the region
known as Oregon (which included the
present territory OF Washington) was, by
the treaty of Washington, admitted and
included within the exclusive ownership,
dominion and sovereign authority of the
American nation, republic, union or
whatever else IT may please any lnguh
casuist to csil it Since then neither
that territory nor lis inhabitants have
been out Of the Union, or out of the
jurisdiction, territorial and political, OF
the American constitution, for q single
moment Since then, this and no other
country has exercised sovereign dominion
over that territory. In lS+S local gov
ernment Was organized by an act of Con-
gress. In 1859, the Oregon territory was
divided by act of Congress, and SO much
of it as is comprised in the present pro-
vince of Oregon was organized under
different. form of local government and
the name of Washington given to the re-
mainder. Subsequently, Congress d.
vided the latter, and Set up a distinct
local government on the part which was
named Idaho. These are among the acts
Of sovereignty which the nation has e1er-
cised over territory not without bnt with
in the boundaries and constitutional
jurisdiction Of the nation. What sense,
then, is contained in the statement that q
committee of Congress have reported
bill to enable portion of that territory,
OF its inhabitants, to to gam admittance
into the Union ;"
In its strict meaning there is no sense.
Ii is an old form of words which, eighty
years ago, seemed fitted to The illogical
and inconsistant notions OF statesmen
who bamboozeIed themselves with the
thought that it was possible to organize 4
political ornythorhynchus which would be
5o.h a sovereign si7te and federal union
(or, as Mr. Madison expressed it, 'fed-
eral coiition of sovereign states at the
same time That the thing which they
tried to imagine, and thought they had
constituted, was political contradiction
which could not be constituted in any or
ganic arrangements, nor reconciled by
any effort of political casuistry, has been
shown by every line OF our history and
every step of our political action, in rela-
ton to the organization and reorganiza-
ton of local governments upon the nation
al territory, as well as that which was
within the national boundaries at the or
ganization of the constitution as that
which since then has been admitted in
to the union by purchase form
France and Spain, by conquest from Mex
leo, and by treaty from England No
Estate" organized as such outside of the
union, has ever been admitted" into its
establishment, excepting Rhode Island,
North Carolina, and Texas, and these, by
the instant effect of their incorporation in
the superior polity, ceased to be states
and became provinces under the sover-
eighty Of the state into which they we're
admitted.
The true description Of the bill in rela-
ton to the TERRITORY Of Washington"
would be bill to change its Local organi
zltion and provide fer the election there
in of senators and representatives