Southern courant. (Washington, Wilkes County, Ga.) 18??-18??, February 27, 1845, Image 2
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!• i..1, ttttk'i ivi; jut, |||„| ...i i. Vl () |,
the MMa nl too .vit'liiir.
any oilier commit tutormeddlers in coin
inanities have i>i tin with their neighbor’ll
neg itinti.nu. It is no busim-sH of’ ih> its.
Tin y have no right to any any thing ; nml
Ifthny do, they tberobv become national
intermeddler*, uti l bliuulii ho trculcd no
cmdingly.
It'it there i< another clans of olqiictiona,
comprising those that grow mu of the tm
turn of our own O/vernmcnt ; iltey uro of
n domestic elm meter, and concern nor
selves. These ure us u constilutionnl ori
gin, and deserve ncituro deliberation. It is
said that the proceedings notv ho (ore ms uro
unanthoriied hy the fundamental law of
the Union, and that wo have no power to
•ct upon the sullied ns proposal!. The
gentleman from New York (Mr. itanmrd)
ill rented his whole speech yesterday to this
point, mid presented an argument which
was highly complimented hy the gentleman
ffro m Mojtsachosefti* (Vfr, fur its
’force arid ability. That gegthiiiun (Mr.
It. ) ssid that tiie i louse was proceeding
"in contempt of the Constitution,” and
that the proposed object was It "fraud”
upon the Constitution. These strong c*.
prossion* were repeuted, and fell with em
phasis fiom the gentleman ; and I listened
attentively to liia argument, to hear what
reasons he would offer to sustain his ass or.
lion ; for I held myself open to convlotlon.
And if I could sen th.it the course I intend
to take was in contempt of tlicConslltullon,
or that I was about to commit a fraud a
‘ gross fraud were hi* words; upon its
provisions, I should most cerluinly abandon
the project.
VVlien I east my eyes, Mr. Chairman, o
ver the surface of the World, and survey
the nations of the «i,r l l l , nml see that the
people of tho United Htates alone, of all the
millions of the human family who live up.
on the habitable globe, are really free, and
fully enjoy the natural rights of mii|r; that
all other parts arc dreary, wild, and waste;
and that tills is Iho only green spot, the on
ly oasis in th« universal rleseit; and then
consider that all this difference bowing to
our Constitution ; that all our rights, and
privileges, and interests are derived front
and secured hy it, I am disposed to regard
it with no trifling feelings of tineoneeiu and
inrllfleft’iice. It is, indeed, the richest in.
licritnnce ever bequeathed by patriot sires
to ungrateful sons, I confess, I view it
with reverence ; and, if idolatry could ev
er lie < Sensed, n seems (o me it would he
iu allowing an American citizen a holy
devotion to the (/’'institution of his country.
Such are my feelings; and far lie it
from me to entertain sentiments in any way
kindred to a disregard for its principles,
inueli less n contempt for its almost sa
ored provisions.
Bin how is it 1 Let usesamlne the mat
ter. The gentleman objects to the acqui
sition of territory, ns Its calls It, hy joint
action of Congress, or by any act of Con.
gross in its Legislative capacity.
11 iw arguments rested upon the assmnp.
lion, tbai Congress, in its Legislative char
acter, could not exorcise any power which
was not expressly grunted, nr such as
might he necessary to carry out those which
were expressly giantcd ; and that there
was iio nrigluul substantive power granted
in the Constitution for (lie acquisition ofter
rilory. This was not one of the original
designs In the formation of the Government,
ami wav not on a of the ol*|eets to he attain
od, as specified in the Constitution, lie
admitted that territoty might hr acquired,
ifit became a nocesssty incident to the
proper exercise of other powers, such as
the treaty.makffig power, dts ; hut denied
that ihn present proceedings proposed to
exercise it iu that way, ami lire re for* was
unconstitutional.
Now, suppose J grant his position and
Ids premises entirely, does Ids oono'.iisjon,
in reference to the pionnsition I advocate,
necessarily follow/ Do the resolutions of
the gentleman from TANARUS» tinrnw«(Mr, Drown)
propose to acquire territory 7 We are of
ten misled by the use of words, Words,
some writer has said, are things; and
much misapprehension, I think, has been
produced by the trrms mud in this debate.
We have had “ annexation,” and " ream
novation,” and " ucquitilion of territory, ”j
until there is a confusion of ideas In tween
the ohjc I desired nml the manner of ob
taining il. To acquire, conveys the idea
of property, possession, and the right of
disposition. And to acquire territory, con
veys the idea of getting llm rightful posses
►ion of vacant nml unoccupied lauds. If
this lie llie sctiao in which the gimb mnn
uses it, | ask, dims liter pi.,it of the gentle,
man from Tennessee propose to do any
such thing 7 Ills true, it proposes to eo.
large n nd t xtend the limit* and boundaries
of our Republic. Dot how ? Dy permit*
ting an.aher Diuie to Cumc into the Union,
With all her Jauds and her territory be 100
ging to her»clf. This Government will
U<<juirt nothing thereby, except the sdvan
lageago be der<ii and from the union. And,
if I understand ibe original suhstsutial do. i
sign of the Constitution, the main object of
i;» on irti/JD, it was net to at-qui/e territory,
it U into, but U> farm a Union of Mute*, a
spixies of Confederacy ; conferring ii|«m
the joint government of the Cooledcrary.
or union, iho "xerc-isc of such sovwrr'gn
(rowers as were necessary for all foreign
national purposes, and retaining nil others
In the States, or the people cf the Stairs,,
respectively. TJii* wa* the design, this j
was the object of the CotlaUtUtkai itself,
w Inch is hut the enumeration of the terms 1
upon which ilur people of the several States
agreed to join in the uniou, for the pu rpotes
tbuf.fr specified : and in this veav nl the
Itiittri rxmr into it, (leatsii amongst the !
ingto Ihn .Mffsinxlppi, not of v»Mvh
Si a tea have aim-e yiown up, and hnv» t n
likewise admitted. Wh.n the (Writ
tm nt w a» first tbmi*d S,,.ih t'aiohna,and
Rhode Hand relnsi I to m m n in f.>r somr
time. It waauu' njMil after it wax ogam
i/.-d, and i oitumnnrtl ..pnalluM hy elevrn
of the Stairs, that tin-*.- two com i.d to
bnontnc members tis th> Union, t‘mild the
United Hiatis, those elevau which lirst
«tfi«ri»-«t thin )Vf*rfi(tirut» Uu m»UJ
so liovft itc»|if?t«rf tiMi'ivory hlgli Ninth
Carolina whs admitted 7 or the tvwlve,
w hich foinpon'd the United Ht.itis, when
Khodn Island eunie iu 1 There was iu
each of those eases an addition of a State,
and enlargement of the e iufederated K**-
public, juM us them will he it Texas he
admitted, ns proposed hy the gentleman
from Tennessee, hut no acqnisilion of ter
rilory, in the common acceptation of tliut
term.
How fur, and In how many ways, this
Government can constitutionally acquire
territory validly, as I have explained, Mr.
Chairman, I do not lliinli n pertinent in.
quiry at this time ; hut I have no hesitation
in snylng, that I think it can Ire done so vn<
lions ways,and without resorting to the
exercise of incidental powers Ami upon
(Ids point the argument of llio gentleman
from New York was strangely inconsist
ent with itself; for he admitted that wo
could ekosliluliooally nripi'no unit hold
territory'by right of disevvety ; nml yet,
where doci ho find this power among t
’.l'.Oie apeciflcd and expressly granted In llie
Constitution 7 I might ask, as did tlm gen.
tinman from Massachusetts, (Mr, Win,
ibtop,) ifit was one of the original designs
and objects in forming our Government "to
go In quest of foreign lands ?” There is
mi such object stated, and no such power
expret/ly given Ami in the ease tlm gen
tleman admitted, it striker* trio that il would
bnliard to point out the one to which it in
even incident,
Hut, 1 ir, I do not grunt the position ossit.
rued |.y the gentleman from New York,
(Mr. Ilainaru, ) I have only been show
ing, that, if I were to grant it, it would not
affeet my (jisn. And I now state, that I
heljevo nothing is clearer than that this
Government <«ti in various way* acquire
territory, and that lids cun he effected if
desired hy Congress hi Its legislative cm
paelty, and under ono ol the expn "ll nrovl
siona of the Const It nt Jon, This I do not
adduce m support of |na *proci adh g I §H
vocate, or to show that they arc eoreditti.
Ilona I, hut ha rel v to expose the fallacy of
tlm argument of tlm gentleman fiom New
York.
I read in the eccond elausct, latter part,
of the tenth section of the first article of the
Constitution, the following words:
"No Hlnte shall, without the cunarvf ol
Covifmm, lay any duty on tonnage ; I cep
troops or ships of vvnr in time of peace: rn
trr into any uftrirmnil or rnmpael with an.
other Htnie, or vviih a far r inn I‘uwrr Ate
Now, suppose Congress should, In Itsle*
tflslnllvn caput tty, mr it could do «o In no
other way, grant its consent to Louisiana
or Aikatisaslo enter into no "agreement or
compact” with Texas, or Mexico, If you
please, for the cession of eeiluin territory
bordering upon those Hiutes, upon the com
ditionsthat one. ha If of the unoccupied lands
so ceded should belong to the Ktalemaking
I lio negotiation, uml the other half to he «e
d<(| to the United Nlnte», and to be held
subject to the laws regulating her other
public domain ; with tlm fnilhcr condition,
that, so soon as the territory so Crab and should
In come sufficiently populated, Il should he
admitted ns one of the Nlales into this l it
ion: rim anv gentleman say that v''ongrcs«
lias not got ilia power to give such consent?
And, if such const nt should he given, and
such Agreement und compact l.i uttered
into, mat Congress would nut have, in llml
way, most ehm!y,acquired territory in its
legislative rapacity, nml that uiuh'l un ex.
press provision of the Constitution t
Hut, am I said, I do nut rely upon that
vlmv; I do not and am not advoealing that
mode of proceeding. 1 was only tracing
the argument of’''it gentleman from New
York, who broadly denied any snob power
to Congress, Ido not propose, it will !,e
recollected, to acquire territory, as I uu>
derstund it, nt nil, hut simply to admit a
m-w Ktate Into the present union ct States,
And the authority upon which l rely la no
forerd construction, hut the plain simple
language of the Constitution, which de.
Clares, In the ft cot clause, Ud section, 4th
article, tliat«~
"New Htates may be admitted by Con
gres* into this Union; but no new Htnte
stiall be fo'iitf and or eretlrd within the juris
dirii"ii nf uny other Htnte, nor uey Hiato be
fi»i "ied by the junction oftwoor morn Hi«t» *
or pa'l* oAHtcie*, w ithoiit the consent of
the l.'-gisUitires ul the Mis'* * nuticerneil, ns
well ns of Congress.”
The terms hero used ore broad, niiqunli.
fled, nml tin rest ikied, "New Mutes may
he "dimiied by Congress into tins Union. '
Hut it is said that il was only mcani by
ilnwh* Wo'd# to give the power to udmit
Hinii " fotineil out of tlie teiritory if the
United Htiiles, ami wiibiu their jurisdiction,
and iml to include n foreign Htule. Toth's
I might reply, that it is the petitm princtpU
—a begging of tho question. Whether
tliut was the rm-sning ami intention is the
main inqoiry ; ami from tho words used,
no such inference can ho drawn. Hut the
gentleman from New York says tin believes
that ihot was ibe m* suing and intention ;
and, Amber, that lie believes that, if any
other opinio" had been entertained, tlie
Constitution would never have Uu-n rafifi.
ed. Well, sir, iiis belief is not aigument.
I suppose that every true Mahomet*" vert,
ly believes that Christ w-ss tit impostor
And I will do the gem'small from New
York the justico to admit that his faith is
quite as strong ; but we are taught that
we should not only behere, but be able to
give a "reason for the faith that ts in us.”
And here, again, I listened for the reswet*
of the gentleman's faith, but lirard nothing
better t' an a repetition of his belief.
Let us. then, examine the matter ?f
mWnfJ?, \ |<i t|*#» ttnt'i*. th r y H!i
Th«? trrin 11 fltilt*' *
[« ««»dy 1“ Matimvrnity
of govctnnw M. Amt any Slate, cvi * "tm
ot tlm t grow mu up in the Imaom of« us own
lernioi v, upon ndtnlsst iit, »t,n\ 'in « u -id.
i red to *oWtn extr-nt t >r> ign. t ••• " A
Stair, it ino>!| have a s<|mrate t
it mu i lie a p diliual c -mimmiiy "'Sil';
it mu* t have a Government ~*<
am! to Nome extant Independent * f,
ion. for If il ho in the Union, tie nft |otild
liol he admitted ; that onMMAt tie a.liidlted
which is already in. Ami if it is ikgShitr,
and out of the Union, seeking ndnti "Yon. it
must la com idi ii and tfuo ini It of to ne for.
eign. Now, as to cntlt* mporntitou,* and
suhsequeni history. What lelation did
North Carolina hold to the Union wlistt it
was first formed 7 Mint refused to ratify
the Constitution, umbwas most dearly out
of it. 'Uhe lu*ii arfh ht ot tin Constitulfnn
dm la red—
"'l'lki rallfleniion of the conventions of
j nine Hiata -i slut 11 ho miflicicnt lor the estah.
I lir.hne lit ol this Constitution Im'lwi eii the
i Htates *o ratifying,” lint more than nine
iniiie and 'ltvi n did , Idhvlng North <lira
linn and Klnsle Island out, as before 'tilled,
Tlm Union was formed, and the CofiStltu*
lion cstaldisliad, for those that
add ih* Ucvcmment pros coded to (dftfhi/.a.
I lion. North Carolina was then eertalnly
I out of the Union Site hud the right and
' power to remain out. If she hud, would
! site not have been foreign to it ? And, con
-1 wequently, was shu riot foreign win never
I (lie Government went into operation with#
' out her ia 11 float lon t Theca sent' Vermont
;Ih more in point, Him wa* a separate and
j Independent community, with a Govern
' merit of her own, Hie* wo not even onrr
of the original revolting thirteen ooUniirs.
Mbe had never been nulled iu the old Con.
| federation, and did not recognise the pH 1*
] diction of |lie l!riit< and Htates,
| Mr. Cm.nmor, of Vermont, interrupted,
I and said, that Vermont did at that tore ful
| ly recognise tint authority of the I oiled
i Htates. |
Mr, Hie),lhiim, Vis, sir: but not over
. her. Hhe recognised the authority of the
: United Htates n« we do tloil of or
j Knglatid, or uny other foreign Dower lMhe
i »vas a distinct, iurlepenrlerit (hiviwlietlt
| vvitliin heiself, HJic had In r own Const!
tulfou, her o« n l.cgislature, hei nwn Kj.
ccutive, Judiciary, and Military establish
I merit, and exercised nil Ihn (acuities of a
sovereign and iudepnmlt nt Ktute, filte had
her own post office doparlmr id, and ri vr li
ne laws and regulations of trade. The
United Htates did not nlti iupt to exercise
any jurisdiction over her. The gentleman
I'rom Vermont suys that Nevv York claim
od jurlaiiction over, and finally gave her
consent Ibr the admission of Vermont as a
Hlnte, This is true, Hut Vermont did
not ri cognise the irlsdietimi of N< w Y nk;
she hade defiance to It, And nth r years
hud rolled on m ibis situation, she trenterl
! with New York as one sovereign ti"iits
*»itli anothei, and paid thirty ihomnoffiedol
; lars to New York, (or a relinquishment of
tliut jutisdlction which she would not allow
i to ho exercised, and was then admitted in
Jto fire Union ns one of the Hliitc», These
: arii tho facts of that ruse. Again: front
1 the contcmporanruuM history of the (lines,
| is it n violent presumption to suppose that
the convention, at tlo* tjme (Ids clausa of
l t ln Constitution was insert, and, were looking
i to the probability of some of the other licit-
Ii -.li colonies throwing oil’tlm got eminent of
1 the mother country, and uniting with us/
Wo know that tlm old Articles ofOnnfed
, i intion lutd beet! adopted with that view, for
i they contained an < xpress provision, that—
" Canada, acceding to this Confederation,
j und joining in mausurvs of the Uidled
M|nt< s, i hid| l,e admitted Into und entiled
ito fttt the ndvnttlnges of this Union ;!m rm
other colony shall Ira admitted
j same, uiiless such admission ho agreed to
, by nine Htates,”
And as we know that flit olde«t of tin*
j Cnn»i it ol lon was to remodel tlm Union, and
; onlu'gti the powers oI Congress, as we I as
j the general powers of the Government—
and we find in the prcseM Constitution tin*
j clause which it contain* in relation h Ibn
admission of now Hiotes, in lieu of the one
|U>»! staled In tlm Articles of Con fide ration
' ■ ,ris il not reasonable to suppose tliut tlm
stlrnr idea was still retained, and instead of
j requiring the consent of nine Htates, or two.
thirds, sis tlm admission of any hut ('anu>
da, llml it was the Intention for tlm fuitiro
to put them all upon the snnin tooling, and
leave it with Congress to admit them, if a
ease should arise 7 Ami is it not prosuma-
Ido, tlint if the intention find been to with,
draw rite privilege before extended loX’an.
a<ta tn express terms, it would hovoweati
done In terms equally plain urn] explicit 7
llut again t It lias been said, that what,
ever Cong less does in its legislative oapa
city l» of a municipal character, and par
takes of tlie nature cf laws, which arc sub,
i ject to repeal; that iu this way ono Con.
grass cannot bind another succeeding cue;
und that, though aueh a measure as is pro
pos' and might Im adopted lids session, yet tlm
next one might repeal if, and there is noth,
ing in the Constitution to prevent it, Are
Hut is It true that Congress can do nothing !
Irfftslalirrlj) w Inch is not mimk*i|i/ in its tti- I
ture, and subject to repeal 7 It certainly i
is not. Ho fur from tins being correct, I I
will venture to affirm that no action of Con.
gross which proposes terms to other parties '
can ever bo constitutionally repealed uft«*r :
the term* have been neoeded to, ami rigfta
and interests have thereby accrued. H*
s.des charters, we have a number of iqii
acts. All our acts relating to patents u,l j
land gran's are of this class. And how slid ,
this Government become possessed of the i
fertile and extensive lands of Alabama and I
Mississippi, but by Irgiilati re compact and
agreement with the State of Georgia, bv j
w hich they were ceded 7 And could that. I
or any oilier simitar compact, he repealed /
And how docs a legislative compact bo- j
'ween this Government and a foreign Sta'e ’
and Lading 7 Hot I . anm* dwell wp*
Another objection offi>nd ia.liist if T* Xss
h» e,,nsittuti<*ti*l!y repn-m nti and on this th*>r
end in til* H. nate for some time; for the
t •,n*tiiwimtt dvdart’s,lltat "no(arson shall
h, n If, pu , niativc who hull n„t lisvr ,a
tniiuii lOyllte eg* ol twenty •live yetti*. mel
In en see, a year* <| rilitnn ts the I'nanl
Shite*, \> . And us the pcopln ofTexas
nro not tdtiKelts of the United Htutra, it
would require serm and uittr years, respec.
lively, before nteiitliers to the House and
He tin lit could lie chosen, which is wholly
inconsistent, it Is said, with the idea of the
constitutional admission of her as a ,State.
Hut vvhitt is to he Understood hy tiiese otau
hcn of the Constitution / Tlm gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Drortigoole) yesterday
said that they ffi'plied only to natnrulited
foreigners ; that residents of foreign ac,
quii'ai tei rilory, as in ilm case of Louisian.
a, he a rite citizens inimei'iutcly, without
naturalization ; nml lltoruffire these clauses
of ilia Cdnstllntimi did not refer to tliut class
of citizens. Tin* may bu a oorrmi answer
to tlm objei lion; inn I Imu* another iu my
iniiiil, which hi tons to mo much morn satis
factory, It i- ( .undid l*i lire nature of our
Government and ihv meaning of the term
I titled Stale*, VVhut are we to understand
hy tin* I nited Hiutes ? No particular mini
| Inn nl Hiaies, certainly, lor an Intlellnilo
time; nr, particular, unvarying nationnl i
| ih nlity, as we speak of Kugluiitl or Uranim,
! but *u«li Htates and Hindi country iin imiy
1 lio united at any given time under tin* ('on
; stilulieil, ’Uhe Uniii and Htates, lit lii'M, were
1 101 leh veil, al'lerwunls lldtleeii, and now
1 twenty-six ; anil to lie a citizen of tin* U
-1 lilted Hiutes is to lie a eltiz, n ol'idtlier ol' a.
ny otic of ilir iii. Ail tliut is imccssary to
eninply with these requlsltmnsoi llio Con.
stiiniieii Is, that tlm Uiembor nr Henttnr,
when lie taken Ids seal, slinll liiivo lictl a
nltlzen of one of the Hiutes lor ill" lime re
quired, |f Texas ho hdmltti dns pmpnsMl.
she Immediately brc.'iiim's one of inn I nlted
Hiutes | uml the inciiibrr ouiulng here, who
slinll have been a citizen of tliut country
forwven years, will of course have been n
eltlsn nos one ol’ihe tiiun United Htates (or
tlm time required, 'i'liis must have hei u
the ease with Nurili ('iindina and llhude
Island umi Vermont, before alluded to)
■lbr bell,ic Noilh Curulltui i utile in, as I
huvn suld, the Union wits funned, tlm Gov
ernment was organized, and the I lulled
Hiutes, as tin it formed under tlm Constitu
tion, were well known, North Carolina
was not nun of them ; she was a state to
herself, with her own Govetnmeul. When
she consent'd to come in, ami did cane In,
she Him l/ei.'eme out of the United Htates j
and though her im'inbeis Imd never heel)
citizen* of the then Government, yet they
had been citizens of ono of those Htates
which toiDied the Governin' lit at that time,
and were constitutionally admitted. Ho
with ith"de Island ufteivvards; and panic,
uliirly so with Vermont, Her peopie had
never acknowledg' and ihemsi lves to bo oitl
zen« of either of the old thirteen Hiutes.—
And yet, when sit" was adinllled, sh" he
eii""' one of ihn Htates of tlm Union; and
he people, who had been her citlft'ns for
seven nod nine years, had been eitlz* us (hr
those respective terms of mio of the United
Htates, as they then existed ; and so will it
be with Texas and Imr citizens, if slm lie
iiiliiilih and Into the c.'uirtinvii fraternity of
Htates,
Hut I have not limn to notice more of the
objections, I have only glanced at tlm mnsl
prominent of them ; and I shall now brief,
ly state sonic of tho reasons that induce mo
Iu favor annexation upon tlm principles Ain
ted,
And, to begin negatively, 1 will stale
'liui 1 uni not nt all influenced hy the milk'
ttiry va vv which some gentlmneuliuvo wlrli
iiiuuli eorneslitcss presented, It will mid
Inn little strength, in my opinion, to our
Hotilhw Astern border in that particular,—
Hueli nt least, was the view entertained at
the time ourclttim wo*relinquished. The
idea of an nrmy landing in Texas, and
marching sevornl hundred miles over her
lowlands to attack tlm city of New Orleans,
I consider almost preposterous, Other con
siderations opart, Texas has no porta ofsuf
Aden! depth of water at tlm bar to allow
large ships to enter, ns wo sec by the ro*
port of the surveys of tlm roust before ,ys.
Galveston Is tlm In st port, and that ha* but
twelve feet of water ut tlm bar, A mao of
war could never enter on* oi lier Inn hors.
Neither am I much influenced hy the
pecuniary advantage* to he derived from
the union of that country with this—the
henetiis of i rude, commerce, vVc. So far
u« these nro concerned, the accession will
he to the interests exelusivrdv es the North
and West, That section which I rrpre.
sent will have no port or shire in tlioin.—
’{'l"' North will lone an enlarged market
for their manufactures, und will Imve n
new competitor in tin* so ld Against tlie
South, In tho growth of the raw materia!
which siic now lias to buy, nnd by which
sin* will hcennhlrd to get it cheaper. The
soul" with tlte West with their breudsttifl's;
while the Mouth wilt have nelhitig to *cll
to i fin people of Tex as, but wilt f"e| sorely
tier formidable competition in the produc
tion of cotton and sugar, her great stunles.
If I looked t<> these views, tlie re fore, only,
t should most certainly oppose it, in he.
halfbf my section; for I take it for grant,
ed that, notwithstanding the same Maple*
might ami would begrown in Texas, wheth
er in the Union or out of it, yet they would
not be grown to *u< h extent, ami tlie whole
resource* of llio country would never In* so :
speedily and.fully developed out of the U
nion, a* they will tie if once brought with
in the wholesome influence of our laws nnd
institutions. I am, however, influenced by !
other considerations. These 1 will state. 1
In the first place, tho people of that conn- !
try are mostly emigrants from this. They \
are of the Anierico- Anglo-Saxon race.—
They are from us. and of us, bone of our j
bone, nnd flesh ofour flesh. Our sympa- .
Ist bnxent tor **«f uuMvtMtmws lend !■'«« «M
gex»rmsvp«*. *„d. in **
• slshlishvixt ot and the seme, it tx but os''trsl
thsi we vrM |.v * xtetwl them
a h. Ip.ng hsmt. though ewt indtxidusl in.
ter, si* may n.a in' thefphy advancrtl,
Again : l nm»ivln it Important that the
rotten sod xugnt grow mg inter* M* of this
continent, ns far n« possible, sitouhl ho ttih.
pvt in iho same laws—to picvont tinduc
•dvsmag, s, weurrd hy tri-aty. sepi/ale
regulation* of trade, «'r oiherwlsh. inf tlm
markets of the world. If'lTxas should re>
■ nain out of the Union, nml a livahhip
should spring up there to the staples ol the
.South, our interests might be greatly injn*
red hy regulations with other countries,
partial in theirs, and discriminating against
ours, '('his cannot he, if the vv hole he made
subject to llio same laws and policy. A
gain! a large section of that country lie*
upon navigable waters flowing ini" the
Mississippi, and must always seek a tour,
ket through the out li tof that river, More
limn three hundred thousand dollars worth
of rotton, pioduced In Texas year In fino
last, was shipped from New Orleans; first
pay lug a duly upon entering tin* limits ot
our country, and limn lining entitled t" tlm
drawback upon final shipment, All this
j is ini'utivrnletit, uml will cuntlnuv to In.
i erensc. Ami tlm history of iho world shows
! the in ft suily, fur the peace and quint of a
country, that lliennvlgution ol'walnrxshould
lie Iren and t quill to those who llvo upon
their holders, Tlm pooplo of th» western
country, on the Mississippi und it* brunch
"S, fell the difficulties attending a contrary
sint" of things when Spain held tlm mouth
of that nolilo slreum. Our commerce, up.
on arriving at New Orleuiis, was subject
to outrun* restrictions; difficulties throat,
cuing tlm poaoo of this country were the re
i suit, and to avoid them,'was perhaps the
ronirolllng reason vvith Mr. Jefleroon fur
the acquisition of Louisiana. To avoid
similar ones between this Government and
the people of llml section to which I have
alluded, It is Important that It should ho
hnnight into this Union.
Again t I am In favor of It, because It
will a Abril an nutlet, u retreat, for our an
cumulating population. It will open anew
field for tlm pioneer. Our peoplo am di*.
posed t" roiii", They like nevv cminiiies
and new lands ; mid them they will have
opened up a great Southwest within our
own ennntry, In which iho lid" of emlgra
tlon may Ifiivv -to which our people may
go llir the purpose of gain, adventure, and
cnierpriM', carrying with litem their cus.
loins, their habits, llmir law s, and " house
hold gods," without Incurring llmjmbilily
of expairlat'on, or fuiTelllng ill" Inestiuin.
h|i> rights ami piivileges ol' l.elng Amerl.
entt citizens,
With tills question Is also to he decided
nnollier nml a greater one; which Is, win ih
er llio limits of this Itcpubllo are ever to he
enlarged ? This is un important step in
nettling tlm principle of' nor future exten
sion. Nor do I concur with geiitlem"it vv ho
j seem tn apprehend so much dang'r from
tliut quarter. We were the oilier day ir
minded hy the gentleman from Vermont
(Mr, t'ollamer) ol’tlin growth of the Uo
man Umpire, which went on increiising
and enlarging until It heenmo unwieldy,
and fi ll of it* nwn weight ; nml nl'the pres
ent extent of Kngluml, stretching to all sec
tiuns of the world, governing one-xlxih of
the human family, and which is now hard
ly ix I*l «i to keep together its extensive parts
Hut there Is a wide dillerencc hetwoen
j these cases. Itome extended Imrdomlniona
Iby cnnuucts, Hli" mail" the rude inhalil.
mnls i/I her prov im es stihjeol* und slaves.
She compelled lliern to lieur the yoke, jit
it nut sit hid was the requisition of her chief
tains, und none w ho wire overcome hy her
arms could escape the ignominy. England
extends her dominion and power upon a dif
fcrciit principle, llcrsistho principle of
eolonUntimi, Her distant provinces and
dejmmlericli s are subject Iu her laws, hut
are deprived of ihn i iglits of representation.
Hut with us anew system has commenced,
suited l" and clinriioteristio of the atre. It
is, if yon ph use, the system of n confeder,
ittion of States, or n Hepubllo formed by
the Union of Iho peoplo of sepurute inde.
pendent Hint/sor communities, ye ldingso
muches the national oharnoior or soveroign
powers a* are necessary for national and
liireigii purposes, and retaining all others
for local nml dooiostie objects to ihernselv s
sepontlely and severally. Ao/I who shall
undertake to soy towh il extent this system
may not go 7 Mr. Madison laid down the
| rule, In speaking ofoflr system, which he
called tho ' basis of uumixed and exteusivo
republics,” that llio "natural limit” to
which it may go i* " that distuuoe from the
centre which will barely allow the repro.
sentntives of the people to meet as often ns
may be nocessiiry for the administration of
public afiairs,” Ami upon this rule, in
consideration cf the improvements of the
uge, the facilities of truvl nml the truns.
mission of intelligence, who eon say that
this entire continent Is l"/> w Ide uml exten
sive. The distance from this place to Or.
egon and California, inn few years, will
be travelled in as short a time as it was to
Georgia when Mr. Madison wroto. Then
it required from twenty to thirty days fora
Representative from that State, our extreme
Southwest nt that time, to come to the sent
of Government, and now the distance is
performed in three days. And Represen.
tstives from Louisiana, five or six hundred
miles tho other side, now require loss than
hulf the timo then required by those from
Georgia to come from their remote districts.
And who can toll whit improvements for
the speed of travel are vet in store 7 Now
elements in nature are being daily brought
into subserviency to man When Mr. Mad. I
isnn penned the remarks l have quoted, in
1787, the power of steam was unknown,
and other agencies now used were not
dreamed of. Then it would have required
a whole day to have got news fr/rni this
place—not this city, for there was none
here then—to Hahimorc, now it requires
but an instant, as quick as thought or light
ning ; and, with comparatively a small a
mount of funds, the «3me facilities could be
rxt«wd, and tn IkitsS, I'iitciMtlti, and New
Oi iniih, w ni*i is G up") th> l's
rWc,
We five. * r, n■< only in a r w nervs.
phi »■ , hut, ,t.vii iit, iw *v w»s- «vv, si.it we
imve stalled a m w system of tfoverene nt,
a* new snd as dili'etenl trim those ot th«
old world, as the lUeonian system ol IMul.
o» -phv w«s novel and di tils rent from the Ar.
istutii nn, and destined, perliap*. to produeo
quite a* great a revolution in the moral and
pnlitlunl world as his did in iho sciemilio.
Ours is the true American system, and,
thong Ii it is still regarded hy some us an
i xpermn nt, yet, so lur it lias succeeded he
yolid tlie expectations of many of its host
friends. And who is prepared now to rise
up and say, " Thus far it shall go, and no
further ?”
Hut I un in favor of this measure for
another reason. It is, as tin* hoiiornbln
i huirmuu ul tlm Committee on Foreign Af
lairs said in hie opening speech, in ono
sense and 111 one view, a sectional question;
u Houtlicrn question. It will not prouiolu
our pecuniary iuiurosts, hut it will give us
political weight ami importance ; and to
this view lam not insensible. And though
I have a patriotism that embraces, I trust,
ull parts of the Union, nml which cuuics
ma to rejoice to sec ail ptosperouu umJ hap
py ; ii rid though 1 believe I uni lice froth
the iiiflucnuo of unjust prejudices and joai*
ousies toward* any purl or section, yet I
iinust con less tliut my fiuliiigs of uttach*
mint lire most ardent towards that with
wluoli all my interest* umi association* ure
ideiilllled. And is limit natural and ex
cusable tliut tliay should be 7 Tho South
is my homo—my fuilior land. There sleep
the ashes of my sire uml grandsirca ; there
nro my hopes and prospects ; with her my
families uro cast; her Into is my lute, and
her destiny my destiny. Nor do 1 wish
"to hoax’’ gentlemen from other sections
upon this point, a* sonic have intimuted.—
I am candid and frank In my acknowledge,
me*nt. This Acquisition will give add!,
tlonul power to tho Hoiithwestorn scotion ip
the National uounuils; and for this pur*
pose I want it; not that 1 am desirous to
sco art extension of t lio "area of slavery,”
us some gentlemen have said its ullculs
would he. lam no defender of slavery in
the ahstraot. Liberty always had charms
for me, ami I would rejoice to sac all the
splis of Adam’s fi.nlily, In every laud and
clime, iu llio enjoyment of those rights
wliioli oro sot liiflii in our Declaration of
Independence ns 'naiurul and inalienable,’
il'n stern necessity, hearing the marks und
impress cil'ihci Ituiiii ol’the Creator himself,
did not, in some casts, Interpose ami prt«
| vent, Hitch is tlm case with the States
wli'tio slavery now exists. Hut l have no
wish losco it "Mended to nlhor countries ;
I and il'tho unite,xalioit ul Texas wcio for
' the soft purpose of extending slavery whom
I it does not now and would not otherwise ex*
1 isi, I should oppose it. ’i’liis is not the oh
joi.'t, nor will it he its ellbet. Slavery al.
’ ready exists In Texas, and will continue I"
exi.-t lie in Til- /uni" necessity that pre
j vails in tlm Southern Htutosprevuils there,
laud "ill prevail vv lieicver the Anglo Maxell
and African lace, arc blended in the mi mu
proportion". Il matters not, so far as this
institution is cnnoonicd, In tho abstract,
wlii'lltri' Tex un h" in llio Union or out of it.
Tb.i!, tliciciore, is not my object; but it i*
lie political advaiiluges it will secure, with
the question settled us pioposcd ; leaving
no door <(</ n li>r future ugiiuliou ; umi thus
preserving a proper balance between the
| difl'ereni sections of the country. This is
my object , and is it not proper and light I
If tie look it roil ltd and sec tlm East, by
lier economy, In r industry, und her enter,
prls", by her comtmnoo, navigation, and
mechanic arts, growing opulent, strong,
and powerful. The VV<w/, which a few
I years ago was nothing hut un unbroken
wllderiicss, cinlirai ing tile broad and fer
tile valley of the Vlississippi, where tlm
voice of civilization wjs never beard, is
now teeming vv ith its millions of popula
tion. The lido of emigration, still rolling
in that direction, has nlreudy reached the
hum of tho Rocky Mountains, and will
sothi break over those lofty barriers and be
dlffiisrd in tlm extensive plains of Oregon.
Already llio West vies Ibr llio ascendency
on this floor ; and why should riot llieHoutli
also he advancing ? Arc her limits never
to lie enlarged, und her inllucnco and pow
er never to ho Increased 7 Is sfie to be
left l" hind in the race fbr distinction nml
nggrarnhseiTK'itt, if you please / As one
ol'm i' sons, I sny no. Let her, too, enter
the glorious rivnlship ; not with feelings <d
rflrl/e, jealousy, or envy ; such sentiments
are not characteristic of her people ; but
with aspirations prompted by too spirit of a
laudable emulation und un honorable am
j liition.
From ilie Athc.ni Fanner,
Carnosville, Feb. 4. 1715.
Mr. Chase.—l discover in tlm Banner of
the 50th ult,, over the signature of 11., a
communication intimating his understand
ing that Gen. Harris has resigned Ids com
maud of the 4th division, 0. M. and res
psotfully suggests the name of Gen. Hums
of Jackson, as tho most suitable person to
fill tho vouuncy, being nn able and efficient
officer,
Permit me, sir, with deference to Gen
Hum’s claims, to suggest the name efltoci.
Henry Freeman of Franklin. Asa sol
(tier and a patriot of (he late war with
Great Hritain and the Indians, poet, Fie..
man’s claims can bo surpassed by no mub'u
In >he six counties composing the divMiin.
lie was under the gallant Newman ; in
tho memorable campaign in East Merida,
in IHit*; also under the command ut ihu m*
less brave and gallant Gen. John Floyd,
against the Creeks in 191 .‘1 und 1914. lie
is now vigorous and in the prime of life,
being 40 years old. lntheevent of a va
cancy, aud hi* election, his friends guar
antee, that should an opportunity offer, he
will neither be a Hull at Detroit or an Ar •
void al 7Fe#( Point. Should Doct. F. be
iuduccd to run a succinct memoir of his
campaigns with Great Britain and tho
Indian?, shall be forthcoming, for the in