Speech of Mr. Barrow, of Louisiana, on the resolutions from the House of Representatives, for the admission of Texas as a new state into the Union. Delivered in the Senate of the United States, February 19, 1845. Page: 5 of 16
View a full description of this pamphlet.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
5
"That the Legislature shall have power to admit other States into the Union ; and new States to be
formed by the division or junction of States now in the Union, with the consent of the Legislature of
the States."
This resolution Mr. Sherman declared to have been provided expressly to meet the
case of Vermont. It was not, however, adopted, because a strong repugnance was felt
in the minds of all to look upon Vermont as a foreign State, and it was thought she
could come in under the latter portion of the provision respecting the admission of new
States, which declared that a new State might be formed out of the territory of another,
and admitted into the Union, if the Legislature of that other State gave its consent and
Congress was willing to receive.
None could fail to see that the great bone of contention in that assembly lay in the
fact that several of the old thirteeneStates were of small extent, while others were very
large. These larger States owned an immense tract of wilderness then roamed by the
savage and the beast of prey. The small States lay immediately on the Atlantic, and
had no such masses of unsettled territory ; and the contest in agreeing upon a Constitu-
tion arose between these large and small States, and had respect especially to this unset-
tled territory. The small States insisted on the dismemberment of the larger ones ; but
they, on the other hand, insisted on retaining their lands: hence it was that the Con-
vention never could agree on a clause for the admission of new States, until the second
part of it was agreed to, which empowered Congress to make all necessary rules and
regulations for the government and disposition of the territories ; and also provided that
the rights, both of the State Governments and the General Government, should not be
infringed, but should remain inviolate : providing thereby that the formation and recep-
tion of new States should not interfere with the right of government of the crown lands;
for many then contended that all the uninhabited part of the country belonged, as of
right, to the General Government, having been won by a common struggle, and ceded
by Great Britain in the treaty of 1783.
This was the ground of the difficulty between the small and the large States ; and
the small States never would have assented to the Constitution at all, if provision had
not been made for the ultimate dismemberment of Georgia and Carolina, and the forma-
tion of new States out of the Northwest Territory, ceded by Virginia. It was of great
importance that gentlemen should advert to this-it bore immediately on the subject-
because the Convention never could agree on the phraseology of the admission clause,
till it was decided, on the one hand, that nothing in the Constitution should impair the
rights of the General Government to the crown lands ; and, on the other, that the ad-
mission of new States should not impair the rights of States already admitted. This
great point having been adjusted, there was one amendment proposed after that, and one
only, viz : to strike out the word "limits," and insert the word "jurisdiction," which
had respect to the claim of New York over Vermont. This was adopted, and then
there was no longer any difficulty.
At that period great apprehensions were entertained that the States of the West
would at some future time outweigh and control the Old Thirteen. So strong were these
fears in the breast of many members of the Convention, that one gentleman (Mr. Gerry)
submitted a proposition, which Mr. B. read to the Senate, to the following effect:
That, in order to secure the liberties of the people, the Representatives in the first
branch (viz. the House of Representatives) from the States hereafter to be formed shall
not exceed in number the Representatives from the States acceding to this Confederacy.
How utterly idle and ridiculous would it have been to propose an amendment like
this, if the Convention had been looking to the annexation of Canada or Mexico, or the
colonies of South America, and extended their view, to use the modern phrase, as far
as Patagonia! The proposition was rejected, as it ought to have been ; for it would-
have violated every sound principle of republican government, by disregarding, in the
matter of representation, all reference to population and wealth, and setting up an op-
pressive and arbitrary rule.
But did the presentation of such an amendment prove nothing ? Let any gentleman
look at those debates, and lie would find that the members of the Convention, when
they spoke about new States, spoke of new States to arise in the West, or had reference
to Vermont, or Maine, then a district of Massachusetts.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This pamphlet can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Pamphlet.
Barrow, Alexander, 1801-1846. Speech of Mr. Barrow, of Louisiana, on the resolutions from the House of Representatives, for the admission of Texas as a new state into the Union. Delivered in the Senate of the United States, February 19, 1845., pamphlet, 1845; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth498767/m1/5/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Schreiner University.