John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 February 1804
John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams
18 February 1804.
The Louisiana Government bill has this day pass’d, yeas 20. Nays 5.— It now goes to the House of Representatives, where we shall see what will be done with it.— On the final question this day taken I alone spoke against it, and was answered only by one member— He saw no Constitutional objection—because the clause authorizing Congress to make needful rules and regulations for the territory, and other property of the United States was sufficient— The thing could not have been done by a Constitutional Amendment; because there were five States, which probably would reject it, from an idea that it carried the weight and […] of the Union Southward and Westward— And this he presumed was the […] upon which the Amendment to the Constitution had been proposed by me. (This is the first time I knew they had such a suspicion—but this accounts for all— They distrust it seems five States on this question— But their suspicion of me is totally groundless— I sincerely believe that every State would ultimately have agreed to the Amendment— And 13 of them between this and the next Session.) This circumstance is however the key to the whole system— I do not think with you that this ground will be travell’d over again— It will be too late— But the principles to which I appealed have no weight here as it appears to me, on either side. Of the federalists only four three voted with me; and they I believe upon objections to details— One single member of the other side voted also against the bill—1 Also I presume from
an objection to the detail.— I enclose you the Journals, and the newspaper I promised you2
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Thomas B. Adams Esqr / Quincy. / Massachusetts”; endorsed: “15 acknd”; notation by JQA: “Free / John Quincy Adams / S. U. S.” Some loss of text due to placement of the seal.
1. On 5 Dec. 1803 JQA accepted appointment to a committee tasked with drafting a plan of government for Louisiana. The Senate committee introduced the resulting bill on 10 Jan. 1804, proposing the division of the territory into two districts. The northern Louisiana District would be placed under the control of the Indiana territorial government, while the southern district would be incorporated as Orleans Territory with a government consisting of a governor, secretary, legislative council, and judiciary. During Senate debate of the measure, JQA faced the ire both of Democratic-Republicans who wanted to move ahead without delay and of Federalists who interpreted his actions as seeking immediate citizenship for Louisiana residents, who they felt would gravitate toward the opposite party. On 18 Feb. the bill passed the Senate, with JQA speaking against it. The United States was imposing a government on the people of the territory without their consent, which, JQA argued, was “the essence of tyranny” and “destructive of the essential principles of genuine liberty.” The proper course of action, he declared, was to seek a constitutional amendment approving the plan and then a ratifying vote by the people of the territory. The five senators who voted against the bill were JQA, Federalists James Hillhouse of Connecticut and Simeon Olcott and William Plumer of New Hampshire, and Democratic-Republican David Stone of North Carolina (, p. 143–146; , 8th Cong., 1st sess., p. 211, 228–229, 233–234, 256; , 2:283–289; ). For House action on the bill and its passage, see JQA to JA, 20 March, and note 2, below.
2. Enclosures not found.