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Another Perspective
Sister States, Fellow Citizens
Germany’s recent celebration of its “Day of German Unity” leads to thoughts about the meaning of our own federal tradition.
(Page 2 of 2)
(In the history of the admission of the states there is at least one somewhat humorous story. President Benjamin Harrison did not want to show favoritism to either North or South Dakota, so, when he signed both Acts of Admission on November 2, 1889, the papers were shuffled so no one could determine which Act was signed first.)
The Founders assumed free movement of individuals among the original states and between the original states and the Northwest Territory. They also assumed immigrants from abroad would help populate the Northwest Territory. The 1787 Constitution gave Congress the power to regulate naturalization (Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 4). The First Congress exercised this power in March, 1790 through the Naturalization Act of 1790. Thus, not only did the Founders provide for the admission of new states as equals, they provided for the admission of immigrants as equals, as fellow citizens.
In family law, when an adult adopts a child, it is a permanent bond. If the parent already has, or later has, a natural born child, the natural child and the adopted child are siblings but only time will tell whether they will perceive each other as true and equal siblings. Under our system of government and of laws, the admission of states and the naturalization of immigrants are, like adoption, permanent (“Articles…of Perpetual Union”), but unlike adoption, existing states treat new states, and existing citizens treat new citizens, equal from the beginning.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (5) | Leave a comment
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JimH| 10.12.10 @ 8:40AM
Terrific article and very informative. Writing such as this is why I subscribe to the magazine and attend the website. Important difference between Germany and the USA, For years Germany had been a single people (ein Volk)divided by multiple governments whereas the US has many peoples under one. Though I understand that early on people did tend to think of themselves as belonging to a particular state rahter then as an American.
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.12.10 @ 9:33AM
Mr. Thunder,
I add my thanks to Jim's above. A fascinating article that filled in some blanks for me.
I honestly believe our safety and liberty depends upon stronger States in these days. The ole'voting with one's feet is alive and well, and all one has to do is look around to see some States doing pretty well in these days...and some rotting in their own welfare/poverty cycles.
I examined these issues pretty carefully in my new novel. I hope you will peek at the foreword at
www.texassaidno.com
It was pretty exciting to write, and the reviews so far have been that it is pretty exciting to read.
dcd| 10.12.10 @ 4:56PM
It is past time for Texas to excercise its perogative and break up.
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.12.10 @ 7:39PM
dcd...heh heh heh...
"break up" is the wrong term...try a "Union with ten US Senators"...and you are on to something.
...Carry that logic out a little further in your mind. It may come to that.
Adult toys | 7.4.11 @ 3:41AM
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first guy:I made love to my wife 2.5hours and she screaming for 1.5hours;
second guy:I licked my wife for 2hours and she was screaming whole time and even 1/2hour after I was done;
third guy:that’s nothing,I made love to my wife 10mins and I came twice,wipe my dick on the curtain and my wife still screming at me up to now!