Motion of Senator John Quincy Adams to Appoint a Committee to Inquire into the Need for Further Measures to Carry into Effect the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

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Description

Did the Constitution give the Federal Government the power to add new lands and people to the Union? Many thought the answer was “no”—until France offered to sell the Louisiana Territory. Senator John Quincy Adams thought an amendment was required to admit the residents of Louisiana to the Union. His motion for an amendment failed.

Citation

This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.

National Archives Identifier: 24824286

Full Citation: Motion of Senator John Quincy Adams to Appoint a Committee to Inquire into the Need for Further Measures to Carry into Effect the Louisiana Purchase Treaty; 11/25/1803; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/document/motion-of-senator-john-quincy-adams-to-appoint-a-committee-to-inquire-into-the-need-for-further-measures-to-carry-into-effect-the-louisiana-purchase-treaty/, May 21, 2026]

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