Mr. EDM UNDS. If my friend will allow me on this subject of the nature of the precedent action, which I contend, as he says, is irregular, I desire to refer him to the opinions of the Attorneys General, on this very subject; in which they have advised the Administration, whenever they have been called upon to give advice, that “The territorial Legislatures cannot, without permission from Congress, pass laws authorizing the formation of constitutions and State governments. All measurescommencedand prosecuted with a design to subvert the territorial government, and to establish and put in force in its place a new government, without the consent of Congress, are unlaw fuj. Hut the people of any Territory may peaceably meet together in primary assemblies, or in conventions chosen by such assemblies, for the purpose of petitioning Congress to abrogate the territorial goverminent, and to admit them into the Union as an independent State: and if they accompany their petition with a constitution framed and agreed on by their primary assemblies, or by a convention of dele gateschosenby such assemblies, there is no objection to their power to do so, nor to any measureswhich may be taken to collect the sense of the people in respect to it: provided such measuresbe prosecuted in a peaceablemanner, in subordination to the existing Government, and in subserviency to the power of Congress to adopt, reject, or disregard them at their pleasure.” That is to be found in the 2nd volume of the Opinions of the Attorneys General. My proposition therefore is, that although all this preceding action is irregular and without an sanction of law, yet, like any other act o the lawmaking power having supreme administration of the subject sanctions, when it receives the sanction of law, the law does in a certain sense retroact and make that valid which before the action of the law had no validity at all. My friend will pardon me for interrupting him, as I do not wish to speak after he is through.