Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-06-22
FOREIGN VOTERS.

The influence expred in elections, by the inn
nsn,e body Of foreign voters, which peculiu cir
,,m,tanccs have congrrgatcd in the city of New
York. has excited a spirit of discomfort among the
mattress, embracing both political parties, which
promises, il it be generally disseminated, to give to
future elections in that city, at least for brief Pc
rod, new aspect--lnd one, We fear, more dam
serous to the public peace and tranquility thln
they have heretofore borne. W. shall have TO-
reign and domestic pnrties, acting under all that
element which such distinction never fails to
ereate-,n inhpt poiat of vi,w alone it is greatly
4 to be regretted.
4 Alta public meeting of native American citi-
lens, in New York, on the lo,ll inst. preamble
and resolutions were adopted, resulting in the con-
cusion that it is improper 10 elect foreigners to fill
public Offices as the best means of correcting that
degradation of the elective franchise, which is at
trbuted to their conduct at elections.
We respectfully suggest, thai while We have, at
distance, Witnessed the evil compleia, 4 Of, & sia
ecrely deprecated It's constant and rapil increase,
the New Y ,rl meeting has not adopted the wises'
o. most effective means Of correcting or lcsscnng
j.. l. lis no; by cxeiling nl'ur,lizel foreigner,
from Office, but b. proviling efficient safeguards
against the abuse of the rrht Of voting, AMI BY
clnvatiag the stan Lard of publications Of the
ters that the work is to be ciIace /. We hear NJ
complaints of thi, character in those Safes which
require sufficient evidence Of attachment to the in
s,i,uons Of the country, rashed more especially
BY pcrninency of residence, on the part of the
voter In New York, mcn have nothing to d. bat
to land from shp-board, and procure certain certi
y hcates, which can be obtained in a few hours ; and
though they know no more of the nature Of our in-
stutions than they do Of the mechanism of the
heavens, and have even less knowledge of the char
acters and qualifications of the men who are candi-
dates for the public snfIragcs, they Immediately
seized upon, if an election is progressing at the
time Of their arrival, by the foragers of the party
which happens to be most ON the alert, their votes
bought for trihe, perhaps for enough whiakcy to
produce intoxication, and the whole crew bundled
to hepos, give their votes. Here lies the root Of
the eyil-a least to great extent and if itcvcr be
corrected, it must be by restricting the right to
vote to those who have been in the country loag
enough to have discovered that liberty and IL
Righteousness are not convertible terms, and that the
supremacy of the law is not Incompatible with the
most extensive and complete enjoyment of human
rights.
It's impolitic, on every score, we think, to form
society, as has been done in New York, based on
the principle of excluding foreigners from Office.
come OF the brightest luminaries of this land, in
'ne held, in the cabinet, and in the legislative hall,
nave neen emigrants from Europe In attempting
20 eradicate one evil, lctus be sure that we do not
''eate others of even more odious, if not OF
more injurious character.