The native American., 1838-05-05

vote at such election, and every white male In
habifart OF the age aforesaid, Vho naay be resi-
denf of th,s State at the time ofthe signing 0
this constitutions, shall haze the right Of vofine
as aforesaid = aa 4
i Living as we do under Government of laws
enacted under the authority OF, and controlled by
p written constitution of expressed and limited
powers, and jealous as we are of the exercise o
unauthorized power, it well becomes us to ex-
anime this latter provision in the constitution ol
Michigan, and determine whether it does not di-
rectly impinge the federal constitution. /, sir,
maintain that it does; it places aliens who may
not have arrived in Michigan one hour before the
adoption of that constitution upon an equality
with caiizeas, in the exercise of the important
right OF sutrage--the most important right oil
cafizenship--in total disregard of the provisions
OF the Constitution of the United States, the lars
OF Congress, and the fact of naturakzafion.
Sir, intend no imputation upon the virtuous and
industrious foreigners who reside in Michigan,
and who have identified themselves with our own
native population, and been subjected to the
process of naturalization, whereby they have
become entitled to the privileges of native
citizens. Many OF them, sir, are entitled to the
highest commentator; but, sir, my objection is
to that idle, yicious, destitute, and turbulent class
OF foreigners, whose habits and propensities rem
der them burdensome to any country, and who
have been transported hither to diminish the bur
den OF pauperlsm at home, and many of whom,
soon alter their arrival in our country, become in
mates of our poor-houses and penitentaries: this,
sir, is the class from which would admonish
you to withhold the native-born citizens birth
right But, sir, the question presented is not one
of mere expediency, but of constitutional po,oer;
yet, sir, if there is any one evil more to be de-
precated by our citizens than another, it is that
which by our laws converts with unexanpled
celebrity aliens into citizens. Regardless, how
ever, of the daily admonitions of past experience,
as well as the warning voice Of other republics,
this bill adopts and confirms the constitution of
Michigan, which gives to all aliens the right of
suffrage who were in the Territory when the
character, or condition.
That at this day change is necessary in our
naturalization laws, few will deny; but hatresult,
SO desirable to all who prefer peace and tran
qulty, can be effected only by an act of Con-
gress BY the Constitution of the United States,
the poaoer of naturalization is exclusively vested
in Congress, and that poWcr has been continually
exercisedsince the adoption of the federal consti-
tuition; and by the laws of the United States, as
they now exist, to entitle alien to naturaliza-
hon previous residence Of five years is required
And the question is now presented, whether the
act OF the Legislative Council of Michigan, and
the provision in the constitution Of Michigan found
ed upon it, which allows aliens to vote, are not
inconsistent with, repugnant to, and in violation
of, the Constitution Of the United States! Before
the adoption of the constitution, the power of
naturalization was exercised by the Several States
and it was the want ofnaj in the exercise of
that power which caused the present provision to
be incorporated into the constitution. 1t is there
fore evident that, if the proceedings of the Michi-
gan convention are proper, and shall be sustained,
the object Of the provision in the Constitution of
the United States is not secured. In all the
States of the Union except Michigan, (if that
Territory may be called State,) five years pre-
vious residence is required to entite an alien to
but in Michigan no previous
residence is required She seeks to break up the
uniformity of the rule prescribed by the Consti-
tuition, and dsregards, too, the evidence which
the la,os of the United States require, of 'preui-
GUS good character" of the person applying for
naturalization, and admits all male aliens, pro-
vided they be white, and over twenty-one years
of age, to exercise this most important privilege
of citizens. Mr.. Chairman, does not this then
present, clearly and singly, the question of con-
stutonal power? Was that Legislative Council,
acting, as it must have been, under the power
the convention which it created, competent to
confer this important right on aliens who resided
in the Territory at the time the constitution was
''signed!" If they possessed the power, have
they not an equal pooer to confer the right Of
suffrage on aliens who shall emigrate there at any
subsequent period! And if the Legislative Co,na-
Gil Of Michigan possessed this power, has not
euery State in the Union the same power! And
if they have, they also possess the right Of alter
ing their constitutions already formed, and each
State adopt for itself rule of naturalization.
And, in such an event, it must be obvious to all
that there would be no very great degree of
uniformity in the naturalization laws. Does not
this, then, present to the plain practical common
sense of all an unquestionable violation of the
Constitution of the United States!
For more than forty years Congress has been
in the full exercise of this power conferred upon
it by the Constitution, and laws have from time to
time been passed securing entire uniformity in
the practice of naturalization throughout the United
States; and, if you had the power of departing
from this uniform rule of naturalization, (Which
insist you have not) is it not desirable that it
should still be preserved?
And yet, sir, it cannrt be preserved, if the right
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