The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-02-11
SPEECH or MIR. CE.AH
on THE
PROSPECTIVE PRE.EMPTION BILL
VI rDNrsDAy, JAN. 6, 1871.

, tuDilsu peTUlhlGHl prospective pre'etnpllbn
system in favor Of settlers on the public
lands who shall iuhabit and cultivate the
same and raIse . log cabin thereon and the
question being on the amendmeu; offered by
Mr.. Prenli,s, of Vermont, as substitute Tor
the whole bill, as follows:
strike out al after the enac,iug clause. and
insert the following: That evory actual settler
on any OF the rnblic lands TO which the Indian
title has been cxtinguished except such as are
hereinafter reserved, being the head Of taniy,
or even twenty ono years Of age who was ia
possession and house keeper, rs personal resi-.
GcnCe thereon, al the time Of The passing Of IL s
act and for four months next preceding, .hall
be entitled 10 re eniption in the purchase O.
the land 50 settled upon, not exceeding one quar-
ter scciios al the minimum price now establish
Cd b. law
Mr.. Clay, Of Kentucky, rose and ad
dressed the Senate nearly as iollows:
The auendneu. now olaIed By my friend
from Vermont, BY drawing line between
the Legislation heretofore pursued with re.
Ia;on TO the pre- emptioas, and the new,
comprehensive, aud intcrminable legislation
proposed by the present bill, opens the
whole question for discussion; aud avail
myself Of the opportunity thus afforded, to
present 10 the Senate some Of the genera!
views | have taken Of this subject, aud in
vile, in tie outset, the serious, aad, | would
say, the suleulu attention Of the Seuate to
the bill before II. Before, however | pro
coed 10 examine It's provisions, allow ne, IN
passing, TO notice most novel and surpris
ing doctrine advanced yesterday BY the Sen
aior from Ne" York (Mr. Wrigbt;) not
that purpose to discuss, at this time, the
yosiiion he ossu z..I, bu; that | may here
evier my public protest against il, lest
should | remain silent, II might be thought
by suy that yield my assent 10 Il. The
Senator's position is, that it is competent
to STATE, under the Constitution, TO admit
au uunpturalzed foreigner 10 vote IN our
elecilons. wage no war against foreign,
ers. | respect them when their character
entities lha.n to respect. | we'll know es
pecially the value of the German yeoman
ry better set OF hQsbaudmen does not ex.
ist on the face oi the Garth honest, indus
.
soil. the best Judges Of lapd III all The cuun
try, deyoteciy attached 10 their families
that is the character Of our Norman popua
I iiou as have become acquainted with II i
ny own immediate nelghhorhood. viii
not now stop to speak Of the cLaracte. Of
the gallant Irish, whose virtues, GVd, | vii!
add, whose defects Of character (ihe virtues
far oyeyhalancing the defects are SO well
known Throughout the world. lam not the
enemy Of foreigners; but the opinion ex
pressed by the honorable Senator from New
/ York Is one Of immense practical impor
lance for, il am not greatly misinlormed,
/ President Van buren, owes Tho vote Of one
State of this Confedoracy, meanthe State
Of Illinois, to the fact of unnaiUrallZed for.
eIgnors voting in our late election, aud cast.
ing their votes for ham. | will not, howev
er, enter on that subject, and have advert.
ed TO it now, merely tina. 70 conclusion may
be drawn from my silence that approve or
tolerate the doctrine advanced by the Seua.
ter from New York. here publicly ex.
/ press an opinion decidedly opposite. I;hak
/ that the exercise Of the elective franchise
always implies citizenship, though citizen
ship does not imply the Tighito the exercise
Of the elective franchise. hold that a 70,
ter, whose voice may affect or change the
entire policy Of the country, may al;er or
( su5yeIt the Constitution and laws Of the
country, is componen! part Of the political
power Of the country. | hold that the pow
er over The subject Of naturalization has
been condded by the Constitution exclusive.
Iy 10 the General Government, and that nc
State can cous,Iiutionally exercise that pow
er and that, therefore, no State can confer
those privileges and immunilies, or grant
those rights which proceed from nuturaliza
| ton. This is my opinion, aud | advance il
( here merely as counter project to that ex'
pressed by the Senator from New York
| When foreigner has once been na,uralized,
! regard him as a brother, as member OF
our political community, and as entitled,
with some few constitutional exceptions, to
/ all the rights Of native born citizens, and to
/ the protection and defence Of the Govern.
ment a, home aud abroad but until be has
renowned bis allegiance TO bis foreign Sow
erelgn, and sworn fideiny TO our country,
cannot and will not-and | was utterly
amazed to hear the gentleman from New
York express a different opinlon--look Up
on him as Incorporated in our society, and
authorized, by the exercise Of the elective
| franchise, TO exert all influence IN unsettling
or changing our entire political policy,
whilst as a subiec, OF foreign Power, be
lies under all his original and native obliga-
tons. 1.-THE contrary doctrine he admitted
to be sound one, then, as has been shown
by calculation which have seen, the Em.
peror of Russia, by proper distribution oil
il7,0O0 Of bis serss among the States Of this
onion (if the States would have permitted
them to voie) might have changed the glo.
rious, the triumphant result of the vote o.
November last, and have continued those
in power, who, by the full decided, ard man
" expression Of the public will, have been
declared unworthy TO be the depositaries 0
it any longer.
! But IL il with another suhiect that hav,