The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-21


mean not (said Mr.. NJ to 90 into the argument
Of this incidental question, momsntous and alarming
as it would be- did not feel confident that il will
ever be met by the real people Of the United States
with stern and Incorporating resistance. Th'
doctrine Is anti nationals II is incompatible with III,
very conception Of political community endowed
with the power of perpetuating its institutions No
nation that know OF, that had risen to the dignity o
an independent community, ever tolerated the indis
cnminate admission of foreigners and alien influences
20 full participation in It's elections and lis govern
ment. What is our case Who effected our revolu
,lon The people of the respective States. They
nad formed independent political communities These
before the adoption ofthe Federal Constitution
uld o. right exercise the power Of determining who
Should DC considered citizens and entitled to all the
privileges and lmmunities Of citizens. They further
rghiiuiiy regulated the terms and conditions upon
which aliens might be adopted in the community with
all the rights and privileges of free citizens Who did
ana might nghtfully do, all this The people of the
STATES Who could gainsay IL Could the English
man, the Hollander, the Italian or the Pole I'm
questionably not. Who then2 None but the people
Of the States.
By the adoption Of the Constitution each State con-
IeIIea upon the General Government as common
agent all those powers which il could better exercise
for the benefit of the whole than could the States
spectivey for themselves reservng to the States such
as could be best exercised by and for themselves
ms common agent had in charge all our foreign
ations, and had the regulation Of all our intercourse
with foreign Powers. This Federal Government and
these State Governments were made by and for the
People OF the United States and their poSterity The
power OF passing uniform laws Of naturalization Of for
eigners was conferred on the common agent-the Fee
deral Government. This grant passed the whole
power Such was the opinion of the enlig htened and
ape contemPoraneous writers in the Federalist; such
mas been the uniform opinion of every respectable
writer on constitutional law as far as know: such
mas oeeh the exposition IN majority Of the States
suppose; certainly such has been exposition in North
Carolina by all its authorities, judicial and legislative
The distribution of political power in the States, as
well as the General Government, rests upon right
enumeration OF the people Of the respective States.
Our whole political scheme rests upon it. II was pro-
vident therefore, that, in matter Immediately al
fectsg the relative power Of the States there should
be some uniform rule regulating accessions from
abroad Of aliens with habits feelings and principles
oien alien not to say hostile to the genius and spirit
OF our institutions. Such provision is comfortable
to the general sense of mankind in all ages in we'll
regulated political communities. Hence regard the
provision IN the Constitution of Illinois in conflict
with the Constitution Of the United States, andn Of
course yod and that persistence in the enumeration
OF aliens as citizens to effect the relations pot
ical power between her ami the other States and the
permitting of them TO exercise the elective franchise
as to affect the action of the Government all
the States, would be in bad faith and clearly violaory
OF their common bond.
The gu, stion is not whether Congress can pre-
scribe the qualifications which shall constitute voter
In the States. No one contends for any such thing
The States each prescribe for itself in every
pect, except where inhibited by the comforting of the
power on the General Government, and those who
are empowered to vote for members Of the most numer
Gus branch of the State Legislature may also vote for
members OF Congress, and none others. The only diff
hcuty is not in the non-exstence but in the appca
ton OF the remedy, in where the States shall
transcend their constitutional authority. Whenever
the authorities of this Governnen can reach the case
they can apply the remedy. Ii aliens shall vote for
member ofthe House OF Representatives, upon ques
ton Of contested election, the House may take the u
rsdction and rectify the error
Here Mr.. WRIGHT, of New York. asked what
will you do in the Of Senator elected to this boz
dy by Legislature in part formed by the votes OF
aliens u
Mr.. M, said the only difficulty consisted in apply
ing the remedy. In the case put great difficulty and
inconvenience might arise, perhaps insuperable-and
so IN many cases that might be put. What would the
Senator do in the where majority of the States
should decline refuse elect Senators this cham
Der In the latter case it would operate at to
the destruction of the Government, and yet know OF
no remedy. The truth is, in our complex political
system, much has been left, and Of necessity, must
have oeen e, to the good faith Of the States the
thors and creators of our system. And perhaps, in
every where practical remedy is not provided it
was deemed safe to leave TO the good faith and good
sense of the parties to the covenant But have
ed aside to this incidental question mainly to enter my
protest against the doctrines avowed; and to show
that North Carolina, in that good faith which has al
ment holds that the adoption the Federal Constit-
ton has abrogated her constitutional provision for the
naturalization of aliens, and that she may not swell
her relative power in the conf.deracy, either by the
enumeration of aliens or the permitting of them to
erclse The elective franchise
said in the outset that found great difficulty in
determining, in reference to the present BILL which
the Objectionable its principle or its details
In respect to the latter they have been posed by
rous Senators so fully and clearly that he who runs
may read" When before now has it been proposed
To hold out temptations and rewards infants who by
law allegiance to the head of their family When
before now has it been proposed, for the sake Of
couraging emigration to break up domestic relations
those prmeval bonds of society which il is of much
Importance TO keep sacred and intact The ambition
that looks to the highest Office in the Republic may
have an interest in inviting into the melee all infants
that at the end of the next four years. may he invest
ed with the rights of suffrage This bill holds the
same benevolent intentions towards widows. How
excellent virtue is benevolencel AndIhow cheap too,
is the beneccnce that confers bounties of other
peoples goods and chattels lands and tenements But
like the wch's prophecy, while it keeps the promise
to the ear il breaks it TO the hope The whole is mere
deluson-it is worse--it is imposture. Such widows
reside in the immediate neighborhood Of the lands
tobe settled may possibly get the benefits of the bill
but the great body Of the destitute widows throughout
the Union, and especially on the Atlantic frontier,
will not be benefited a silver
Again. there is another principle in the bill more OBJ
jectonabe. Its operation is extended to land unsur
veyed The entire alien population Of the globe, as
well as our citizens, invited and tempted into our
national domain before chain carrier has entered up
on it. Proclamation is made to all TO aud seize
upon best spots and they shall keep whatever they
take. Has any Government in the world acted upon
principle like this Must il not inevitably lead to
riot, bloodshed and general confusion Where have
such lures been held out to alien nterlopers ban
dts and scape graces of foreign lands and seize
upon rich inheritance, and hold il by strong~rm
OF at the muzzle Of the rife All they are required to
do is upon the land to build log cabin or some
other dwelling and call il settlement and the right
Of pre- emp,ions fixed. How long are they required
to occupyi A week, or day, is sufficient for no
specific length Of time is required by the bill. How
many settlements may be made by the same person
The bill as introduced prescribed limitation. A re-