Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-03-08
MONTPELIER, MARCH 8, 1871.

question at the last session, and what he had now
said upon it was little else than repetition, in
substance, of what he then said. Distribution, he
would repeat, was, in his judgment, the right of
the States. Justice not only required it, bu, was
demanded by considerations of policy of the high
est and most weighty nature. lie thought the
thanks of the country were due to the honorable
Senator who originally brought forwad the prop
osltloD. IL was wise, just, and onciliutory
measure and Mr. would venture to say that;
among all the measures which The honorable Sen.
aor from Kentucky had originated, and which
had rendered, aud would, in future history, rem
der his name signdlly conspicuous, the measure
OF distribution, above all Others would lie regar-
ded by posteriy as the highest and strongest ev-
idence OF his wisdom, his sagocity, his enlarged
and enlightened patriotism.
Mr. L. said there was one other topic, not very
intimately connected, il was true, with tue subject
before the SENATE, upon which he wished to say
word or two. ii was topic which had risen raih-
or incidentally in the course of the discussion, and
he noticed 1t, not because it had any immediate
bearing upon the merits of the mnn question:, but
on account Of its general importance. and for the
purpose of expressing his dissent from some ofthe
doctrines which gentlemen have taken occasion 10
advance upon il.
1t has been said that the States had the I'M
qualified and exclusive right 10 determine and Tx
the qualifications of electors, aud might by their
Constitutions or laws admit whomesoever they
whether or ALIENS, 10 VOte III
tons either of State or Federal officers. To that
doctrine Mr. p. conld by no means agree.-It was
not only, in his opinion, repugnant to sound, ack.
nowe'lged principles OF national policy, hut was
incompatible witr1he express provision and plain
object and intention of the Constitution OF the u
nlted States.
The Constitution gives TO Congress the power
'to establish n uniform rule of naturalization" -
The power thus give was, from its very nature,
national, and, though not made so in express terms,
was OF course exclusive, Ms much so us the pow
er 10 declare war. The States being one nation
under the Constitution, aud those powers being
al equally aud strictly national IN their nature and
character, they could he exercised only by the
National Government. 1t would he inconsistent
with the nature of the Union and the o ects of the
General Government, to allow either of the pow
ers TO he exercised! by the States. Congress was
empowered to establish uniform rule Of nutur-
aIIzaJn, and for the purpose Of securing uniform
lty on subject of such high national concern, the
power wes surrendered by the States and vested
III the General Government.
1t was to be borne in mind that no one could be
a citizen OF any State without being II citizen OF
the United States. The Constitution declares that
'the citizens of each State shall he entitled 10 all
the privileges and immunlies of citizens in the
several States A citizen of any one State there
FORE must have The rights and privileges of cit.
zen IN every other State and this consideration
hionS, " nOiUUlp else WOHItl 40 H. uPtnOUSIrAtcO
the utter repugnancy nnd incompntihilily of the
exercise of the power by the States. 1t was 'rue
that i, was once supposed, and indeed even held
ny the Judiciary, that the States possessed
current authority in The matter of Naturalization
but considering the nature and purpose of the pow.
Grand that such concurrent authority would render
the power entirely nugatory and wholly defeat iis
policy, the error which prevailed for time had al
length given way to sounder reasoning and more
comprehensive and enlightened views upon the
SUBJECT so that II might now he considered as sell
tied and established that the power was exclusive
The power naturalization given in the Coz,
stntion, Mr.. p. said, necessarily implied that NJ
one could be citizen, enjoy The full rig hts OF I
citizen, who not such by nativity of birth, ex
cept by naturalization. Every one, therefore, wal
an alien who was not citizen, either native OIL
haturalized; and the question was could the cleo
tive franchise he given 10 Aliens TO persons who
owed no allegiance 10 the country but were bount
by allegiance TO foreign country, which was th'
legal condition. OF every alien? If the State
could not exercise the power Of naturalization
could they confer all the essential civil and polit
icnl rights and privileges which naturalization
gave? Ii they could not directly, md in q lega
and constitutional sense, make an alien citizen
could they give him all The rieb hts which belonget
to citizen, md this indirectly, but substantially
exercise the power of naturalization? IL appear
10 MIR. P. to he very plain thai they could rot
The Constitution Of tie United States was the su
preme law of The land, and it was hardly necess
AIRY 10 say TINT every State Constitution or law
which was repugnant to any of its provisions wa
of no validity and could confer no rights If al
alien, without naturalization, conld have and en-
JOY all the rights, civil and POLITICAL which prop
erly apperained 10 citizen, he would be- TO ever
intent and purpose, citizen in every thing but i
name. There would he nothing left of his alien
ism but mere abstraction.
Mr. T. said il was very clear to him that th
right 10 vote in political elections could only b
bestowed upon citizens, native on nuiuralized.-
The supreme power, according 10 the theory
the American Governments rested wholly in th
citizens, or, in the language OF the Constitution,
the People-a word evidently used as synonlInou
with citizens and il might he assumed, MS an eli
mentary principle in our political institutions, TIN
| the exercise of the powers OF Government coul
be delegated by none hat citizens, aud only to CT
| liens Citizenship, on The general principles ,
| law and reason, was essential TO the capacy of .
! eiector. Though every citizen might not I've u
! eector, no one could bc mn elecior who was not
! cltIzen. IL was true, the States might supcrad'
or dispense with, other qualifications, hut the
could not give, or dispense with, the fundamcnt
! one of citizenship. ThGy might, perhaps, repe
The common law, which disabled an alien 10 ho
! lnnds, and give him all tle rights OF properi,
they might, perhaps remove other disqunif caioi
! and allow him TO be Juror, or 10 ENJOY 9th
civil rights depending on municipal regulation
) and OF mere municipal concern. iiut wlies---.z
added TO these civil rights the po'iiIcal prvlseg
f which belong only 10 tt cnzpn, such as the exc
else OF the elective franchise, which was The Dig
est function of Il citizen, and was Of general Al
{ national concern, the constituency of the Sta
/ Governments being The constituency OF the lie
eral Government, they did that in substance II II
{ in FORM which was palpably AT yarinrre with Il
meaning, spirit mud policy Of the Federal Cons
tuition.
|
The Mint ondifs BrdichcS.-- Monday Ia
+ the President Of the United SIaies transmitted
Congress II report of the operations Of the Mi
lslQ Irl.Ill .,Li..l ILnI IIlerA