Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-03-07

limiting the right of presumption to natural
lied citizens and such as had taken the pre-
liminary oath. To show that his conduct
was correct. we will introduce the testimo-
nv Of one, who is not only foreigner but
loco foco. We allude to Mr. BRoPHy of the
last Legislature.
The State Government Bill. being under
consideration in the House of Representa-
tiyes, on the 3lst of January, the question
came up ON the adoption of the following
amendments
"All free white male inhabitants, and for
eigners over the age of twenty one years,
who have declared their intentions OF natu-
| ral:zation, and shall have resided six months
in this Territory, shall be properly qualified
as electors at the election for or against
State Government, at the election Tor Dele
gates to Convention to form Constitution
for State Government, and also for accept
ing or rejecting said Constitution when SUBJ
n,itted to the people.
Mr. BAKER moved TO STRIKE OUT NATURAL
IzATIoN, from the amendment.
Mr. BRopnY opposed the motion. lie iras a
foreigner by birth, himself. He kneo for
eigners ,cho ,cere so attached to the govern
ment of their natiuity, that they tcoutd neoer
take the oath of allegiance TO this country.
Mr. BAKER withdrew his amendment"
Did any of his brother loco focos step for
ward and renew the motion -? Not they
Where then was that loco foco love for the
alien, which is never thought of except
when Mr. CLAY and the wings are to be de-
nounced Like Bob Acres courage, it had
oozed out at the fingers ends. Thus with
all their anxiety to violate the 5th Section
Of the Organic Law, by extending the right
of suffrage to foreigners "who had declared
their intentions Of naturalization, the loco
foco members had no favor for those, who
had not taken steps to become naturalized
(The 5th Section Of the Organic Law pro
vides, 'sThat the right Of suffrage shall be
exercised ONLY By citizens Of the United
States") Why then this abuse Of Mr. CLAY
for asserting the same doctrine as Senator
Of the United States? To make political
capital, to deceive the people. to prejudice
foreigners against the wing party. con-
sstency! o candour! 0 truth Out'on
such injustice and hypocrisy, say we.
| We come now to Mr. VAN buren,. and wish
to be informed when it was he proved him.
self the peculiar friend of tho foreigner
Was it in the convention that met to amend
the constitution of New York Was it by
voting to give FREE NEGROES the right of
suffrage, who were worth free hold estate
Of two hundred and fifty dollars, in their
own right 2 Was it by denying the same
privilege TO POOR WHITE MEN, even if they
were REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS Was it by
speaking for and voting for A HOUSE HOLD
QUALIFICATION, in voters? Was it by oppos-
ing UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE in the abstract, and
proclaiming that it "ioould render elections
/ a.ntLo- rrrper than rssrNn- and drive
from the polls all sober minded people Was
it by assisting to send RUFUS KING, the bit
ter and unrelenting enemy Of IRELAND and
the IRISH Patriots Of 1898, to the United
States Senate? Was it, we ask by any OF
these acts, that he entitled himself to their
confidence and esteem But have his toll
lowers, in reality shown themselves more
liberal than their leader? Have they re-
pealed the test act Of New HAMPSHIRE, by
which FOREIGNERS, if they be CATHOLICS, are
excluded from office We repeat it, has
that RELIGIOUS QUALIFICATION for office,
which DISTINGUISHES the great body Of for.
eigners, ever been stricken from her con-
stitution, by the loco focos of New Ramp.
shire No, it is there, in full force, part
and parcel, Of the fundamental law. No. it
still remains, an eloquent proof of loco foco
duplcty and insincerity. And worse still,
it has its apologists and defenders. We
have before us the LOWELL PATRIOT Of Oct
18th 1912. In an article under the caption
Of the Courier and New Hampshire" that
print uses the following language:
"An honest man, in naming these defects,
would have said further, that these are such
defects as the people of that State are seldom
called to notice, there being but comparatively
te,c TO ,chom these exceptions apply. He might
too, say, that the aeas0n these defects hare not
been before ren.died, ,nhiie the democracy had
the porer, is that the democracy are exceeding
iy arerse to altering thing they deem so sa-
cred as the Constitution; that they are not ca
silly induced to ater so important an instru
nent and that it is only after maturely de-.
ibernting on the subject, that they can be led
to do so'
What, is this the language Of freedom, is
this the spirit of democracy Iu a religious
test, such defect in their written Constitu
ton. as the people Of State should not no.
tice, because few feel the oppression Is a
Constitution SO sacred thing, that it is not
to be altered mo matter what injustice it
works--no matter what wrong it inhicts, on
the rights of the governed? Why then.
did the WINGS of North Carolina, and the
wings Of New Jersey, repeal their tests of
conscience, tests disabling to the same ex-
tent, the same class Of people Will the
modern democracy explain these things,
will they speak out fully and frankly on this
subject There is yet another thing We
wish foreigners TO remember that in New
York, MARTIN VAN BUREN's own State, no
foreigner is eligible to the Office of Governor,