Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-07-19
(L,rnln Tic GLoIc. J

From nc tTlO1f.
/ Mr.. CLAY'S SPECIFICATION. No. .
/ THE MICHIGAN AND ALIEN CASE.
! Another Of the instances of contempt for the
I Constitution and laws on the part oil The Demo
cracy. which Mr. Clay's experience had treasured
! m TO turn the law and Consltullon-iovlng Norm
! Caroniars from the popular party. Is the adj
! mission Of Michigan into The Cnlon. IN MS
speech. lust written out by himself and published
in The National lniellisencer we have tins pas
sage:
in connection with the subject on which am
nov addressing Won. (the New Jersey Case) the
manner oradmission OF Michigan into the Union
is worthy OF notice According 10 the usage
which had uniformly prevailed, prior 10 the ad-
mission of,he States oi NJ chisan and Arkansas,
a previous acr OF Congress was passed, author
izinn the sense OF the people OF the Territory 10
ha taken in Convention. and regulating the cleo
lion OF members 10 that BODY limiting their choice
10 citizens OF the United States, residing in that
Territory Michigan without the sanction oil
previous act oil Congress, undertook, upon her
sole authority, 10 form 4 Constitution, ana ue-
manded admission inloihe Union In appointing
members to that Convention, great number OF
aliens. as we'll as citizens OF the United States.
were allowed 10 vote. against the earnest remon-
s,rances of many resident citizens. Under these
circumstances, She applied to Congress 10 be ad-
mir,ed into the Union No one questioned, OF
doubted that she was entitled 10 be received, when
ever She presented herself regularly, and accord
inc 10 law But Il 7raS otjectca against her aG-
1gtSsioR-,iat she had cSsnn1cd 10 act 0gataS al
usage. ritiom he 0Wtoragot Coarrtw-11dt h@t,
coRtrorg 10 tie Constitution and lars 81 tie Cnfed
States she hal permitted Aliens 10 P@r'ahe n nc
ciect'rc Franchise.
What Il deadly sin agains, the Constitution The
Democracy committed III admitting Michigan
into the Union as State, Notwithstanding; Mr.
Clay and his friends 'o5ieef:6 aeatna her odmitS-
S,0g-thQt she kad oSSU1ucd 10 ar against an usage
piiieMi NE GmiorifUof Cang,eSs!" Il will be OBJ
served. that the crime here alleged. is ian act
agaiaA I'll USAGE" Ono, against the Constitution
/; seems "-]I!cii@aR, trHhoW he mRcti0a Of an art
nf Coar,r;S. uaiCdoOl, Upca bor sole data0r'ir, IN
tor3a u Constitution, and Gen0afcd admission INTO
tle Tgioa.' And has not every other State in the
Union. each upon It's ''solc authority, formed lis
Constitution All lhatthe Constitution requires
Of the General Government is ta, II shall euar0a-
tyincGcf Republican torlaof GorerRmem II Mi
chican had established a monaFchical Govern
men,, and demanded admission into the Union,
she might nroperv have been spurned, and com
pellea 10 assume the Republican form before She
was recognised as S;air lit for admission into
/ the Union She formed 4 purely Republican
| Constitutions and offered it and herself both al
the same time 10 the acceptance Of Congress; and,
exhibiting the population required hy law TO ai-
,horzc her admission as 4 State into the Union,
she modes,lv claimed her rights al the hands oi
Congress. They were promptly and "Taciously
admitted By the Democracy; but opposed By MIR.
Clay and his party, not upon The ground that her
Constitution was not Republican in It's iorm but
that il was too Republican There lay The OF,
fence. in the eyes Of Mr.. Clay ana his Federal
friends. for which they would have dsiranchiscd
Michigan There is no prctence 10 say that Con
oress (Which i authorized by the Constitution 10
| admit States into the Union, without any other
restriction on the power than thai inferred i'll re-
curing the guaranty oi Republican form oil
/ Government could no, admit Michigan with a
Constitution, which had the Congressional sane
,icg aNcr il was framed, a well as II il had been
sanctioned By Congressional act, prescribing the
1 form OF Government. The Democracy oil Con
graSs :.oliing that Michigan came Tor admission
| with he form Of Governments, required By lht
| Constilu,on-wi,h the requisite population pre-
scribed by Inexperienced its function of intro
ducine to the Union a GeH State, with The great
-, satisfaction. u was not 80 with the Fedora
Par,y-its old prejudice had been touched BY iht
peoplc OF Michigan, in permitting aliens 10 eXcr
else the right of suffrage in the choice OF The de
leratcs. who were called TO frame Constitutio!
in Convention The crime lor which this party
soueh, 10 exclude Michigan from the Union con
sisted in the fact, Go use Mr.. Claws own IAN
elagc,) that "SHE HAD PERMIT IEi
/ ALIENS TO PARTAKE OF THE ELEC
TIVE FRANCHISE Bni The Consil'u'l3'
5oss M, prohbt the States from extending IN
rich, of suffrage 10 aliens So far from this !
exnrcssly provides, that Congress shall pass ma
,nralizaiion laws, giving them all the rights q
citizenship in regard even 10 The General ro'erl'
ment itself. In virtue al this provision, Con9reS
coulI confer the right Of suffrage on Tue EN-
grants first treaing our shore but II mas pos
poned it until acquired by five years rcsidcnc.
The States however. are not compelled 10 exoil'c
emigranlS from the right OF voting III state EleC
tons longer than their own policy dictates. ]
Michigan, Illinois and we believe some Others
fixed residence is all that is required 10 admit tn
{ cmicrant 10 n share in the Government. which h
supports by his means, defends by his arms, an
clevates 10 prosperity b. his Industry and skill.
| Mr. CLAY looks upon il as crime IN The lie
mocracy-ihat it "permitS 0ttcns 10 Paft""f q q
e,sstiie franchise" Mr. Archcr-,he intina'
personal friend and associate OF Mr.. Clay IN III
Senate Of the United Staes-ioowed up III
prescription OF emigrants in his leaders Mort
Carolina speech. by introducing The petitions
those persons in Philadelphia who have recenli
, made war. no, only on The persons, but u
churches OF the emigranls in thai cry, ana WI
ueHdiiueu vi SOilgIG>s t!icl t.'N.' ''V'' - -
cluded from the right Of suffrage Tor tweniy-or
years Mr., Archer supported these petitions
declaring that
Tie premature crcrcise Of such r'shts, (rlgh
of suffrage, and eligibility 10 office, mart eT"%H
a,crHof g,cot magnitude, Of ,caicA there nat ~
aaPpiybut Too ,eccaNy, been a Palnfri dem0nsf'.
ton II no otier person in The National Gomez
should take up Mis subject, he ronld, l.m~lt IN =
proper timc-rhea that party, (the Wing Party
should come into ,ooacer, ,rhieh ,ronM gre eject
riers Of sound policg-introd@ec some meaSu
such as he ncmorialias Justly concluded hat no
bcto.ac nceeSMry.'
Here, then is the promise Of Mr.. CLAWS S
nate substitute, Supporting the North Car1ilr
specify assuring the Philadelphia memorials
that "waen that patp (meaning Mr.. Clay
should come into po'ccl, ,-a'ei ,eonld gre cffct
reocs Of sound policy he aeonld, himself, iatTodu
1t some measure, such as the mcmorlals's justly co
Guided had nor became necessarY." 1t appears tn
The memorialisls have concluded that ii ''a0d n0
become necessary to burn the churches OF The EN-
grants whom ii has been the policy of our cou
try hitherto 10 invite 10 the blessings OF hon
and citizenship among MS Its hardly possib
tina, Mr. Clay, and his friend Mr.. Archer c;
consider that this had been '.Jnstly eoaetaded'