The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-11

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the gentleman would find slavery expressly prohibited by
that ordinance.
Nh THOMPSON said he knew this to be So If
that ordinance was, he had no doubt il was, in force
at this time, he would reflect the subject until the sec
ton came before the committee
Mr.. DOUGLASS, in reply, read the following portion
OF the 10th section of the BILL which, he thought would
fully satisfy the gentemans inquiry, vizi
Src H. Ind Be q further enacted That the inhabitants of
SAID territory shall be entitled TO ENJOY all and singular the
rights privileges and advantages granted and secured To the
people OF the territory of the United states northwest Of the
nance for the government Of said territory, the thirteenth
day OF July seventeen unred and eighyseven and shall
be subject to all the conditions and restrictions, and proh
| OF sud territory"
ne cd and Sd sections were passed over without
| amendment
| The 18th section having been read
| Mr.. RATHBUN moved to amend the same by striking
| out the following words
Thc number of representatives TO the territorial legs-
lature) may be increased by the Legislative assembly from
me = sr IN proportion to the increase OF Bopulaoni
Which motion was negatved
| The 18th section was then read AS follows:
SEC g. Ind be it further enacted, That every free white
male inhabnt above the age of twentyonc years who
oftc passage of this ac, shall be entitled the first
election, and shall be eligible any Office within the said
territory but the qualifications OF voters and of holding Of
ce at all subsequent elections, shall be such shall be
prescribed by the Legislative assembly: P0rided That the
right OF suffrage and of holding Office shall be exercised
y by citizens OF The United States, and those who shall have
declared, OATH their intention TO become such, and shall
have taken oath to support the constitution of the Uni
MIR. w w. CAMPBELL moved 10 amend the latter
section, by inserting after the words twenty years., the
words, 'who IS citizen of the United States" Also,
by striking out the words sand those who shall declare
on oath their ntenton, &c, TO the end OF the section
| In submitting the amendment. MIR. w. w CAMPBELL
sad: AS the sections now stood every male white IN
habltant, Jew and Gentle, American and British was
entitled to the exercise OF the suffrage and IT would
he perpelated Now, however they might be disposed
to allow States the exercise of their sovereign right to
define the qualifications of their voters, certainly
when Congress was called on prescribe the qualifications
of voters in territorial government, should strictly
conform to the constitution OF the United States If the
section OF the bill which he proposed to amend per-
United TO stand he would ask any gentleman what there
would be to prevent the governor OF the Hudson Bay
OF Oregon He reminded the House that they had been
struggling TO free the territory from British domination
Were they prepared again to throw to any extent into
the hands OF the British government But the BILL as ii
now stood, put the right of suffrage within the reach OF
the Hudson Bay Company, and not only that but the
privilege OF becoming members of the territorial legsa
ure In the peculiar condition of the territory, then,
whatever might be the views Of gentlemen in regard TO the
exercise OF the right of suffrage IN sovereign States OF the
to American citizens Those of their own people who
had out to that aro land, for the purpose of
pyg and possessing it, should have the exclusive right OF
forming their own Legislature and exercising all their rights
free from the domination of the Hudson Bay Company
any other set OF men who owed allegiance to the
United States government The provision of the bill
was emphatic lille read the section] Every individual
residing within that territory bound, so long he
remained resident Of it, to support the constitution of
the United States, whether he took oath to do
not; whilst declaration oath OF intention to be-
come citizen, did not absove the individual from his
allegiance to the government from whence he came.
There nothing in the clause of the law, now
stood TO prevent native OF the British isles, owing ae-
glance TO the British government from walking into their
territorial Legislature, and there exercising authority
did hope that gentlemen who had been much in favor
Of getting this territory would that they had got it,
40 a, al nd Their power we to Amerfanize it
proviso to this section was viewed in connection with
what known to be the of facts in regard the
population Of Oregon, the gentleman from New York
would not press his amendment The population of Or
egon had formed for themselves form of government
which Incorporated and included all the citizens of Ore
gon Territory who friendly the American govern
ment The proviso did inc Jude some who not citi
of the United States, but yet friendly this
government and the extension Of their laws but who
were not citizens. simply because they had had
opportunity OF becoming citizens, courts of record
having been established by the United States.
MIR; LEVIN inquired-before whom il was proposed
that the oath should be taken?
Mr.. DOUGLASS would answer that question. The
bill provided for the establishment of courts of Justice,
tory Of Oregon. Under the provisions of this bill il
provided that at the first election all white male nhab
tanis OF said territory might vote, provided they
citizens, if not that they had taken an oath to sup
port the constitution Of the United States and the pre-
lminary oath OF intention of becoming citizens before
officer authorized by the United States government to ad
minister an oath And il did not follow that even then
the individual became voter for the bill provided that
the Legislative assembly should prescribe the qualica
ions Oh the voters H. therefore, the people OF oregon
thought that alien ought not to vote, they could so
provide in their laws The bill did not allow aliens
to vote until they had taken oath TO support the gov
eminent of the United States, and the preliminary oath of
intention TO become citizens He really did not think that
the Oldest settlers there-men who had the confidence of
the other inhabitants, and who friendly to the I
United States should be excluded in the manner proposed
by the gentleman from New York.
Mr.. FICKLlN made remark not audible at the re-
porters desk
Mr.. VINTON supported the amendment of the gentle
man from New York, and said he had another amend
ment TO offer at the proper time
Mr. LEVIN said, the gentleman from Ohio certainly
had precedent for his amendment under that clause of
the constitution which naturalized all foreigners who
were in the country at the time of its adoption No
would pretend however, that the privilege proposed
be granted can be derived from that generous clause of
universal adoption contained in the constitution, and
limited to its own birthday On the contrary. this clause
itself draws broad line of demarcaton between the
tive and the alien If that line is to be invaded by the
admission of alens the exercise of rights which be-
long only TO citizens of the United States, il is gross
wrong-a gross abuse which bound to correct,
before 1t eats into the vltas OF our organic laws. The
practice which has obtained in OF the States OF per-
hitting aens to vote for President and Vice President of
the United States is coeval with the other cprptions that
have polluted the baotbox and threatens the overthrow
of our republican system. Was it not the intention of
the constitution that the lawmakers of the United States
should be Amercans' Or it the intention of the |.
constitution that ''aens should be the lawmakers of
Americans? This the farest mode in which TO test
the question: it brought directly the point is
He contended that respect for the constitution
rapidly passing awayhat love for foreigners fast
absorbing all love for American brethren and
love for foreign territory rapidly swallowing all ogi
nal love of native land-that government ever
framed its organic structure with a view to the as
cendancy or even equality OF foreigners, but that