Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-07-29

4 the army navy under whom, II any, such alien mas
served, shall be admitted presenting such evidence
to any designated in the hereinbeore recited,
all the rights and privileges OF citizenship at any time
conferred by the act simply taking the oath oil ale
glance the United States, and making the remuneration
enjoined in the said act.
SEC .and bed further enacted, That this act shall
take effect and after SIX months from its passage,
when all provisions Of former acts inconsistent with this
act shall be taken and held be repealed, in respect
only all aliens arriving in the United States after that
date.
Should some bill like this become law IT would not
in the slightest degree aec. any alien already in the
Uuited States or who might arrive within six months
after its date OF course, the rights of nauralzed citi-
would be little touched by the those of
native born citizens What foreigners abroad would be
affect ID by the law? Probably but few; possibly not
who the time of its passage, would have mind
made up to migrate to the United States As TO all ie-
male foreigners arriving after the passage OF the act
and the additional six months they would be the
by years admitted to all the Grid rights OF citizen
ship and others have ever been conferred on females
Sooner also by years would their male relatives
and friends be admitted that large class OF rights,
besides eligibility all but four offices, State and fed
eral.
As TO other foreigners, abroad and in existence,
who may hereafter be born abroad, what right would
they have in future complain of such lawi
We already in the United States whether natives, nat
uralized citizens, eiens, have great question oil
national policy settle for ourselves and our own pos
erity and may settle IL for the benefit oil both with
out looking to speculative phanthrophy or liberty be-
yond such osterity. We think we liberal enough,
when, providing for America, leave the door OF
admission open 10 the children of foreigners abroad
who may hereafter be born here without allowing their
fathers and help 10 govern US. We, who alone
have right think the subject, clam That
best govern ourselves and the better such in
the meantime much the better for the foreigners who
may hereafter come among us, and Tor their American
born children.
II will be observed that the bill proposes leave fu-
\ ture naturazed citizens eligible to ell Offices and
trusts those who have heretofore been naturalzed
Many Of them, doubt, will be appoated and elected
! AZ An he q
confidence a Montgomery, a Morris, Gallatin,
Finday, Smiley. We, now in America, mean only
that, after given tme electors born the soil shall
alone select natives adopted citizens TO make laws
/ for America, to administer those laws.
But, without syllable the subject of electors
(voters) for electors of President and Vice President,
because, perhaps it intended they should be chosen
by the State Legislatures, at present in the South
Carolina, the Constitution has delared:
THE House of Representatives shall be composed Of
members chosen every second year by the people of the
several States and the electors each State shall have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the
merous branch Of the State legslature."-(
2, clause ~
Not another word is said in any other part of the in
strument on the qualifications OF voters.
In view of that clause, it may be asked and to the
confusion of some minds Has Congress the power TO
limit the political franchise of future adopted citizens
in the first section Of the bill proposed2 The answer
Is, certainly if that the only clause bearing
the question. But here two others
Congress shall have power "to establish a uniform
rule Of naturalization, and uniform laws the subject
Of bankruptcies throughout the United Sates."-Art.
sec. 8; clause -
And
'The citizens Of each State shall be entitled to all
privileges and imnunities of citizens in the several
States"-(Art a, see 2, clause ID
The three clauses be construed together and, il
they can be harmonzed rendered not incompatible
with each other each must have its full weight and
effect Nothing easy than to solve the supposed
difficulty, or to find the desired harmony.
1t is evident that if each of the original thirteen-now
twenty six-States, could make its different rule,
Delaware against the will Of Virginia, might make
adopted citizens for BOTH and Michigan for New York
greatly the annoyance of the latter but Virginia
not represented in the Delaware Legislature, New
York In that of Michigan citizen Of one State being
citizen OF every other, we should have had by this
time, Confusion confounded," everywhere but
that it precisely to avoid this opposition and inter-
ference Of many capricious rules that the constitution
IN express terms at least in respect TO the adoption Of
foreigners declares that Congress Tin which all the
States equtaby represented shall have the power
to establish uniform rule of naturalization hroug hou
the UAited States. The object is plain the odg
ment Of the power was Indispensable. No act Of
single State be put with such power
Ii not left derect and sliced upon by others from sheer
necessity, il must be exclusively in the hands where
primarily lodged There IS wide Held left for the
exercise, the part of the several States OF the
power to determine what shall be the Qualifications"
(aenage and naturalization aside ) 'requise for the
electors of the most numerous branch of the State Lee
gislature" There is the land and property quaihca
tons in States age militia service, &C. in others,
all however, within the range of citizenship, whether
by birth or naturalization, which Congress may deter
mine Tor all. IL say what qualifications, Tor the
good of all Union, shall be imposed upon adopted
citizens respect the political franchises Of voting
throughout the United Stdes-as the constitution itself
imposed the qualifications we have above, other
political franchse-eligbil to federal Offices and
trusts Both federal and State eligibility to Office, the
proposed bull leaves where they found
The constitution was a compromise and compact
between all the people (neary) whether citizens aliens,
Cor foreigners) Of State and similar people of the
other States between the people generally through
out the whole Union which, it is unlmportan to the
present question to determine. There had been pre-
yiously intimate union between the partles-no
uniform rule of naturalization Each State had loosely
adopted in its way, nearly all Aliens not alien
enemies, who had come within their limits.
Natives who were tories as generally expelled.
Political and military services the great induce
ments to adoption in most cases without certificate
without record. Al-very nearly a-had earned gen.
erGI citizenship An army Of patriot heroes had been
recently disbanded far from their native homes and
many were still unsettled in any residence Hence
the language OF the constitution the citizens OF each
State shall be (&c.) citizens Of the several States"
That clause was sweeping adoption recognition II
called nation of Americans in existence, and fixed
their united being. Their descendants, and those since
adopted with their ehildern the present Americans
the PEOPLE CT the United States.
Ii may, perhaps be objected, to any bill like that
proposed-Wbat would be its binding force should it be-
come lawa Particular States might STILL at their
pleasure, lit may be said } permit aliens TO for all
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and ederal-immediately CON-
ing for the first time within the Threshold of the State
The only answer s-ootis registered in heaven
earth. IL these bind then there is end to all
human society government. The constitution of the
United States, in the Of the whole people
mands-"This constitution, and the laws OF the United
States which shall be made in pursuance thereof (&c)
shall be the supreme laW Of the land, and the judges IN
ereTy State shall be bound thereby, anything in the
stitutioa laos Of any State the contrary notwith
standing Also he members of the several State lsois
Latures, and all erecHt judicial officers shall be