Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-17


extended the privileges of citizenship the other States
of Itay she ceased be Republic and from that day for
ward she remained monarchy and despotism forever
msthing is due 10 the admonitious Of history.
nm not upon this OCCASION about to examine Mt
length the expedieucy Of allowing aliens TO vote
But let me say Gm not enemy to the naturalization
laws. do propose discuss the principles which
proper naturalization laws should be based Yet ought
to remind the Senate in this connexion that The right 70
Vo the right 10 goUern and that the utter allacy Of the
boast often made by the friends of this BILL that II con-
fers on our people the right Of self demon
rated by the statement OF the fact that aliens who
will have interest in the SOIL and who may have just
escaped from the prisons Of Europe who do not under
stand the first principles of Government will have the
power to VOTE and Of that the power to
American citizens who may to that region or all
the rights known to true American the right to vote is
regarded as the most important to him freeman He
would forfeit his life rather than fail to defend and pro-
tec it. This is the right Of self government in
Republic. Here is the fountain from the which
current runs bears life" But If o stranger who
has interest here and is utterly incapable Of under
standing institutions when he first lands SOIL
is to be allowed to neutrze oil the influence Of intel
lgent and true American citizen by killing his vote
the phrase is the rights of that citizen eectualy
invaded Us power was given to that foreigner to deprive
him of his vote
Sir am no enemy to foreigners but i am q true
American and prefer that and the rights which be-
long to that character to the name Of Irishman
German, any other foreigner under heaven. scorH
the low and contemplate appeals which constantly
made by demagogues to win the votes Of foreigners by
faterng them with the belief that they of i'm
portance here than native citizens place the natu
rallied foreigner equal footing in the exercise Of
the sacred right of voting with those who like myself
were born Americans When he has served his appren-
tceshp here, learn the science Of selfgovernment
during the period prescribed by naturalization laws
and become Americanized will respect him as an Anne
rican citizen but will consent to cheaper that
right by comforting it all the foreigners they
land shores 1t would be unjust to the intei
gent naturazed citizen to the native. would ever
prefer the claims to public Office of of the soil in
his native country those of any foreigner unless
that foreigner had superior merits qualifications for
the Office The children of the foreigners born in these
States Territories justly entitled in my opinion
to honors and Offices here other native CITIZEN and
more
Sir the principal question before us has been said to
be question Of constitutional law. wish to consider
this question which has not been dwct upon in this de-
bate whether the proposition in the bill to allow aliens
vote In these Territories, which is refused in other Ter
ritories be not absolutely Unconstitutional and ought not
to be declared void if the question could be and pre-
sented to the Supreme Court of the United States?
Honorable gentlemen here have looked back upon
their records. remember well when, in the year
1886, while member of the Senate, all the ques
tons connected with this amendment discussed by
of the abest who graced the Senate cham
ber On the bill for the admission of Michigan into the
Union, when the first application for her admission
made flor there were two such applications this ques
ton presented She had in her constitution clause
allowing aliens to yote and also fixed by it her boun
daries extending her territory within the limits of Ohio
and Indiana for which she refused admission until
by convention be elected for the purpose she should
assent to line prescribed by Congress- to prevent col
sion with those States Mr. Wright having introduced
proposition allowing, in general terms, the people
to the election Of delegates to revise this const
tuition exception was made that by Mr.. Porter of
Louisiana of the first urss Of the country at the
time by Mr. Calhoun, by Mr. Clay by Mr. Southard and
by many other gentlemen whose names appear upon the
record which have before was, by the necessi
ties of my position here at that time, involved in that
debate, and attentive observer of it. The first pro-
TJrs1r L.lL a.r
ferred the Committee the Judiciary of which was
at the time the chairman. reported a bill to admit
Michigan into the Union, and by direction of the
mtee moved to remit her to another convention, which
should strike from the constitution first proposed by her
that which allowed aliens to VOTE and change the
clause in relation her boundary which brought her.
admission into the Union into conflict with her sister
States
The committee desired this convention be held for
the purpose of considering both these propositions The
friends Of the reported by the committee dis
cussed the bill at great length and particularly the alien
clause. will state what the result of the
but before proceed further in the history
that matter desire to state the principles connected
with this subject which conceive established by the
construction of the Constitution of the United States
Citizen and alien have been properly considered
relative terms citizen is not alien and ien is
not citizen citizen may be defined to be any person
residing in any State Territory of the United States,
who enjoys all the rights privileges and mmunties Of
of full age born and resident in those States Ter
rores. What is naturalization? 1t is sufficient for my
purpose TO process Wnch
of the United States the dsabiles Of aeaage.
Now, what the disabilities of alienage? In the first
place. alien cannot vote unless the power specially
conferred him. In the next place. alien is not
titled to and cannot demand protection from the Govern
ment He is under obligations ts it, and he may make
upon 1t without mourning the penalties of treason.
He cannot petition the Government for any wrong which
he has suffered II he be here while the country from
which be came Ia with the United States he is
LIABLE under of Congress- to be ordered Of the
country within given time, and therefore he has right
Of permanent residence here in such contingency
that which have mentioned. These all known and
acknowledged disabilities of alenage. The Disqualified
ton Of alien to vote does arise merely from act
of Congress or act of State Legislature. 1t exists
as incident to aenage here and everywhere 1t must
be removed by competent authority and by positive
actmen before alien exercise the right of suffrage
1t is inherent in the very nature of aenage that it
not exercise right by which govern others There
be just idea of popular rights aud national
regnty national independence where the notion prevails
that alien ought to vote. Give this right to foreign
ers is proposed by this BILL and you surrender nearly
all that distinguishes him from an American. Nay. you
give these rights to strangers with whom you may be at
tomorrow, while you refuse your citizens in
State the right to vote in another for by the law
Of nearly every State in this Union qualification is
required for besides naturalization and generally
among Others residence for stated period is an inds-
pensable prerequisite But by the provisions Of this
bill any alien in these Territories without pre-
vous residence paying cent of tax to support the
Government which he is to control by his vote.
Now, sir, naturalization being nothing more nor less
than the removal of the disabilities of aienage Congress
pass law for that purpose provided be uniform
either for the removal of the whole Of these disabilities
in law, for the removal Of any two three
any other number in separate bills laws That in
ference flows rresistiby from the previous position
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