Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-16


tween two rival candidates, would not the alien
votes Of Illinois elect those ofieersy Suppose the
votes of the native and naturazed citizens Of that
State to be equally divided between rival candi-
dates for Congress, would not the votes of aliens
send members TO Congress TO legislate. for the
United Statesf Suppose the same division Of the
votes Of native and naturalxed citizens 70 exist in
the different counties Of that State, in the election
of members TO the State Legislature, would not the
Legislature be composed of the representatives Of
aiiensy And would not Senators to Congress from
Illinois be indirectly elected by aliensS Have not
all the States of this Union direct interest in this
question:? Is not this in substance, the identical
evil intended to be reineded by comforting on Con-
gress the exclusive power OF naturalizing foreign
ers?
"Will any man, who is not utterly reckless Of
his reputation as constitutional lawyer, pretend
for one moment 10 sanction 10 preposterousa claim
as that of State to make voters Of alicnsY Who
are citizens, and who are yotersy Citizens are all
freemen born In the United States, and all for
eigners naturalized by our congressional laws -
voters are those portions of citizens who by the con-
situations of the respective States participate In the
exercise of sovereignty A citizen OF any one
State is entitled to the rights Of citizen in all the
United States but voter In one State ID not ipso
facto entitled to be voter in another State. AL
voters must necessarily be citizens, because the
right Of suffrage is the highest right Of citizen
but all citizens are not therefore are voters, be-
cause particular qualifications required In cit-
zens for the exercise Of this exalted privilege.
"The ordinary rights Of citizenship do not,
therefore, necessarily include the right OF suffrage
though the exercise Of the right OF suffrage i'm
plies unqualified citizenship. If Virgnian or
Kentuckian removes to Missouri, he becomes a
citizen Of Missouri the first moment he settles HIM
self our soil; but he is not voter till after one
years residence. II Georgian crosses the line
and settles himself In South Carolina, he at once
becomes citizen of that State but he Ii not a
voter till he has residad there two years Yet for
all other purposes he has all the rights Of citizen
ship. He can hold and transmit property, sue aad
be sued and is protected by the laws in his person
and liberty. The difference between citizens and
voters is made still more manifest and the proprie-
ty of the distinctions have stated more apparent,
by reference to the different qualifications required
in the different States, TO constitute voters. An
examination Of the several State constitutions win
exhibit this question in its proper light. In some
of the States the citizen must have resided within
their limits one year. and in others two years TO be
voter. In some of them he must possess spe-
cited amount of property, and in others he must
have paid tax, and in some few States he must
have all these qualifications to entitle him to vote.
"If it should be pretended that because the
terms inhabitants and persons are sometimes
used in the State constitutions instead of citizens
there Is an argument deducible from this fact in
favor of the power we are combating, we answer,
that no matter which of these terms ia used it is
perfectly clear and incontestable that no persons
whatever, save natives, claim or enjoy any po-
tical power in any of these States, without natu-
ralization, under the laws of Congress. The prin-
cipes which we discussed in another part of this
address, touching this position establish it beyond
the possibility of refutation. No State, then,
constitutionally transform aliens into voters They
must first be made citizens by naturalization. Our
purposes cannot be thwarted by such means But
it may be asked, what remedy exists for this yio-
lation of the rules of naturalization The answer
is easy. The remedy is in the hands of Congress.
Each house shall be the judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications Of its own members
A contested election in either house of Congress,
if a proper case is made, will probably put an end
to 50 outrageous and palpable violation of the
constitution"
Having thus, as we think, disposed of the
question now raised by the Union, and here
tofore mooted by others who have assailed our
principles, on the point involving the right of
State to make voters Of aliens, we defer to
another occasion tho consideration of the opin-
ions Of Mr.. jefferson on the policy of our laws
Of naturalization, and we think we shall show
that Mr.. Jefferson's deliberate judgment was
in opposition to the encouragement of immi-
grafton to our country, of the general mass of
European population.