The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-12-14
NATURALIZATION AND TIE ELEc.
TIVE FRANCHISF

The necessity fora Manual for tue use of
those who are engaged, politically, in awak-
ening and strengthening M the hearts q
the millions Of voters in this republic. a
broad sentiment of5American slssliouaIits.
viii, we doubt not, be generally adA...... =
| by a now numerous, powerful and growing
party. In all great movements, the senti-
ment preredeS the understanding of the
subject and the mode of operating to Sc
cure the desired and hoped for end. That
1.-THE heart of the nation is now set upon
rousing an American spirit and forming a
truly. American party, which shall over
ride all colla'er and contingent questions,
is indisputaGlc. The alacrity with which
millions are known to have responded to the
holy and patriotic call, throws around the
future halo of national glory that will be
visible, and stand as beacon light TO pos
terity. r+ 1
We stated. a few days ago, that we'll
Gigesied and comprehensive, though con
densed history ofthe past, such as is suit
ed to the present condition of the public
mind is in course of preparation by a gen
tleman of this city, one chapter of which
we give below, in "A very condensed form,
rs a specimen and as information on a topic
not generally understood, MS we believe
1t will be seen that the publication of the
SOVEREIGNTY by limitation of the elective
franchise, is work for the States, and that
the General Government can only aid the
movement by emigration laws, etc, etc.
! The opinion prevails that it is within the
scope Of Congress TO prevent aliens from
voting until they have resided in the Unit
ed States a longer period than five years,by
an amendment Of tie Naturalization Laws;
or to prevent aliens from voting altogether,
by their repeal. This opinion, held by
very many, isclcally notcorrec'. nlfo !.
The writer AZ serts and proves that Con.
gress has no power to amend or repeal the
naturalization laws, IL it is intended by
that repeal to fix the qualifications of voters
in the States. When the federal Constim-
ton was framed, the States did not, by Il
provision therein, delegate to Congress the
power to fxfor the States the qualifications
Of voters; nor have they done SO since the
Constitution was framed The States,
therefore, have the right 10 say who shall
vote and who shall not vote, at all cleo
tons .
Article 10th, Amendments to the Con-
siitution reads: "Thc powers not delegat-
ed to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it TO the States, are re-
served.to the States respectively, or to the
people" The power to fix the qualiica-
tiohs of voters in the States, nor 10 Congress
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to
the States; therefore those powers are re-
! served 10 the States themselves. Hence,
each State has the right reserved, to say
who shall vote and who shall be prohibited
from votingS This being true, it would
follow that each State may allow aliens or
foreigners, to vote wiM Ora0ithout notural-
izqfion. Twenty-tbree States do require
all aliens to be duly naIuralized according
to the Act of Congress, before they can
fvote at elections held in them.
| But seven States, Indiana, Michigan,
New Hampshire, North Carolina, Penn
Isykania, Wisconsin and Vermont, do, not
require aliens to be naturalizcd before they
can vo.e at elections held in them. So that
liz the majority Of States do require natu-
ralization as qualification for voting, it is
not because they are obliged, but because
they choose to require it; not because
Congress has power to legislate for them,
but because they see ftto let il lcgislate 70:
thom-or because they make, by their own
free viii, naturalization by the laws OF con
gress, qualification Of voters in their linn,
Its, ..I ass h,s,, .Ig .-5 la ....l l....
1t appears thai the States, then, have tho
exclusive riyhtto legisla;e upon the cclec-
tive franchise, in relation to its enjoyment
by aliens. ami thst Congress has no right
\ to legislateppon it, 1t can repeal any oil
its acts undoubtedly, but Congress has no
powerto repeal suchwith view to inter-
4 fere with thelegislaive action ofany State,
i Article first, second section of tho Uni
ted States Constitution, says:-r- t...
| rThe House of Representatives shall be
composed ofimembers, chosen every Sec
ond year,by the people of the several States
and the ehctors in each State, shall have
the qualifications requisite for electors Of
the most numerous branch of tho State Leg
islaturc." .tar -. .u3 t..,t.... l,.5
This artielepro les that voters for the
\ lower house of Cpgress, shall be those
s.who in each State are allowed to vote for
members of the lower house of delegates;
and hence every State isthereby permitted
to say who shall vote forits Representatives
in Congress -i 70. ....a ,.--;.
u Each Safe has power, also to determine
who may vote for President and Vice Pres
idmt The power to fix the qualifications
} of voters forlPresident and Vice President
is not delegated to Congress by the Con-
stitution, nor prohibited, by it totho States,
} and therefore such power is reserved to
the States themselves. Every State having
the delegated power to say who shall vote
for its Representatives in Congress, and
. the reserved power to declare who shall
vote for its own officers, and President and
: Vice President Of the United States, has
the right to fix tho quail liiications of all vo-
ters within its jurisdiction. gsI 81
In1eyery State Constitution there are ar
. ticles specifying tho qualifications of yo-
ters. 10 alter these qualifications, each
4 State must alter its Constitution by amend
ment. Il Ilisquite difficult to amend the
constitution Of some States, particularly
those of Kentucky and Louisiana. 10 a