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

aMy colleague also the example Of Louisiana, which
was admitted into the Union without requiring the nhabi-
tants al the time conform the act of naturalization
must think the instance Is in point That of
the incorporation of foreign community which had been
CURED by treaty member of Confederacy. At the
time of the acquisition they subjects of France and
owed their egiance that Government. The treaty
ferred their allegiance the United States and the difficulty
Of Louisiana the Union under
act of naturalization but the right acquiring foreign pos
session by purchase and the right of Incorporating such
sessions into the Union These were felt Mt the time TO be
questions Of great difficulty. Mr. Jefferson himself under
whose Administration the purchase made, doubted the
right and suggested the necessity of alteration Of the Con-
stuon the and if the example of the admis
sion now be used establish the principle that State
may confer citizenship alien may all live to regret
th.t the Constitution not amended according to the sug
gestion
would be to confer Congress the right of pre-
scbIg who should should be entitled to vote in the
State and he other privileges belonging to citizens
and strong language the danger to the rights
States from such authority If his views are correct
respect the danger would indeed be mminent but
in their correctness Under the view which have
TAKEN the authority of Congress limited the simple point
of passing uniform laws of naturalization have shown
simply aenage. To this extent 1t may clearly
under the Constitution and is less clear that
60 IN inch beyond without papaby transcendng its powers
and violating the Constitution Every other privilege except
those which necessarily flow from the removal of aenage
must be conferred by the Constitution and the authority Of
the State"
Before read further permit me to make few com
ments this passage By the Constitution of the Uni
ted States all not delegated Congress reserved
to the States the people The power pass uniform
laws Of naturalization is expressly delegated Powers
other than those and for that purpose
are Of course reserved to the States Thus for example
while Congress alone can pass naturalization law, while
no State in this Union the disabilities of alien
age or constitute citizen, every State may exercise her
reserved powers powers not delegated for
pie, by directing that citizen shall reside for limited
period in the State before he shall VOTE that he shall
pay tax in he be guilty of crime he shall for
felt the right Of suffrage consequence All these minor
matters outside of the of naturalization
ed to the States but repeat the hoie power of natu
razaton is delegated to Congress- and State has
power or right to interfere with it.
As to the of Louisiana, and others like it, the only
question is whether the treatymaking power embraces
the power to annex territory Decide that armatively
and the other question: to the naturalization of the
inhabitants of the Territory may be disposed in the
way. These attractions of the Constitution have
been acquesced in by every department of the Govern
men and BY the people for fifty years But they afford
justification for other violations of the Constitution
the same kind and the very fact that they cited
justify the alien clause in this bill strikngy exhibits the
character of the principles relied to sustain it
principles which Mr. Jefferson declared Inconsistent
with the Constitution. .1=' .Z,..%
Mr.. Calhoun also said !: ~. .~.
This bill prescrbes that the people of Michigan shall
for the convention to form her constitution, becoming
State /" ask who are the people of Mich
GAM Taken in the ordinary sense every body
every age Of every of complexion white black
red, aliens well citizens Regarded in this light pass
this bill would sanction the ncipe that Congress
toriEe alien confer that high privilege the
runaway slaves from Kentucky Virginia or elsewhere and
thus elevate them the condition of citizens enjoying under
the Constitution all the rights and privileges the States
the Union which apperan to citizenship But my colleague
that this be acquiesced in if such should be
it results from the principles the Constitution
know bound to submit to whatever The provisions
but surely my colleague will agree with
me that the danger such precedent would be
the principles which is justified ought be clear and free
from all doubts and trust have at least shown that such is
the people of Michigan the qualified voters under her Incl
pent constitution Gas stated by the senatr from New
tnen are we anconng the right OF aliens vote Michigan
has attempted to confer this right that portion of her nha
bitants She has authority cour such right under the
Constitution. have concusiyely shown that State
not possess it. much less Territory, which possesses
except such conferred by Congress Congress
conferred such power Michigan indeed could
ferd has authority under the Constitution the
subject except to pass uniform laws Of naturalization.
have thus made copious extracts from the argument
Of Mr.. Calhoun because he stood ut the head OF pot
cal section of whose advocates best answered
by the words OF their great apostle questions like the
present and because truth his argument the
whole ground in controversy. may explain may Illus
rate the patience of honorable Senators would bear
it; but add nothing to the force Of argument
clear, logical this which Of the best Mr.
Calhoun made in the Senate heard it with great
pleasure ut the time and the impression it made on
my mind is still fresh, though it was delivered eighteen
years ago. The reporter has hardly done him justice
and regret say in reference the other speeches
that OCCASION among the best have ever heard for
legal argument the speeches of Clay of Porter of South
ard and others who engaged in that debate the reports
of them wretchedly defective and seem to have
dergone revision.
The debate continued these questions until, to
utter dsmay the opponents of alien suffrage thought
they discovered that learned and able opponents
among whom Thomas H. Benton the ablest, resolved
make party question of this question Of const
tutoua law 1t desired to bring Michigan into the
Union that her might be received at the coming
Presidential election We found ourselves beaten by
vote We had taken the deepest interest in Michigan
and her introduction into the Union. We all pro-
foundry convinced that in the right this con
stitutonal question: and such feeling of disap
pointment regret and modification, that all of us or
this side of the chamber, with Mr. Clay and Mr. Calhoun
in column, marched Of that door, and returned
to attend to The proceedings of the Senate the
admission of Michigan.
Mr. President honorable Senators who have preceded
in this discussion have shown from precedens how
often the clause demanding that the voters in the Terri
tories of the United States shall be citizens has been in
serted in Territorial bills shall that ground
thank those honorable Senators for having introduced
them into the discussion and rendered it unnecessary
for me to do desire, though to refer to the bill for
the organization of the Territory of Nebraska when
was first introduced in the House of Representatives by
the honorable Senator from Illinois, (Mr DOUGLAS to
show what his views on this subject were at tina
day have it here. 1t is bill Of the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes No. 444
DEoEMsER II, ls44.-Mr DousLAs, leave, introduced
mtee on Territories"
Did the Senator then contemplate the grant to aliens
OF the right OF suffrage in Nebraska? No, sir. The
seventh section OF his bill then in these words
That every free white male citizen the United States
above the age Of twenty years shall be nm nhab
ant OF the said Territory at the time the Legislative Assem-
bly, shall be established shalt be entitled vote at the frs
election, and shall be eligible any Office in the said Terri
tory but the qualifications of subsequent cleo
tons shall be such shall be determined by the Legislative