Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-11-16

Ane nature Of The ccnsti;1;ional and legal Sfeyi
s'oas 70 regard 10 nt,nrsIizaunn aud he fSgis &
sehfags haFiag become mater 81 di.csssionlissh
!. NefA The Ne~ York Courier has giren an 4r.sci
% nc saoeeis ffon Which We extract ne scsisia
60 portions, a containing Information Which lsa,
no' Dc readily accessible 10 some Il oar readr:
Faes TIE saw resx carsixR.
re ONLY Festive work which ihe Consti.s,scr
Cos in regard to foEcigBers + no raoscssse. Yke
Constitution has bar I'VE clauses touchirg iksissb
leei four q them are Prot5ory and tie ssn.
Ply pzaissies. There is no eaafanfvine Geese
whaieFer We mast Be paraoaed for fresiisps
ne very language ofiAe Constitution for MA no
grrssiEe generation is last losing sit Of eve. 4
psainest featnzes or hat docEuens.
Section 5. Article H. OF the Constitution a 49,
~ petson, except Mutual B0zS cfrIzsN!sf 4
ctiizen Of the United States a. The ~ 1s -
ton Of this Constitution shall - eiIil. ~ &; n
I nre 81 tresilentr That i proscrfptfon
Seeion y o. AfticleXiI Of the Constitution IL =
Prrsop eonsliiuii0naiiy ineligible 10 he rs,s
a., u ssai e eligible @ that or Vice al
gee o. me Upitet Statssp Tnaf Is nfosefIptiih.
Section ). Article g. says: eNe rerso1 thaii 3.
q senaior who shall nor have attained The az OF
,9lfiy years and been SfxE YgaRs cirizsy ~ &c.
So $3.50 s's ! that Is prescription
ahepreseHiafiEe whe shall not have aig.;n-Ii ~
80 O. lhify- I'VE years and been sgyzs yEars der
len Tha, is prescription
Inese are disabilities imposed apon foreigtl.4s
elief they have been made. ciiizas Bat. rI,e
than Ills tae Constitution leaves I. 1870. ~
whether 10 make .hem citizens az all. Il SIMPLY
p5s,sr Is esiabisb asii9rm79Te o. SafaTsIfzsEs,9
end uniform laws % De subjecl Of bankruptcies
throughout the United Slalrs ~
Nothing Whatever oSliges Congress to exercise
this poser restricts ~ range 10 either direction
when II is exercised Congress may require Two
years previous rssideaee, as was reqairsd b7;l,e
&c; OF 100 Eve years as By toe aet Of 1923. r
twenty-one years, az now demanded or i raaAf
Withhold naturalization entirely The quesJica S
purely one q expedeney lis true thar aaer;fse
naturalization has been coafcued itcann9i r.
iracted. Congress haseno power to make sc BIZ
faet0 laws, and therefore power to unmake iit.-
gems who have become such B rs own acts. Bnt
nobody proposes this.
But there Is bunder ia supposins tha, na,u5slt.
zadon eonfers the righrof voting Ii does no sIp,a
thing. Il has nothing 70 al with voting one wal ir
the oSher. Tasrs are na,uralizsd people whoeaa
vote; there are Eon-naturaiizel people who IA
vote. Foreigners in many Of the western Stat;s
vote after years or half years stay n the csnn
try, though a.stay Of Eve years is necessary f5rha
uralzation. In some Of the Southern States piog-
ettI qualification necessary the light fvot:nt
and no person whether na,aral born or n7sltsl-
i1ea' can vote without ID Congress can nz,utIs,
PIP Congress canno contcr he poxsr ofyotiak
rngt power ID conferred by The 5 at.s aA9ne ant
of eaca according 10 is eva sole disere;ioa itthe
way defined By i,selfiH issoEn State Clnsitaisoh
Each STATE issoyere 81 IN lha'reapeei Il b,sltw5
the power OF voting aecoFding 10 rs owe view q IT,
oRa interests. There islno Such thing a ma. af-
al ngh @ vote. They Who talk Of il show him-
selves ignorant Of the very elements Of civil gov
ernment The election franchise IL fanesis,.
ara the yery dehaition III franchise /, a ,ehs
graatsd ID distinction trdm J right faayest III -
spect' % sdHsge the rgh, IS grsaied 5g toe coas,i
aionr and as this grant changes The fight changes
There = moi State In the Uaion 10 which itae
grant Is not qualified o3e. Itis.eI,eaied onlt 10
hose q certain age Women are excinled finn
II ia most e me staiss So!ored men and psaters
are excluded from III Ia some Of the States ,issase
who do lot own certain amount Of property er
certain description Of properly are excluded rora IL
Eaeh SIate through ~ constitution controls abe
a.,...i, y a h cAno.e 8 NO MS
| BIr gar trers s4aaESrrf ~ TT
a.;ng that th- Constitution 81 ih- 4Unitrd ) dtes
Guarantees the liberty 81 conscience. Il doei 40
slen ming ~ ~
ligIous test me qualification 10 any ufee or pratic
trust under the United States" and enjoins llhat
Congress shall make no Law respecting the e!ias-
meal Of religion or prohitiing the free exercise
/ thereof The Constitution imposes restrictions
UPON the S,ete il this respect though in manEoth-
er matters ii expressly does sai there j. no, re-
/ hgions determination 10 lhe country b. it PTssby-
/ terrain Episcopalian. Roman Catholic, or anf CHI
/ er which The State may not dlstfanehise or Tro-
4 scribe without violating the Constitution Of the
| United States. The guaraniess Of the liberty of
conscience are no, 10 be found in the Federal ;on-
stiluon, bat in the S;steicoas'haiions aad though
All these constitutions 40 secure liberty d .e1nz
science IN its Proper sens Is unlshahle mar 70
one Of lheIa Al leass--ve mean ina, Of New Hhmp-
shire-religious tests are nit only tecosnikfg bal
actually in posed Now none can respec, liberty
Of conscience more iha1 We. OF alt li5eniessi is
the vsrs one which deeG TIE most sscfeds ana
will yield none 10 def.Imina ion @ s?hosi ne
third section Of he 1rss srtic. Of State Clasti
,u,ion witch secure. Il oul, in proportion ar &c
respect this grea right " fise eon>eisaee " te.
sire thar rs positive guarantees should not beimis
placed or aisande stood They are ioiged ID the
State Constitution, an4 h Is tseys that every fsiert
ofreIigious liberty mast .se thai hey are hrmy in
eorpora,ed and preserved intiolaie. :