The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-06-24
BY S. CLARK
VOL. 2.
What Senator Douglas means by people
of TerritOries governing themselves.

his share in favor of the Nebraska bill. and
hat he did not intend to discuss the subject
any more. Since then, he has made three
public speeches upon the prolific theme, and
to all appearances intends to fire his Nebras-
la gun as fast as he can load, until the wis
dom of his winters work is acknowledged
by the country-it he lives so long.
We also may tuthGully say we have
written our share in opposition to the Ne
braska bill but after the example of the
Senator-save that we violate no promise
we shall continue to discuss its abomina-
lions until we bring them all TO light, and
the authors of them TO judgment. How
long that will be, it is impossible to say,
but we expect to get through our work before
the Senator gets through with his.
The more we study the Nebraska bill. the
more we are shocked by the enormity of its
provisions, some Of which have thus far en-
iircly escaped public anmadversion; and
the more clearly do we realize the motives
Of lis projectors in pushing it through with
such precipitation, as TO prevent It's receiv-
ing the consideration which such measure
deserved, and which would have certainly
led to its defeat.
We desire to call our readers attention
particularly to-day to the clause defining
The terms Of citizenship and the qualification
uf voters, where will be found some pro
visions for which, we undertake to say, no
precedent can be found in American legisla-
non. not even in the alien and sedition laws
of President Adams.
1t is generally supposed that the Clayton
amendment, limiting the right of suffrage in
ihe case Of aliens to those who had resided
IA the territory four years, was rejected, and
The emigrants from abroad, who will consti-
'ute the bulk of the population for the first
lew years, will at once be clothed with all
the privileges of citizenship III the new ter
ritory. We quote the 23d clause of the Ne
braska bill, Gt is the 9th in the Kansas
bll,) to show the eroneousness of this i'm
preston, and to direct attention to another
qualification attached TO the rights of suf-
irage of American emlgrants, OF which few,
we venture to say, of the thousands now
making Preparations to settle i'll the new
territory have any idea.
SEC. %. And be it further enacted, That
every free white male inhabitant above the
age of 2l years who shall be an actual resi-
dent of said territory, and shall possess the
qualifications hereinafter prescribed, shall be
entitled TO vote at the first election, and shall
be eligible to any office within the said ter
ritory but the qualifications Of voters, and
of holding office, al all subsequent elections,
shall be such as shall be prescribed by the
Legislative Assembly: Frouided that the
right of suffrage and of holding Office. shall
he exercised only by citizens Of the United
States, and those aUho shall haze declared on
oath their intention to become such, and shall
haze taken an oath to support the ConStitu-
tion of the United States and the provisions
of this act: And prouided further, That no
officer soldier, seaman or marine, or any
other person in the army or navy of the
United States, or attached to troops in the
service of the United States, shall be allowed
to vote or hold office in said territory, by
reason of being on service therein.
By this provision every one may vote at
the first election, but after the first election,
the legislature prescnbes the qualifications
of voters, with prouiso that prevents them
from doing it, and limits them to the quail
tications prescribed by Congress.
These qualifications are citizenship, natural
oracquired, and an oath to support the Con-
stitution and the Nebraska Bill.
The declaration of intention referred to,
is that mentioned in the naturalization acts,
and the oath to support the Constitution is