Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24
DEBATE In THE SENATE.
THE NEBRASKA QUESTION.
In THE SENATE, MAY IS, 1854.

IN THE SENATE, MAY 20, 1904.
The Senate having under consideration the House bill
organize the Territories Of Nebraska and Kansas
the pending question being on the amendment Of Mr.
PEARoE to the fifth section, to strike out the words
And those who shall have declared oath their inen-
become SUCH shall have taken an oath 10
the Constitution of the United States and the provisions Of
this act"
80 that the proviso shall read
Proridd That the right of suffrage of holding Office
shall be exercised only by citizens Of the United States"
Mr. BROWN Of Mississippi, said Ihave no intention,
Of course, to reply to the Senator from Ohio His speech
Of that kind which should not to reply
under any circumstances, and especially under the cir
cumstances which present themselves to US now But,
Maryland wish to assign very briefly the reasons why
shall do So advertising the Senate however that have
no speech TO make this bill.
The fifth section of the bill provides:
"That every free white male nhabant above the age
years who shall be an actual of said
tory and shall possess the qualifications hereinafter prescribed
shall be entitled TO the first election, shall be
eligible TO any office within the said Territory but the quail
fcatons Of voters and Of holding office all subsequent
elections shall be such shall be bed by the Lega.
tive Assembly Proriae That the right of suffrage and
holding office shall be exercised only by citizens of Uni
ted States"
Now comes the part proposed to be stricken out:
And those who shall declared oath their
to become SUCH and shall have taken oath support tie
Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this
And proridea further, That officer soldier seaman,
marine other person in the army navy Of the United
States attached 10 troops in the service Of the United
States shall be allowed to hold office il said Territory
by reason OF being on service therein"
If the section passes as it stands it is beyond all ques-
tion that foreigners in the Territory, and being in
the service of the United States may vote difference
what may have been their character abroad what their
nducement to come here However disoreditable the
country from which they came, they have nothing do
but TO make bare declaration of their intention be-
come citizen and take oath to support the Constu
ton TO entie them to vote while American citizens
rrnh how
above reproach, if they in the military service of
their country in these Territories, will by the same act
be denied the right to vote ask Senator'S to pause be-
fore they egsae to give foreigners rights which de-
MED to our own citizens upon American soil. How will
this operate practically, if you pass in the words
in which it stands? The officers commanding your
army, the soldiers who serving under your banner
and who are placed upon your frontiers to defend your
women and chdren from the tomahawl Of the savage,
viii be denied the elective franchise while the thousands
and tens Of thousands who pouring Upon our shores
from every part of Gods habtable globe will be entitled
to that sacred privilege. Why, sir if Santa Anna should
be expelled from Mexico tomorrow, he may be, and
should take up his residence in OF these Territories
ne may vote the day after he gets there fhs bill passes
and Winfield Scott, whose name is embl,zoned every
page Of his country's history and who's impress is
every battlefield from the ST. Lawrence to the city Of
Mexico if he there stationed the order of the Pre-
sident, would not be allowed the privilege. ask
honorable Senators if it is not So that by the proposed
legislation we are about to say to the Gmeralnchief Of
N-S
conquered by your arms and to the ieserer from the
enemy's camp, you may vote! Shall we do this? Shall
say to the venerable soldier who ha served his
try for forty years, who has fought battles and
fought them BETTER than any living man. shall say
Winfield Scott, who, whatever may be lis faults po
itcan, deserves his countrys gratitude you shall not
vote in Kansas Nebraska and then shall we say to
the outcass of the Old World the wanderers and va
gabonds to the prisonbrds and spawn Of infamy you
may vote! l hope not. Let mar charge that | am
hostile to foreigners We invite them shores and
would receive them kindly and treat them generously;
but when asked to stand up in tie American Senate
and give to foreigners the right Of suffrage and in the
same breath deny it to American citizens say plainly
cannot do it.
have heard before of putting foreigners on an equal
footing with Americans but this is the first time when
have been called upon to give them advantage And
what is the reason assigned? Look at the bill No Off
soldier Of the army shall be allowed vote in the
Territory by reason Of his being service there. 1t is
sufficient for his exclusion from the polls that he bears
his countrys arms that he the dangers Of the
camp and the pers Of the battle field but foreigner
what of him He may spurn your arms, insult your
Aag spit upon your laws and then say he means to be-
come citizen and swear to support your Constitution
and you let him vote thousand soldiers with Scott or
Wool their head may be ordered Nebraska the day
after this bill passes, and not Of them By
Of being service in the Territory they are ex
cluied while thousand foreigners, just landed, may
voe and the next day abandon the Territory forever
for, mark you they to declare their intention to be-
citizens of the United States, not Of Nebraska
u
Americans guarding thousand Irish or Dutch against
Indian assaults while they vote, and then guarding them
their march out Of the country and hear Pat Hans
blessing this land Of liberty where foreigners vote and
Americans look on in silence!
am told, sir by way of alarm this subject, that if
the bill is sent back to the House it will be lost have
had evidence of that; and if had, would not be so
alarmed as to do that which my judgment does
ton. l am here American Senator, to vote upon
my responsibility and must do it with the aid of such
lights as are before Mr.. President, we are to-day
making up record which will be looked to by coming
generations. What do we every day? Why, sir we 90
back to the records of the past and inquire what those
into the reasons which influenced the votes? No, sir
Senator's get up and say question which they claim
as precedent so many voted in the affirmative and
many in the negative When the present passes away this
vote will be recorded against you and you will be told
that here the 18th day May in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundrek and ftyfour the American
Senate, deliberately, upon motion strike out this pro-
vision refused to do it by many yeas many nays
thereby declaring to all the world that foreigners may
vote on bare declaration of intention to become citizens
Of the United States and oath to support the Consu
ton, while citizen soldier may not by reason of his
being IN his counrys service do the same thing This
IS the precedent you making to-day The Chinese have
proverb that curses, like chickens home roost
pray that this precedent may not home in
after time with the double power Of political
Sir the interests the rights the honor of my consti-
tuents are to be put at hazard this vote have al
ready said our own citizens, if they soldiers will be
denied the right to participate in the proceedings these
Territories in any manner, shape, form. If we have
thousand American citizens there and they happen to be
soldiers, they to stand off and see their rights and
interests committed to foreigners These foreigners may
have no interest in your country may have read its
Constitution and may be wholly incapable Of feeling any
attachment for our Institutions call upon Senators to
reflect before they proceed further in