Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-27
DEBATE In SENATE.
TINE NEBRASKA QUESTION.
In SENATE, MAY 81, 1854.

The bill from the House of Representatives organizin
the Territories Of Nebraska and Kansas having been take
| up and read second time
| Mr. PEARCE. / desire to renew the amendment whic
offered by my friend from Delaware when the Senat
bill was under consideration 1t is to amend the pro
yso, which is in the tifth section, as follows:
Prorided That the right Of suffrage and OF holding oc
shall be exercised only By citizens Of the United States
those who have declared oath their intention to becem
SUCH and shall have taken oath to support the Constu
ton of the United States ard the provisions of this
| By striking out the words
"And those who shall have declared oath their inten
ton TO become SUCH and shall have taken oath
the Constitution Of the United States and the provisions
this act" '~
Mr.. PEARcE. Mr. President, my object in moving
the amendment is obvious did not hear the debate il
the Senate the night when the amendment Of the Sen
ator from Delaware was adopted but take it for grant
ed that the reason for that amendment was the convic
ton the part Of the majority of the Senate that the
legislative franchise should be conferred within the Ter
rtories upon citizens OF the United States only For my
part cannot conceive any why this privilege
which peculiarly belongs to citizenship should De extend
ed to those who not citizens 1t is part Of political
sovereignty seems to to be the essential duty OF
citizen, but Of no one else, to exercise that power
is with the principles Of all Government, ID seems
me- confer upon those who not citizens the pow
control the Government through the right Of suf-
rage That right belongs only to those who are members
of the body polite, and foreigner can be SO until he
has, by naturalization entered into the compact which
constitutes him one OF the political community.
admit that the legislation of the country has been
somewhat irregular in this particular. know thathat
rregularty dates from very early period OF our hsto-
ry know for example that in the ordinance Of 1887,
which organized the Northwest Territory, provided
that when there five thousand male inhabitants
twentyone years Of age they should have Legislative
Government, and that the right OF suffrage should be
committed those who citizens OF of the United
States and had certain property qualifications, to
those who had resided years i'll the district and had
certain larger property qualifications But there was
manifest reason for that which does not apply now At
that time we had no Federal Government, no Coasttu-
ton of the United States There was such thing
citizen of the United States The right confined to
the citizens Of one Of the United States and il was mani
fest that as there was no general under the Con-
federation to constitute citizens Of the United States,
have resided in the Territory for indefinite
period without acquiring citizenship in the Territory by
virtue OF any law of naturalization The only citizens
then known TO the law were citizens OF the respective
States Of the Confederation. Well, sir nasmuch
who resided in that Territory for any length of time
could not thereby become citizen of the United States
AMI there power to make him SUCH it seemed
be somewhat reasonable that the right of voting should
be given in that case to all the residents in the Terrific
ry under the condition prescribed by the ordinance which
supposed them to be assmated in interest and feeling
with those who citizens of of the United States
freehold to the amount of fifty acres, and residence in
the district Of two years, think, tie requston in
this case. ... .'..
That provision successfully extended to the differ
Territories organized of the Northwestern Terri
tory 1t extended, believe also the Territories
southwest of the Ohio, not in precise terms totid
rrjis but by general provision that the inhabitants
of the Southwestern Territory should be entitled all
the rights liberties and advantages which, by the ord
nance given those in the Northwestern Territory
Some similar provision introduced into the act for
organizing the Territory of Mississippi in 1885, when
placed it under Executive Government, But it is q
little curious that in 1903 Congress passed to ex
tend the right Of suffrage in the Mississippi Territory
Whether there had been any elective Legislature in that
Territory up to that time do know, but presume
there had not at least not able to find any evidence
of it, and suppose it governed, the North
west Territory by Governor and judges. But in 1903
Congress passed an act to extend the right OF suffrage
the Mississippi Territory and that act expressly restrict
ed the elective franchise to those who citizens Of the
United States and besides possessed the necessary
perry qualifications That the earliest act which
can find in which the policy of the Government to
conne the elective franchise citizens Of the United
States In 1912 organized the Territory of Missouri
and there we expressly limited the right of suffrage to
citizens Of the United States Afterwards organized
the Territory OF Arkansas and applied to it the prov
sons of the act organizing the Territory of Missouri
When we organized Iowa and Wisconsin also limited
the right of the elective franchise to those who c
of the United States, and SO we did in Utah and
New Mexico as late as 1850 ....
We have departed from that rule in regard 10 the late
~ organized Territories of Oregon Minnesota and Wash
ngton In regard TO these three Territories the provi
sion which extended the elective franchise to those who
are not citizens think entered into the consdera
ton Of any member Of the Senate have looked over the
debates Of the Minnesota BILL and do not end any thing
said the subject when that bill under discussion.
In regard to Oregon Territory there was perhaps
liar reason why Congress should be more liberal than in
regard to other Territories / presume however, that
in regard to oil Of them, the provision was established in
consequence Of the attention of Congress being absorbed
by subjects of much greater Importance BE that il
may these three later precedents being the only
of extending the franchise to those who are not citizens
of the United States and who have only declared their
intentions to become SUCH to be entitled under
the circumstances to but little consideration; Mt al
events they should not overrue the presidents which
have mentioned in the Territories Of Missouri Missssip
pi, Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin Utah and New Mexico.
But see this bill provides that while the alien WHIT
may have come into the Territory only the day before
may entts himself by declaration of his intention t
become citizen to exercise this privilege Of citizenship
and in the organization Of or the cleo
ton Of those who 10 conduct it. no officer soldier
seaman or marine, any other person in the army
navy of the United States shall be to vote OF hol
Office in the country
/ Fir. WALKER. | desire to correct the Senator. ss
shall not be entitled to vote by reason of being staone
there is the reason Of it. lie may be resident an
citizen elsewhere and he is not to be allowed to vote
reason of being stationed in the Territory
i Mr.. PEARCE. Then q man who is stationed there
orders Of his Government shall not be allowed to vote
he is citizen Of State Of the Union but Il
alien who may go in the day before he declares his inte
ton to become citizen shall be entitled IA vote thoue
not citizen. That is practically declaring that our
tufaIaton laws shall have no force at all in this Teri
tory, and Placing the newy-arrived foreign emigrn
above the citizen Of the United States, can conceive