Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-03-31

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number of Electors, equal to the whale number OF
Senators and Representatives to which the State
may be entitled in the Congress: but Senator or
representative, person holding an office of trust
or profit under the United States shall be appointed
an Elector" Here, it will be observed that the
pawer of deciding who shall for the Electors
reserved to the States. In Virginia the Legislature
of the State has provided that the Electors shall be
| elected by the peoples but in South Carolina the
Electors have been appointed by the Legislature.
In this instance also, the question Of voting is re-
served to the States. AS to the Senator's the Con
| stituton of the United States provides that sstle
Senate of the United States shall be composed of tws
Senators from each State, chosen BY Tie Legislature
therenf for six years. And as to the House Of Rep
rcscntatives, the Constitution of the United States
provides that 9.the House of Representatives, shall
be composed of members chosen every year BY the
people of the several States and the Electors Chat
is the voters) Gin each State shall have the qualif
cations requisite for Electors of the most numerous
branch of the State Legislature Here again the
Constitution of the t. States does not undertake to
say ,ehot persons shall vote for Representatives. but
it merely SAYS those who for the most Numerous
branch Of the State Legislature. We have already
shown that the Constitution of Virginia has three
times changed the qualification of the voters of the
most numerous branch of the Legislature while the
provision of the United States Constitution has re-
manned the same.
| We think have established beyond
trovcrsy, that the Uuited States Government has
control the right of suffrage, ard that it is a
subject pertaining entirely to the State. We believe
that it has not been charged that the right of slf
rare has been abused to any considerable extent if
at all in Virginia, but is alleged that in the States
where there large number of foreign cingrants
that gross abuses have been practiced. In some of
these States the foreigner is permitted vote b.
their constitution and laws before lie has resided in
! the L. States long enough to become naturalizcd.-
What then is the obvious remedy for the evil
planned Of Plainly to call conventions in the States
where the abuses exist and amend the State consti-
tutons as to cure the defect. We may complain
of the abuses existing in other States, but what
right have we to interfere III their purely state at
fairs If they permit improper persons to vote FOX
their State officers what does it matter to us? But
in their elections for Federal officers if they make
bad choice We are effected, but We have no remedy
except the constitutional limitations and specifca-
tons Of the power of the Federal government 1t is
one of the evils incident to the Fedora, T-nion Il
we have a bad eopartncr in the confederate, we
must make the best of him. So long as the Union OK
regulate the right of voting for them, would we
submit to any aterfereace on their part in our SUI.
frage regulations, by which they might sock to inn
pose their ideas Of government upon We therefore
conclude that the States where abuses exist in the
right of suffrage alone redress the wrong, and
that the Federal Government is entirely imnotcnt,
and destitute Of the necessary power to legslatc
the subject.
The naturalization laws Of the L. s. against which
much of late has been said, left to stand or
fall upon their own merits.
Their use and object is to mi tate those aliens who
up to this high standard of citizenship, into our
national family first binding them by the most
searching and stringent oath to the Constitution and
country.
To say that the naturalization laws are perfect
would be saying too much for the work OF finite
man. That they have been cvaded and abused we
have no question; but, what laws have not That
they might be improved, think it quite possible,
but at loss at this time, to suggest any very
material change for the better.
| The Know Nothing party have raised great
clamor against the existing naturalization laws
BECAUSE they say, that the laws too lcnent and
that naturalized citizens becoming dangerous to
| the country.
And what do they propose remedy Be it
remembered, that they do not oppose the great in
tiux OF foreigners to this country; the contrary
in their platform, they say .o obstacle should be 1T
terposed to the immigration of all foreigners of hon
est and industrious habits" but, they propose as Il
protection to the country, that those whose vrtu IS
and high qualifications make them equal to the rigid
standard OF the existing laws, shall not be per-
mitted to ALLURE all allegiance to foreign countries
and take solemn oath to support the Constitution
| of the U. S. and be true and loyal to this country
twenty lone years before they will be permitted to
give pledge, or oath, of attachment to their adopt
ed country. If these people dangerous the Know
Nothings would throw no obstacle in the way of
their coming here and when here, they would de-
priye the country for twenty years, and some
say entirely, of the advantage of having them bound
to it by solemn oath of allegiance and fidelity
As ifto make their position still more absurd and re
diculous, they say that that they would extend s.al
privileges and imnunities enjoyed by any native
born citizen to the foreigner, except that OF par
ticipating in the civil administrations, and yet, they
lay it down in their platform, that they will not per-
nit him to be employed in army or navy. And
this tenet is Incorporated into the platform of that
party when the great of them have hardly
COOLED from the excitement of 1852, when they were
so industrously engaged in recommending aud crcu-
'.perhaps no man. certainly not in America, owed
so much to the RAZOR and blood OF Hishen as myself
Many of them marched and fought under my com.
mand in the war Of lsl2-l5, and many more-thoa-
sonds-n the recent with Mexico, not oas Of
whom was ever known to turn his back unon the ere
my or friend" Y es, this Know Nothing patty.
which is in so great dread of the foreigner will not
consent that he shall be bound to his adopted coun.
try By solemn oath, nor will they permit him to
enlist in the army and navy, to defend his home
and all the privileges and innunities extended to
him.
And this j. Kaow Nothingism
The utter absurdity Of their position this ques-
ton more fully confirms US in the opinion that
Know Nothings have graver and more important
questions to mind, which they have not yenturea to
expose to the public, and that they do not care a ne
for the bait which they have thrown out to catch
silly people.
1.ondon Quarterly Review.
The first number of this publication for 1855 has