The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-10-18


5sss; asss''' " v s1 ssvs st 81 1 ltssiiss ss;
and have in all respects Is hzeS Rith them
as with our American brethren. Edo those
gentlemen think, who profess SOY much zeal
here, and pretend to so much love for the
foreigner, that they are alone in their feelings
Of gratitude p those foreigners who, in the
hour of our tountry's need, came to our aid?
No sir. All Americans feel it. But feeling it
aud acknowledging it, as | am willing to do,
that we are indebted to them fl : that service,
is that a reason why we should place ourselves
politically at their mercy? Is that a reason
why we should deliver ourselves, bound hand
and foot, over to them. t they may obtain
the mastery over us ii, r. own government
and Of our own instituA is? For my part,
sir, l shall forever opposed ~ measure, come
from what quarter it maj that will tend to
take from the hands Of til American people
the reins of their own &c -rnment.
"The honorable gentleman, in adverting te
the primary rights with which I'll America
citizens are vested, endeavored to illustrate )
argument by making o comparison betw en-
the common partnerships of individuals and
the political partnerships of naturalizeJ and
native born citizens and tried to slow I 5u, as
an argument, that they were equal concerned
lin the welfare or misfortunes Of the govern
ment, and had to contribute, i~fehecesss y, their
quota to its wants. For my part, I can not
conceive there is any analogy in the two cases,
and if there were, the gentleman's argument
would not be aided by it, for it frequently hap
pens in partnerships for business that it is
mutually agreed that one Of the parties is alone
and solely charged with the government Of the
partnership affairs.
"But. sir, | DENY the gent1eman's, promises i;
1 DENY what he has been pleased to term an
iitieal rislts, . md that E. We hsvs no power undo,
those r;abts IF snch were the cosee sir. whence
have we derived the power upon the restric-
tions as to residence, color, age, which we have
already imposed, Without our flsht 10 90 SO
ment be correct. it should hold good through
out, but its error is eyitced when it is carried
to its extreme. and it's falsity is proven by a
comnlcte ,edqrt;o mi o5s1,rd,,an.
n X X \
{" IT was we'll remarked the other Jay in de-
bate, by an honorable delegate from NewOr-
leans (Mr, ,Grymes) that a government may
become so popular as q to be no government at
all. An absence of all restrictions, leaves OF
neeesslty' power III tie nahus VI lhe s.lonsest'
and ret WHOM ra s,,deav Wv to avo;d tb;s res,t}t
by guarding our government, our institutions,
and the prosperity Of our country, from danger,
honorable members reply by accusing US of a
bias towards aristocracy or monarchy. The
question under discussion has been presented
on two grounds, both of which | shall ell
deavor to treat-ist, have we the power; I'd,
is it eXpedient to insert this proyisioI in our
new Constitution? r..
A mart If Mr. Ren;am;,,s sr ,h.
Eauo., 1r~u ~. ss
no1o"s ila'l' o! 4 ueso"y my e'Aossu
an argument against the assumed :. 're's71the
creed Of the American party declaring natural
lied citizens incapable of holding Office. These
r,ore his ,voras
-.
"1he Constitution provided for naturallza-
f t,o"' s snd WITH W;ao the Pre e1qspt'o ma Of those Of o; presl,
We're eligible to all Offices under it. Whether
aware OF 1t or not, every one who had joined
an organization which declared that class OF
citizens incapable OF filling any Office, We're
making war upon the Constitution OF the
country"
In contra-distinction to this opinion of the
coua4a.:. ,osc ....o.4 .,..;... -. a..
~ p.e''A' e' '""S ''
SEINE gentleman III 1873:
"T'he gentleman has roundly asserted that
this State has not the constitutional power to
prescribe, as q qualification for Governor, that
he should be IL native born citizen Of the
United States. This, sir, is indeed q novel,
and | may be allowed to add, a startling re-
mark from a gentleman so learned and so
eminent in his profession as the honorable dele
gate from NewOrleans. | cen say, sir, with
truth, that having grown up from my earliest
youth under the Institutions of the country,
having been compelled to make them my spe-
cial study in the practice Of my profession,
and having the right to say, without | hope
being accused of presumption, that they are
familiar to me, I never till this hous. heard a
doubt suggested as to the constitutional porer
of a State to prescribe the qualifications re-
quired for holding office in its government.
Sin a word then, sir, I assert that our