Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-02-02
government, all those sovereign powers, which are

purposes is that of protection Of he citizen agains
other governments and subjects, which is du
under that communicative contract which secures hi
allegiance, and which protection cannot be givel
by State.
Now when the States were separate and indie
pendent, each had the right to admit, citizenize
and entranchise foreigners No State then eve
thought of giving sovereignty to one not citizen
Having agreed inter seSe, to give the power tt
c,hzenise to the general government, good faith
seems to require that they should still allow citizen
ship to precede or accompany suffrage.
We are now the same people, governing our
selves, not only with view to State welfare, but
under the additional and sacred obligation to pro-
mote the general good. Hence the stronger reason
than before, for not giving sovereignty to any but
citizens
For the above reasons I think it evident, that
the founders of the nation not only never intended
that the States should give foreigner civil rights,
when he owed fidelity to foreign power, but a
foriori, that for the same reason they never in
tended that the said States should give the right to
vote to unnaturalized foreigners. Otherwise, a
State may introduce and invest with sovereignty,
without securing their allegance) enough foreign
ers to ultimately control the affairs of the nation
| There could we'll be no grosser absurdity, than
| that the right to govern should belong, in any
degree to those who owe no fealty to our sover-
eighty; to those who are, in law, bound to obey
another government; to those who could not be
punished for treason, no matter how fragrant, be-
cause they owed no allegianc to our government.
This, it seems to me, is the reductio ad absuyd,m
I will therefore up follows, viz: That
1--WE, the people Of the United States" are ma
ton; that nation is composed exclusively of
citizens; that aliens must be made citizens bv
naturalization; that this must be done by the Fed
eral government; that selfgovernment is the
government of nation by itself; that this means,
the government Of the nation, by the votes of its
people of the States, and such as they choose to
endow with suffrage; that if those who are not
citizens are endowed by the States with power to
vote, the nation does not govern ITSELF but is gov
NANASN IT,.
nor owe it fealty-who in fact owe allegiance else
where; and hence that the States plainly and
violate the spirit Of oar government,
and the intention Of its trainers, if they admit
foreigners to vote. Nearly thirty
of the States act honorably on the subject, and
require citizenship of the United States, as con-
diton precedent to foreigners being endowed with
suffrage Those States that form exceptions to the
general rule, remind me of the case of dishonest
partner, availing himself of the privilege of the
partnership, while stealing the money and goods
belonging to it.
l have been travelling since my last, and con-
equently have not had time to do the subject
ustice, but have written this merely to keep up
he connection. will, in my next try to ascertain
he origin and extent of sovereignty in the Terri
cries, and incidentally treat Of the assumed land
hink usurped) power Of Congress to admit I'M ,
foreigners to vote therein
Yours, respectfully, B. j. SAGE, =,
CAUSE AND EFFECT-The Emnress Engsn;a
avs the New-York Post, expects to present the
french nation with an heir to the throne: so the
aides Of the French Court wear hoops; so the a
french hout ton wear hoops; so the American d
aides wear hoops. 1t is to be hoped that they
nil enjoy this Convenient and grand contour I'M !
il the event takes place, when the ladies of the
'rench Court will su6side, the ladies of the II
rench daut ton will su6side and the American a
aides will su6s;de! -
PETER PARLEY.-The recent attempt by a wri- 8
II IN the Boston Courier, to make it appear that
,e late Mr. Kitterell, editor of that paper, was lie
,e veritable Peter Farley, has been answered in n
long letter to the New-York Times by S. G. 8,
oodrich. In this letter Mr.. G. shows up va v
Gus impostures relating to the authorship of W
lese renowned nursery tales; and he takes oc- .,
'sion to dispose of what he calls batch of at te
mpts, impertinent or fraudulent, to make use re
the name of Farley. tn
Be1~ There is warm contest now going on
South Carolina respecting the policy of send 4
6 delegates to the National Democratic Con- m
ntion. The Charleston Mercury, the infu- to
zee Of which is immense, opposes the sending W W
delegates. So we 60. in
kS~ Mrs. Sarah P. Eldridge, better known as 81,
Fanny Fern" was recently married in New he
'rk, to Mr.. James Parton, author of the life of "
brace Greedy. h,
DeD~ The Americans have elected their can ia
late for Mayor of Pittsburg, by large ma ma
ity over the democratic nominee on
br
Detroit Daily Avertiser t ts
vs.: sal
" Finance has a language of its own. Its cit
leves are not thieves, but defaulters. Its re-
sol to pay is lucus a non lucendo, called IL ly
idation. Having more notes afloat than means les
pay them, is being short of currency the me
rid calls it poverty and insolvency. Pawning nu
hypothecaton; shining and borrowing is fa'
anciering Swindling is Incorporating; tax tht
, mems and woman's money to keep safely, Eth
squandering it, or losing it in speculation lit
Loauing out other peoples mo- Or
=, is accommodation. Paying out doubtful ter
ues in redeeming their own, is retiring circu- are