The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-04-05
Gpssfb bp 4alr. I)auis.
GualifiS Rti0hs Of aturahtzcd
Citizens.

Citizens.
The following are the remarks of the Hon.
Henry Winter Davis, made in the House of
Representatives on the 25th ult., on an
amendment to the bill concerning the rights
Of voters and the duties of Commissioners of
Elections in the city of Washington, and for
other purposes, the object of the amendment
being to require naturalzcd persons to be
residents one year Immediately preceding
the election to cnttlc them to suffrage:
Mr.. Davis, of Mary land.-Mr. Speaker, |
do not wish to dctain the House but for a
very few moments. | think that the princi-
pie which is intended to be incorporated in
this bill, if ii he new one. as suggested by
the honorable gentleman from kentucky, is
one which. perhaps, had better have been
Incorporated before: for | am not aware, sir,
that the novelty of a principle is any sort of
reason against the incorporation Of it, pro-
vidcd it be good enc. fit BE- SAID that it
draws an lnrniious distinction between native
and adopted citlzens then the word mridloM
is only an cpi;hct appended by the honorable
gentleman to the provisions Of the bill, and
merely amounts to calling name. If the
amendment draws a distinction between tie
native and lorcign.lorn citizen, then the
question is, whether that distinction be right
or wrong and Sn."rrcSc on .....;;..t: I,;,,vii
the judgement Of this House will not he aided
by the additional epiihct of ,nril1aus.
Mr.. Simmons After the United States
have given to an alien a certificate that he
shall have all rights and privileges ola native
born citizen, can we afterwards pass a law to
deprive him Of any Of those rights and
privileges?
Mr.. Davis.-T suppose, Mr.. Speaker that
the right to vote is not consequence of
being u citizen of the United States. | sup
pose the right to vote does not come under a
' law of Congress anywhere, beyond this Dis
trict. | think the right to vote is expressly
referred by the Constitution to the various
! States; and the rule which controls the right
to vote for members of the House is TO be
found not in the Constitution of the United
, States, but in the qualifications of voters for
,, members of the lowest branch of the State
Legislature. If this be the first time that
this principle has been Incorporated into the
law of II State or Territory, then beg leave
to say that this and sundry other things will
: be incorporated into the laws of more than
one State or Territory Of the Union. if the
principles which have the honor in part TO
represent on this iloor Shalt ever control the
administration of this Government, or that Of
any State Government; and, therefore that it
has net hitherto Eccn Incorporated is merely
=. stating the grievances which we now bring
to the notice of the people of the United
States. and upon which we desire the opinion
of this House.
What, then, is the Policy of the precise
provision proposed by my honorable friend
from Kentucky! The light to vote rests, in
this District, upon the law Of Congress. -,
That right is conferred upon the citizens who
bear certain relations to the city Of Washing
ton, and to the Government Of the United
States. 1t requires, first Of all, that the
person shall be resident. 1t requires, in
The next place, that he shall be citizen OF
the United States. 1t requires, in the third
place, that he shall have paid certain taxes.
Why is it that he is required TO have a resi-
dcncc III the city Of Washington 1t is IN
: order that, having the duties of a citizen
thrown around him, he may have become
convcrsant with the local interests cf.the city
of Washington that he may have had his
feelings so wrapped up with the citizens that
when he comes to vote, he may cast his vote
wisely, and upon pubic grounds. When a
citizen Of the United States comes into the
District from the States Of Maryland, Nm-
ginia. Ohio, or any other State, he brings
with him his ordinary rights Off American
citizen: and coming here with those quail
ties he is yet required to have residence in
this city certain length Of time b,tore he
can vote.
Now, the amendment offered by the gen
tleman from Kentucky is nothing more or
s less than to prevent a Distinction if the
@ gentleman chooses, an inrhi0HS distinction
against native citizens, and in favor of foreign
! lc citiynnp. ,,-hiIn tbo hill 1 hot
: one who lisa citizen, and having the RESPONSE.
I bility upon him, to reside here for a certain
r length Of time it conlcrs upon foreigner the
j., right to vote instantly, without previously
having resided here a year as Il cHi-en; and
therefore, without having been subjected to
the duty Of Investigating and rejecting upon
and having occasion to know his duties as {
cii'cea of the United States; and without in
, tcrposlng-as in the case Of every Mature
citizen any period to clapse between tho
e time of becoming citizen, and the time when
e he requires Il rig int to voe, for the Jaw con.
fcrs on every native, citizenship of tho
Republic at the instant of birth: and yet tho
' same law postponcs the right to vote fol
; twcnty-onc years.
5 The naturalization laws now confer citizen.
$ ship on foreigner by the formality of natu
Ializaton, this amendment, following tn,
, analogy of the law of the land, intcrposrs a
period between the acquisition of citizenship
and the acquisition of the right to vote
This is no more in dcrogation of the rights
of citizenship conferred by naturalization
than is the postponing the right Of the
: native to vote for twenty-onc years il
derogation of his birth right citizenship
The same power, for similar reasons inter
poses both periods of delay. One purpose
Of the amendment, therefore, is to require
that party shall have rcsidcdhcre as
, citizen, under the obligations of citizen
, for the same length of time that native
citizen must have resided, before hcshal
acquire the privilege of suffrage, in order
that having had his attention directed lc
the local and municipal concerns of the city
, under the influence of those obligations Of
citizenship he may, when called upon to vote
ovtc wisely upon the rights and interests Of
citizens around him.
, Another great reason for the amendment is
, indicated in my last remark, GenJlemcn re.
siding in different portions of the country do
not see the practical operation of allowing
foreigners to vote without these qualifications
as we do who reside in large cities Sir, il