Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-01-26
The Naturalization Question.
NUMBER TWO.

''N 'N''NA
lied Citizen of over 10 years" and the Hon Pierre
Soule-that the act of naturalization, under the
Constitution of the United States, gives the for
eigner fright of political equality" with the
native; or, in the language of Mr.. Soule, makes
the alien Sin att respects tie equa of the native
born"
| hope shall be pardoned by your readers for
seeming repetition in the argument l shall now
make, for this political heresy, if allowed to i've
will become the mother of great mischief in our
country; and although may be unable to destroy
it, wish at least to direct attention to it, so that
if it really be think, the offspring of miscon-
ception, our political tutors may strangle it in its
infancy.
/ will go back and commence at the source of
political power, and argue a priori, because the
popular idea on this subject we'll as every mat
ter connected with our popular sovereignty and
the relative powers of the State and Federal gov
ernments, are vague and indistinct, if not erro-
neous.
The aimportant basis and starting point of
every discussion of this subject is that the soper-
eighty or right to gorern in oar country, is IN
the people. Each voter possesses an aliquot part
For instance, if there are three millions of voters,
each voter has one three-mionth part The
governments of the country, State and Federal,
are the instrumentalities by which the people ex-
ercise their sovereignty or right to govern; or, in
other words, they are the means by which they
govern themselves.
The Federal government was formed by the
people of the States, for general and national pur-
poses, such as making treaties, defending the
natlon regulating commerce, coming money,
aaturalizimg or admitting foreigners to citizen
ship, and in short, for doing all that is necessary
" to provide for the common defence, and promote
the general scelfare" while the State governments
are empowered and employed by the people for
local purposes such as protecting persons, punish
ing crime, regulating the disposition of property,
improving the State developing its resources req
mlating'the eleetiue franchise or firing the rights
Of ooters, ETC., etc.
The people of the United States constitute a
nation, possessing all the civil and political rights
appertaining to nation. They inherited their
condition from their fathers, and they have the
absolute and unlimited power, and the unquestion-
able right to bestow their blessings on others,
(aliens) or to withhold them. The nation has
adopted the policy of admitting aliens, and con-
ferring these rights upon them. How is this done ?
The people put in the Federal government-to
be exercised by the agent or instrumentality they
created, l.. e. Congress- power to naturalize or
make citizens, OR in other words-as / showed |
before-to invest aliens with civil rights, making
them citizens or subjects. Congress shall have |
power to establish an uniform rule of naturaliza-
ton" (Const U. S.. Art. l, Sec 81
Now, what have the sovereign people provided
as to the elective franchise, or the governing
power? In their respective State Constitutions,
they have exercised the exclusive power of de-
caring who shall vote. With some exceptions,
they have adopted the following qualifications
ship of the United States-the status of being
free white male, twenty-one years old-and resi-
dence in the State for longer or shorter period.
Now let it be noted that the people of the States
respectively, were sovereign communities origin
ally; that they did not give to the Federal govern
nent any power over suffrage; that voting is
governing, or in other words, that votes are the
political power, Or the sovereignty of the country
md it will be readily perceived that the said people
'f the States, who have the inherent, sovereign
light to VOTE or govern themselves, can admit
others to the enjoyment of ii, or not, as they
choose. l dwell ON this because important couse-
luences flow.
The correctness of the above view is the more
vident, from the fact that the same people, having
rom time to time, in their respective States fixed
they chose the qualifications that persons should
'are as a condition precedent to uotinq or in ,
ther words, to their being endowed with sover- Q
ign power; have provided in their Federal Con-
titution that "the electors of Representatives to
;ongress) in each State, shall have the qualifica-
ions requisite for electors Of the most numerous f.
ranch of the State Legislature" and that Presi-
entail electors shall be appointed " in such man a
er as the Legislature" of each State may direct; :
hus fully recognizing, not only the principle that
ne right OF suffrage is in the people of the States
distinct and separate communities, but that they fl
lone baye the power to bestow or withhold it. =
I'LL remark here, en- PEASANT that every officer of
ne Federal government receives his office and
uthority directly or indirectly, from the voters of
ne States. il
Another clause in the Federal Constitution may al
here cited, as showing the above view to be c.
orrect The citizens of each State shall be P
nttled to all the privileges and immuntes of cit e
opposed this to include political rights, or. the
ght to vote and hold office; for if it did, the :
tates could have no right to establish, as they
ave done, such variety Of qualifications Of z
oters. (See the Constitutions of the States; the
onst. of La, 1916; do. 1882 o
lay down the proposition, then, that the Fed e
AT government makes citizens of foreigners. Of
nd the State governments make yoters or sover-
gns OF them; or, in other words that the peoples AZ
ederai government admits foreigners to citizen q
zap, and the peoples State governments admit
'em to political rights. n
Now, what is the status Or condition of the el
'tive-born citizens of the United States? Each c.
lquestionably nherts his portion of all the rights
vii and political, of the Republic; which, when
attans majority, he becomes invested with. In m
her words, he is born member of this repub- to
AN family, and comes to his inheritance of civil :
I'd political rights, Of citizenship and sovereignty,
the age of twenty-one
Now, who cannot see, that while native OBJ +;
ms both civil and political rights, by birth and
scent-naturally and necessarily; two acts of D
vereignty are indispensable to bring an alien to
equality with him. an
To promote self interest is the object and idea n
prime concern with the nation. If the Republic. :.
imposed Of the descendants of the founders, and A
Oh as have been, from time to time, admitted ce
to the family, and invested with sovereignty con-
Ter the admission of foreigners to citizenship as
necial to the country it is to be done through sa
e agency of the Federal government and it is an
Of the sovereignty Of the ml,ole nation. The M
ton thus makes foreigners members Of our nc
tional community, and subjects Of our governing m
wer gieing them the blessings of citizenship, "a
d securing their allegiance. The nation goes Of
ia far and M farthor h,+ Tho x,o,rys | -,