Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-28
SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
IA d SAruRpAY Feb. on 1877

tho consideration OF the bill from the House Of Re-
personalities to authorize the people Of the Terri
tory OF Minnesota TO form constitution and State
government, preparatory to their admission into the
Union on an equal footing with the original States
which was sgreed TO, and the bill was read. rs
Mr. Biggs moved to amend the bill by inserting
provision that none but citizens Of the United States
shall be entitled to in reference to the formation
OF the constitution and State government. lie said
few words in explanation Of his motion, remarking
that he did not know but that the offering of such
an amendment might subject him to the suspicion
OF being tainted with know nothingism; but whether
this was one Of the principles Of the American party
or not, he was decidedly in favor Of combining the
privilege Of voting to citizens of the United States,
either native or naturazsd, in the formation of all
organic laws.
Mr.. Douglas replied to the remarks of Mr. Biggs,
maintaining that the amendment was an improper
one He showed that, in several instances persons
had been constituted citizens Of some of the States
who were not citizens of the United States.
Mr.. Brodhead referred to the action Of the Senate
and House of Representatives the Nebraska bill.
The Senate adopted an amendment proposed by Mr..
Clayton, c'nfnng the right ofsuifrage to citizens Of
the United States. which the House struck out. When
the bill came back to the Senate, Mr.. b. again
moved to insert that provision in the bill, being the
only northern member who sustained that amend.
ment from beginning to end-the others who voted
for it ut first having yielded their convictions on this
point in order to allow the bill to pass. Hence, he
believed that tbe ricbt If IN n ZOO ras o.,av,an.a
with Tho riyht Of c;t;,ensb;n II. d;d 800 ~
lbsr,v in de6n;n, tho ,;ght p1 ,n,ors 30 ~ So
than the constitution of his own State had gone
and that had confined the right of suffrage 10 cti.
zens Of the United States.
Mr.. Brown expressed his hearty concurrence in
what had been said by the senator from Pennsy.
.'h;"I ,,So;.au sse ns ,p.e 'or any o'',
"h'u autnGi'Aeu u"el'S 10 'oIe III me ADMISSION OF
"e" Sla'es 'nt' 'ne o"'o'. ne was COMMENT that
hooo"y "ouu suspect MN o' haV'ng any sort OF
sy'"pa."y WI. 'he hno" ,ho'h'hG parry; he aespis'
Gu 'ner aoc"'es as ,huch as anybody else, but ne
,heu Jus''es' an" "heh u foreigner had qna''hed
hnse', accounting 10 lhc laws OF 'he country, TO eS
ercse the rght OF suffrage, he would he the last to
interfere with him in the exercise of that right.
Mr.. Bel, oil tennessee, was in favor of the amend
ment, and expressed his views at some length on
the general SUBJECT of an amendment in the natura
zaon laws and the proper qualifications Of voters
lie would vote Tor such modification in the exist
ing naturalization laws as to provide additional sc
cu'itisS and guards against the gross abuses which
had been practised under them.
Mr. Douglas appealed to the Senate not to 90 into
the discussion of these general questions at length
The whole subject was well understood by the Sena
ate and they had enough to do to get through these
territorial bills to day. Unless they should waive
this dicussion, it would be necessary to hold night
session or else lose bills of an important character
Mr.. Mason said that he should vote for the amend.
ment because he denied the principle that power
ought to be delegated to the people of Territory
to declare who shall ms citizens of the Territory.
have the right to vote to erect themselves INTO an in
dependent Satr, which, by association with the 9th
er States of the Union, should assume share in the
administration of the general government. After a
State should have come into the Union, II they
choose to admit as citizens persons who are not
,al Al