Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-16
ALIEN SUFFRAGE AND DfsTFfBUTIoY.

We are permitted to copy from letter BY dis.
tnguished citizen Of Davidson county to his fiend
in a neighboring county, the annexed extract VIZ
commend it to the candid consideration of our rea-
ders. Such is our own opinion Of its ability that
would be entirely wiling to rest the argument on
the two subjects discussed on this brief but master
ly review:
ALIEN SUFFRAGE.
The Kansas and Minnesota bills simply provide
as to aliens that if they have been residents Of tbs
territories for six months and declared their inten
ton 10 become citizens Of the United States they
may vote &C. This is not new policy or prOyi.
sion as to aliens.
In 1911 the Congress gave to all male persons II
Indiana Territory who had resided there one yeal
and paid territorial tax, the privilege Of voting
See ID Peters $50. In 1872 the same law was
passed as to Illinois. See ID Peters TAI When
these territories authorized to call conventions
to make constitutions, the Sd section Of the act see
Sd Peters 1921 expressly authorizes all citizens Of
the United States, and other persons Legally qualified
70 pos for members Of the General Assembly, also "a
rofs for members Of conventions. Now then forty
years since aliens proper, and not those who had de-
clared their intention 10 become citizens were made
legal voters in two Of present most prosperous
and powerful States and this was done by a Con-
gress embracing many Of the men who inaugurated
Federal Union. and the result as TO SLAVERY was
they permitted a quasi system Of slavery to exist
for years. when no other Free State has ever made
ike provision.
What is falsely called alien suffrage in the Kansas
and Minnesota bills really existed forty years ago,
and never supposed by our revolutionary fathers
to be dangerous innovation, nor has it proved to
be such.
The vote Of a person in n territory for territorial
assembly and delegate TO Congress cannot possibly
be dangerous TO our y0rerHFieyt The territories do
not vote in Congress for President Of the United
States. The people resident there have no voice or
influence in the management or direction OF the al
fairs Of this Union; they simply regulate their own
municipal and local interests. What danger then
we ask is there to the Union from allowing persons
who have declared their intention to become citizens
voting for their own local officers?
Why is it too on principle that person who has
declared his intention to become a citizen Of the
United States aud then gone into an unorganized te
rtory should not be permitted TO for territorial
officers? He has purchased home for himself, cut
down the forest around, improved the land, and,
perhaps fought the savages for his country. There
has been court gksre he could become citizen, and
yet when men are to be elected who to tax his
property, buiId public roads, and govern him, he is
to have no voice or vote.
The principle if sanctioned, would be antagonis-
tic to all the maXms Of freemen, and strike direct
ly at the root of foundation for the revolt
from Great Britain. We insisted during the revo-
lutionary war that tgIaOH and representation ought
to be one and inseparable. We were not content
even to be represented in provincial assemblies
but insisted that if the Parliament of Great Britain
taxed people then they must one and all be rep
resented in that Imperial assembly. When the war
commenced and the Congress was be elected which
declared our independence question Of alienship
was then made; the only thought was, who adheres
to America and who to Great Britain. When the
present constitution adopted at the close of the
he vi npODln
it was not until the new constitution ratified by
the States and became nation Of the earth that
any regulation was adopted which preclUded all but
citizens from voting in our Union.
When the late bank of the United States was in
corporated by Congress, Gust the authority
that Congress makes quasi incorporation Of ter
ritory) it was not supposed dangerous permit for
egners residing IN Europe to hold stock and exercise
influence all its operations and our wing oppo
nents contended for the continuation Of that power
when it was opposed by the whole Democratic party
Yet the bank of the United States was an engine of
more power than has ever existed before OF since in
this governments; controlled the exchanges it regu-
lated the amount and character of our currency,
and finally almost triumphed over the mass Of our
people with the "hero Of the Hermitage" at their
head. Now what, we ask, is the danger of half
nauralized person voting for his territorial Of
fcers in a distant territory compared with the in
huenca of actual foreigner in the bank Of the Uni
ted States? Yet thousands Of the same persons who
swallowed the 50 camel" of foreign influence in the
bank Of the United States, are now straining and
guping at the ''gnat" OF alien votes in the terrific
ries
If the policy of permitting persons who had de-
clared their intention become citiZesn vote in
the territories were more questionable than it is,
should be in favor Of it, owing to the circumstances
attending its passage in the Kansas bill and the
pledges for its continuance, then implicitly given
1t is a well known fact that the repeal Of the Mis-
souri, compromise and the whole doctrine Of non-in-
erventon with slavery in the territories, which has
proved so beneficial to the country and was so tri
umphantly sustained by the almost united South at
the last election for President, almost entirely
dependent for Its passage upon the incorporation Of
the provision on the territorial BILL to which have
referred. What would now be our condition If the
Kansas bill had failed because Of an obstinate adj
herence to a "siboleth that had no practical re-
suit. Who can estimate the injury that we of the
South would have sustained Yet it is now boldly
proposed to abandon this provision after we have
gained such magnificent results by its adoption and
turn our backs on the troops Of friends who went
with through the storm that followed the passage
Of that bill l, for one, as a Southern man, would
hesitate long and have to be thoroughly convinced
Of the absolute danger Of the measure before
could be induced thus Wantonly to trample on the
feelings and interest Of those who had fought and
many of them fallen for our rights in the late
dangerous combat for the rights OF the South.
Kansas and Minnesota bills Of which l have been
speaking is in conflict with the Constitution of the
United States. II our opponents think otherwise
Jet them place their fingers the article or section
where 1t is contained. The Supreme Court of the
United States in the decision of the bred Scott case
enter very fully into discussion Of the power of
Congress over the Territories, and if any lawyer
after reading that case can suppose for a moment
that Congress has not the power claimed his optics
are keener than mine, and l will await his view Of
the subject
If our Wing opponents in days gone by thought
precedent Of forty years legislation binding as to
the consututionality Of a Bank Of the United States
surely 1t does not lie in their mouths now to dispute
the legality Of any provision that was solemnly en-
acted in the early days Of our Republic to Indiana
and Illinois, and which from that time forth has
been considered legal and binding, until the light
Of Know NOthingism suddenly iumined our hOr-
zon and gave such phantasmagoric hue to every
question it embraced.
Distribution.
In regard to the question of Gland distribution
Of the proceeds Of their sales amongst the States"
this is an old Wing principle re-vamped and brought
forward by Mr.. Bell, under the shadow of Ameri-
canism,' TO aid our opponents in this contest l
would make constitutional question of this princi-
pie before the American party previous to entering
into a discussion Of its merits When and where did
this measure become part Of their creed. They
have given us many platforms, but none with this
plank What general Council ever adopted il pre-
vious to this contest and where were the Native
Democrats" when 1t was accepted 1t seems to
have sprung forth by some g CRsarian operation"
and Mr. Bell ought to prove that he was authorized
to act as " midwife on the interesting occasion and
that 1t was done with the proper incantations and
rites under which their chaldron usually bos and
he cr0t lrifn a.rr 4 h. ~