Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-27

oe urpoeeu ior nlyeelf either TO enlarge the ex-
lsung term OF i've years required of foreigners TO
become citizens or diminish il: but utterly deny
That Il s wise or expedeut at least for the present
states ~ the Confederation, to delegate power TO
any people IN TERRITORY to permit those who are
foreigners, who are ignorant of our laws, ignorant
OF our poicv, ignorant OF our babits, by erecting
themselves into State, at the time of erection to
any provision into their constitution by which,
when tley become State government, they will
he entitled to participate in the administration OF
the federal government. / shall vote, therefore,
cheerfully for the amendment Of the Senator from
North Carolina congressional Globe 1867, pdge
6ll.
Mr.. BUTLER, of South Carolina, said:
shall not gu stion the right of State, what
ever may have been my original impressions or the
subject; but in creating State, am bound to say
must conhne il, as far as | can, to what regard
the legitimate source Of power. Nobody has
rightto be Representative in Congress unless he
is native born citizen, or one made citizen by
naturalization laws. think that when we make
State, those who create and give a representation
In Congress ought to have the same qualifications.
these are my opinions Congressional Globe,
1861, page sls.
Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama, said:
rise to protest against the doctrine which was
euunciated BY the Senator from New York (Mr.
Seward) should regret that this session should
pass without some protect being entered against the
hereticai doctrine he announced here as bis opin-
ion, and that lie, that the right of suffrage ought
| TO be co-extensive with the duty of obedience to
the government. Those were the words according
to my recoll' ctiou; or at any rate, that was the
! substance OF THIN. In other words, understand
| that the Senator from New York would extend the
right OF suffrage to both sexes, male and female,
to infants as well as sdults, to black and red as
well as white-indeed to all races, and all ages,
and all sexes This should give some pause;
this should teach the importance of having
some limit fixed, by the legislation of Congress, to
the right to form tho org tnc laws Of a State, for
entrance into this Union.
am governed by no party feeling, certainly,
and by no sectional feeling, in giving my vote in
| favor OF this amendment | can say, believe
with truth, that was the FIRST on this floor to
express my condemnation Of the doctrines Of that
| party dcDom;nsted Know-Nothing or Native
American, bat do deny the right the capacity
of any other than citizens of the United States,
either notiUe or notarGLized, TO form the OrgHic
tdUs Of States. feel it due to myself TO confess,
that DOUBT the correctness of my vote, in yield
ing 10 the action of the House Of Representatives,
| 10y which the Clayton amendment to the Kansas
| Nebraska bill stricken out Congressional
Globe, 1867, page sl4.
This discussion occurred on the 21st of Feb
| a
by which tile amendment of Mr.. Biggs was
agreed to; 81 Senators voting for the amend
ment and "a against it. Messrs BRIGHT, CAss,
DopGE, DOUGLAS, JONES, of Iowa, TooNBs and
ToUOEY, voting with the black republicans in
the negative. The amendments were ordered
to be engrossed, and the bill read third time,
which was done, and it passed by vote of
! AZ to l. Mr.. HALE, of New Hampshire, hav-
ipg voted with the majority gave notice that
| be would move a reconsideration Of the vote.
Congressional Globe, 1867, page 8l4.
On the oath of February, Mr.. HALE made
bis motion to reconsider the vote on the final
passage of the bill, and thereupon the debate
was reopened.
Mr. GREEN, of Missouri, said:
But, SIR, yet justify myself against all the as
sauts of the honorable Senator from Illinois (Mr.
| Douglas), If Congress dare touch the subject of
the qual6c iton Of voters, must they not exerc se
| their Judgment How dare be say that the for
| eIgner who has emigrated and has taken the pre-
paratorv step shall be permitted to vote! / dare
| him TO state or what ground he says that. II he
| SAYS that, then | say that Congress assumes the
right to control the qualifications Of in Min
nesota, and he, with all lis ingenuity, cannot
tricate himself from this difficulty.
But deny az toto the right to give political
| power to a man whom you cannot punish for trea-
| SON; and | invite gentlemen to answer me thi"
| question Can you punish foreigner for treason
| Tell me if you can, under your laws Of Congress
under the general principles of law that govern
! this country can you punish foreigner for trea-
SOM No sir; because he owes no allegiance to
this government. II he is Engaged in plots and
conspracies, you may punish him for those plots
| and conspiraces; but you cannot punish him for
treason, because that lisament or bond of uuion
| which hol Is the citizen to the government has
never been created as to him. With some OF your
voters 10 this Territory il has never been created.
! Even that large class of whom you speak may rally
under the British flag to-day, take muskets in their
hands and charge bayonets upon our forces, and
| you cannot punish them for treason against /;
and vet you say this independent portion OF the
people Of Minnesota shall exercise the right OF
shaping the institutions OF Minnesota, dep nden-
cy of the United States Of America. l ehal never
admit that territories are independent.
If we're 10 the State OF Minnesota, that is to be,
| should vote against permitting any mlu to vote
| who was not a citizen Of the United States. hold
that we have no right moraly-I speak not OF the
constitutional power-tO confer the right OF voting
| on any man who does not owe US allegiance, who
does not belong to US, who is not identified with
u.s. who is not one of US and no foreigner who is
not naturazed, sustsins that relation to us.-COH.
Globe, 1867, PIP. S64-6-6.
Mr.. BAIARD, of Delaware, said:
You are violating great pol tical principle, when
you authorize by your legislation, man TO vote on
a mere declaration OF intention TO become citizen,
| which does not make him bound by allegiance to
| this government, nor destroy bis allegiance TO the
| country from which he came. If war were 70 take
place ia that country sntecedeDtly his exercise
| OF this right he would stand in the position of an
| alien enemy; aud in that position you could send
him out OF the country; you could cOnhscate his
prop,rfy; and yet to person so situated you pro-
pose TO intrust the right Of sovereignty. SIR, |
hold the principle too important to b. ssed over.
Il may be that in some other cases in which, with
out a struggle, such bills have been pissed; but,
so far as my recollection goes in the ouy cases in
which they have ever come pin the Senate OF the
| United States, there has always been majority
| against the adoption Of this modern policy.
have no hostility to foreigners. lie come here
under your laws; he has the tight to hold land,
if the State into which he goes chooses TO permit
that Is a question for her; he has the right
of hospitality be has the right of carrying on
business. An these things are iITtsPeetivs Of
citizenship; but the right Of poti'g ~ a political
potcer wLieh is and ought 10 be cident to eitize.-
ship aloae.-Coa. GLOBE, 1861, p. S5s.
Mr. BUTLER, Of South Carolina, again said
| do not exactly agree with my friend from Ken
tucky, but think he has gone very far to present
10 few words, the idea which entertain gu this
subject. He has person6ed these new States, as
Benz min, who, in the morning raved as at a volt,
aud IN the evening. divided the spoils. IL is the
ase in sill powerful comm nites and i IS pospsT
debating to as HoS, and NOT right.-CoH. Gio6e,
1867, p. $50.
Mr.. RUsK, of Texas, said:
When the amendment Of the Senator from North
CAROLYN, comes up again shall vote precisely as
/ did before. | regard the elective FRANCHISE as
one Of the most sacred rights of American citizens,
aud shall do nothing. % far as sm concerned,
10 chrapen Con. Gkobe 1861, D. 500.