Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-03-26
Apuchbur9 JtrOintam.
thursday Morning. March 10. 1851.
Abstract Of Mr. eriss~ndess speech, in the L.
a. SENATE on sa0ra &c aud Nnfaraiisaticn.

We lind IN the W ashington correspohoehce
the Boston Journal the following abstract of thu
remarks of Hon. j. j. Crittenden upon thu
amendment of Mr.. Briggs, of North Carolina. t,
the bill authorizing the formation of State con
stitution in Minnesota. This amendment struol
out of the bill the alien suffrage provision anC
REQUIRED that citizenship shall be an indispensa
BILE qualification for exercising the right of suf
frace in the formation of State constitution
Mr.. cri,tendon's remarks are particularly di
rected to an analysis aud comparison of citizen
ship and the right of suffrage He announced
sound American doctrine, and these remarks vii
be read with interest, pleasure and profit by all
who ppreciate the efforts of the American party
to secure to the native born citizens the control
of their own governments, municipal State. and
Federal
Mr. CRITTEsDES said
Mr. President think this is very important ques-
ton The immediate instance which IS before Us,
nerbaps il not. but II involves great question Of
nrincinle and of policy whether the Congress Of the
United States can will confer upon aliens the priv
leee of voting think they cannot ! think they
ought not, If they could.
know of no citizenship that eau be conferred hy
State deny that it is in the sovereign competency
of any State confer citizenship, 10 eaat,r TIE
right Of suffrage in regard TO any matter WLerr, me-
diaely Immediately it IS 10 have influence AVID a.
feet the General Government il is not worth the
inquiry whether in relation to other mattefa they
may give this that right to whom soeyer they please
as well within as without their borders That s not
the question. The question is whether they can COM
fer citizenship, and with il the right Of suffrage upon
parties entitled By the Constitution the nafu
ralization laws which right Of suffrage is TO Zoe
ercised in my matter touching affecting, control
ling, mediatey Immediately, the action OF tins
Government and deny that they can
The Constitution which established this Govern
ment made all the provisions necessary. aud madc
them for the people OF the United States and nobody
else Nobody has right to interfere IN this Gov
eminent by suffrage otherwise, except the people
of the United States in the manner provided by the
Constitution. There is mode provided by the
Constitution whereby any other than the original
pares--the people OF the United Static shall vote,
except through the medium Of the naturalization laws
When you attempt 10 confer IT, then. othefs. Hsk
You for yonr power TO do The Constitution says
nothing about comforting the night Of Suffrage but
it speaks of citizenship. Thai a the character to
which the right of suffrage belongs it is part and
parcel Of il. That Is The instrument by Which HE
sovereign people exercise their sovereignty. It is
their crown, their seopief aud uonr shall take 1t
from them, so far rs my vote i concerned. Though
having less sympathy FOR lore gners thnn others
who have spoken here, / viii uot give one hair
breadth Of It TO mortal man. Il belonged 10 my m
cestors aud their posterly, my brethren. and my
eountrymeu and shall hold II my houuicn and my
sacred duty TO and eondne it - lis lawful ia
heritors. That Is my objection that IS u5 lrrllps
the subject.
do not desire TO oxpatiate Remember. sr lar
right Of suffrage which you noN comforting b. mot
that which relates 10 the ran ~ =HHp} matter
Of Temporary eEpcdiency or temporary pwFr'tf IN
the goyernmeu, Ola Territory. Tbat l. the utmost
privilege which II is ooutendel the Minnesota Organ
&c act gave. They have had taf fl.l cui1fme#f ST
that but, in the progress of their society they hste
come to another stage; and hey are noW. his bill
authorized TO prepare themselves to enter iu Tho
higher character Of State into ihis Union. TIL h.
n very different state Of things The Affairs % te
managed, the matters To be determined be great and
permanent institutions OF a State, not ul5ng IT.
tie matters of Territory. The foundation ot an
American Republic. member OF this Union ure to
be laid; and whose hands are fit 70 lay them? To
whose hands does the Constitution gre this great
work To American citizens. b this bill you pro-
pose 10 give it 10 aliens. j. the senate prepared lot
this2 Is it a q4esuon of eNpedIcucy when presented
in this point Of view, and with reference Ia such
subject II is 10 establish eonsuationi 10 lnUsr
republic. Is that small matter, ia regard IA which
We may be governed 10y mere temporary cXpedieufy,
and the little circumstances Of TIE day. which to thi.
party or that party may seem tp ruqu5Ie that they
should urge on 10 a prccipiuato conclusion measure
Of this sorf2 Is ID that lulemaiterio he governed los
considerations small No sir. it Is principle
To be jealous offoley IN influence taught from
the foundations OF the government
In this instance the influence which You are giving
" tht oIflEhci may ne phN @tHHl u lh'ha ihH HI
evil no greater at any rate than the palm OF your
hand, but il may spread into mighty cloud That
shall cover the whole horizon. Do You think the
people Of the United States, II they could hear H04
witness this question being put, aud know thot The
Senate Of the United States on clear case whether
aliens should vote in the formation o constitution
of one Of the future States OF this Republic had do
cided that a. ems should vote as well us American
citizens, would view with ealmness or indifference
that question: No, sir. Every American hour, it
a f.1.
1t is small question in the popular estimation Il
may be oyertuied, il may Doe forgotten IA the Will
hurrah OF resder tia election, hut let IL stand max
cd by ITSELF ana the simple question he put, "Shal
we American citizens be, in eject, deprived to some
extent of our right of suffrage by neura5ng it with
the vote of alieusY think ii is inconsistent with
the just pride Of an American citizen to suppose lhat
he would not consider it matter Of grave cunsc-
quence TO him aud SO il is 10 the country.
We have very large element of this character or
description in the country. IL is not the mere mum
Der of aliens that in Minnesota, it is not thcm
alone, to serve whom, by giving this light of SUI
frage, would be considered sufficient eSpedleney -
No, sir. Many gentlemen herc-not al-are IN a
position to feel the power and Influence of that alien
element which exists in our country. Such ~ Its
cohesive power already that might well have ap-
prehensions. II apprehensions could govern him,
that giving offence these aliens in Minnesota might
be resented and reTenged not only 10y tie aliens OF
the States which they represent, but by even the
naturalized Of their country who lave votes aud
who have power But here the question Is simply,
one side, it strikes mc-Amcroan right, Amcri-
can suffrage and tie other side, the suffrage OF
aliens.
The Supreme Court having decided that the
citizens of the Southern States hive the same
right with the citizens of the Northern States to
60 with their property into any Of the Terrific
ries, and that neither Congress nor Territorial
Legislature has authority TO revoke or limit this
privilege. it remains now for the South 10 demand