Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-07-02
shall Aliens vote in the Torritories ;

Shall Aliens vote in the TerritOrIes4
Gen. HARRIS, the democratic candidate for
Governor, says aliens ought to be allowed to
vote in the territories. We believe that few
of his party in this State heartily and freely
concur with him in this doctrine. What does
our neighbor, the Union and american say
upon this subjectf Will that paper have the
boldness to take clear and untquiVocal posi-
ton?
Yesterday the Union and American printed
few brief sentences, IN which it does not
commit itself to either side of the question.
1t says: ''The principles of the bill organizing
''the territories Of Kansas and Nebraska au-
"thorze all citizens of the United States, and
'such Gs haze declared their intention to become
'-citizens and taken an oath to support the
'Constitution, to vote in the first election for
members of the legislature, and that the leg
"slature so elected shall then determine who
''shal be voters in the territory. This is what
''the Know Nothings call allen suffrage and
'are endeaVoring to raise such a hub-bub
"abOut." Well, is that not ''alien suffrage"2
is that not permitting those who are not citi-
But the Union and american says that the
legislature of Nebraska so elected, limited the
right Of suffrage to citizens Of the United States
That is true. And the legislature of Kansas,
in providing for the election of delegates to
form State Constitution, limited the right OF
voting for such delegates, to citizens Of the
United States We have told our readers this
D. -. do Dif
intend that this regulation shall stand. MIR.
Buchanan has declared (see his InanguraD
that it is the imperative duty of the govern
ment to secure the right of voting to eCeTy
resident inhd6itant;; which may include In
dams and Negroes, as well as aliens. Gov.
Walker has proclaimed that the law of the
territorial legislature should be executed in
the election of the convention; but he says
the Constitution which that convention may
frame, shall be submitted to the whole people,
without limitation or restriction, for ratitlca-
ton or rejection. This is what the Know
Notbings call allen suffrage, of the most
Infamous and ubiquitous character. While
pretending to carry out the laws OF the terri
toral legislature, the administration is thwart-
ing and making nugatory, TO all intents and
purposes, those laws. That is what the Amer
lean people of the Southern States care rails
ing such hub-bub about That is what the
Mercurg and Courier at Charleston, the Delta
and Times at New Orleans, the MiSsissiPPtan
at Jackson, the South at Richmond, the (Ga)
Times and Sentinel at Columbus, have de-
nounced as tratorsm to the South. 1t is
what Senator BROWN of Mississippi charac-
terized as a UioIatiOn Of the Constitution L.
NJ KEITT, of South Caroline, pronounced mon
strOus treqcAtry to the rights and interests OF
the South; and the democratic State Conven-
ton of Georgia, affirmed was "a gross depart
ure from the principles Of nOn-interrentiOn and
neutrality, a0hich aoere established By the Kan
sas- Nebraska BILL"
That is what these high functionsries in the
democratic party, its conventions and presses,
call "alien suffrage; and at which the Amer
lean sense of justice everywhere, instinctiVely
revOlts. Do you endorse it7 Will you defend
it2 Will any of the democratic presses and
speakers of the State avow and defend it9
Your present Magnus Apollo, Gen. HARRIS,
has done so, will you do soG