Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-03
Who shall Vote.

Hp shan Olt.
Our rea6efs will remember that two
weeks age We published he Conversation
which passed between Judge GoULD,and an
applicant for his naturalization papers and
also gave some comments on the same. Mr.
HEAros last week takes Us TO task in !
brave style and proceeds TO give his Urn
idea of the qualifications OF a voter. We
were not surprised at ali 10 Mr.. HEATos,
knowing that much of his support comes
from the class TO which we allute. He
who ought TO knov then goes en- - define,
"All that is necessary to be a good citizen
is to possess a good character, to be obedi-
ent to the laws, and to be attached 10 the
institutions Of the country that sfords pro-
lection to his property, his liberty and his
life. To support its eGcers in the eTe'ation
its la,rs, TO pey for the maintenance OF the
government, 10 proportion 10 the properly lie
possesses,& in case Of our country be:ng en-
gaged in war instead of going over TO the
enemy and welcoming our soldiers with
bloody hands TO hospitable graves" 10 defend
at riqEt or Eronq." We have done the
itaiicising to show our readers the sharp
points. By "cssis;ing TO execute the laws
be means to help catch runaway slaves. and
by defending the laxs of Congress, fright
or wrong" he is hitting those who believe
in a higher law" Mr. HEAToS believes in
no such thing. He would ihaVe all things
even the laws of God subservient 10 the
constitution and the acts of Congress. We
may misunderstood bis intended meaning
but we can see nothing else in what be
ssys about "resi-ting the la&s of Congress
in obedience &c q 'law higher" He either
believes there is no "higher law" else be-
lieves the laws OF man of more importance
than the laws of God. We see nothing in
his definition of what constitutes a voter
that is Inot possessed BY a great many
Foreigners one year after they land; yet he
would have them vote. There are many
negroes too. who fill all his requisites, and
he would have them vote. That is very
strange. Now Mr.. HEAToN makes some
pretention to law while we.do not, and il
we misquote he can correct US. Blackstone
says if we mistake nor "that it is of uitaI
importance that every man should be &C.
quaiuted with the laws by which he is gov.
erned." Yet Mr. EIEAreS thinks a mar
can support and even swear to laws that he
knows nothing about. That no can swear
to support our institutions when he does no
even know the first principles, cannot ever
tell who governs his State. To give such
oath would be purjury. We do not con-
denim a man because he is a foreigner. Il
he is acquainted with cur laws, EN-
braces them from his love thereof, snt
shows by lime and action a will and desire
TO be Numbered among US. If he LnoW.
what ne is to support, then we are ready to
say he is prepared for citizenship, but moi
till then. We condemn this ignorance nc
more in a foreigner than we do in native
born. Let il be found where il will and i
runs counter TO the very principles of oul
government. 1t is this class of voters tina
can be bought, and have been bought NOR,
than once by the politicians of our country
We do not wish to be misunderstood here
Mr.. HEAToN will know the class OF voter,
10 which we allude when we refer to The
man. who said on last election dey "that hi
would vote for. him who would give him thu
hest dram. We mean the man Mr. HEaTo,
led to the pulls and gave him a ticket wher
he was so drunk that he knew no more o
what he was doing than would a half wittet
dog. Now there are thousands of Just such
votes cast every election, and every such
vote is an outrage oil this, the people:
dearest privilege. How can a man abe
obedient to the laws" when he does no
know what they are. Or how can he be
"attached TO Institutions of which he is o:
ignorant as the savage..bushman of Africa
Republican institutions presuPposes an en-
lightened people. A man may be poor, We
1t is no harm. He can have a independent
mind and know his duty. Our county doe:
not SO much want rich men as it does mel
who know enough 10 appreciate her insti'u
ton. And there is nothing so much threat
ems her perpe'ui'y as ignorance and bigotry
in her people.