Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-10
FACTS FROM THE RECORD.-ALIEN SUI
FRAGE.

One Of the chief grounds Of assault against the
Kansas-Nebraska bill by the Know Nothing party,
was its fifth section, prescribing the qualifications
Of voters, which reads as follows:
'Every free white male inhabitant above the age
Of tWenty-One years, who shall be an actual resi-
dent Of said Territory and shall possess the quail
hcatons hereinafter prescribed shall be entitled to
vote at the first election and shall be eligible to any
Office within the said Territory; but the qualifca-
ton Of voters and Of holding Office at all subsequent
elections, shall be such as shall be prescribed by
the Legislative Assembly: Provided, the right Of
suffrage and Of holding Office shall be exercised only
by citizens of the United States, and those Oho shall
haze declared oath their intention to become SUCH and
saU haze taken oath to support the Constitution Of
the Uaitea States and the provisions Of this act.
It was supposed by those favorable to the above
clause, relating to the foreign born inhabitants Of
the Territory who had not completed their citizen
ship, that the fact of their having gone into the
wilderness incurred the dangers and hardships Of
pioneer life, opened up the forest, secured homes
and attached themselves to the soil, was the best
evidence that could be given Of their intentions and
qualifications to become useful citizens and that,
having been long enough in the country to entitle
them, according to law, to file their declaration Of
intention to become citizens and having done so aud
taken oath to support the Constitution and the
laws Of the country, it was proper that they should
be permitted to vote in matters pertaining to their
Territory. An inhabitant Of the Territory foreign
born, who has declared his intention to become a
citizen, is clothed with American nationality" a
subject Of government entitled to its protection
and not an alien in the strict sense of the term,
having attained the position in perfeeting his
citizenship that organized Territory has arrived
at in its progress towards the sovereignty of State
It was question that enteredinto no party creed,
and was voted for by men Of different parties, and
opposed by men Of different parties. Know Moth
ingism, however, seized upon it as a pretext for
joining the AboitiOnists in opposition to the Kansas
bill. Mr.. Bell, during the tendency of the bill in
Congress, but before Know Nothingism came about,
whilst opposing the bill himself, counseled its
Southern friends, if they were determined to vote
for the BILL not to advocate the striking out of this
clause The following is Mr.. Bells own language as
reported in the Congressional Globe. See Appendix
1st sess. 33d Congress, page 938:
sWith the principles of this bill as they now
stand incorporated in it, coming from the House
with the Clayton amendment, It can be Of no great
importance achetheT aliens be permitted to UOs IN that
such important principle in this bill as the honora-
bic Senators from North Carolina and Georgia and
other Senators, have commended for I would vote
against this amendment. If l could be convinced
that the condition Of things described by the Sena-
tor from Indiana would arise at another session of
Congress, and that the common sense or patriotism
of the country, including the South as well as any
portion of the North would not fOrbear to press a
measure so well calculated to produce an effect So
appalling, I would not vote for it.
'Again, if Senators from the South have made
up their minds that there is principle Of such hi Oh
importance involved in this bill, a principle con
nected with the stability of institutions the in
tegrty Of the Constitution, and the preservation OF
the Union, have nothing to Object to it. They are
right, according to their own judgment; and if
believed that there was the high principle alluded to
BY the honorable Senator from North Carolina / do
not think 1 would risk sending the bill back to the
House But what mean to suggest is, that if there
is great Importance to be attached to the passage
this BILL and so great and fundamental principle
is 10 be established by it, then think they ought
not 70 vote for this amendment and, if understood
that was the sense Of clear majority Of southern
gentlemen the subject, l would not vote for it
myself; but, sir, l know Of no means Of drawing
such conclusion that rest upon satisfactory
ly. If honorable Senators from the South have
made up their minds to vote for this BILL whether
the amendment carries or not, think there is very
decisive reason, which has not been stated yet by
any gentleman, why they should not vote against
the amendment
eff the SoutL IS a disposition to exclude these
aliens until they b--vlne naturalized citizens when
We know that some half a million flowing in up
on us every year, and that these new Territories
and not only these but every other Territory in the
northwest is soon to be filled up with this class of
population, a0bV should The South implqn hostile feel
ay ia the bosom Of Jek0e districts and counties Of these
German Immigrants, to sag nothing Of the Irish rho arc
likely to 60 iato these Territories"
Many Democrats thought with Mr. Bell in this
particular, followed his advice, and voted against
he Clayton amendment proposing to strike out the
alien clause.
Now let US see what precedent they had for so
FOting in addition to the advice of Mr. Bell
Just one year previous and prior to the close of
ur. FillmOres administration an act was passed
establishing the Territorial government of Washing
on, the 9th section Of which read, as follows:
.. That every white male inhabitant above the age
Z twenty-One years, who shall have been a resident
said Territory at the time Of the passage Of this
Ct and shall possess the qualifications hereinafter
rescrbed, shall be entitled to vote at the first cleo
ion, and shall be eligible to any office within the
aid Territory but the qualifications Of voters and
holding Office at all subsequent elections shall be
uch shall be prescribed by the Legislative As
emily: Provided that the right Of suffrage and Of
OluluG once Snail D6 tAeEtlbeu only Dy CIJlLeuS OF
he United States above the age Of tWentyone years.
nd those a5cUs that age 1rho shall hare declared on oath
teir RtsatoH 10 become such, aud shall hare taken
nth TO support the Constitution Of the United States
nd the provisions Of tIis act"
This act, with the above clause in it. was voted
by Mr. Bell, and approved and signed by Willard
fillmore, the recent Know Nothing candidate for
,e Presidency, March g. 1858. It will be seen up
comparison that the fifth section of the Kansas
II was literal copy Of the foregoing.
By going further back into Congressional matters
viii be found that Mr.. Fillmore did more than
nply authorize fOreignborn inhabitants to vote in
Territories. On the 9th September. 1850. Mr..
lmOre, President, approved and signed an act
make donations to settlers Of the said public
ds," from the fourth section of which we extract
following:
That there shall be, and hereby is granted to
y white settler OF occupant of the public lands
sF-BREED INDIANS INCLUDED, above the
Of eighteen years, being q citizen Of the United