White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-04-29
The Constitution.

This instrument will be found IN our
present issue, to the exclusion Of most
other matter. In most respects It is very
good, and quite similar to other Consti-
tutions. As we supposed, the cry about
negroes voting on its adoption is prems-
ture. True. some questions are left in
doubtful shape. but It is not as bad as
some would have MS believe. Let Us look
at the matter. The second section Of the
Schedule provides for the Submission Of
the Constitution to vote Of the people,
and the election is to be conducted accor-
ding to the provisions Of the act Of the
Legislature authorizing the election Of
Delegates to frame q Constitution. Un-
der that act negroes could not vote, and
neither can they now. So with the vote
on the negro suffrage question. The
qualifications are the same as for voting
upon the adoption of the Constitution.
Therefore, the idea that negroes are to be
allowed to vote upon the question affect
ing their right to vote. is all fudge. ..
AT all elections under the Constitution,
all the male citizens Of the United States
over twenty one years Of age, who have
resided in the State six months. are enti-
tied to vote; and all voters are eligible
to Office. There. It is said. negroes are
allowed to vote, and hold Office. This
will involve the "a Scott decision,
wherein negroes are declared not to be
citizens. 1t depends upon how that de
cision is regarded by the powers in Kan
sas, whether negroes shall be allowed to
vote and hold Office or not. For our
own part, we do not believe that the
Convention intended they should do so.
unless the people, by the vote provided
for. should grant them those rights.
RI The School provision allows all the
children Of the State to have free access
to the schools. This includes black and
white. But there is nothing to prohibit
the establishment Of public schools exelu-
sively for the blacks. aa .-.s---.
But there is a very Objectionable fsa-
ture in the Elective Franchise Article,
about which there can be no dispute. By
the FIRST section Of that article, "every
male person Of foreign birth. Of the age
of twsnty-one years or upwards, who
shall have resided in the United States
one year, and in this State six months,
and shall have declared bis intention to
become citizen Of the United States"
is entitled to vote; and consequently. |
under another provision. such persons are
eligible to any Office in the State. To
this we are eternally opposed. and hold
that no foreigner should be allowed to
vote or to hold Office until be is . full
citizen of the United States. We do not
believe that any State has a right to pro-
vide otherwise. If they have, of what
use are the Naturalization Laws? They
are intended for the entire United States,
and their object IL to make citizens Of
foreigners-to give them the right Of
suffrage, &c. Yet a number Of State
Constitutions set these laws at naught,
and grant foreigners the rights Of citizen
ship long before they are entitled to them
under the laws Of the United States.
Bnt We must desist, for we believe one
cannot express himself IN favor of the
laws of the land, where they conflict with
some mems notions, without rendering
himself liable to the charge of being
or 3 Know-Nothing proscrip-
ZIONIST. But whatever the Consultation
may allow, or what it may not. viii all
amount to the same thing; for We still
believe, rs heretofore, that the work of
The Convention was labor thrown away,
and that this Constitution. good or bad,
viii not be the Constitution with which
Kansas win be admitted rs . State.
From, the present aspect Of Affairs, the
prospect is, that this Constitution win
share precisely the same fate As the To-
peks COnstitution-will be pushed about
md deferred so long. that It win become
'at Of date. When Kansas is admitted,
I will probably be with Consultation
framed BY authority Of Congress. How
'ver. this one win do to vote on. and to
Keep the elections going on regularly.