The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-19
THE ADMISSION OF MINNESOTA
AND ALIEN SUFFRAGE.
aprrCyr or ALEXANDER III. STEPHENa.


sFrECH OF ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS,
GEORGIA;
Ugaered IN The House Of Representatives, Nay IL, 1853
The House having under consideration the bill for the
admission Of the State of Minnesota into the Union
Mr. STEPHENS said
Mr. SPEAKER My time will not allow to answer all
the objections that have been made to the admission of
Minnesota / do not think it necessary however to
consume time to exhaust my feeble strength in an
swering all the objections that have been raised Many
~ them are Of small import, while some of them are
crave important and go to the very foundation prin-
clples Of government This latter class of objec-
tiops arc not they are not novel; they involve
ncples coeval with institutions In reply them
must be brief in the forty minutes allotted to me
They involve two inquiries The first question in refer
encc to them is whether they be well taken in fact and
the second is whether, II well founded, they amount in
themselves to good and valid ground for the rejection
Of a States
The gentleman from Virginia Mr.. GARssry] objects
because the State boundaries violating the stipulation
between Virginia and the United States in the cession Of
the Northwest Territory. In point Of fact, do not
consider that objection well taken but if it were good
II ought to have been taken when the enabling
ssed last Congress- fixing the boundaries Of Minnesota
That portion of the old Northwestern Territory in
cudcd In the State of Minnesota included then and
the objection should have been taken then, II at all
There is however but small portion of the old cession
Of Virginia included in this State Twenty odd thousand
square miles of that cesson il Is true have been added
to the yodd thousand square miles constituting the
main body of Minnesota. This was for convenience
Only small portion therefore, of the original Virginia
csson has been taken off and added to the large extent
of country that makes the State of Minnesota for the
public convenience There has been injury resulting
anywhere, and no breach of faith, in my Judgment
1t was stated ALSO that the number Of delegates who
formed the State constitution was larger than that order
cd in the enabling act That objection has been well
answered by the gcntleman's colleague [Mr. JENKINS
The act OF Congress provided that many delegates
ntoral legislature Well sir the people of Minnesota
construed that to embrace their senators or councmen
well representatives in the lower House. The bill
admitted of doubt do not conceive that that objcc-
ton has much force in It,
But must pass to notice the other objections of
gaver character. II stated by the gentleman from
Ohio, Mr.. SHERMAN, who opened this debate, and has
been repeated by several other gentleman that the
the United Statesn this that permits aliens VOTE
other than citizens of the United States to vote in
State elections.
Mr. Speaker, before arguing the point whether this
clause OF the constitution of Minnesota does does
violate the constitution Of the United States let ask
right here this question suppose it 10 be true that that
feature OF their constitution does violate the constitution
Of the United States is inconsistent with It. is that
good ground for her rejection put it strongly and
broadly in the fore front of the nrgumcntsppose that
be conceded It legitimate ground OF objection to the
admission OF State that provision Of it's constitution
IL inconsistent with the constitution Of the United States
say, sir, not say it rs a State-fighs adyocat-
ing the principles of the Staterghts school only
look into the constitution Of State applying for a
mission TO that ia republican in FORM and that it
legally and fairy expresses the will Of the people. If
there be conflicts the constitution Of the United States
points out how those conflicts to be settled After
coming into the Union such clause if it be in, will Of
have to yield to the supreme law of the land Sir
the Of Minnesota If this be true of her constitution
will not be singular one.
The constitution of Illinois declares that no man shall
,noI ~
has accepted judgeshp in that State within two
after the expiration of the term for which he accepted
it. senator from that STATE holding seat in the
other wing Of the Capitol, mr. TRuMBULL elected
to that body during the term of judgeship of State
court which he had been elected to and had accepted
In the Senate Of the United States the question raised
to his eligibility, and to whether the constitution
Of Illinois could, under the constitution of the United
States impose such qualification in other words,
whether the qualifications for senators set forth in the
ution Of the United States not absolute and bind
ing and did not supersedc the provision Of the const
ton Of Illinois The Senate determined and that
senator holds his seat in the face in the teeth and
against that constitutional provision Of his State.
Whether that decision Of the United States Senate
was right wrong will not now stop to inquire, to
express opinion.
cannot take up my time in citing other analogous
Many instances might DO adduced from decisions
Of the courts 1t is enough for me to affirm that the
constitution OF the United States declares that .ths
constitution and the laws of tho United States which
shall be made in pursuance thereof and all treaties made
or which shall be made, under tho authority of the
United States shall be the supreme law Of the land and
the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby any
thing in the constitution laws Of any State to the
trary notwithstanding say, therefore, in answer to
all TINT has been said in reference to the constitution of
Minnesota being in violation Of tho constitution of the
United States that even conccdn the point for nrgu
mentB sake (Which do not concede in fact this would
not be just and valid ground which reject her I'D
mission It question which can be properly decided