The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-05-20

init new 5tduS INTO the CniOn, anu rs tud
implies an exercie Of Judgment, we have q
right 10 look into the constitution ard II
on doing that, | find that the constitution il
yiolatiye of the Constitution Of the United
States, II 10 my duty to refuse my assent Il
i,s acceptance As TO New-York or Penn
sylvania. In the days Of Mr.. Gallatin, when
he acknowledged the error, or Va, or any
other State that may have committed an
error, suppose their error is no reputation
Of my argument, il il be sound and in con
iormity with the Constitution.
Mr.. PmLrrrs. There can be no differ.
cnce The gentlemaDs objection 10 this
constitution rests, then, upon the ground
that il is anti-republican, for that which VIC
lates the Constitution OF the United States
We do not recognize as republican and il
that is the test which is TO be applied TO
Minnesota, and 10 prevent her from becom-
ing State, he ought TO call the attention
Of the authorities 10 the necessity Of similar
provisions being cxtirpated from any con
stitution into which they have been intro
| duced
Mr.. Speaker, some Of my friends have
handed me the bred Scott decision, and have
asked me to read one or two passages TO the
gentleman, which have no doubt he has
overlooked. This is from the opinion Of the
court, pronounced by the distinguished Chief
Justice
"Undoubtedly, a person may be citizen,
that Ia member Of the community who form
the sovereignty, although he exercises no share
OF the political powers, and Is incApactated
t.,., L..Il .,,l
minors who form a part OF the political family,
cannot vote and when property qualification
IL required TO vote or hold partic ular Office,
those who have not the necessary qualification
cannot vote or hold the Office, yet they are cit.
nens.
A" No too. a person may be sni,hed 10 rOte By The
iar NJ The State, who - not a oitssn srn Of The
STATE dndt.
The gentlenan's respect for authority, and
for the authority Of Chief Justice fancy,
will, | am sure, make him recant all that
he has said in opposition to these views
The Chief Justice adds:
" And ~ some Of the States Of the Un,on, for.
sigars not naiuJ ali zed, aTe aIo,csd 10 cote And
the State may give the r.ht 10 free negroes
and molattoes, but that does not make them
citizen. Of the State, and still less OF the United
states.
do not suppose that need refer to any
books to satisfy oil that citizenship OF the
United States is not necessary qualification
To the right Of suffrage IN a State, if the
State chooses to dispense with il.
Mr.. SMITH had previously quoted the
following sentence from the bred Scott de-
cision to justify bis position;
1.-THE words people Of the United States
and citizens, are synonymous terms.
Mr.. PmlILirs continued as follows
Now, sir, word or two rs to Minnesota
Here is II territory with u population suAi
cient in numbers, and, | apprchend, in in
tclligenes and good conduct, TO be entitled
to admission into the Union as State
She comes here ~ every other territory does,
known and independent. She comes under
an act passed by the last Congress, telling
her to make constitution and submit it to
the people without any restrictions not to
the ot,:ens-- and that she shall be- admitted
il il ia republican in form. And il gentle
men will turn 10 the enabling act Of Mime
sofa. III rccollect rightly, and il am
wrong. lam willing to bc corrected,) they
will find that where it provides for the cleo
ton of delegates to the convention, il pre-
scribcs the qualifications Of voters but
where il speaks Of the submission OF the
constitution to the people, it does not do any
such thing tacitIy allowing the right Of all
the people the proper authorities Of the in
choatc State might recognize as such
am not going to argue the question of either
alien or citizen sui'ragc--each State can
regulate that as she chooses /, is part OF
her domestic policy in which the Federal
Government cannot intervene all that
claim and insist upon ls the right Of each
State to manage that Tor herself. and there
fore il the constitution Of Minnesota b. re.
publican in form. and her population suili.
Gent she should be admitted
Mr.. Bliss, Of Ohio, spoke in opposition to
the principle laid down by Mr.. Ssru. We
quote the following from his speech
In opposition tn the construction OF the
gentleman. We have the fact which has been
alluded to here to-day by the gentleman col
league, that in the State of Virginia itself
persons have been electors down TO quite q
recent period. who were not citizens Of the
United States. In the States Of Iowa
Michigan. Wisconsin, and Illinois, also, the
construction which give to the Constitu
ton has been given TO it. and by their orig.
inal constitutions electors were not neccssa-
rily citizens Of the State and hence Of the
United States. We have also the fact that
in the State OF Ohio the former constitution
was ambiguous on that subject, and under
It's provision, As interpreted IN some parts OF
the state. aliens were allowed 10 vote, while
they wcrc forbidden 20 vote in other parts
The ambiguity was afterwards remeiied by
an act Of the Legislature.
Mr.. ll,slAN. And also by modifca-
ton NJ the constitution.
Mr.. BtrSS. AUd a'so by u modification
ct the constitution Their was another
poin, made by my colleague, NJ sherman
who opposes the admission OF Minnesota I'M,
der this constitution. on which will say
single word Ii relates entirely 70 the irreg
uln,iti,s i, IN, choi,, of that constitution