American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-06-24
THE RIOHT OF aUFFRAeE.


ries have under consideration the bill 10 |
regulate and make uniform the right OF
suffrage in the Territories tf the United
States. and they are Of opinion that none
but citizens Of lhs United Statss-that is
those who ows allegiance 10 the Govern>
ment-shoud be PERMITTED TO exercise
any rights Of political sovereignty within
such Territories. Some Of the eonsideTA-
tions which influence them TO this opinion
they beg leave to state as follows:
In exponding the letter Of the Constiiu-
ton Of the United States, the Supreme
Court has decided that "the words people
ofths United States and 'eitissns' are syu-
onymons terms. and mean the same thing.
They both describe the political body who,
according to our republican institutions,
form the sovregnity, and who hold the
power and conduct the governmental through
their representatives. In the preamble
Of The Constitution II is declared that the
''peopls of the United States" for the
benefit of themselves and their posterity.
have ordained and established this Consti-
tuition. The court has also declared that
the territory Of the United States has been
acquired by the general Government as
the representative and trustee of the peo-
pie OF the United States. and it {the Ierrito-
Try must therefore be held 10 that charac-
ter for their common and equal benefit. -
1t therefore appears as settled iuterpits-
ton that the citizens Of the United States,
having ordained and established the Gov
ernment and acquired the territory for
their common and equal benefit" are the
real political sovereignty entitled to "hold
the power and conduct the Government.
Congress is empowered to frame organ
ic laws for the Territories; 10 doing so. it
is bound. by the highest considerations
Of duty, to take care that no other people
than the "peopls or citiSsnS" ofMs United
Stotrs-that is. "the political body who
form Ike soVrsiSnity" and oWn the Territory
shall acquire the power to controle or
conduct the governments established for
the benefit OF the citizens, over the Terito-
ries of the United States.
Congress is empowoFed to establish ga
uniform rule Of naturalzation;" that is a
uniform rule of process by which foreign.
ers are to be clothed Nth the rights of citi'
Eenship. Should they adopt any Other
than a uniform rule, it would be clearly in
3 violation Of the Constitution of the United
States. Iffor example, in certain loealitie;
it should confer upon aliens political rights
Of citizenship, and in others withhold from
them all such rights. it is clear that sucf
T rule Of acti n would not only be not uni
/ form. but contrary 10 the plain spirit Of the
I Constitution. This is the precise state o
things now existing in the Territories. Ii
some of them aliens are PERMITTED to vot,
and hold political Offices; while in Others
y. they are wholly debarred from exerciz,nt
d such perogatives Of citizenship. This ir
4 regularity can only be remedied by gen
, eral law of Congress, applicable to all Ter
q ritofies. Snch law would be wise, just
II and comfortable to the Constitution; an,
it the committee are of opinion that on
/. shoull be promptly enacted prohibiting
u any cut citizens of the United States (nat
!" uralized or native born) from voting O
Is holding Office in the Territories.
In popular government such as ours
where the voters at the ballot box actual
y controle md give airectiong to the gov
sr ernment, the rights Of voting and lolding
a. Office are OF the highest political magnitu
!, determining. as they may, forever. th
. destiny of the government Itself. II ou
ID fathers. indeed, established this govern
RS ment for the benefit Of citizens oftAe Unite
ar States; il the Territories have teen aoqu
- red for the common and equal benefit {
- such citizens and they (the citizens) ar,
r by the Constitution, acknowledged I
g. he the "souereign po,0er" entitled TO econ
!" duct the gOdsrnnent," by what fightful al
a. thority can Congress presume to exten
these potential rights of citizenship to III
naturalized aliens who owe no allegiance
the government. who cannot be require
to take up arms 10 its defence, and WI
g could not be punished for treason sboul
~ they arm and mage sOar dBdiaSt It IN tin
in of war.
"A Does any one question that the rights
holding Office are peculiarly and esPaciall
u political rights pertaining to citizenship
}, they are so here. in the very nature Of OF
st Government, and have ever been so hel
ba even in Governments not purely elsctiv
as ours is. Aristotle defined citizen
be one who participates in tho Judicial an
leg islatius posSers of State. 10 the Roma
political system. in England and the Unite
We States. all the citizens have not at all bee
We permitted to So participate Id the polite
iy powers Of the State-some citizens beir
80 temporarily deprived Of the right of suff
~ age and Of eligibility to certain Offices {
eS account Of not possessing freehold; b
he in no civilized country III The world, 9th
N. than the United States. has any descripti,
cs of persons other than citizens eUer been a
toOsd The rights Of sg6srd56 and Of holdi'
office. In this Government, more especial
a than in any othef. the fights belonging
" polite i sovereignty ought to be restrictt
re- to those Who owe to the Government. a
us iegiancd. This is a strictly ELECTIVE Go
er, ernment, with writ, constitution, ave
Irv ring in its very text that it is for the oene
- OF its crrrzErs. 1t shonl1:tberefore I'd
Gu it's elective processes, be held strictly al
lr- perfectly Under tie oontrole of this body
citizens: Its Territories are protested
acquired for their benefit; its mission
ain avo%edly to secure to them "ths blessin
st., Of liberty" and shurely its control and .
4. power Of Control in itS Territories shot
w. w. not be lOsefy entrusted 70 other than s'ran