The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-22


clear ; and from his premises no one could
resist his conclusions. But ] think this was
one Of the peculiarities Of bis mind. The
opinion Of the Supreme Court is entitled to
at least a. much respect, think, as that Of
Mr.. Calhoun. That is made the supreme
arbiter by the Constitution Of the United
States, and ii has decided and settled the
question that the State is the competent
authority to fix the qualification Of voter.
Mr.. Mason. / think the hour of adjourn
ment has arrived and I move that the
Senate do now adjourn.
Mr. Pugh. hope we shall pass this bill.
! ask for the yeas and nays on the motion.
The yeas and nays were not ordered.
The motion was agreed to; and the Ben
ate adjourned.
In the Senate, on the 9TH, the Minnesota
bill was the special order Of the day, and
was discussed with special reference to those
provisions of the constitution Of the new
State which authorize alien suffrage.
Mr.. BELL thought these provisions were
yiolatve Of the spirit of the constitution Of
the United States, the trainers Of which, in
investing Congress with the power of pass.
! ing uniform naturalization laws, had mani
testify never contemplated this bestowal OF
sufIrage-one of the highest and most dis
tinctive rights of citizenship-upon unnatu-
rallied aliens. In former years, he had
raised his voice against the doctrine, and had
| pointed out the abuses to which it might
lead but contrary opinion having seemed
I % fsras! III sic ,osl,s.s II tse rsa:is4s' ssss
among the people, both Of the North and of
the South, it only remained for him TO re-
peat his convictions of public policy and pro
| priety in the matter without pressing them
so far as to vote against the admission OF
Minnesota under constitution open to these
objections, especially since, under the con-
struction now admitted by majority OF the
| Senate, be could have no guarantee that if
the constitution were amended in this regard,
/ while pending before Congress, it would not
be forthwith altered by the people, after their
admission, and made to conform to their
wishes in respect to alien suffrage He re-
GREETED to find in this, as in other political
developments of the time, the indications Of
an increasing tendency towards wild and
unregulated liberty.
The following is the concluding paragraph
Of Mr.. BELLS speech:
| did not rise, however, for the purpose
Of going into the subject at large, but SIM
ply to recapituate the grounds which as
sumed in the argument two years ago, and
to state that under the circumstances |
should vote for the bill because of the gen
eral concession OF this right both North and
South, and because it is not condition pre-
scrbed for the admission of new States by
the Constitution Of the United States that
ali the provisions Of the constitution Of the
proposed State shall have the approval Of
the Senators and Representatives who act
upon the question of admission, and because
it would be in the power of the State, even
if she should be rejected now upon the
ground that she has what We consider to be
an unconstitutional provision in her organic
law according TO the principle almost uni
T versay entertained here, after she is admit
ted to reform, alter, modify, or abolish her
constitution at discretion, and there il no
( limitation OF time that can prevent her do
ing so. II would seem, therefore, to be a
. very idle ceremony to reject Minnesota with
her present constitution on such q ground
, above all when it seems to be very generally
, conceded that State has the power to reg.
} ulate this subject as she pleases. consider
( the principle not in this constitution alone,
but IN other States of the Northwest mis-
chlevOus one. | think il leads to the en-
, enlargement of notification of other pro.
{ visions OF the Constitution Of the United
, States more important, perhaps, than this
regret 1t deeply. deplore it. think
1t is an irregularity. 1t is mischievous in its
tendencies and results. Especially do | re.
, greet II when consider that the whole ten
dency OF the times and Of the Government
seems to me to be to disregard established
principles and constitutional guarantees, and
to inaugurate an anarchial, unregulated lib
erty.
Mr.. Mason Joined with Mr.. BELL in pro-
testing against the theory Of alien suffrage,
but held that Congress was powerless to in.
terpose check upon the States, il they were
so unwise as to make such a bestowal Of the
elective franchise. Under such suffrage
civil disorders might naturally be expected
and the anarchy of the Minnesota Conven-
ton Was probably referab!e to this source.
Wequote the following from Mr. MAsoss
speech
| remember 10 have seen. in one of those
northwestern States, within the last year or
two. what | believe is true, that in their or
binary Legislature. one, il not both of the
Houses, remained organizcd for know not
how long, under the control Of two seperate
presiding officers, sitting together on the
same platform, and putting questions at the
same time That is misruie, Reorganization;