The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-08

brings up the population to two hundred
and forty thousand. What sort of way
of taking a census is that, Did the trainers
of the Constitution ever dream Of ascertain
ing the population Of a State by any such
rule?
Then, sir, when you come to look at the
State, what is it A new State, to which
young and enterprising men have gone, leav
ing the women and children in the Older
States, as they always do. Six TO u family
may be very good estimate for Rhode
Island or Connecticut, or Virginia, but it Ii
an over estimate for any new country on the
face OF the earth because to such countries
men 90, and women and children stay at
home You have got no such population
there This is proposition to give to Min.
nesota representation in the other House
of Congress to which her population does
not entitle her-a proposition to unhinge
the balance OF representation between the
States, and to give TO one State an advant.
age over the other States. protest against
it. The censue shows that Minnesota has a
population of little over one hundred and
forty thousand. Making liberal estimate
for the three counties from which no return
has been made, she probably has one hun
dred and fifty thousand. For the first ninety.
three thousand four hundred and twenty,
she is clearly entitled to a Representative.
South Carolina has Representative for a
fraction, and believe California had one
awarded to her for the largest fraction. The
fraction in the case of Minnesota is even
larger than that, and an willing TO vote
her Representative for that fraction but
| will not vote Representative, er gracA
on population which she has not got.
Now that am on this subject, and as
do not care to worry the Senate again
may say that, while shall vote for the ad-
mission of this State, desire to do it, mean
to do it, and will do tiff you do not put
something in the bill that absolutely drives
me away from i'll want to do it because
wish to keep faith upon the slavery question.
Minnesota comes here and asks for admis-
sion as free State. | would yield more
than | would in another case, lest might
be suspected of having broken faith on that
point. want TO vote for it; mean to do
il; l will do it, l say again, unless | am
driven from doing it; but, in doing that,
wish now to say, that / am in no manner
to be suspected Of approving the constitu.
ton of Minnesota. i'll thought my vote
was to be thus construed, never could re-
cord it in favor Of the admission of this State.
10 not approve her constitution. There
is very much in it to which object.
object to the very provision which leads
to this debate-that q State shall undertake
to say in her constitution how many repre-
sentatives in Congress she will have. She
has no right TO say any such thing. | OBJ
ject to other features OF her constitution. |
object to that clause which fixes the qualii.
cation of voters and undertake TO say it is
the most extraordinary that ever found its
way into any constitution, State or national.
Her constitution prescribes different classes
of voters. The first is, white citizens Of
the United States" They might as well
have said white male citizens, for / believe
women are citizens. The next class il,
white persons of foreign birth, who shall
have declared their intention to become citi-
zens coniormably to the laws of the United
States on the subject Of naturalization !
object to that. Foreigners who have merely
declared their intention TO become citizens,
in my opinion, ought not to be allowed to
vote. What is an intention 7 Ii is a myth;
il is nothing. A man may today have
very bona fde intention TO become citizen,
but tomorrow he may have no intention
10 become so; and yet on making mere de-
claration of such intention, man is allowed
to take part, not only in the elections OF this
State, but necessarily in the election OF a
President of the United States. ] would
permit no man to take part in the elections
of this country who did not owe allegiance
to the flag. Until he had sworn his allie
glance to the Government, and would be
guilty Of treason in case he took up arms
against it, he should have no part or lot in
the elections, with my consent. What right
has man who tomorrow may take up arms
against your Government, and yet commit
no treason, to 90 to the ballot box and take
part in your elections? How many thou.
sands, nay, how many hundreds Of thousands
of foreigners, unnaturalized, hostile TO your
country, to your Government, and to your
Constitution, might, under that clause, vote
upon mere declaration Of intention? How
are you to punish refusal to carry out an
intention? A man may swear 10 j, honest
"; be may swear TO it corruptly; but whether
honestly or corruptly, you can never ascer-
tain. This is a secret locked up in his own
heart secret which can only b. seen by
the eye Of the allseeiDg Power who ruleth
above ; secret not seen Of men, and there
fore not to be punished by men.
This is not all. The next class Of voters
is, persons OF mixed white and Indian
blood who have adopted the Customs and
habits Of civilization. Is not that bcanti'
full? An Indian who has adopted the hab-
it, Of civilization is to be allowed TO vote.
should like to know what amounts to
adopting habits OF civilization. ! suppose
if be put on pair Of pan,aloons, pair Of
spurs, and a shirt collar, he would then be
Georgia major fixed up; and il be go,
drunk, he would approximate to the high
est degree Of civilization Laughter. -
Under that clanse, there Is not breechless