Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-14
Mr.. Calhoun on Allen suffrage.

MADE, as is now maue III tue CnS' VI 'ii"'
sofa, in regard to the right of suffrage by
aliens. 1t seems, indeed, to bavs been la
vorite policy, always, with the Northwestern
States and Territories, to conter the right OF
suffrage upon unnaturalized foreigners. The
object was doubtless, to Increase their p0iit-
ical power and importance-but the policy
involves not only Al outrage upon the other
States, but a clear infractlOn OF the spirit II
not of the letter, of the Federal Constitution.
Nobody will deny to Mr.. Calhoun the vir-
tue of having been one OF the strlctest con-
struers of the Constitution, and q States
Rights man to the fullest extent--to 40 eS-
tent, indeed, which many thought was too
extreme and rather injured than benefited
the cause he designed to advance. When,
therefore, we have the high authority of so
faithful q guardian Of the rights OF the
States, and so eminent an expounder of the
Constitution, against the exercise OF alien
suffrage, We may well afford to pass nnnotl-
ced the miserable, petty, and selfish views to
the contrary of such a demagogue and Pr
teal parrenu, as Andrew johnson, OF len
nesSee.
Here, then, is what Mr.. Calhoun said, in
the great debate 10 the Senate in 1886, IN
regard to the same provision In the Constltu-
ton of Michigan, concerning alien suffrage,
AZ ia now to DC found 10 the Constitution Of
Minnesota. 1t is expressed in the peculiar
" terse and forcible language which Mr..
Calhoun always employed, and will be re-
garded as conclusive OF the question:
ITO suppose that State can make an
alien citizen of the State. or to present the
question more specifically, can CONFER on nm
tie riqM of roting. would involve the ab-
surdpty of giving him o direct and imme.
date control over the action of the General
Government, from which be has no right to
claim any protection, ard to which he has
no right to present a petition. That the full
force OF the absurdty may be felt, 1t must
be borne in mind that overy department OF
the General Government is either directly or
indirectly under the control OF the voters In
the several States. The Constitution wisely
provides that the voters for the most numer-
Gus branch of the Legislatures in the several
States shall vote for members of the House
of Representatives, and, as the members oil
this body are chosen by the Legislatures of
the States and the presidential electors either
by the Legislatures or voters in the several
States, it follows, as | have stated that the
action of the General Government is either
directly or Indirectly under the control of
the voters n the several States. Now, ad-
NIT that State may confer the right of vo,-
ing on ell aliens, and it will follow as ne
cessary consequence, that we might have
among cur constituents persons who have
not the right to claim the protection OF the
Government or to present petition TO It."
ba oh hat
Mr.. Calhoun makes no distinction between
the giving to an alien the right OF suffrage,
and the making citizen of him. The two,
in effect. are precisely the same. Every
body knows and feels it, just as Mr.. Calhoun
did. Yet these Northwestern States, though
they do not pretend to claim the right TO
make citizens of foreigners, habitually make
them cOterS-the only attribute Of citizen
ship which they care for, and privilege
which, while it gives them a voice in the
management and control of public affairs,
involves none Of the responsibilities of cltl-
zenshp. They are not required to bear
arms 10 defence of the country, cannot pre-
sent petitions, cannot sue or be sued--in
short bear no more relation to the govern
ment of the country, except that which
arises from mere residence within the limits
of it's jurisdiction, than do the wandering
hordes of an Eastern desert, or the cannibals
of the Feeiee Islands. These are the men
who crowd the polls by the side OF native
born Americans, and determine the issue OF
our elections. Mr.. Calhoun we'll end forcl-
bly denominates the thing as an "absurdity."
But this is not all that Mr.. Calhoun said.
Speaking of the power conferred upon Con
gress by the Constitution to pass a uniform
law of naturalizatiOn-a power which MIR.
Calhoun justly describes as, by implication,
prohibitory Of any action on the part Of the
States interfering with the uniformity Of the
rights and privileges of foreigners-Mr. Cal
houn declared that ain comforting this pow
or the trainers Of the Constitution must have
had two objects in view one to proven.
competition between the States in holding
out inducements for the emigration Of for
eigners; and the other, to prevent their im-
proper Influence over the General Govern
ment, through such States as might natural
ze foreigners, and could confer on them the
right OF exercising the elective franchise,
before they could BE sufficiently Informed OF
the nature of our institutions or were inter.
ested in their preservation"
Very true it is, that the trainers Of the
Constitution had these objects in view-but
very true it is Also aud pity It's It's true" the
intent of the Constitution IN this respect has
been wholly nulliGed by the action of these
Northwestern States. They seem, indeed,
to be struggling with each other to see who
can excel in the "holding out Inducements
for the emigration of foreigners" for the
purpose Of aggrandzng their political and
material power.
Mr.. Calhoun then goes on to say that the
practice virtually renders nugatOry the clause
of the Constitution authorizing Congress to
pass uniform laws of naturalization. The
power" says Mr.. Calhoun, would be per-
feetly nugatory. A State might hold out
every improper inducement to emigration, az
freely as if the power did not exist; and
might confer on the alien all the political
privileges belonging to nativeborn citizen;
not only to the great injury of the govern
ment Of the State, but to an improper coI-
troll over the Government Of the Union. 10
illustrate what | have said: Suppose the
dominant party 10 New York, finding poti-
cal power about to depart from them, should,
to maintain their asceudancy, extend the
right of suffrage to the thousands OF aliens OF
every language, and from every portion OF
the world, that annually pour into our great
emporium: how deeply might the destiny OF
the whole Union be affected by such a mea-
s,rei !, mi,ht in tact Mace the control