Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-10

pomtnent OF these men ana their Deau 10 the
President, who, we should think, had power
| enough here now.
The Pacific railroad bill was under discussion in
the Senate on Thursday; and also the bill for the
benefit of schools in this city The bill for the en-
forcement Of mechanics liens, underwent some dis
cussion. er.s,sasssssq,-, .a.-sssa,sAa q,
In the House the bill making appropriations for
deficiencies was, on Wednesday, defeated.
On Thursday the bill came up as the regular or
der of business, the pending question being the
motion of Mr.. Garnett, of Virginia, to recommit
the bin and amendments to the Committee Of
Ways and Means, with certain instructions. A
motion to lay the bill on the table was lost-yeas
43, nays l43-and then the motion to recommit
was disagreed to, yeas 1Ol, nays 100. The bill
was then ordered to be engrossed and read third
time but on it's passage was rejected, the vote be-
ing yeas 1o6, nays 1874.
This vote was yesterday reconsdered, and
the bill was passed
The principal doings in Congress win be found
in our remarks uponthe Minnesota and Kansas bills.
NJ &@ i MINNESOTA. /%
The Senate, after some days discussion, pass
ed, on Wednesday last, the bill to admit Min,
nesota as State. An effort was made to con-
fine the right suffrage to citizens of the United
States, but in vain. Senators KENNEDY and
CRIrrENDEN earnestly advocated this amend
ment and the former spoke at length upon it,
quoting largely in his speech from the speech
Of Mr.. Calhoun, delivered in the Senate on the
I'd Of April, 1s36-to be found in the Works of
Mr.. Calhoun, page 496 to BOB. This speech
was delivered on the bill to admit Michigan
under the constitution she had formed, which
gave to aliens resident six months in the State,
&C., the right to vote. Il".-3 5t' H'a.2sE
Mr.. Calhoun's unanswerable argument to the
contrary Notwithstanding, Congress sanctioned
this unconstitutional provision, and it has been
sanctioned ever since, down to the present
moment. This shows most conclusively that
the influence of aliens and naturalized citizens
in the United States is already irresistible; that
no argument, no reasoning, can stand against
it. Senators from the Northwestern States
whose population is so largely made up of for
eign born citizens, dare not vote to give con-
struction to the Constitution such as the fathers
of the Republic clearly intended it should have,
and the Democratic party has so long courted
and cajoled these foreign-born citizens, and
been, in return, kept in power by their aid, that
no thorough going Democrat can be persuaded
to restrict the right of suffrage to citizens of
the United States, although, as Mr.. Calhoun
has said, the right to remove alienage belongs
exclusively to Congress, and cannot be exer-
cised by State. 1T follows" says Mr.. O.,
"that State cannot make an alien citizen"
"To suppose this, or to present
the question more specially, can confer on him
the right of voting would involve the absurdity
of giving him direct and immediate control
over the action of the General Government,
from which he has no right to, claim protec-
tion;" and, ace win add, against which he can
not be guilty Of treason, because he owes it no
allegiance.
II the most clear, cogent logical reasoning
clear to demonstration-could convince the
human mind, beset with political prejudicss,
and bound down to inaction by party affilia-
tons and dogmas, then we could wish that
Mr.. Madison's reasons for comforting the power
on Congress to pass uniform naturalization laws
and Mr.. Calhoun's and Mr.. Clayton's speeches
on this subject might be placed in the hands
Of every American born citizen in the Union.
But reason and demonstration are powerless
against political dogmas, and political policy
for men convinced against their will are of the
same opinion still. s-.a1 iah
The Constitution of the United States has
become mere nose of wax, to be moulded into
any shape that suits the inclination Of the
majority for the time being 13II,' 20 |
Senators CRrTTESDEN, HoUsToN, and BRowN
voted for the bill, protesting against that part
of the Constitution of Minnesota allowing alien
suffrage. Senator KENNEDY voted against the
bill on that account wE Iau
Mr.. CRrTTENDEN said it was useless to argue
this subject. Mr.. Calhoun's argument was
conclusive, and so clear and logical demonstra-
ton that nothing could be added. Suffrage, he
said, was the peculiar right of citizenship; and
the main privilege which it conferred, and the
right TO remove the disability Of alienage was
the ezcIsiUe right of Congress. s..