Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-08-02

10 the government Of his native country, prior
to his naturalization, if he should voluntarily
repair thither !" not excepting the political OBJ
LEGATION Of allegiance; or, the proposition Is,
what it saws, that it don't exempt him from
sny obligation or penalty which he may have
incurred" &C., without saying whether q Per.
Ming! obligation Of allegiance could or could
not be "iacurred' by birth. This despatch,
lhen. leaves the question dubious and dark.
And the last giving out CT the State Depart
NJ ent, which | have seen in the Constitution
newspaper 81 tlia 18th instant, headed "ltic
Natu-al2a.io.: Question" con!radictS direct
" IL -, ~pre7;o4S letters and all the previous
INSTRUCTIONS of thc Department. This last is
not picaf %cc.,,i.cl, lat it is, as iar rs 1t goes
nearly ccrrect-i., 1T last, a beginning OF arc
turn 10 the true American doctrine; Is not, at
least. like the others, either diametricaIIy OBJ
posci 10 it, or dark and dubious in its dlplo-
macy. | congratulate you upon this much gain
Cd. and hope, now that the national attention
i; aroused. we NAV have hcnccfortii and Fore
yer, an open, ~nndisguised, manly, firm, ingeini'
Gus. patriotic declaration
TWot Tie artirc cnd natyyWl.;ei c~iti-tts o.
The iritod St0tes II AmcrirG. tIpaly chh
ellie, siai} BE-, q, srtry rs,tSgHats ht-4rd,
r~rot,cted IN thar r~oiiticul cJiiynt:9n 81 GAt-
aicn-t Ia M.n. o:tH hnfirc and aicnt.d ht.G,
10 -h;rA tier aro e:tiO' horn ar srorp n"1tr
cnr lers, e! hobt md Gjrocc. fo"he rftt'-
mpst ends ~ t1 earfh.'
Don't let ii be longer Welded By . sncakiag
diplomacy. Already the papers Of our State
Department. | blush to say. are scattered over
parts Of Europe, to justify the European dog
mas Of despotism. They arc giving false notes
OF our country, and ! trust they will he called
IN. Let the trumpc. give no uncertain sound.
So much for naturalization abroad.
22d. The eject Of STATE Mlrs. You ask. III
the second place. ''wilcthcr States f9f our
ur,ionl can constitutionally pass laws pro-
e longing the period of naturalization beyond
"thc period Of five years probation, provided
- FOR by the present laws Of Congress: And
- how far States possess the right TO discrimi-
. rate between the franchises oc one class Of
"its citizens over another
In reply to the first clause Of this question,
say that the Constitution Of the United States
, has riycn to the Congress alone the power 'to
l ,snfjit.h IN uniform rpic IF A~atnruh*ation.'
Congress cannot rcnouncc or ignore that
power. and the States cannot assume 20 cXcr-
else it for themselves, and they cannot make or
modify. change or abolish the rule established
by the Congress of the United States. If they
NAV, then they would have the concurrent
mower OF naturalization; and the rule right
not be ore but many, not 'dt unitorm' but
mann mvitirorm ruitS Of naturalization If
Massachusetts, might prolong them Virginia
might shorten the period OF DEPRECIATION. An clicn
landing in the one, and remaining and quail
fying there might take 81 years TO become en-
titled to the privileges and irnmunitics OF L cit
izen of the United States, or might never be
entitled 10 them; or, landing in the other and
remaining and qualifying there, might take
but one year TO become so entitled. or require
no time at all. Such absnrdity would destroy
the very end Of the national power, the unity
and uniformity Of the rule. 4 'rHie,' to he a
rule must he "vniform and unirersaL.
True, each State may prescribe the Quallii-
cations Of their own electors; and the electors
of the most numerous branches of the State
Legislatures, by article lst, section I'd, clause
LIST, of the Constitution OF the United States,
are the electors of the Federal Representatives.
Thus, n State may possibly exclude foreign
born citizens from being electors in her limits;
but this even is questionable; and whether the
naturalizcd citizen may be allowed 10 r0tc or
not, in any particular State. still he Is a natH-
raii-ei citizen orMs thjtoi St0tCs. and Of this
new birth right he cannot be deprived, no more
than the duty Of the United States to protect
him can be renowned or ignored. If he may
not be allowed TO vote in one State he will be
in another. If Massachusetts, may not concede
to him equality Virginia will. lie may be 4
citizen OF the United States without being 4
citizen of any State Of TERRITORY, or Of the Dis
trict Ct Coium1in, Cor want OF sufficient resi-
dcncc in ciiiie: 10 make him 4 citizen there;
thus, he may land from abroad in one State.
give notice Of his intention in anothcr, travel all
the time in many States during his five years
probation, and finally be admitted in any one
: OF them. o. in tia; where he gave notice, with
oft acquiring citizenship in either: md yet he
rU he II riit=Ga cf the iHitcd Stries. After
becoming = citizen of the United States. he
may then, for example, CONC 10 Virginia with
the intent 10 remain and reside lcre, and ac-
tually reside here TIE time required by our
laws 10 be & citizen Of this State, and thus be-
como 4 citizen OF Virginia rs well rs Of the
United State. And after he becomes n citizen
of Virginia, Us well as OF the United States. he
then has for his protection section I'd, clause
!St Of article itii Of the Constitution Of the
United States, to wit:
Tie citizsn Of each .Statr stall 10 entitled
" 10 al pri5ji,g's and jgStatitS 81 citizens
,0tth. s.rcyoi .S2ufc.."
llItll u 81 HsAafN tsttINf =" ~ 1iA'ih. III
neighhor Of the naturaiiac'i citizen, may go To
Massachusetts,, and be entitled. by one period
Of residence. or any terms and conditions. TO
become a citizen Of that State, 50 h. the nati-
ralizcd) mav 90 there, and be entitled 10 the
same privilege and immunity. Thus. the Con-
~stiiut!un Of the United States protects him
with cyt,i;tY ~ pririlcgcs ahj imm"nit"~.
auy-hcrc rhd ~crcryrhcre but 30 be fully en-.
titled To that protection. ic must lie both "a
citizca ct'Ms f"itci SttirS. DHd cf sane pr
,;calar St4ie.
Al determinations between citizens, raising
some and depressing OTHERS in classes, are anti.
republican and %ciioIis. and utterly opposed TO
the laws Of American citizenship.
Would any, thcn. be found To set w the new
doctrine o! " nm proff,tioa." Of "n"n.interrtE-
iioa,' against the republican equality Of the
privileges and immunities Of naturalized
citizens: Would any, in this behalf ignore
the powers and duties Of Government 10 protect
naturalizrd citizens: UoaH amy aIior y"tu.
rayised citizens 10 he ,fciuitj from states Ant
Trritorit., by ciioDt d;stiart;oaa hetr,,a
rL,Ss,s of r~iti;.as. Should not MI citizens in
. Republic be equal in their rights Of any kind,
cf persons and % property: To answer these
questions. is Ia answer yo;lr second interrogl-
tory. 10 admit Of such determinations. is TO
rorirtcnancc orders Of rank in citizenship. as
bad as Pa:ririan and rlcbcian.
ID. iouask my views regarding the legality
and eypcdienr" q rc.opcning the .t.tricoo
| .Siass 7n1J,."
This subject is Int too fruitful Of %disquisi-
ton and discussion, upon which | cannot enter
here. In short, my views arc:
By Article lst. section eth. clause 1st,
Of the Constitution Of the United States,
The migration or Importation Of certain
''ptSsooS," krown 70 be African slaves. may
-, prohibited By the Congress" subsequent
TO the year 1905
| cite what conceive to lac the plain inpli-
c1tlnn Of the ciarsr accnrdinn IN the intcrnrr.