Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-14
Alien Suffrage

In the report Of Mr.. Lctcarr- speech nj HAITI
s,nburg. it is stated that he l-a 'unecJ the mod
cru onormity Of alien snfragc-thai Is the e'n'er'
ring Of tho right Of sctfrase upon Foreigners be-
fore thew have becn natnraliIei as 'ihfen' IT the
United States Mr.. Le;eher M, 'ael! take this
position in Virginia; f1r there i NJ man IN the
State of any party who will publicly afow his APP
prevail of 50 odions aud uncon.ti nuona' doe
trinc
Bet tits unfortunate Tor Mr.. Lc,chef that his re-
cord, on this point does not square with has pub
lie professions. The journals Of Congress Sho"
that Mr. Letcher resi,tc every atico'i 10 destroy
alen suffrage. as embodied in the Greg N Con
situation. Not only this but he voted tor the nj.
mission of Oregon, the Constitution 1t which, eH.
pressly recognizes and cstahishc Ia oiions her
esy in Government
Just abou n month aga. the lnll Cor the almis-
sion of Oregon came before the Ii us" II Repic-
sentatives for consideration. Il was strclmo"sy
resisted on account Of this very matter II alien
suffrage The Constitution Of orec N, Like hose
of tnnst u the other new States, gl,1- 'nr right
Of suffrage 70 foreigners before tin arr na,nral
lied MS citizens. Ii is plum and opcn Violation
of tho Constitution Of tho intel >iate,-ns Mr..
Calhoun declared many years age. and n many
other statesmen Of The country have repeatedly d.
clared since. Even were il not uucnnsu 'uil. nal
it is wrong in principle utterly incxred'eni, and
suhversve of every thing like iustia" aud eqnality
When this hill cnmo before the II use Of Repre-
seuta,ives, Mr. Maynard Of Tennessee moved M
amendment. looking to the destruction j" that
clause Of the Oregon Constitution, which pr9nit~
aliens to vote. Mr. LETcurn orlr,fp IT. Snhse.
quently Mr.. Humphrey Marshall moved sub
staniially, the same amendment. Mn. LErcHfR
VOTED AGAINST 1T AGAIN. Finally, upon the pas
sage of the bill itself, Mr.. L"'sher'- vote stands
recorded in the affirmative. thus sanc.'.ying the
doctrine Of alien su!ha;.r rs embodied IL the Ore
gon Constitution. and giving t. 1t all the validity
which may he inferred from the solemn endors"-
ton Of the American Congress itself.
We know what excuse will bo urged IN reply
1t will be said-as it has been sad beiore-,hat
Cong, ess has right TO look int"n State Cons-
tutioa respecting the right of suffrage in the re
spcc,ive States and that it is a matter exclusively
of State concern. Admit this to he So still no
b9ly delieI to Congress the right 10 rcj e n State
which comes with a Constitution rcpugnant 10 the
Constitution of the United States. Congress has
n right to see tina. the Constitution ofa new State
is "Repuh can in ts character" The preamble
to the Otes,n bill-whch preamble, separately,
Mr.. Letcher voted for-asNcied that the Co,lstitu-
tion If Ore yon mas "Repuhcnn in its character
But tbs zoe utterly deny Aud il Mr.. Letehcr be
sincere in his declaration Of opposition to alien
suffrage, he must. Of necessity, deny it too We
deny that it is Republican doctrine, any o,hc,
de;rne but that of the widest democracy, TO
coarer the right Of suffrage upon people VII, are
not citizens of the United State.
Mr.. Loteher, then, having vaci Cor the pre-
amhlc to the Oregon bin, i, e-torlol frem all OPP
position TO alien suffrage. II IA, voted that the
Constitution of Oreson-althon-h it recognises
aud endorses alien suffragc 10y n specific provision
is rep blican in its character. With what cousi..
teacy can he now 60 brfore the people of yir.
gina in opposition to alien suffrage with So recent
and SO signal man Hesitation of belief in its wis
dom and propriety9 How can he proclaim his
opposition to it, when he has not only endorsed it
by his vote, but resisted cre-y ATTEMPT 10 dest,ov ~
II MIR. Letcher is opposed to alien Suffrage, why
did he not vote against tho opgon bin, rs Gov
Smith did, and Gen. Mil,un did. aud ms Mr. Gar.
nett would have done, as he afterwards sail, had
he been present! Thes' are questions which we
would like Mr.. Letcher u answer. when. in tn,
future, he proclaims his opposition t, alien sui
frage When he had an opportunity. as in this
case of Oregon, to strike a blow at alien su,rr,,e
he not only did not do il, but hr actually ,,,o i,
tegistafir' saacton and endorsation hy yot;n,, g.,
bill in which the infam ous doctrine VA. recon.
Missed. t4
We have NO doubt Mr.. Le;cher is sincor,,- an
posed to alien suffrage in the abstract Wnnt W,
complain of is his a1oriay he deiibcraic c,a,jr
lions Of his judgment to be set aSiae in ol-o,,oc
to the requirements Of party discipline. The al
mission of Oregon was party measure and Mr.
Letcher followed the lead Of the party rather thar
the impulse of his own convictions. If he I'm,
had the manliness to oppose the hill as Mr.. Mil
son and Coy Smith did he u,ight well appeal t.
the people Of Virginia in opposition to alien .ur
frage. Having voted for IA bill which legulise,
the doctrineif anything can be legal which is
unconstitutional-Mr Letcher. we repea, is o..
topped fr'm his argument upon thar poin,. md
We appeal to the people FOR a verdict of guilty.
against him.
JOHN j. JACKSON. JR.. OF Wood county ia tho
1.<.N 49,