Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-02-02
The Admission Of Oregon.

the admission Of Oregon into the Union. The re-
port is an able eae-as is everything else that pro-
ceeds from its distinguished author. lie o'9ec's
to the admission of Oregon first because OF 'nso''
fciency Of population TO constitute State ana
secondly because she has incorporated INT" her
Constitution the yiiiainous modern provision al
lowing unnaturaiised foreigners to vote Wemake
some extracts from this able report
TIL. no,ula,ion of the proposed State is not yet
s,f6c ,en,ly large TO cnttlc it to admission Since
80 organization of the Federal Government, nine
tsen STATES have been admitted into the tnion
and no instance has ever occurred in which state
has been admitted with population less than the
ratio of representation in Congress AZ 'he tune.
The r, is founded in wisdom, justice, and the
safety of the Repablic, and should never be de-
waited from. unless under the pressure of an over
shadowine necessity La the case OF Oregon there
is no such necessity, and clear want OF showing
of nopulatiou equal to the present ratio OF repre-
sentation.
If admitted under these circumstances the pre-
cedeut would be- dangerous one. Other commu-
mites with populations less than that of Con-
pressional district, would also knock ut the doors
of Congress for admission and would he admitted
Such petty communities, erected into Sthtes.wouiu
at once assume footing Of equality with the most
populous States Of the Union With populations
less than one-thirty- part OF that 81 the state
of the United States power equal to that OF New
York. and, 10 II contingency under the Constitu-
t;on An equal psver i~ the elections 81 President
and Vice President of the United States In all
the independent powers of tie Scnatc--the treaty
making power the trial It impeaclmen,s the
confirmation Of ambassadors, Judges OF the Nu'
irene Court and other important public ohccrs--
these small communities would have n perfect
equality of suffrage with the most poPul"is States
of the Union. In those other vast powers OF the
Senate too which it exercises M "A c"rrelatlvc
branch Of Congrese--such as upon a"estions OF
war lerying ana collecting taxes, regulating COM
,merce with forgn nations and between tho
States raising and supporting armies &c--they
would hold On eaunl check upon tho large ana
poruleus States representing tho masses OF tho
people Their introduction, as balance OF pow
err might therefore not only he made 60 control
Presidential elections. but the very dcstlnlcs OF
the American Union
Mr. Zollikofer then proceeds To discuss the alien
suffrage clause of the Oregon Conttation Says
Mr.. Zokofer:
There i. n single point in the constitution of
Oregon against which the undersigned feels 1t his
duty to enter his solemn protest lie al'udcs to
the clause allowing unnaturalizcd aliens to vote
for members of the Legislature. lie regards this
clause as violatiye OF fundamental principle of
the Constitution of the United States Ii cannot
be doubted that such alien electors are thereby to
he regarded as at once introduced as n component
part Of the sovereign power controlling The FcfeTdl
Government. They thereby become, according to
all practical usage electors of Representatives in
Congress electors If those who choose United
States Senator's and hold the power to determine
the electors Of President and Vice President Of
the United States. Thus to the body OF aliens so
introduced into the body polite is given direct
or indirect power Of control over every department
of the Federal Government. This he respectfully
,t,xar .,I La
foundation idca of the Government itself.
lie then proceeds to show that the Constitution
intended that none but citizens should vote in the
elections Of the country; proving it by reference
to the debates in the Convention which framed
the Constitution. wherein unnaturaGzed foreign
ers were expressly understood as being excluded
from the right of suffrage. lie adduces the decis-
ion Of the Supreme Court, in the bred Scott case,
to the same effect Mr.. Zolicofer concludes his
unanswerable argument, upon this point rs tol-
lows:
The undersigned does not mean to assert that
Congress can look into the constitution ct II State.
asking for admission, further than to see that 1t
is republican, and not in conflict with that ct the
United States; or that the General Government
can regulate the right of suffrage in tho States
Far from it. 1t ia the right of every State to de-
termine who of its citizens ehall vote for eve
ry Office and in regard to Offices, strictly munich
pal the State may consttutionaly, if they choose,
permit aliens to vote. But. whilst the State may
confer upon aliens rights Of citizenship IN matters
pertaining Exclusively TO the State. they cannot con-
stitute the status of citizenship they cannot con-
vert aliens into citizens, that power having been
conferred by the Constitution upon Congress alone;
and they cannot therefore give to aliens the rghts
Of citizenship in matters pertaining to Hr Federal
Government. But TO give to aliens the right to
ia E,ru nhora n he M ia
the case in the Oregon constitution, gives Them
incidentally power OF control over every depart
ment Of the General Government; and therefore it
is duty to resist this innovation upon the rights
of the General Government at tie very threshold
As the people framed and the States ratified tho
General Government as it is constituted, they arc
bound by every consideration of good faith to
stand BY it, in its letter and spirit. Whilst the
rights Of the States, as they have been reserved,
should DO seduously maintained, those rights
which have been conceded to the General Govern
ment should not DO ruthessly ignored.
Especially is this true with regard to those ele
mental principles upon which rests its selfprescr
walton. The General Governmen t stands between
US and all foreign innovation or INVASION 1t was
established by the citizens of the United States
for their opn beneft and the benefit of those who
are to become citizens by birthright or naturali-
from the tims ofthe Grecinn Republics down to
our own time, the right of suffrage has been
held to belong to none but citizens. This funda-
mental principle Of selEpre.ervation having been
fully granted to our General Government it is un.
wise and unsafe to ignore it, and thoughtlessly
give the destinss Of such Government into the
hands of those who lowe it no allegiance" have
~no right to claim its protection" even to pre-
sent to it 80 petition"
Wbena State has once been admitted into the
Union, with such provision as that pointed out in
the Oregon constitution, the undersigned would
not counsel coercion by the Federal Government
to bring about change. But when Terrt ,rv