Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-10-10
"JOhn BsIl W. Foreixnsrs.p

Tas Eagrsr in its issue Of Saturday, under the cap
ton Of "John Bel vs. Foreigners" has an article, mark
81 with that van. Of fairness which is the leading char
se,srsc OF an its assaults upon Nsssrs. Ben and E7e
s.t in which, with view OF preuliciug ar. Bell with
forea-boru citizens i, proceeds to show that Mr. Bel
dl not think the right Of suffrage could be extended by
Ste TO foreigners who not citizens, and for tha
us-poss al5uecs an extract from speech OF Mr. Bel in
1857 OF vhich SO much as refers 70 the Virginia law
As follows:
81, B., said that there is hw Of Virginia comforting
citizenship u1on al under certain stringent conditions
v1l r-rs s1- aecg n4iurss'i according 20 me law OBJ
Congress IS 0ivg-y --,.' weight with me what INC
Ix5 IND. Safe oil Ti--.ll may be-, or may have been
On Goa. .ltf,c- W5e.ter falls o1ly little sl0r; o.
conformity sl ie sps- or requirements OF the ac,' OF
{ .r-.- regulating tis SUBJECT, os s ia perfect c1HP
a--- s. Do ... rrl-...,- nd tIesc l-s, 30 s al. one.
g.. Trsf.f.l-. OF che STATE of Virginia has gyc1 tte
r-i. 90 --al-. 20 ,i'us >ace t1Asre-s eH.ie.o '-'
p34g- e.s-I .1 boy tie lors-itu On oyeg t's SUN
.tlg;1 NV opinion d c,1l- violation Of ths Constitution
a.I no. power Of Chi. sind he SCI. up oy prescription
by Virginia or any olher State
ris c1a.u.lss made by t5s Epgai-1 upon this ey-
t-,s az, "a, paternity u1c 50 utterly hlaeiols tina. w.
are confident no i1-s gent f5re'sr-h1-u citizen can
read the Ar,c. uitl1l. seeing cha, T. Is Dictated by no
reg,rl for The ;5r,ig1-b1rl resident bus, by de'ey
hrs Tor Mr. B-I which causes % 20 throw is random
shafts with the hop5 Of doing chance damage 20
one 6, has no, the poEer to harm by manly warfare -
IniesI so purely pasris ia the whole arc,e tha' We
should hsys taken no notice Of Go were &c not for Che Pc
.iioa taa the Virginia Democracy occupy IN regard TO
tae law TO which Mr.. Bell alluded.
In 1857 there was no such law IN Virginia.
IaI79z. before any Avs had been passed by Congrcs
o. ua subject Of naturalization, the General Assembly
Of Vr-ail IN san aa. declri7g Who should be deemed
ei.zsas Of the Commonwealth, g. provided "that ell
persons, other than sea enemies who shall migrate H.
to this safe and shall before some court Of recordgve
satisfactory proof by OATH or being QllSers or Aenonit
by ss-nation that they intend to reside therein, aud
ais, take the Legal oath armaHOa for giving sssur-
ause Of fidelity to the Commonwealth
shall be entitled TO al the rights and
privileges and advantages OF citizens except that they
.5. rot be capable Of election appointment to any
oses legislative. executive or Judiciary until an actual
rsilsace 10 the Stare for Eve years after the time Of
t.kinr such osths g." Rev. code 1879 chap. %,
Tbi. law remained the Statute books OF the State
unt toe revision Of 1872 and under IL some commis-
soaers Of election would allow persons Of foreign birth
Who bad not taken the oath prescribed By the naturl-
ration laws Of the United States TO vote, whilst others
would refuse to permit IT,
Prom the Code Of Virginia Of l54s his provision Of
bs au Of l7s2 excluded and in lieu thereof it was
provided that "a aliens being free white persons, nat
uralsed under the laws Of the United States, who may
De or become residents Of this State
shall be deemed citizens Of this State Code Of Virginia
ssSL
Nov, As citizenship and is, By the Constitution OF
m State one Of the requirements to the exercise otihe
rizh, OF suffrage whatever may have been the proper
construction of the lsH Of iva the adoption Of the
provoas Of the Code Of 1879 settled che question Of
'sa.s citizenship" eOaelasvey against the foreign
born resident Who naturaIed according to the
LAYS Of the United States And who is responsible for
thai The Democratic Legislature that passed the
law
II there is blame in the matter let the saddle be prt
On the right horse.
II Mr. Bel IS 70 be denounced because be express q
The opinion that vbsa the Constitution gives to Coagre
the power Of passing naturalization laws aud Congress
masses the laws &c is in violation Of the Constitution FOL
s,tss 70 make citizens Of uunaturaized Foreigners
tbss Democratic Legislature Of Virginia, which, eigh
vr- before Mr. Bel made bis speech, bad arrived At thu
same conclusion and had repealed the very law TO which
a. alluded. 70 20 FREQ Of bhme, On the contrary, /
tbs Democratic purity Ct this Sts enesliang the cpir
ions on Dis subject thar we suppose the Enquire
10 entertain, if we give it o-,-. Cor horesiy II
Ais article. repealed this law, has it not directly de
prvei foreign born residents Of rights tia. Conceive
hsy we're and are eaed toand should not the loregr
population hold them responsible for it'
TIE fact; however Is that Ibis charge agains. Dr. BE
Is merely one Of the many shifts resorted TO By the En-
qlrcr aud other journals Of Ike stripe to btm5Ooze th
toreigl-bon citizens.
Neither the Eaq Irer no- the Democratic party Of Viz
g:aa with an taer professions Of attachment, ar
ioi Tor orr orsiga-bora citizens beyond their vote
AMI We are happy know hat manyof The most irteli
gent and useful CT nasurazsd citizens sre bccomn;
s4are OF the fact aud Of the further c thSt the 'sc
tln OF either Nr. Rel o. Mr. D3asi would result niucl
more % .ber interest ta2n ths s1con OF the csndidat
Of tboss men sho desire 20 break up this Union, u1de
whose Tag thew have sought projection.