Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-29
Tba niou which he submitted unoD

n. I The view which lie submitted upon ii
Is clause in the Constitution which says tn
II "the citizens Ct cnch State shall DC entitled
IS all tito priY:les .s and immunliies Of ci!iz:ls
the several States" locs not it Stems TO n
IL touch the question st all. Let me csll the a
IS tention Of the Convention t" TIE lac. that th
clause lioes not provide that tho citizen Of on
{ State shall erjov the same privileges in an
other State that ne etj1!od IN the State irtI
d WHICH he can; i..t ina, he shall enjoy tb
# saulu privileges a,.,i nul'tnitcs which the eli
!. iz.ns vf the Siaee ro witch he goes ere cu:i
j. tied
G Now, sir, ii the gcr!tlcmlE's proposition il
tru., that you cannot draw distinction be
:Sfrr citizens of your own State ard those G
another Stare, then you have no llsnt 10 ts
. any qualification whatever in the .uturc. Ts
certainly haze right to say that our natural
izt citizens l,sv not vote, and that our na.iye
BORN ci;.zens uay, just as much IS ~e have G
rign: to say ti:.. che ri our citizens " Hho las
not ps;d :ii= taxes shall not vote, and that the
one who Ess paid, shall. That being lie case
ii. regard To CUR own ci':zcaS, = citizen Ct
North Caro-, - un. oS ii'aat ;i'a '5.s"s;!! .l-.
having under the Constitution OF that State, q
right TO vote there after be has been silizen
for twelve months, has 10 right 10 come here
and vote, if We place any higher restriction
upon that class OF our own citizens. ,"Ele must
como up TO the requirements which we Tx
+! upon our own citizens of the same class snd
condition. This is not q naturalization la%.
Ii il not infringing upon the poaaTs OF Con-
gress has it como to this, that the citizens Of
| Virginia nave to la,ye the question CT toe
qualification OF So.ers ~ be scIdsd by the
Confederate Congress What becomes OF our
State Rights. which re have proclaimed in
such Gear, bold, decided terms, in tho acIion
Of this Convention
In regard TO tho possession Of property
qualification OF foreigners: ny friend to the
| right (Mr DULAST, ofFairiax who lives upon
! the border, informed ma of instances in which
Yankees came 10 his county, ard possessed
themselves of land and negroes, and upon the
! breaking out of these difficulties, left both and
! Joined the Federal aruy; and it is in behui
Of such people as this ssat ne ere now So
earnestly urged, under ccrtsin circumstances, to
confer the right Of suffrage, and thus confer
upon them poiitica! powers
| But we are told that there may be strug
! gle between the different States Of this Con-
| tuderacy as 10 wh,ca of These shall get most of
this population, ard thus most increase their
| political power and their wealth..
| think | have demonstrated that this ele-
;nent is destructive elemcI.-au element.
which erdangers the perpetuity Of our i5er-
tics; ead l 90 not want Virginia 10 enter into
any competition for the imp ,rtation Of any
such clement into her midst. But, sir, to eyold
Al" objection which seems to me has some
weight, vii! add to NY substitute !his vroyi.
sion:
! UnieGs such citizens shall have served in
iac Confederate States during ;he existing war
efhcr in civil or military capacity, and in tic
etssg caSe 5sen honorabiy discharged
1t seems to Els, Hir, that ths will meet all
the diHcuties and objections suggested by 10Y
friend frarn Hetzcl, (Mr HALL)
Now, st-, IN reference to this Know Nothing
argument hat has been brought in, will
simply say that have been and am as much
opposed to Know Nothing organization ay
any body. But his has nothing TO do with it;
and can only regret that gentlemen have al
ludsd TO that subject at ell. Sir what is the
| history OF shat movement Tie Know Moth
inp organization .,-lortn>kc - act .ran.io-
iDhleLce 10 our government. Tho foreign
party were sustained by tho South; and yet,
sic. such Was the hatred Of this foreign popu-
ia.on to our institutions that tne iDrciyn rle.
inyl,. at the North now, constitute the r,:in
b;:5T Of that army which noS bowers upon
your borders ike bands Of demons ready to
devssta,e AID p!iaye our country, to pnlluie
our hrcsidts and lratupis tenrs;h their heels
| The last restiye OF our liberty. Aud get the
history OF this movement has been plead 70
Inc reason Why we shall Tot place Those re-
striclions- It IS That very thing that makes
! Ing more anxlous to impose them.
| trust It will be the pleasure Of the Con.
rention"to adopt the amendment which :e:s
! submitted, modified, if need be, &c tie eXtent
that have just iadichted.
| Mr. SLAuGuTER--I desire to make tus = sim
gie suggestion. The article ss now reported
provides that every white male citiZe:! Of he
| uunlnonweai!h C: Inc ego Of twenty one years,
! &c, shall Ls entitled! 10 rcte. IIhiS IL tie
same prog si1n contained il our existing Con-
sti;u,on aui our Code has, in conformity
thereto, prescribed who are citizens, viz: Ali
white persons oorn in this State or in anv one
uf the Confederate States, snd all aliens, natu-
ral;z.d under the laws 81 the Confederate
States who may become residents Of this
| State.
Now, tho Constitution oi the Confederate
States gives Congress the right to establish
uniform iaSs Of naturalization. Cae natural
lied under such laws becomes citizen of the
Confederate States, ahG wnilo the State has
unquest!onubly tine right to prescribe who are
enltled to vote for State officers, and may c1-
ciudc citizens naIuruiized uadcr laws Of the
Confederate States, yet it would seem to me
ilnpnlitic to have I've classes of votcrs-one
enlitlcd 10 vote under The Constitution of the
Confederate States. and anulher for State otf
c-Ts. When ore Is made citizen, am in IA
Tor Of confarrng, also, on b!ro tie elective
franchise; let your natural zation laws extend
thv time Of probation as long as may be re-
garded desirable.
Under the present temper OF cur people, and
with the material we sro likely to have in our
| Congress. | think We may safely trust tie
whole mst:er tn them. Our present Congress
his certainly shown diGposItion sufficiently
! 70 guard ouT rights ard L am unwilling 10 cast
distrust on tho nsn Uungrses, by requiring
higher quslitce:icrs for the :::.t Of suffrage
in the State than ,ha. Congre,, may require
for becou,ing citizen of tie Confederate
States
AS 10 the amendment proPo: 4 by the gen.
tleman from Pulaski, It presc-!':s that no one
shall exercise the right Of !.fr 90 fer twenty
one years after be shall be ..atuTslizcd Con.
grcss NAY prescribe twenty ere years ss the
term of naturalization, en,i i!::s would It cuirc
iorty-twc years hc!9:v such an one could vote
in Our State
Let us not in stats Of 'r:'.:ncnt pass sn
amendment that would sw we were act
ing uader thei lfuence OF passion. Let US leave
the Constitution, in this aspect as it new
stands, and not leopard 1!':. important reiornE
By modifying the right ul -.trage.
Mr.. WYsog-I do nns think the proposition
have submitted involves tie Inconsistency
which the gentleman from Lynchburg (Mr
SLAueHTEs) seems to thiuL it does. admi,
fully tha. the Congress Of the Confederate
Stales may frame e naturalization law tia,
would give an extension of the time which
my proposition prescribes. But presume
u ;hst Il rnu a6nnr Ihc suhstiinte nror.osnd l,r