Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-29

States. The Constitution OF tne
I,onfcderate States expressly provides that
,he a,cctors for members tt the C"iicueIate
States Congress shall be citizens Oh the Gon.
fod.r,te Stairs. So that the States themselves
cannot interfere in this matter In we" vi
thc f.clinrs Ct hostility which are now enter
tanned BIZ every gentleman here, as presl'lhe'
- ,i,,, ihnse who are DOW in arfns against us,
II would not be saio nor prudent for this Con
von,;,n at this time to take any steps 10 en-
rrof unon the Constitution Of the state o. OF
T;r,;ni, unv ucriod OF residence as the quail
fication necessary for foreign cilizens 10 Wi
nropose that the citizens OF each olate sum sun
have all the privileges. and lmmuniues VIM ~
the several States that they are enti'!eo w ~
auv of the States. do not oel'eVe IL "ouIu
be nr,,dept for this State to exclude foreigners
from citizenship while other States shall ADMIT
tbam For me, sir, to vote for the proposition,
of the gentleman from Pulaski, (Mr. WTsoD
would be- to go against the views which l nave
entertained during my past life; and 90 not
inland bv nv action here, now to say that
was Wong in Inc policy which pursued IN
,h;s Convention in the past. Nothing mas
occurred which, in my opinion, justlhes Ut
d.m.nds n change of sentiment in this re-
snnot and 7 am satisfied that this Convention,
in u}ontipr the policy which the proposition
IL. consi,leration-1 mean that submitted by
rho gentleman from Pulaski Mr. VISOR -
wonId inaugurate, would be doing what would
rcsuIt in injury to its best interests.
Mr., Soorr, Of Fauquier.-The gentleman
vbo off.rs that amendment (Mr. TuRNER) de.
s;ros m make u test, he says. think the ttsl
s already made by the first proposition OIL
amendment and il the gentleman Will vote
ora;n.t ,hat proposition OF amenGIDen: he VIII
bevs tho Constitution just as he desires 10 have
il. So tina. cannot see tic Necessity ioE us
amendment 10 the amendment. but lie incur
dangers, BY the phraseoiogy 6I that amend
ment, of filling i:io whst may prove 70 Do
very great error.
man in his remarks. ard ut Inc INSTANCE %
friends "''''n'"" nS "'"s"'
The question tl.s. required upon striking III;
the words twenty ONE in Mr.. WYsos'S amend
mert and the vote being taken, resulted aye'
e., noes SO.
The question then REQUIRED on inserting
ten
Mr. RRAScn-I move, by way Of compro
misc, that the blank be filed with fourteen.
Mr. BLAKEY-l call for the yeas ard hays
upon tho question, which Was on the highest
numEer.
The call IVES sustained, and the vote being
token rcsulsed-yeas 80, nays T3-as follows
YEas-Mcssrs. Montague, (Pres!dsnt.l Aston, Blak.y
Iaudii, RrsGch. Brooke, Byrne Chambsa, K y conrad
G.a.sry, Iia.. +. L. Johnson, Mcneil, MacfIIlauL, z
h M4I1ry MaTys, MARLIN, Miller Morris, Aeblet MI
tas IT. p 4,t ssS @ saaa%s
SAn-aessrs Amber Armstrong, James Barbour. Bay
lor, Bella, Blow BOissoau, gor,t Boyd lra=nsr ."t
CowaE Cox Cresap, CTcheT, Gusts ps.klns, Dor,nan
Gars.d, Gillespie, Gray, Goggn, Goode Addison Hall
Cyru,Hal; s. Hall, EInrys, Haymard sndren. Hecf
Leake Mcclure, .. Mallory J. W. Marshal, Jas hsar
shall Martin, Matters, hoHett Morgan Moore pendIeon
rrestu Price g. W. Randolph Rives K Scott, sharpsit
ngtui. Slaughter spurlock. $'uart Tayoe r. H. Tu ner
+. p. TUNER, Tyler, Waller, Wits, Whitfield, Woods.
Youpg-'3
So the motion to fill the bl,nk with fourteen
was rejected.
The question required on filling it up will!
stem, US proposed by Mr.. BROOKE
Mr. RrvEs.-l rise for the purpose Of stating
the reason why, in my opinion, the bla.k
should not be flied with number ten, or any
o:hrr number. YOU will observe, sir; lha; the
section of tho first article Of the Constellation
of The Confederate States provides that The
House Of Representatives shall be composed VI
members chosen every second year b. The
people OF the several States, and the electors
IN encl State sEiali'b be citizens Of the Cvnferc.
rate States, ard have The qualifications neces
sary Tor el, c,orS Of the most numerous branch
Of the Safe Legislature.
Mark you, no man can vote Inr member oI
Congress OF the Confederate States unless be
is 3 citizen of the Confederate States. You
may bring him here, and be may remain here
fourteen years, and when no goes to the polls
the question will be asked, Are you citizen
Of the Confederate States = Il you are not,
YOU cannot vote The only thing necessary 10
accomplish what the Convention DESIRES is to
plaee the Constitution Of the State in relation
to the right Of suffrage upon such basis as
ill conform tn this article OF the ConfrAorat %
States Constitution.
Let me read from the State Constitution.
Every ahi;e unlc citizen CT this Com
monwcalth, Of the age Of twcnty-cAc years
who has been resident Of tho State fUr two
Yeas, and Of the county, city or town where
he offers to vote for twelve months next pre-
ccding an election, and no other person shall
be qualified 10 vote for members Of the Gen.
eral Assembly and all officers elected by the
people; but no person in the military, laval
or marine service of the Confederate States
shall be deemed of this State by reason of ba.
ing stationed therein; aud no person shall
have the right to vote who is Of uosound
mind, or a pauper or non.comlnissioned OH
Ger, soldier Seainen or marine IN the service 0!
the Confederate States. or who has been Con-
victeti Of bribery in ali election, or Of any in
famous offence"
Is not your object accomplished by that!
You have excluded persons Of unsound mind,
paupers. aOr-cuDmissioned officers, soldiers,
seamcn and marine, besides persons convicted
uf bribery in an election or any Infamous Of
fence.
What, then, is it you arc inclined 10 do You
cannot mako man a perfect voter unless ho
is citizen of tho Confederate States and are
we here discussing tho question that o man
who is ;!.Vased with citizenship BY the Con-
fedcrai;; Safes gb.e!mnient or laws, cannot
come h=re ard vuie, Are we to exclude the
man who las os.iaired his naturalization pa
pers under the Confederate iIgS, ilouI voting
in our S,ale? II 40 pH'sue his policy, &c will
place OURSELVES IN inu ui.rnriuble attitude OF
originating state uf thugs, which, so far as
can sscertain NJ utlier State Seems to favor.
The effect Of such n policy will be, to drive
good citizens from yonr State, to take up their
residence IN States where no such restriction
will be imposed.
Gentlemen have got this old question Of
Know-Nothings in iLrir h"a'is, and trust
VIC Will drive it out, as the people Of Eir.
gnia drove it back in 1855, TO tb" North,
wteacc it came. have very strong idea
that there is lurking in the heads and minds
OF gentlemen here Same laint Of that
Know. Nothing spirit, shich would, even new,
seek to engrait itself upon our fundamental
law. Why not leave this matter 10 the Con.
grrss Of the Confederate States Can You
make man vote who is not citizen
of the Confederate States! Imagine not
and neither CHI you deprive man OF the right
to do SO, who is citizen Of the Confederate
States. Sir, it il the first time in the history