Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-03

1t is source Of wealth and pose rather lhs,
of poverty and weakness, and after foreigner
have acquired an interest among us-ss the,
will necessarily continue to do fer their owl
personal aivsntage-tfey will have establish
ed the strongest bonds which can ally peo
} pie to us-that Of scf-intcrest There is NJ
; such danger in this elemen. ss the gentleman
, conjurs up. Ii gentlemen would but forge
their little nstve American procliyities, al
; these phantornS about the dangers from foreign
influence would readily disappear. 1t is {
mere "basalcss fabric of the vision" involving
nothing that is dangerous 10 our Institutions
but much that would prove advantageous il
the future in the work of our physical develop
Unnt end military defence. It shcnld nc
follow that because there are some foreigners
in the Northern army, We should proEcrihe
those Of them who are among us. IF this
class wero from any cause to withdraw now
rem on: a:iny, the gentleman would discover
such t. d:lniar;!on in our ranks AZ would csnSe
hiTa 10 forget, al | am sure he is patriotic
snaHe b to do, that by any possibility his ef
lorts have for ;AeIr prescription had an iaau
ercs in leading to suc result.
Sir, this policy is an unwise one in every
aspect Of it. have frequently entered this
Csplto! square with feelings OF pride on so-ing
Irish AMI German companies presenting them
selves 70: inspection By orr Inspector General,
preparatory 10 their going forth to defend. with
strong arua and stou. hearts, This, tho land OF
their adoption. And, SIR it panied ME 10 hear
The criticisms of gentlemen here upon these
classes, aud The efforts to cast upon thsm, be-
cause they happened to be bora in foreign
Iands--lor they musI all participate in the
| nd it,;l oc
| which wS arc nov enduring.
For mg part, Shall never favor any scheme
or measure that proposes to trench upon the
rights OF these people. Az l said on yester-
day, EN- willing to leave the whole matter TO
the Confederate Congress, where, in my judg-
rnent, We have already rcposed it. lie. them
DISPOSE Of the question rs they think proper,
but mn utterly opposed to favoring ncw any
proposition which aims NJ dsfranchsing a class
or classes OF people who are fighting for our
defence with Zeal worthy Of all praise. /
am not certain nut that they defend us better
thaa we DC ourselves
trust i: will be the pleasure OF the Con7en.
iitn 10 r:jcc. ;;e amei,t!laent.
Nj. NrsoE. Il cali thu previous question
air. Messy Il TDwi ask to be permitted
10 mnd'iy nay afnoudInnat Ly substituting
| Ten Tor twelve.
The pxes.5E:T-The gentleman can cnly
do so by general consent.
Objection WIS made
The tsli for tie previous uueatipn vas gus
:ained.
! Mr.. TCRSER, oC Jeckson.-I rise 10 : aueg-
| lion Of ord@r; and, M essential n q proper
understanding of the poin5 Of order which /
snail n!a::2, CAL for the rsading oi ;he nmend
fncnt uE,:red 0y the gentleman trou, Pulaski.
| ihr. MTsaR,l on yesterday. ir esrkes me
that that amendment involved what m CEN
tainad III the amendment now under considers
tion, and its decision, therefore, involves tue
decision Of that QUESTION
| The amendment Was then read, as follows
"Or sny citizen Hsturalizoi after the close oi
| tho present var, unless no shall have been 20
natura!i2ed twcnty-r's years before he shall
! rf.r IN vote"
Mr.. TuRSER.-W as not the vote taken unnn
| The clause With the number of yeas stricken
ont.
The PRRsrpEsr-The gentleman's recoilec-
ton IN that respect is right; but the Rct;nr
upon that dces not Euperceds the Amendment
under consideration.
III. WocDs II understand that tn. gentle
from Clark lMr. NELsoN.) proposes 10 aocept
he amendment Of ihs gon.!=nien irom Eau
lnier, Orr. RRooEE)
Tho PRESroENr. .-Ohjeation e..s mado 10 the
proposed acceptance. It could net, however,
he a"ceptst! after the previous question TIES
called.
Mr. WooDs.-I call the yeas end nays.
Mr. HAYMosp.-I have made tie cali for the
yeas and lays already;
| TIE pKpSr1rST THAT u-asroao Shn anori
men. offered by the gentleman frcm Clarke.
The call vas sustained, and the vote being
taken, !es%!lec-ycas &C. nays Gas follows.
Yr.a-AIes.rs Nonlagu, ,p.e,idsny Blakey, nor.,,
Botdn, Branch, EronE,, Ch,noer-, Chsmbliss, con.,
puany Pis e., fiourary. Forbes r each, rukue. Grs.
@ ai KIM Maotv s1e s.r,a dis ays
Ma.iu, M,!sr, NoCe;,, Morrs Neb!e.i Eelsoo Parks
Pagh T. J. k:ndoiph, Sh.tsy, spesh ftapsi, a. IL H.
| field Will .Es WJ,Or--s.
EAIs-hf,:rs Az,l-r Armstrong, Aston, J.mes BAR
hoEr Bayar, crit H!cW BosHnhu, Doyd BrgSnsr Drsn:
Ey.n, Campbell, :ap=Tlou, Carer, coAman c. Con.
ra, R1bert g. Conrad Cooper ce1 Cre;np cu,i. pvs-
ta,, D2rsn c.'an d'!:,p:, e'sy GGssn' a.eea.
ccmb-, iioiatsy 1nnns?, johnston Rent Rhy, Icsse,
AcGai.e, J g. Macry, /. ~ Marsha !! Martin. M.st.fa
Sharp stnson. slauga-r, surIorE rrsuSlin P. Turner
| Tyler, Waltz, "ai.., Weeds, Ysuug-cS
So the amendment 10 the amendment was
rejected
Tbe question then 7ecurrcd ucon The amend.
ment offered By .fr. Nelson.
Mr. BARBcun, of Culpeptr.--T subrni! to
gentlemen on ull sides, that upon repeated tests
ethe determination Of the Convention hss been
ascertained to retain The suffrage qualification
as il il in the present Constitution. Are VIC
doing justice to ourselves Or 10 the country by
wasting valuable time upon any more propo-
sitions Of this sort? | approve the action Of
the Convention on this subject The purpose
Of oil the votes have given wss to retain the
suffrage qualification as il is WI! the Con-
vention excuse me for s:ttiag !bs principle
which has controlled ell my votes ierc.o!ore,
and will control NIL On these sutj,ata as here
after presented? | submit It fur what it is
worth TO thcs= ~no vii! give me candid hear
ing Sir, the American system of government
was in its institution, IN experiment 1t Has
not q universally popular democracy, for that
had been tried fully snd discarded, upon an
experience running through ages. Our great
and wise forefathers did not design to repeat
that experiment.. Tia system which they in
engurated Was representative dapoctscy.--
They made the popular will the great con-
trolling power in the machinery, bu. com.
nittea tla details Of the system to the rapre.
sentat!reE Of the people, hccATso ell experience
had already shown that, for The operation u! s
~ Government in all its details the people wore
incompetent To orertask this popular powar
VAS TO paTalyzs it and render it really as no2e-
rative ss in thcsa systens where it was NOM
;pal'y excluded. The experiment worked ai,
mlrsbiy "a long os it was allowed 70 move as
or;gin.lIy desgned. The representative f,a.
ture Of the system VISA gradually ina7vated
upon and erad;cated III the Northern States,
and We hav O followed very much in their waka.
Hence the overstrained machinery has parted
and cracked in the North, and is ricketty with
us in Yirgnis- We owe it to the mrmc-
ries Of the past and tine hopes Of the future to
restore the representative character Of our
Government, and TO reorganize it Upon the
plan Of the great men vho founded it. shall,
therefore, Tote 10 give to the representatives Of