Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-17
DAILY SENTINEL.
TUESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER II


We Oossutution OF TIE nited States, the lead
Ing men Of The nation wers divided in opinion
ss 70 the powers which should be exercised By
National Government. and the powers which
properly belonged to the States. The old Con-
bat that Of recommendation. The new ConstItu-
toa largely added 70 the powers Of the General
Government. but TO prevent any doubt a. 10 the
Jurisdiction Of this new Government. IL declared
that the powers not delegated to the United
States BY the Constitution, nor prohibited by {,
10 the States. are reserved to the States re-
specsively. or 20 the people"
Among the most important Of thess disputed
powers as the present time, Is that OF the United
States to grant 10 the negroes Of the South the
night Of sunfage. During the whole existence Of
he eovsrnnen, until nov. this right has never
been seriously claimed for the National Govern
nent. The absence Of any specific grant should
alone have been suiicisn, to settle the question,
and il would with any oibor party than that now
In power.
Fortunately for the country. the views Of the
President are veil settled upon this point. and
no threats can change him. In the year 1854
there sprabg into existence a secret society
which rapidly spread throughout the North,
which had for its object and aim ID exclude ell
persons born in a foreign country from e1-
srcising the rights and privileges Of American
citizens. aud particularly the privilege Of voting
One Of the cardinal principles Of the Know
Nothing Order. as promulgated a, the time,
Was "that We maintain the doctrine that no one
Of the States Of this Union has the right 10 admit
20 the enjoyment Of free suffrage any person oil
foreign birth, who has not first been made citizen
OF the United States
To make this sfeotusl. the know y oihings
advocated the amendment Of our naturalization
laws. 50 a. 20 require . residence OF twenty -ons
years. believing this would eheetualy debaI
every emigrant to this country from ever be
coming q citizen One OF the first States where
she "Know-Sothing" order tried it, strength
vas Tennessee. and ANpkKw JOHNSON wss
the fret leading Statesman OF the nation the
"Knos Nothings" attempted to crush. But
he me, them boldly aud feirlessy. and hid de-
fsncs 90 all their boosted power. aud never
was there q more signal defes, OF the Order
than that which occurred in Tennessee under
ths lead Of ANDREW JOHNSON In the dis.
eussion Of the objects Of tots secret order. be
had occasion 4, speak much at length on the
question Of where the power Vas lodged by
the Constitution 10 determine who should be
voters in the States We publish liberal er
tract from one OF the Presidents ablest speeches
on this Order. which will satisfy every one that
his views the right o. the States 10 con-
troll who shAlI exercise the right Of suffrage.
are we'll settled. and are not likely to undergo
asy change to crafty the radicals OF III. Repub-
llcan party:
Governor johnson said that the next propo
alton assumed by this new Order, by a charge or
modification of tho naturalx ton laws, was 10
purify or protect the ballot-oox. They assume,
IL he (G3ov Johnson) understood them correctly,
that the Fedora! Government can prevent the
States from admitting persons to the ballot-box
IL they have not FIRST been naturalixed under a
Law Of the United States de looked upon this
a. the most dangerous assumptions OF power on
the part Of the Federal Government. and would,
IL carried out and reduced TO practice, subvsrt
every vestigs Of sovereignty which now remains
with the State. But, for the purpose of making
himself distinctly understood. he would read
from the principal organ. published IN Washing
ton City. which has been laid down as one OF the
fundamental principles Of the order:
Fifth. We shall maintain the doctrine that
10 one Of the States of this Union has the right
TO admit to the enjoy ment Of free suffrage any
person Of foreign birth who has no. first been
made citizen of the United States. according
70 the uniform rule oil naturaliz alton prescribed
By Congress under tbs provisions OF the Oonsti-
tuition
"Ths exercise of the power on the part OF the
Federal Government be understood TO De claimed
~ the Order everywhere. Hs contended that
Cengrsss could exercise no such power in refer
sncs to the voters within the limits Of any State
Ttst the qualification OF electors vas subject
peculiar TO the State. and over which Congress
had ana could exercise no control whatever
Congress could NJ even prescribe the quslifca-
sion OF voters for members of Congress for il
was compelled to adopt the qualification liked by
the States. The Constitution itself was express
upon toIs point. Ii IL. then, the State that de-
termines and hxes the character and qualification
Of the voters for members OF Congress- aud not
the Federal Government. IL there have been
abuses Of the bsllo, box by corruption or by the
force OF mobs IN any State of this Union. the
remedy 10 with the State. and not with the Con-
grsss. in the passage Of naturalization laws. He
would assume, aud that, too, without the fear of
ment may pass a law nsturalizing foreigners in
one month, and the State could legitimately and
constitutionslly prohibit them from ever voting
in the State; and. on the contrary il the Federal
Government pass q Law preventing foreigners
from becoming citizens of the United States until
they frve been here twenty one years, the States
can, and have the power to admit them 10 the
ballot-box. at such time as they may prescribe,
Without any regard TO the &C, Of Congress on the
subject OF naturalization and to the enjoy N snt
of all the privileges of the citizens under the
State Constitution.
The Governor then cited the Constitution,
and various decisions of the Supreme Court of
the United States in support of his views, con-
GLIDING as follows
1T must now DC apparent 10 all thai this
power that should be exercised BY the States
and not by the Fedsral Government Ii New
York or any OF the Eastern or Atlantic States
have had, or may hereafter have superabund
ance Of foreign population thrown in upon them
they have the remedy in their own State autho
rity. II criminals or psupers are attempted 90
De thrown upon their shores, they have the
power 20 reject them. IL the ballot boris cor
Fupted or abused by the foreign population. they
have the remedy IN their own hands, and know
better hos TO correct the evil complained OF than
any other State or the Federal Government
Tennessee has no authority directly a.
State, nor indirectly through the National Gov
eminent, to interfere with the internal .esul.-
tons Of New York, or snv other State Of ,he