The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-04-20

IC DllCh NO. SIT: Dut he eNlcllutu
the right of suffrage to those who We're
authorized to vote under the laws of those
states before the rebellion: and when
urged to allow loyal blacks to vote what
was his answer! That he had no power
1t was unconstitutional. But he has
claimed and exercised the power to protect
coloret persons in their civil rights, aurl if
ii carries not with it the right Of suffrage
What becomes of the position which he
assumed when he extended civil ightS to
the ne%rce>-that he had no constitution
al power to extend to them the right TO
vote-that it was Il right vested i'll the
Senate with which he could not interfere ,
But, sir. the granting of civil rights does
not, and never did, in this country carry
with it political privileges. \ man may
be a citizen in this country without right
to vote or without Il right to hold office
The right TO vote and to hold Office III the
States depends upon the legislation ol the
various States. The right to hold certain
offices under the federal government de
pendS upon the constitution Of the United
States. The President must be a natural
born citizen, and Il Senator OF Representa-
tive must be Il citizen Of the United States
for a certain number of years before he is
eligible to a seat either in this or the other
House OF Congress. So that the fact OF
being Il citizen does not necessarily quality
4 person ior an office. nor does it ncce>>;l-
ri!y authorize HIM to vote Women are
citizens, children are citizens bat thev
do hot exercise the elective franchise by
virtue of their citizenship. Foreigners, ;,>
is stated by the President in this me->age
before they are naturaiLcd are protected,
in the lights enumerated i'll this bill. but
hecau-r they possess those rights III most,
ii not al the States, that carries with it
no right to vote.
but. sir. what rights DO citizens Of the
United States have 10 br 4 citizen OF
the United States carries with ii some
rights. AMI what are they! Thrv are
those inherent. fundamental II "ht, which
h'iun" 80 Tree citizens or irecmen in ail
rounlrie>->pch IL the rights enumerated
in thi, hi!i-.ul they belong 10 them in
all the States ol the mon. The rich; Of
American citizenship mran- >omelIirg
1t doc, not ncan iii the case OF Il foreigner
that when hr l. nHturaliz2d he is to h,.
left cntlrcI ' to I'll" mercy OF State lrLi-l;l-
tIun. lie il;;,- i right. when duiv natural
iIt,i. to 90 INTO any State oi the 'ion
and IL reside !herc. and the nilcd States
t;,>,rnmtnt will protect him in ,hat ri.ht.
Ii will protect Il citizen ot the United
state, not on:v IN an, OF the States OF the
/ mon, but i! viii project him in torriyn
lands. NiT. .'larcv. when >,o,."'"r, %,
.,Ialc, hr,i that i cltlZ'n III 4 lor"i-;i
country VA, entitled 10 the S;tnr prntr,.-
Ii n that wa> EXTENDED bv that GOVERN
ni-mt 10 liz own citizens. Ih--,' rights
pcion.ing t. the citizen, and krown Il,
natural rights, are defined by leading lr.al
authorities What are they The ri.ul
Of PERSONAL ~gturiiy. the right ot personal
ib.r,v. the ri.ht to acquire and enjoy
property. These are declared to hr in
.li,nable rirht~. belon@ine to every citizen
ot' the nited States a. such, no nlallc.
where he may be How Is it that every
person born in these 'nile,l States owe.
allegiance to tie government Eirrvlhin.
! - =, !
iit-ln;lv be taken by the Government OF
the nitvl States in il defense or 10 MAIN
tain the honor of the nation; and can il
Dr that our ancestors struggled through {:
iung war. and set up this government. anl
that the people of our ,av have >lrunolc.
through another war. with all lis >acri.
ICES and all iis dc>oatiom. to maintain ii
III lat, that We have GOT a government
which i> all powerful to command til,
obedience OF the citizen. but has no powrl
to afford him protection! Is that all thai
this boastrd American citizenship amount,
to, Go tell it. sir. to the father who,
son wa, starved at Ander~onyile. %. fl,
widow whose husband was slain at Mis-
SION RIDGE, or the little boy who leads hi
, ,itItlcs> father through the streets Of Won
city, made blind by the winds and tit
,:nd of the Southern coa>!. or the thou
sand other man2lcd heroes to he seen 81
every side. that this government in ,lctans
~ which tLc SON and the bush,,d fall
IL. t:,thrr lo,t III. rv.. anil H.. o,l,.,
. were cripplel-l.ad the rirI,t to call tho.
. r..rsons to it, defense, but Las no rioLt =,
.,,ot,rt the survivors or their friends !;
,,v riaht whatever in any Of the St,,e,
I S;r :, c,n,,,t Ina Sr.b :. ,ot Aha ,a,