Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-13

The members of the Senate of the
United States are chosen by the legs.
latures OF the States. Article /, section
3, provides:
The Senate of the United States shall be
composed of two Senators from each State,
chosen by the Legisiat,re thereof.
II there is no legislature there are no
Senators. If there are no State electors
qualified by State constitutions or State
laws there are no State legislatures.
Thus il all depends finally on State
qualifications of electors. Thus we have
both the Federal House of representa-.
tives and the Federal Senate dependent
upon the qualifications OF electors by
the States; qualifications created by
State constitutions and State laws. The
States themselves in their constitutions
fix the qualifications of voters. They
are thus an element, an indispensable
element, in the constitution and perpe.
tuity of the Federal government.
Thus we find the electors of the State
fill the House Of representatives. and
the States through their legislatures fill
the Senate of the United States. all
power proceeding originally from the
electors Of the States, qualified by State
constitutions and State laws. These
form the very basis OF the organization
OF this body and of the Federal House
OF representatives Without them the
government of the United States utter.
ly and absolutely fails. Under the
Constitution of the United States we
must return for ultimate power TO the
qualification of electors in the States,
In alanfnrz b. h.. u..l
qualifications regulated and controlled
10y the States, or else these bodies cease
to exist.
The Constitution. in article 9, section
], clause 2, provides:
Each State shall appoint, in such manner
as the legislature thereof MAY direct, a num-
ber of electors equal 10 the whole number
Of Senators and Representatives to which
the State may be entitled in the Congress.
! These electors choose the president
and vice president OF the United States.
II there he no State legislatures there
can be no presidential electors. The
electors of the State legislatures are
created and qualified by and under
State constitutions and State laws. The
voters or electors in the States are the
I
State legislatures, and If YOU have no
State legislature then inevitably the
power 10 create electors of the president
Of the United States must fail. Thus
you have the Senate and the House and
the Executive department all absolute.
ly failing and breaking down for want
Of the State governments. But this is
not all. The judiciary department of
this government stands upon the ex-
istence Of the executive and the senate.
II the senate fails through the want of
voters TO create members OF the State
legislatures, and if the executive au.
thority fails for want of the power to
create and qualify voters, then we have
neither executive nor senate to create
judges of the United States. Thus we
have every branch OF the Federal gov.
ernment, House, Senate, the Executive
and Judiciary departments. standing
| upon the State governments, and all
resting finally upon the people OF the
States, qualified as voters by State con.
stitutions and State laws. We now see
that the State governments are vital TO
the existence OF every branch of the
| Federal government, and that the vot-
vitality of every branch OF the Federal
government. They cannot be inter.
iered with by Federal power. The su.
| preme court of the United States has
expressly decided that suffrage is under
State control. and 80 far as il can be
settled it is judicislly settled.
The clear teaching of every part Of
our system forbids us TO interfere or
seek to meddle with the power OF the
State upon this most vital of all her
| rights, and as We see that the people Of
the States. qualified BY he iars Of the
States, are the voters of the Federal gov.
ernment, We cannot and dare not enter.
tain the thought suggested by those who
suffer in Rhode Island. Their remedy
lies in another field.
There is, therefore, nothing in these
provisions OF the constitution and laws
of Rhode Island which, in the opinion
OF your committee. are in conflict with
the constitution of the United States,
for the regulation Of its rule Of suffrage
is subject for each State to determine
for itself; but your committee do not
deem it a waste OF time TO point out
the great discrepancy that exists among
suffrage by foreign born citizens, nor to
call attention TO the fact that Rhode
Island is the only State in the Union
in which natives and foreign. born citi.
sens stand upon different grounds as TO
State qualifications for the right Of suf.
frsge.
The laws of the United States require
residence of five years within the
country before foreigner can be natu.
rallied. This makes him a citizen of
the United States; but he may be
voter for members OF Congress, or for
electors for President, or for members
OF State legislature who elect United
States Senator, after he has resided six
months in the country IL he lives in
Kansas, Nebraska. Colorado or Georgia,
or within twelve months residence in
Alabama, AIkansas, Florida, Indiana,