Let me call the attention of the Senate to one question in connection with it. Does it extend to include those people who. at the lime of the adoption of a constitution or at the time of voting for delegates for a constitutional convention. are not citizens of the United States? Some Senator says "certainly not." Could the Legislature of Washington Territory after we have passed this bill enact a law under its provisions fixing the qualifications of voters so that Chinamen. who can not be naturalized under the laws of the United States. might become qualified voters to elect delegates to that constitutional convention? Could they enact a law that boys fourteen years old. many of whom have as much intelligence as many men of forty years of age. should be qualified voters to elect delegates and to adopt that constitution? Can they in virtue of this supposed local sovereignty violate all the rules and precedents that have obtained heretofore in the organization of local governments in converting Territories intoStates?
Keywords matched
naturalized