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officers, elected from or voted for within each State, and transfer
that power to Congress, by inserting other words, authorizing
them (Congress) to pass laws making the qualification of all voters
for federal officers uniform throughout the United States. Such an
amendment of the constitution would place it completely in the
power of Congress to apply a perfect remedy. They could then
prohibit non-naturalized foreigners every where from voting, and
repeal or annul all State laws allowing that privilege.

But once possessed of this power, what other and further use
might Congress not make of it ? Armed with the right and power
to fix the qualification of all voters for Members of Congress, and
other Federal officers, and make these qualifications uniform, what
security would be left to the South, the weaker portion of the Con-
federacy, against the abuse of that power by large and excited ma-
jorities in Congress from those portions of the country, where
views prevail on a deeply interesting question, which would be fatal
to the South if carried out? Indeed, supposing this power to be
placed in the hands of Congress, and they set about the work of
giving uniformity to the qualifications of voters throughout the
country; how could such a law be framed and passed by them,
which would not give a fatal stab to 'Southern institutions ? for even
suppose the members of that body to be always perfectly just in
their purposes, still each one would be bound to vote for such an
extension of this right of voting, as his sense of justice and right
required. Already, we know that many of the Northern States
have extended this privilege to the negroes amongst them ! They
deem it proper there that this description of persons should vote
as well as others; the members of Congress must be presumed to
reflect the sentiments and opinions of their constituents—they would
be bound, therefore, in making an uniform law on that subject, to do
that which they think wrong and unjust, by withdrawing this high
privilege from a portion of their own constituents, who now have
and enjoy it, or they must extend it equally to the negroes every
where! What, under such circumstances, would become of the
South ? Such an amendment might suit abolitionists, and consol-
idationists—it would jump with their principles and purposes •, but
there are those it would not suit so well.

It may be this new-born zeal—this vast and vehement clamor
recently raised, to put down and proscribe foreigners, and prohibit
their voting at elections, is intended to throw the public mind into
such a frenzied state of excitement as to induce such an amend-
ment of the constitution, since it has been seen to be the only
effectual remedy for this pretended great and crying evil. Neither
is it impossible, nay, it has now become probable, that hidden be-
neath, and advancing under cover of this pretext, and urging it on,
lies deeply concealed the fell spirit of abolitionism itself, brooding
over hopes of success, and watching for the propitious moment