Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1843-08-01
FOREIGNERS. ATTENTION.

FOREIGNERS, ATTENTION!
The undersigned Inspectors Of the Election. hereby in
form oil Foregnsrs that they desire them to have their
Naturalization Papers prepared for the election The
law requires their production if it is demanded and this
notice gwen that there msy be full time for their PePa
ration G. NORWOOD,
July Goth. Is4s. MATTHEW LITTLE
The above notice was handed to us for
publication, by one of the Inspectors. We
comply with the request. but cannot permit il
to go to the public without Directing to what
We believe to be its heresics. We DO not
impcach the motives of the Inspectors; and
impute TO them none but what they suppose
to be in accordance with law and right. Be
lieving, however, the regulation proclaimed
TO be mrarrontcd BY law or Justice, we feel
bound 20 to express ourselves, and to show
what the legal and equitable rights Of adopt
cd citizens really are, as understand them.
In the first place. Naturalized Citizens are
no" Foreigners" No matter i'm what foreign
country man may have been born, after he
has taken the Oath of Allegiance to this
country, and complied with the other requi-
sitlons of the laws of naturalization. he is
just as much a ci'izen as though made such by
the accident of birth. 1t is therefore dcc-
dcdly improper TO hail Naturalizcd Citizens
rs "Eorcigncrs."
A. to the production Of Naturaliz cation pa
Pcrs. by citizens of foreign birth, it might do
wcllcnough asa request; but the Inspectors say
they have taufid right to demand them. We
have carefully searched the law books. and
can find no law which either ..requircs'' or
authorizes the production of such papers.
We have asked the opinion of lawyers also:
but they know of no such law. We arc sat
isfed that no such law exists. None such
ought to exist, most certainly. Naturazcd
Citizens are entitled TO the same rights and
immunltics rs others, and are required BY
law to produce no further proof of their right
fu possession of those rights and immuntics
than Is required of native citizens, when their
rights are questioned. requirement of any
thing more from one citizen than another.
would be manifest violation of that princi-
pie OF EQUALITY universally recognized.
The Law of our State, Chapter XXXI.
section @, says:
"Ifany person Offering to vote shall be challenged
unqualified by the inspector judges other legal
r0fer the inspector of such election is hereby authorized
to s1sear affirm Gas the may be- the person so
challenged any y-stander to answer SUCH questions
as may be asked him relating thereo and the Inspector
and judges shall decide from the examination as to the
legality of such vote"
That is all the law says on the subject.
either III relation to native or naturalizcd CT
tlzcns, or those claiming TO be such. Ii is
enough. 1t would be just as proper to com
pei native citizen TO bring up his father and
mother or the .'family record to prove the
period OF his birth, and his consequent title /
to the right of suffrage, as to require the ma
tnralized citizen to produce his papers"
he oath OF the parties themselves, and If
thought requisite, the additional testimony of
any by-st Under, is all that the law requires of
either. And it is equally imperative in re-
quiring the inspectors and judges to decide ac-
cording to this testimony. If they should fail
or refuse so TO decide, the aggrievcd party
would have a remedy in a civil suit for DANA
gcs to an indefnitc amount to be declared and
assessed by jury.
The 18th and 18th articles of the Laws of
congress on this subject, rs interpreted BY
the courts, see Revised Statutes. page So, are
as follows
"The oath Of naturalization when taken, confers the
right of citizen. IT rs necessary there should
br an order Of court admitting the alien TO become a cit-
zen Nor That should appear By the record Of natur-
ah~ao" that all the presented by or the
admission Of aliens hare been complied wih The citi.
of each State shall be entitled privileges and
mmunities of citiscns III the several States.
According to this, which is the doctrine Of
common sense, the main requisite is declared
TO be the oath of Allegiance. If that be made.
other formalitics required by the law are al
together secondary, and the failure to perform
them cannot dcvest from the citizen the rights I
acquired by virtue of the oath.
This is the Law; and if any one can find
in it a requirement that Naturalizcd Citizens
shall produce their 'papers.' to cntitc them
to the exercise of their rights, VIC must con-
iess they are more sharp-sighted than we are.
Nevertheless. the friends of those For
cigncrs. as well as to peace and good order,
we advise them to obey the mandate of the
Inspectors, and take their papers with them.
IL will be an easy way TO prove their rights.
and perhaps avoid disputes and difficulties.
The question can be further discussed and
SETTLED hereafter.
THE MIST.-The O. Courier gives the following
as the coinage AT the Branch Mint that city, during
the last montl-hat is say from the LIST June to the
LIST July -
H. gold S4s5OO