The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-21
Gen. scott and Our Adopted citizens.

The National lnfeHigenCer still stands dumb before the
charge that Gen Scott is the author of the paper signed
Americas, which appeared in its columns in 1884, pro-
posing such change in naturalization laws as should
forever prevent any foreigner arriving on our shores
from acquiring the right 10 poe except by term of SER
vice in the army navy We copied yesterday the bill
drawn by Gen. Scott accomplish this result The bill
provides that what Gen. Scott terms Observation-Disclosures
GLIDING civil rights of Importance, SUCH for example,
the right to hold and acquire real property, &c.sha be
gained by residence Of three years The bill then goes
on TO provide that alien thus nauralized shall have
the right Of suffrage, except he have served year in the
army navy Thus the bill makes foreign birth per.
pctuat disqualification 10 exercise the right OF suffrage.
II is disqualification under this BILL which nothing but
military or naval service can remove.
To exactly the working of this plan OF Gen Scott
upon the right OF suffrage must consider that right
it stands under existing system Of naturalization.
The constitution OF the United States provides, that in
order to for members Of the House OF Representa-
tves man in any State of the Union must have the
qualifications requisite enttle him vote for members
OF the numerous branch Of the legislature OF such
State These qualifications are fixed by the State and they
differ considerably in the different States though in most
OF the States suffrage may be said 10 be practically uni
versa-citzenship Of the United States residence for
stated period in the State and in the precinct where the
vote given, being the required through
great part of the Union. In some States, however.
freehold other property qualification is superadded and
sometimes again, merely al ak paying qualification Now,
the point is ha, with all these special qualifications OF
voters our present naturalization laws have nothing 10
do Congress, in passing these lass, has done nothing
more than to provide legal process including period Of
residence, by which the alien born resident among us
may remove The bar 10 the right Of suffrage, which his
foreign birth would otherwise erect against him When
he is naurozed under present laws, that bar is
moved and then in any State be may vote on the same
conditions, and under the same qualifications, as asy
other citizen. These conditions and qualifications are
fixed by the State and apply to all the voters in IT,
Now, General Scotts plan is to reverse all this
trey His bill proposes 10 uaiuase the foreigner, and
then, by the very act OF naturalization, 10 shut him
away forever from the ballot-box, unless he goes TO
serve in the army or navy Under General SCOTS bill,
it matters not how many OF the special qualifications TO
voe required by the State in which he lives the voter
may acquire or possess II he be OF foreign birth, and
IL he have not served in the army or navy then nothing
tina, he do-nothng that the State in which he lives
can do-wi ever give him the right to vote Gen. SCOTS
OIL oars MN, Oy reason OF MS lOfelgn OtItnr Pefemp
toriy and forever from the acquisition Of that right, un
less he turn soldier.
It would be idle 10 enlarge upon the enormy Of this
policy. There is not organ Of General Scott that
dare to say the first word in its defence. It is policy
without one single element TO recommend it, TO justify IL,
or to excuse it to anybody 1t is alike unwise, Liberal
unjust and unsta,esmanlike It is the worst policy ever
proposed by public man Of mark in this country Yet
is the policy long medated, long cherished and de-
beraely propounded and advocated in 1914 by the pres
ent wing candidate for the presidency To have con-
ceived such pocy-to have meditaed it for years. and
then have deliberately popounded il to the public
sderation as suitable policy for this country to adopt
towards The foreign population which throngs to our
shores-constitues, beyond all question, most signal
and eminent disqualification for the presidency