New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-16
NATURALIZATION.

There is great loosenes, aud much error in the
prevalent notions about Naturalization and its
consequences, which it is worth while to correct,
now that large organization has devoted itself,
among other things, 10 the work of efectng
changes in the practice on this subject. A great
deal more importance is attached to the mere
circumstance of naturalization under the laws of
Congress, and to the qualifications required than
leeitimately belongs to them, and this, from an
erroneous impression that, by alterations of that
law Congress may affect the terms on which the
elective franchise and the right to hold real estate
are to be obtained in future. In point Of fact,
Congress has no power over either subject, out
side Of the Territories, aud according to the dec
trines of Pierce, Douglas Il Co., ought not to
exercise il even there, or at most only provision
ally until superseded by "pOPular sovereignty"
The only provision relating to the elective fran
chse in the Federal Constitution is tina! con-
tained in the ID section OF article T. which de.
clsres that "the House of Representatives shall
abe composed of members chosen every second
year By the people Of the several States: aud
the electors in each State shall have the quail
''fcatiODs requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch Of the State Legislature.
These qualifications are Of course fixed by the
State Constitution, and they may or may
not include citizenship by birth or adop-
tion. Some of the States in point
Of fact restrict the franchise to citizens, others
do not. All Of them withhold the right of voting
from females of native birth, and from young
men under twenty one, though both Of these
classes are undeniably citizens. Females, by ex-
press adjudication, are capable of naturalization,
and in order to obtain right of dover in the
lands of their husbands, are frequently made
citizens in the same fashion as Martin KOszts
vac In short, the franchise rests in the grant Of
the States, each acting upon iIs own lotions of
propriety or interest, and the Circumstance Of
choose 20 regard or disregard it, without respect
TO Federal legislation. So. too the law Of real
estate, its tenure and mode OF transmission is
wholly matter Of state regulation, with which
Congress can in no way intermeddle. 1t was
only at the last session that treaty with Switz-
erand was rejected by the Senate, because it
undertook TO confer upon Swiss residents of this
country the night 10 hold landed property mat
ter Of exclusive State jurisdiction upon which
it was manifest the Federal Government could
not By treaty or otherwise arroglte any power.
The only inseperable cOrrtlatiye Of citizenship ia
the right to Federal projection. The upshOt is
that nothing is to be done by national party TO-
ward. accomplishing the objects Of those who
dread the influence OF foreign born citizens in our
elections. And if they shodld succeed in effect
ing changes in the Constitutions of some Of the
States, the only result would be that the States
which desire (as al DO and should do to swell
their population, and their consequent wealth
and power, would profit by the superior induce
ments to emigration which their own Iberality,
and the illiberality Of the others would enable
them to present In short the success OF Know
NoihiBgism would only accelerate the transfer of
political power to the Western States, and to
their foreign bonn citizens.