The daily union., 1854-12-28

made between the natye-born and the adopted citizen,
whether in State presidential elections Mr. Jefferson,
in the 18th volume of his writings defines this principle
clearly
Then comes the Congress, declaring that what is
the law any State shall be the rule Of decision in their
courts, matters arising within that State epeept oen
controledby their statutes Bur CoNdREss
CONSIDERED ExTESDINo TO CIVIL CASES
ONLY"
This letter written as late as June IL, 1917.
When Mr. Jefferson into the presidential chair he
found the celebrated foureenyeas naturalization law OF
John Adams upon the statutebook and in his first mes
sage he took bold and characteristic ground against it.
We copy as follows from that message and commend the
language of the immortal sage to those lights who
desrous of revvng the whole brood of anquated
and obsolete iederalisms:
al cannot omit recommending revisa of the laws the
subject of naturalization Considering the ordinary chances
of human life denial of citizenship, under residence OF
fourteen years, is denial to great proportion who ask It,
and controls policy pursued from their first settlement p
many these States and still believed of consequence to
prosperity. And shall refuse to the unhappy u
gtiyes from distress that hospitality which the sayages OF
the wilderness extended to fathers arriving in this land
Shall oppressed humanity find asylum this globe
The constitution, indeed has oy provded THAT FOR AD-
CERTAIN OFFICES OF IMPORTANT TRUST rest
dence shall be required sufficient deveop character and de-
sign But might the general character aud capobf'es o.
citizen be safely communicated 10 every aangest'"9
bona fde purpose Of embarkng his life and fortunes permd-
nenfy among With restrictions, perhaps, to guard
against fraudulent usurpaon of hagan abuse which
brings so much embarrassment and loss the genuine c
zen and much danger the nation of being involved IN
war; endeay should be spared to detect and sup
press it,"
We have presented these facts and authorities ioI
the purpose of suggesting any radical alteration OF the nat
ualization laws for the purpose of commencing any
change the system by which the States respectively reg
uate the rights suffrage Our object is simply TO show
that according unbroken and nvarabe usage the States
have taken into their own handswhee indeed Congress
and the constitution have placed 1.-THE settlement OF tho
qualifications ofvoters The the wrong
scent therefore when they hope reduce or abolish the rgh
oadoped citizens vote by appealing to congressional ac
ton or by erecting national organization for the purpose
of controlling Congress this end The only effect tina
their would have should they have the strength
to carry majority of the Congress- would be tor i'm
pair certain civil immunities to adopted citizens in thu
preservation of which the naveborn and the adopted
citizens almost equally interested and in regard
and animostes. We have already enumerated these i'm
munities The knownohngs must appeal to the States
which sovereign overthe right suffrage
They must change their crusade from the national gov
ernmen, and adapt their machinery to the State elections
Whether they will hold together long enough to chang
front before the batteries Of the democratic party time will
| show