Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-12-20
THE .RIGHTs, oF FOREIGNERs.


There is a great deal of ''twaddle'' in certain
journals, about :ssecret organizations, con-
spring in the dark, to disfranchise porto n
of our citizens and sEto wrest from them
theirrights as guaranteed blythe Constitution, .
together with the same thread-bare charge
was hurled at us during the late campaign
of representation. &c.'' Now, the Constitu-
ton does not guarantee to Foreigners, any
.srights', whatever, on the contrary, all its
provisions in relation to them, save one, which
is permits sire, PRoscRIBEs them Yes, startling
as the announcement may seem to some OF our
Jealous locofoco friends, the Constitution OF
the United States PRosoRIBEs FOREIGNERS!
Section 3, Art. II, of the Constitution says:
ssNo person. except a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN,
or a citizen of the United States at the time
of the adoption of this Constitution, shall De
eligible to the office Of President
That is prescription
Section of Art. XII, of the Constitution
says:
e.No person constitutionally Ineligible to
the office of President, shall be eligible to
that of Vice President of the United States
That is prescription.
Section 3, Article 1, says:
No person shall be Senator who shall not
have attained the age of thirty years, ana
been NINE YEARS 4 CITIZEN OF these united
States.
That is prescription.
Section ?, Article I, says:
e.No person shall be Representative who
shall not have attained the age of twenty-five,
(25) wears, and been SVEN YEARS a CITIZEN.
That is prescription.
Now there is but one more provision in re-
lation to foreigners, and so far from that
s.guaranteeing'' them any s'rights, it merely
permits them to become naturalized. 1t Is
left entirely to the discretion of Congress
whether to make them citizens at all
Section 6. Article [, says;
ssConeress shall hace Bo'rer to establish
uniform rule Of naturalization and uniform
laws on the subject of bankruptcies through
out the United States.'
There is nothing whatever to compel Congress
to exercise the power or to restrict Its Inn
its when exercised. The Act Of 1870 requir
ed two years previous residence That o
1875 five years. and the Act of 1898 fourteen
wears. Thus Congress may, fix either of these
limits. or may Withhold naturalization altogeth
er. 1t is a mere matter of expediency, anc
| entirely within their discretion.
| Foreigners derive THAR rights to vote, no
from the Constitution, or from their Naturali
zation, but from the regulations of the differ
ent States And it is no more prescription
to prevent them from voting until they ar
citizens for twenty one years, than to do s.
until thew have remained in the Common
wealth five years. The simple question l
whether or not it may be expedient.
Foreigners, even when naturalized, have n
.right' to hold Office, they have simply Psrnis
sim t, hold il. a tte,fzrna If fs'sf avs"
! say whether or not they shall have it, and i
they choose TO exercise that right in secret,
it is nobody's business. We have the ,right
to vote fer whom we please, and for what rea
sons we please, whether they are religious Q
political. And we have just as much th
| right to choose between the members Of diff
ferent churches, as we have to choose betweel
the members of different political parties.
The talk about the .ssecret machination
against the constitutional rights of foreigner
and naturalized citizens, ''and the cry ofs.pro
scription,' y is all 'gammon.' It has no foun
| dation in truth, and is only intended TO catci
the unwary. No man who has common sense
can read the Constitution of the United States
and of this Commonwealth, and say that thei
provisions are violated by the refusal of an,
citizen to vote for a foreigner or Roman Cath
! olic for office. And we doubt very mucl
whether any citizen who loves the true inter
ests of his country ore than the success Q
his political party, viii do it.
G| The Hon. c. B. Curtis viii accept ou
thanks for valuable public documents. W
| nope to find him an attentive member.