New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-07
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
TRUE BASIS OF NATURALIZATION

n
70 "a. 70 ~ q ne n = Tro~.e
s,1 In thu morning. GRIBIsE, FEB = read n an
.r-ie entitled DR. Cheever the Bible IN Schoos the
follow ne ,niient II the edlcat Of every child were
te1,rrby require and enforced aud each a1Il, graz
ING 70 cur shores were subject a similar rsqus ion
as oua6c sion for voting, in lieu ot the present ena
o. .or Of five years residence. the basis of p0ltc4
fabric would he roay perfect a. humanity IN its pres
"snt estate will permit.
In reference 70 The be-. mode of fitting foreign cz
far eyeise Of the elective franchise ia thi other
courtry have more than occasion, suggested
rIap which seemed u-oQan to the political leaders 70
vhou communicated H. but which, am confcent. the
euly rational mode Of solving this important question
uerceye from your article ihai You entertain simar views
r. MT ON in reference this subject least regards
the rrinciI upon which my plan il founded beg leave
a. .iread before readers, most of VIII om feel
WINGED are sufficiently patriotic b. TAKE Interest in such
raers ard sufficiently Intelligent to receive with oqTe
oaiye asum.n any tangible and logically expressed prop
ostion FOR Just end permanent organization OF naa
ralizo,iOn laws.
II seems Ia ne that this cue s;ion be settled with per
feet ease if e will not hesitate to desce OF rather
ceud 10 first prncple and first Of all inquire into the
IlilosoIhica meaning OF a vote. What is a vote A
vote take it, is opinion. expressed according T. Ger
tain prescribed order OF ana after due fei1era
ton discussion concerning the most n able manner Of
administering certain interests concerning the fitness ot
certain individual for tie propriey OF electng them to
partcular fees ofhonor and trust Voting therefore
tu.ness of the mind, and the mechanical process OF
Ger ting ones ticket in tie ballot box i deprived of al
uesning and morality, il is not the spontaneous an
lCgic0lIespf OF pre- Ntng cofctpn ia the Noer MINI
concerning le superiority OF the person or party
h is voting for Pursuing this train of reasoning,
arrive al the unavoidable conclusion that man must hr'
he Comretent 10 vote before he all exercise the
right or even claim the privilege. of voting. This
peercy of purely Intellectual and moral order and is
no; cues ion # time. In this respect the Naive Parry
committed az egregoas blunder AMI Destroyed seli IN
surposrg citizen Of this country is called upon vote
for Pfeden; If the Republic is it not evident that, in
order 10 vote ireigenily he should know something OF
the history obs candidate for the office Should he 40.
know something of bis character bis n his in
teecua qualifications, his moral energies the scope and
AL ation % his genius and passions Or uPpOing vote
Should be had the yTOprety Of ndiug the Constitution
Of The United States, could be expected - vote
nationally and properly he ignorant ofthe history Of
,is Rel ubc Of her glorious rug giles against despos u
the bursts Of eoquenco in the of free
dom uttered by tie lips of Jefferson, Clay Webster and
above all Of Che great fact that this Republic IL not the
exclusive and absolute property OF particular Sc. Of men,
tut the God appon home OF all those who wish to lead
such life OF truth and RICH. the IN dwelling spirit may
prompt
In every business Of life has first to know some
thing of s nature ard the manner in which il carried
before he would be listened TO- il he were to un
dertake 10 opinion concerning twhOu having
previously acquired this knowledge But in the moment
buness OF voting for officers OF thu republic all THAI
foreigner has do in order establish h competency
as voter is declare his intention II becoming citizon
after which he may leave the country business OF plea
sure and At the end Of five years he may be endowed
with the egsl privilege Of exercising the elective ranchise
citizen manufactured in this fashion il az fictitious
lersonage as any hero OF romance. hVe years resi-
dpce in this country does the intellectual con
repcy of voter no more than aman could ear1 lHde
bv s,ary sitting for five years in the shop science
bI looking for tive the professors books In Jus
tce to the Of this law OF five years residence
will suupose that they took il for granted that any
man WHO intended TO become citizen Il this Republic
would during short space 81 time, become suihciey
acquainted with its laws, its form OF government us ns
tow exercise the elective franchise in rational manner
Brt where l. the proof of this How 90 we know that
laborne ma who had been carrying the bod from morn
ing 10 night had found leisure TO ecquant hns. with
l;.e UOw
read ard write How do we know that he was MOI gniied
and controlled by bis employer priest in preparing nun
self for The business Of voting But surprising that all
these suggestions were unounded, would it be just TO
Mace on ignorant hoi carrier and noble patriot ike
Kessuh on the same leyel All, therefore, that be
said Of tie present naturalization laws is that they are
poor xIedent in the place OF philosophical solution OF
The proper basis Of the naturalization laws the intel
lectusl al moral competency of the voter. Any
who wishes exercise The elective franchise in this
Try should beside being honest man. be acquainted
with the origin and object OF the American revolution,
with the leading events of American history; WIN the
character and the principles which this Republic repro
sent with the American Constitution; with the leading
differences Of inon concerning national interests and,
in order TO enable foreign citizenor native born cti
may be supposed to have learnt all this at scho9-so
acquire this knowledge propose thai ca'echh Dc ar
ranged by the Supren, Court of the United states or Oy
Il Commitee OF Congress, embodyng these various topics
in &C ntinuous res Of questions and answers This
catecfsm to he committed 10 memory and whcneverih
candidate for citizenship is acquainted with ITS contents
and able 10 give n ACCOUNT I,Iooi' IA" H'
present himself before the Board of Examiners for
examination; this board might sit every month
for few days and should be appointed every
year or every two years by q Judge Of the United
States. dozen questions would be sufficient TO show
whether the candidate is competent to be voter Ii this
pen ere pursued the character Of this nation would
doubedly be raised to higher intellectual platform tho
adopted citizen would be honored and respected by the
native l the stigma of ignorance would no longer de-
grade the foreg voter and praisewOrthy rivalry would
probably flow from this political education between The
foreign and The native citizens which would undoubtedly
result in an increase Of mutual confidence, intellectual
freedom and elevated patriotism To exercise trade or
profession. yOurg has to study and pass an ex
sirstio hut in order exercise the exalted privileges
of American citizenship 81 that for gner has to do is
TO carry the he'd for five years American soil, or even
come here and declare his Intentions and then 60 home
again and attend his business abroad confess that
the naturalization laws as they now stand appear TO me
simply ridiculous CD HzNPEL
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