Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-04-13
Naturalization in NTainc.

Naturalization in Maine.
The following Law has jus! been passed
BY the Maine legislature and signed by the
Governor. The reformation has eonmene-
ed in good quarter:
STATE OF MAINE.-ln the year Of car
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and 6f-
Iy Eve.
AN ACT, annulling the naturalization pow
or Of Courts in this State.
Be IL enacted By ths Senate and HOuss Of
Representatives, in Legislature assembled
as folloWs:,
SEcTIoK /. No Court created by the au-
thority Of this State, however extended its
Jurisdiction, or by whatever name desiguat-
ed, nor any functionary pertaining TO said
Court, shall hereafter, hold or execute any
Jurisdiction in the administration of the laws
of Congress commonly known as the Natu
ralization Law; nor shall said Court take
cognizance of any application of any alien
to be admitted 10 become citizen, TO mako
any record or grant. or issue any certificate
or other document or paper, whereby any
alien shall be nsturalized or made citizen
of the United States; provided that all CAS-
es where application has already been made
and fled in any Court, shall be saved from
the operation Of the foregoing section.
SECTION 2. This aot shall take effec. from
and after its approval by the Governor
A ,nroyad Aarcb 1Tsh IQs6
ANSON P. MORRILL,.
From the above act it would seem that
the Stale of Maine is disposed to con6ne the
exercise of the power of naturalization
where the Constitution has placed It, to Wit,
the Courts of the United States. 1t pro-
vided that Congress may establish uni
form rule Of naturalization but it is not
provided that the States may do so, nor
may Congress require the State Courts to
act under Law of Congress. Natdraliza-
ton can properly only be granted by the
federal power, acting through its own ac-
countable agents. This is no new doctrine.
Maine is declining the exercise of power
which does not Of right belong to her.
The New York Tribune calls this bad
kind of legislation on the part of Maine, "an
abdication of the proper functions of tho
State in regard to most important subject,
the right of voting" Has not the Tribune
mistaken the question? Naturalization
does not confer the unqualified power ofYot-
ing. The State may impose conditions in
spite of naturalization, and may confer the
right without naturalization, as more than
one of the States have already done. When
it shall be conceded that naturalization con-
fers the unqualified right of sufrage.in view
of the Constitutional provision comforting on
Congress the sole power ofregulating natu-
ralization, il will be time to raise the ques.
ton of "dignity and independence" and
State rights.
The State Journal of the 5th says: at
seems we did not include, in our notice yes
terday, the whole action of she Legislature
of Maine on the subject of naturalization
In addition to the act forbidding their courts
holding or executing any jurisdiction in the
administration of the naturalization law, the
Legislature passed law providing that no
person of foreign birth shall vote in the
State, unless he SHALL within .hree months
at least before the day Of election, exhibit to
the regularly constituted authorities of the
town or city in which he resides, bis natu-
ralization papers. and the authorities shall
enter his name in book, to be kept for the
purpose, together with the date Of the is
sue Of the papers, and the Court By which
the same are issued. The authorities are
not to enter his name in tbe book, nor en-
ter bis name in the check list, if they are
satisfied the naturalization papers are not
genuine, or the person producing them is
not the person to whom they were issued" !"