Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-02-24
Naturalization.

Mr.. Taylor of Tennessee, has offered bill in the
House Of Representatives to amend and modify the
Naturalization Laws. Its leading features are thus
analysed by the Mobile Register:
1t requires residence Of go years in the United
States before any declaration of intention to be-
come citizen can be made, and 81 years before
the applicant can be admitted to the rights of cit
izenship In addition to the remuneration of al
legiance required by the existing laws, it requires
further, that he shall declare, on oath, that he
does not admit or believe in the competency, au-
thority or right of any civil Or other power to re-
lease absolve him from his said oath of allegiance
he shall swear, also, that since his residence in
the United States, he has not been found guilty of
any crime of the grade Of .felony-shall state the
time of his first arrival in the country, place of his
nativity the last place of his residence his calling
or occupation before emigration to the United
States, the name of the vessel in which he came,
Gf by water) and all the places of his residence
since his arrival. In addition to these facts verified
by the applicants affidavit it must be satisfactorily
proven by witnesses to the court, before it admits
him, that he has been resident of the United
States its territories for at least 81 years. that
he is person of good character, and understands
the English language. The declaration of the ap-
plicant and the testimony of the witnesses to the
by the applicant and the witnesses; minute there
of must be entered by the clerk of the court, and
the original papers carefully labelled and preserved.
The bill prohibits all owners, captains, agents
and masters Of vessels, American Or foreign, under
penalty of $500 for each offense from bringing
into the ports, or landing any territory of the
United States, any person of forei gn birth unless
such person shall have first produced and exhibited
a certificate from the United States Consul, at the
port of embarkation, certifying that such person
has adduced before him satisfactory evidence, by
reliable Witnesses" that he is of good character,
and has not been within three years next preceding,
an inmate of any Jail, penitentary, or other in
sttuton for criminals, paupers, or insane persons
1t is made the duty of the Consus and CONNER
cial Agents of the United States, to make dilgent
enquiry whether any efforts are made by authority
of the country Or port where they reside, to send
to the United States the paupers and criminals of
such country or port, and to communicate the in
formation they receive to the State Department.
1t is made the duty of the collectors Of the
several ports of the United States to cause to be
sent back to the place from whence they came all
immigrants to the United States over the age of Is
who shall fail to exhibit to the proper collector the
certificate of the Consul above required. The ex-
pense of deportation is declared to constitute lien
against the vessel violating the law. Wiful and
false swearing the part of any applicant or wit
ness, touching any Of the above matters requiring
affidavit and proof, shall be punished as in other
cases of perjury committed under the laws of the
United States.
Finally the bill prohibits any other than the Dis
trct and Circuit Courts of the United States from
taking cognizance of any application for the rights
of citizenshp-but provides that these courts shall
always be open for such applications