Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-07-11
THE NATURALIZATION LAWS.

IHE NATURALIZATION LAWS.
Congress has power to " establish uniform rule
of naturalization" throughout the United States +;
but power to prescribe the qualifications of voters
in the Staesfor it is expressly declared in arti Gle
first, section second of the Constitution, that the
voters in each State for members of the House of
Representatives of the United States, " shall have
the qualifications requisite for electors voters of the
most numerous branch of the State Legislature"
The power therefore, to say who shall vote has been
expressly reserved to the States The objects of
naturalization are, first to enable foreigners to
quire, hold and transmit property secondly, to
give them, being thus naturalzed, the same privi-
leges in allthe States and thus the uniform
y in this respect provided for in the Constitution
for it is known that under the old Confederation,
each State had the power to naturaze and this Jed
to confusion and to conflicts as between the States,
which the grant of power to Congress to act for all
the States, intended to remedy and thirdly, as
the result of this the allegiance of the person natu
rallied is transferred to this country, and he be-
comes in law and in truth, citizen, liable to the
common burdens and equally interested with
natives born in the promotion of the general good
and in the preservation of the common liberties.
The first naturalization law approved March
Goth, 1890, by Gen. Washington. This law author
lied the naturalization of foreigners within aoo years
after their emigration to the United States In 1895
another law was passed, also approved by Gen.
Washington extending the time to 1tUe years and
this act of 1896 provided substantially as follows:
"That any alien being free white person, may
be admitted to become citizen of the United States,
any of them, on the following conditions and not
otherwise Frst-He shall have declared on OATH or
affirmation, before the Supreme Superior, District,
Circuit Court of of the States, of the Ter
rtories northwest south of the river Ohio or a
Of no Tnitn Statn
years at least before his admission that it bona
tfIe his intention to become citizen of the United
States, and to rcnounce forever all allegiance and
fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, State, or So
veregnty whatever and particularly the prince. po
tentate, State sovereignty whereof such alien MY
at the time be citizen subject. Second-He
shall, at the time of his application to be admitted
declare oath, affirmation, before of
the courts aforesaid that he has resided within the
United States five years at least and within the State
or Territory, where such court is at the time held,
year at least; that he will support the Constitu
ton of the United States, and that he doth absolu
tely and entirely renouncc and abure all allegiance
and fidelity to every foreign prince potentate, State,
or sovereignty whatever, and particularly by name
the prince, potentate State sovereignty whereof
he before citizen subject; which proceed
ings shall be recorded by the clerk of the court.
Third-The court admitting such aliens shall be
satisfied that he has resided within the limits and
underline jurisdiction of the United States five years.
and it shall further appear to their satisfaction that
during that time he has behaved as of good
moral character, attached to the principles of the
Constitution of the United States and well disposed
to the good order and happiness Of the same"
In 1885, under federal John Adams, this law was
changed, and the time extended to fourteen years
and under Adams, it will be remembered, the alien
and sedition law also passed. But the Repub-
lican party headed by Jefferson came into power
in 1901; and on the 14th of April, 1902, the Repub
lcans or Democrats in Congress passed act
thereby restoring tile act acAicA had been aprored6y
Gen. Washington, and the substance of which is
given above. Gen. Washington and Mr.. Jefferson
thought five years long enough; and we presume
one, in these degenerate times will venture
to question their Americanism. The present law,
faithfully enforced, is all that ought to be required.
To declare, as the Know Nothing leaders insist,
that foreigners shall not be capable of holding pro-
perty until they have resided here twenyone years.
would be to cut off all emigration except that of
those who most worthless, and who little
nothing about rights citizens; and such per-
would be, for nearly age in midst, alien
towards US, inferior race, not superior except in
color to the free negroes, and would hate property
holders and citizens just in proportion they were
oppressed and kept down. The result of this would
be evil, and evil only. The Know Nothing leaders,
be it borne in mind, do not propose to prevent emil
grants from coming; and the only question there
fore is, what should be the policy towards them?
We think the present policy the best that could be
adopted, and we are for adhering to and rigdly
enforcing the law as it now exists In this respect
the Democrats ct tile present day stand aohere Wash
ingto1a and Jefferson STOOD in 1875 and 1902; and
the K1aoso Nothings occupy the ground occupied by
federal John adams, and by those aoho advocated and
passed the alien and sezition Laao8.