The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-22
New Voters In the Field.


THE WAY CITIZENS ARE MADE-EEARLY FIFTEEN
THOUSAND FOREIGNERS NATURALIzED IN THIS
CITY.
During the past six weeks the Superior and Common
Pleas courts have been engaged In the duty Of ncreas
ing the number Of citizens Of the great republic and In
lessening In the proportion the subjects OF foreign
princes potentates and powers. The work commences
about ten O'Clock every morning. and continues without
cessation till three four in the afternoon and between
those hours the interior and exterior OF City Hall pre-
sents unusually animated and lively appearance. The
eagerness with which the aspiring foreigners crowd
about the Of the two requires the pre-
sence OF considerable force Of policemen who find
difficult matter to repress their ardor aud impatieuce
and to prevent them from rushing unnvited unbid
den into the presence OF the Judges themselves
For SIX long weeks have the courts empower.
cd with the authority for natur alizaton been
been besieged In this way, aud during that time about
fifteen thousand Of foreign born population have been
admitted to the privileges Of cit zenship. They come
from Poughkecpsie and oIhes places along the North
river, and Long Island has contributed large number
In addition to the dwecrs In New York, who form the
great majority of the applicants few-and they are
very fewapply Of their accord, but great bulk
recruited by the Naturalization Committees OF Tam
many Hail and the Republican Central Club The former
have taken the Lish under their special care while the
Germans, whose tendencies Of republican charac
ter to have fallen to the charge Of the latter Both
committees pay the naturalization fees consideration
il generally understood, Of the votes which tnor cand
dates expec ed 10 receyein return. Now each fee
amounts TO cry cents, and there have been about
fifteen thousand naturazed the whole paid mus,
be thousand dollars The greater pa r. Of
this has been paid, II IL said by tho democratic commit
zee VINO nsae nv ciazens 10 ever tafa pre-
Sae@ w 1esxepublisans In the frat week two the
German applicants preponderated but they have since
been len in tn, minority by the constaDtly increasing
majority Of the lrish. The number natua ized in the
Court OF Common Pleas and the Superior Court exceeds
hundred per tay, but dur the last two days
hree hundred applicants received their papers in tue
Court OF Common Pleas alone.
The that take place during the process Of patu
iazaton are sometimes OF rather amusing character.
Some uae ago the following occurrence took place
n one Of our courts Among the crowd Of
applicants Irishman named O'Brien, who.
his own expressive words, was wanting his papers
He was short, thckset man, and looked as he could
handle shllciagh In true Hioernian style. His
tall raw boned son oil Erin, who, berg placed
before the Judge was nterrogated and answered as fol
yudge-wha, Ia your name, s,rS
whness--psirick Dennis your Honor.
Ju6ge-D) you know U Brienl
Mtness-los, tir
Judgt-How long has he been 10 this country
Wtness-A little over FIVE years
Judge II be q man OF good moral character
wnnsss (qulie bewlldsrec)-Sare, yoGr Honor dout
know what n oral character tnancs
Jucgc-weu, sir, viii talk plainly 20 you. Does
o'Brien stand lair before the commusityq
Witness (completeiy non pussed) -By M sowl dont
epTrentno your mhlng. your ll1nof.
Judge (ra,bs. irrltAied)-I mean 10 ask you sir n
oRrien. the pcrfon Who wants 10 be c!,zen and Tor
shcm you arc witness, Is a good man or not'
Wtness-Oh why odn you me tina, way before9
To be sure. he Is good man. sure AID I've seen him
in ten tights during the lat Two years, and every tine he
licked bis man
very idea seems 10 prevail with regard 10 the
naturalization OF persons who under eighteen years
OF age al the time OF their arrival m this countryt s
generally believed that on attaining the age Of twenty.
they entitled 10 all tho privileges OF citizen N on
procuring then parers Ibis V not 20, however; they
are requi ed by law 70 be 10 the country I've years aui
must 70 through the usual forms The two conrs
which we have already mentioned viii be employed 10
nskrg citizens m the a5h OF this month ag according
10 iaS their operations must be brought 10 ZEN
dsys before the election II s calculated that during tue
four days which yet remain there viii be between
AID I've thouzan1 added TO the number Of newly madc
citizens making total Of about twenty thousand since
te frat OF September