The daily union., 1856-03-26

the United residence
of two years from the date Of his naturalization before hs
should be qualified to vote IL strange way OF ap-
plying the principle Of the party OF which the gentleman
Offering the amendment was member II the naluralza-
ton laws were wrong II they did not require sufficient
length OF time probationary period preparatory 10 that
naturalization extend that time and when the foreign
citizens In fact and in deed When you impose upon them
all the liabilities OF citizens give 10 them all the rights OF fciu
zenshp For this he should against the amend
ment lie called the attention ofhe House TO that portion Of
the b requiring the Of the school tax and all taxes
on personal property as qualification TO vote. lie was
opposed 10 all property money qualifications and had
objection TO the corporation of this city retaining the
right to levy poll tax for school purposes but he object
ed to It's being made condition precedent upon which the
voter should exercise the right Of suffrage Let the city
authorities levy and collect their taxes but the voter should
not be debaed from the right TO vote unless he presented
a receipt for payment OF taxes.
Mr.. H. MARSHALL modified his amendment by insert
ing year instead OF two.
Mr. DUNN Of Indiana supposed that the object Of the
gentleman from Kentucky TO prevent the making Of
voters the of election, which he thought ought
to be done but he asked whether six months would
sufficiently accomplish the purpose.
Mr.. MARSHALL replied that the American citizen
required TO reside here year before be allowed
to vote and he thought that 1t perfectly fair that the
foreigner should be required to reside here the length
Of time after he nauralized in order to put the
rallied citizen and the native upon platform Of equality.
Mr. McMULLEN of Virginia, thought that the Ipodi6ca
ton of the gentleman from Kentucky Mir. MARSHALL did
not meet the objection urged by the gentleman from
Tennessee, Mr. JONES which well taken. The amend
the naturabon citizen and the foreigner If the
purpose of the gentleman from Kentucky, and those with
whom he acted to change the naturalization laws they
should do II directly and at once The foreigner must
side here re under the existing laws before he could
become naturalized and the gentleman, by his amend
men practically extending the naturalization laws
six years for this District when such not the
in any State in the Union He would vote against the
amendment and called for the yeas and nays upon its
adoption.
Mr. DAVIS of Maryland, was of opinion that the prn-
cipe which intended to be incorporated in this bill
that ought to have been incorporated before and
he not that it would draw, had been said in
vdous distinctions between the natveborn and foreign c
lift drew distinction between these two classes OF ci
zens then the question whether ii right wrong
aud he supposed that upon that question the judgment of
the House would not be aided by the of the word in
vdious Every citizen of the United States moving from
any State into the District of Columbia brought with
him the ordinary rights of American citizen and after
he had here having these qualifications, he
quired reside here certain length of time The object
of the amendment therefore, nothing less
than prevent nvdous distinction against the native
born and in favor of the foreg gnborn citizen The law
required that native having the responsibilities of citizen
ship upon him. should reside here certain length time
before he should be entitled while it conferred
upon the foreigner with his naturalization papers that
right instantly without having previously resided here
citizen and before he had opportunity interest enough
to investigate reflect upon and know his duties as
citizen of the city 1t authorized him to vote Immediately
without putting period between the acquisition of his
naturalization and the acquisition of right TO vote. An
other important for the adoption of this amend
meut TO prevent the naturalization of foreign
the day before the election TO control it it
was Now that day the Courthouse was crowded
with the rough and material who turned the balance
against men, native and foreign, who had been here for
FIVE, ten, twenty years. They who knew
nothing Of the country its interests who had
turned their attention towards any Of the great duties
of American citizenship who had little interest in be-
coming citizens that they did not in nine out of
seek the Courthouse for the purpose Of getting their
naturalization papers but who were taken from the pur
eus of the town by thousands and brought before the
tribunals of the United States with standing by them
for their naturalization papers and those papers
confded their keeping but the political line held on
them until they appeared in long files at the polls the
day Of the election, where they did not vote but
voted by who held their papers in their pockets
Mr.. MEACHAM said that the bill had been submitted to
the thinking OF all parties OF the District of Column
bia and had met their unanimous approval The House
legisating for the District of Columbia and for
Baltimore for Kentucky and he wondered that the
gentleman from Kentucky, who the judiciary Com
mittee should come here with little patch of amend
ment of year. when his committee had the power TO
bring in general bill 10 regulate the whole uaturaliza
ton laws He knew there was necessity for change in
the naturalization laws ana when they forward with
general bill regulating the laws Of the whole land he
would 90 with them though he would say whether be
would 90 for twenty-one twenty-five years He was
in favor Of having moderate and Just law for all that
would commend itself 10 every mans conscience in the
sight OF God aud then he was in favor OF having that law
enforced, lie moved to recommt the bill TO the Commit
tee for the District of Columbia
Mr. CAMPBELIs of Ohio, moved that the reoommitment
TO the committee be accompanied with instructions 10 them
report the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Kentucky. Unless such provision incorporated
the bill ii would be within the power Of of the par
ties TO bring from adjoining cities within few hours
enough naturpEed foreigners control the balot-boxes
He trusted that when they reached territorial legislation
such principle would be Incorporated putting end
to this system of pauPer influence which controlled
the elections.
Mr. BOYCE Of South Carolina held that all citizens
should be equal before the law and il there any prop
ery qualification qualification Of residence 1t should APP
ply to all classes OF our citizens They might make the
laws stringent they pleased but after
man had passed that ordeal and become a citizen they
should treat him citizen. They ought hold the
word Of promise TO the and break ii the hope After
they had taken into the bosom of the American fra
t"rniy aud said 10 him. yOu are American citizen they
should let Il be cheat and delusion lie abhorred
all these distinctions Of equality before the law between
citizens Ii contrary the spirit Of repubicauism
After foreigners had been made citizens they ought not
discriminate between them and the nativeborn; but by
them forget that they born foreign soil After
they taken in citizens they should be treated
citizens In spirit rs well rs in name
Mr. HARRIS, Of Illinois, opposed the amendment lie
referred to that portion Of Mr. DAvss remarks in which
he alluded the natualized citizens as raw material who
country and ignorant men, and called his attention the
statistics Of his State Of Maryland IL he examined
those statistics he would find that out Of 532ss foreign
born people In that State there we're a4B ihtsrate-
making but 10 eighteen while Of his navcborn pop
uaiion OF 43S0l6 there were 36,42G, In eleven
making difference Of nearly one-haf In favor Of those
very foreigners whom he characterized utterly igno
rant
Mr.. DAVIS wanted TO know where the gentleman found
these facts
Mr. HARRIS replied that be got them from the census
report for $780, which he hoped the gentleman would pc
ruse and take some instruction from.
Mr. DAVIS thought that the report conveyed no nstruo-
tons TO any man in this country.