Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-04
From the Knoxville Regis ter
To the Judges of Elections. Know
XOIIr DIIfY.

During the late Circuit Court, a great number of
foreigners were naturalized. Under the Constitus
ton and lava of the State, they will not be entitled
to vote until six months after they have taken the
last oath and received their papers; for until then
they are not CITIZEN. but are only residents This
is the construction given to the Constitution and
laws by our best judges and lawyers These PER-
sons knowing that they cannot vote here in town,
will doubtless be sent to the country, where they
will expect to vote either peaceably or forcibly
Let our friends then be on their guard. Again
many of them will present naturalization papers
from other States 1t is their duty in such cases,
to prove their identity; in other words to prove by
reliable testimony, that the person presenting the
paper is the identical person named in the paper.
II this proof is not required, (uness the applicant
is known by name to the judges,) one naturaIiza-
ton paper NAV answer for several voters. In this
way, great and monstrOus frauds often perpe-
trated; especially in the large cities where there
are many places Of voting. The naturalization pa
pers of dead persons often used in this way by
many persons in succession.
Again, papers which have been executed in 9TH
er States not binding here, and cannot be look
ed TO- unless they have the certificate of the Clerk
Of the Court where the paper was executed with
the seal of the Court attached to il, and also the
certificate of the presiding judge that the attesa-
ton of the Clerk is in due form. On this point see
Nicholson & Caruther's, page 49, Not one halt the
naturalization papers in the hands of persons COM
ing from other States, have these requisites, and
yet without them they are no better than blank
paper. The great frauds perpetrated in the late
election in Pennsy lvania, where twenty thousand
illegal votes cast for the foreign party should
teach every freeman TO watch the polls.
That the judges and other officers of the election
may see what the Constitution of the State requires
before a man can vote will here append Article
4th Of the Constitution. 1t reads as follows
Every free white man Of the age of twenty one
years being citizen OF the United States and a
citizen OF the county wherein lie may offer his vote
six months next preceding the day Of election,
shall be entitled to vote for members oil the Gene
raj Assembly aud other civil officers for the county
or district in which he resides Nov il will be
seen from this clause Of the Constitution that the
qualifications Of voters are four fold - lst. They
must be free uhite men. By this provision, irea
black men who used to vote under the old Consti-
tuition, are now Justly excluded from the polls.
I'd, They must be Of dgs-this excludes all minors
Sd. They must be citizens OF the United States.
This provision excludes uSSATURALIZED FOREIGN
Frs Under our old Constitution foreigners were
allowed to vote-for the phrase used before 1886
was-"any ISHABIrAKr Of the State" Alb. They
must be CITIZENS Of the COUNTY for six mOnts next
preceding the election. This excludes all persons
whether native or naturaZed who have not been
CITIZENS for six months.
Now this provision OF our present Constitution is
different ION that of the od-for the old COusli-
tuition permitted all who had been 'iHhdbrGRfs OF
the county" for six months 10 vote But when
does foreigner commence being citizen, not az
iRha6itani a ark yOu,-but CIrIZkNs Obviously
not null be Is fully nAturAlized-or in other words
he is not a citizen until be Is q citizen, which is
80 plain that the statement becomes q mere tru-
lam. Then, being . citizen, the Constitution re-
qures that he shall remain citizen Tor si< months
before be can vote. Now there IS no hardship
towards the foreigner 10 this-ior that same rigid
rule applies to those of native birth alsO citi-
zen Of Blount county comes TO Knox. Does any
o0e question that such man, though Tennessean
bv birk, would have TO wait six months before he
could vote heseG II then she native has 10 be q
ctlsen for ak months. Why in the name OF ell iha,
"a reasonable should our Democratic friends seek
4 % Dot foreigner at premium and Ask that ks
NAV vote in less than six months after Ne becomes
a citiEeng
NJ ~ unaersigned members Of the Bar Al