American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-11-13
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER Is, 1857.
How American Citizens are Made.

How American Citizens are Made
An election was recently held in the
State of New York and, as neccssa-
ry preliminary, foreign votes were in
process Of daily manufacture there
We extract the following description of
the method Of carrying on the business,
which, though from Black Republi-
can paper we have little doubt is sub
stantially truc:
MANUFACTURERS CITIZENS. The
work of converting Irish and German
aliens into American citizens and De-
lnocratic voters, is going on finely in u
back room of Tammany Hall, every
day from 10 till O. clock. The manu-
factory was put in operation some three
weeks since by the Democratic General
Committee, and placed in charge Of
Nicholas Seagrist, an aspirant for the
Aldcrmanic honors Of the Twcnty-sec-
ond Ward. Mr.. Scagrist called to his
aid Peter Monaghan, of the Fourteenth
Ward, and Charley Blauvelt, of the
Ninth Ward, as English interpreters,
and two Germans of the Twenty second
Ward, to explain to their aspiring coun-
trymen the duties Of American citizen.
ship and Democratic voters.
Up to the hour of closing yesterday,
2,907 votes had been made, and this
number, it is expected, will be increas.
ed to 5000 before the final closing to-
day. 1t appears that naturalization,
like almost every other branch of bust
ness, is affected by the pressure of the
times; 5000 manufactured citizens is q
small number compared with the turn
out Of previous seasons. Yet the drum
mers-up or recruiting scrgeants were
not lido. They visited all the rum
shops in their respective districts in
search Of recruits for "thc party" and
preached and promised as literally as
their predecessors. But no more than
the number given could be found. To
he sure, not all who were brought for
~ard were found competent to pass,
however lenient the examiners or imag-
inative tho witnesses. The printed
blanks were furnished by the Commit
tee, and after being duly filled up. are
ready for use. After the preliminary
examination, each aspirant for citizen.
ship is furnished with card indorsed:
Common Pleas-Plcase Naturalize the
Bearer. ". Seagrist, Chairman
But before this card, valued at so cents,
is given gratuitously to the embryo cit
jzen, he ID made to promise faithfully
that &c will vote the Democratic ticket
and none other Thus armed and c.
quipped, the aspirant proceeds to the
City Hall, where John Brown and
Judge Daily hurry linn through in the
usual form. A friend swears that he
is well acquainted with the applicant,
and that the said applicant has resided
within the United States for tho con-
tinued term Of five years at least, next
preceding the present time, and within
the State Of New York one year at
least, Immediately preceding tho appli-
cation; and that during that time he
has behaved as man Of good moral
character, attached to the principles of
the Constitution of the Uhited States,
and well.disposed to the good order and
happiness of the same. The applicant
is then obliged to subscribe the follow.
ing oath:
81 do solemly swear that I will sup;
port the Constitution Of the United
States; and that l do absolutely and
entirely renounco and ALLURE all allegi-
auce and fidelity to every foreign Prince,
Potentatc, State or Sovereignty what.
ever, and particularly to -, Of
whom l vas before subject"
And thus the deed is done. The
newly made voter retircs with the doc
umonts in his pockets, proud Ameri.
can citizen.
The managers are pleased with their
cGorts in the naturalization line thus
far. Oaly one of the party has been
heard to complain, and he--Paddy
Burns, Of the Seventh Ward--did SO
under tho belief that Mr.. Seagrist
granted cards to certain Germans from
his own Ward whom he knew to be
"Black" Republicans in heart and who
would cast their votes the wrong way.
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