The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-08-06
American Naturalization La WIS.

In one of our exchanges we find the following
brief summary of the naturalization laws of the
United States, which is a matter Of interest to
Americans residing in this group. Besides the
laws alluded to below, there was one passed by
the American Congress in 1904 or 5, substantially
the same as that of 1855, but its provisions hav-
ing been declared by one of the United States
courts several years since, to be of a doubtful
nature, the latter was passed to remove all doubt
on the subject. The law of 1855, it will be no
ticed, decides lohen the rights of citizenship
cease GO the rights of citizenship shall not de-
scend to persons whose fathers never resided in
the United States" The question now arises
what constitutes a residence? Does one year,
four or ten years? Does an American born on
these islands, and entitled himself to all the
rights of American citizenship, acquire that right
for his descendants by a residence of four years
in the United States, in completing his education +?
IF such residence makes so great a difference in
his nationality, it becomes an interesting subject
in connection with the discussion on the Oahu
College.
IS BY the law of Congress of 1923, now in force,
every person who has arrived in the United States
since 1872. must have been FIVE years a resident in
the country, and the last year a resident of the
SIdtS. DelOrc he OF she Tan OoIain papers OF nat
uralization. A person Immediately on landing
from abroad, can declare his or her intention
forthwith, to become a citizen, and in five. years,
if they have been resident since, and of good
moral character, can obtain their naturalization
provided they are twenty-one years Of age. If
they should have been residents three years or
more at the time OF declaring their intentions, in
two years therefrom they can obtain their last
papers. This rule applies to every person, whether
parent or child, coming from abroad, unless the
children of American citizens residing abroad,
who may have been born abroad-the citizenship
of the parent in the latter case comforting the
right upon the child. The citizenship of the
husband confers citizenship on the wife, although
an alien at the time of her marriage.
"The following is Il copy of the act passed in
1855, regulating the two last points:
An Act to secure the rights of citizenship to
children of citizens of the United States, born
out of the limits thereof:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America,
in Congress assembled, That persons hereafter
born or hereafter to be born out of the limits and
jurisdiction of the United States. whose fathers
We're or shall be at the time Of their birth citi-
zens Of the United States, shall be deemed and
considered, and are hereby declared, to be citizens
of the United States. Provided, however, that
the rights of citizenship shall not descend to per-
sons whose fathers never resided in the United
States.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That any
woman who might lawfully be naturalized under
the existing law, married, or who shall be mar
ried to a citizen of the United States, shall be
deemed and taken to be a Citizen"