Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-05-13
Wiping Ont His Record.

GUS ONN NoNNultiAl " AhN ReANNAN WIZ FNh1
nit us to say that he reminds us somewhat Of
''the IrshmSu's flea, that vss"not there" when
he put his finger on II Yesterday. he quoted
the "Msssacbuselts Amendment" !" aud 10 jus,if-
eliion of Il said -
The object Of this provision TO withhold the
right Of suffrage from adopted citizens for two
ysars gIsr thsy shall have received their na
tutalizstiOu papers was to protect the integrity
and purity OF the ballot box 10 prevent politi-
cal patties on the eve Of important elections,
rallyng 10 the polls, swsrms Of voters, wholly
unfit to exercise the elective franchise.
Nov, we considered this language uery ex.
plirit The"swarms of voters, wholly uRCi
to exercise the elective franchise" are plainly
indicated TO hethose men who, born on foreign
soil seek our shores from choice, and after re.
manning here time specified by our laws, AP
ply for and obtain certificates Of citizenship.
Our contemporary could allude to no other class,
for the subject includes no other. YsSfsyday he
did not deem them fit to exercise the elective
franchise, until after they shall have been here
a"ierm Of years." and shall have made them.
selves well acquainted with our political econ,
omy To-day he Gays
We are not for increasing the term, ofproba
ton nor are we very particular about natural
izng ot all
This is certainly one Of the most remarkable
instances Of Saulting position we ever heard Of !;
we doubt if so great a change ever before came
over the spirit Of ones dream in a single night
Indeed, Il approximAtes one Of the most diff
cult feats Of first class gymnSsts, aud we ques
ton whether Prof. Remler could quite equal
il, in his line. Adopted citizens. then, are
not what our cotemporary yesterday said they
we're the restrictions be sought yesterday to
place upon them, then, are not necessary
having slandered them he retracts, aud makes
the broadcast possible apology. by proposing to
embrace them as equals
Yesterday, referring to the "Massaehus usclts
Amendment" the Gazette said -
Gov. Chase in bis late letter, however, pro.
posed milder and quite as effective y method
of meeting this difficulty, II. @. the ignorant
foreign vote viz n reduction Of the period Of
residence in the United States to three years
with the privilege Of voting two years after.
wards. This efiectually guards the ballet box,
without extending the period Of naturalization
to Rn inordinate length.
This language shows plaiuly that our colem>
p1rary yesterday favored the proposition Of
Gov. Chase, aud rather preferred II 10 the "Mss
sachusetts Amendment" He argued the neces
sily Of such restriction thus
Persons Of foreign birth, all agree, that the
Immigrant should serve a reasonable probation
before entering on the important work Of sover
ignty. II would certainly take an American
three or four years to become intimately &C
quaioted with the workings Of the British
Constitution, bsfUre exercising the right Of
voting for members Of parliament The right
nf enffr In thfa ia ha Fno rab
and important Of all political rights, and he
who encourages an ignorant and unscrupulous
man TO vote incurs a fearful moral responsibility,
and ihfcls a vital stab on the liberty Of his
country. When elections shall finally be carri.
ed by bribery and corruption, anarchy and
despotism must inevitably ensue.
1t will he borne in mind by the reader that
the above argument is made against the "for'
eign vote" as it is contemptuously termed by
the opposition. The last sentence is pArticu
larly severe, and shows what the Gazette yester
day feared would result to our liberties from the
exercise Of the right Of suffrage by Ignorant
and inscriptions men," (our nAturalized citi'
zensD In order to fully put himself on the re
cord in favor Of Gov Ohase's proposition. and
to show that such restriction is imperiously de
manded, the editor Of the Gazette yesterday
wrote:
Such an amendment of the law az Governor
Chase proposes would leave foreigners to their
own free vOlition in applying for the privilege
Of naturalization. Now, they are stimulated to
1t by the bribes and persuRsiOns Of dishonest
politicians. Just before State elections, thou.
sands receive ther final papers without COST
the money for the purpose being contributed by
candidates aud their friends Clerks and Pro
hate Judges, under stress OF party fidelity aud
pledges. In numberless instances hsve dOne this
work gratuitonsly. The consequence ~, that
hastily Baturalized voters are precipitAtsd on
the polls in large masses, who are, Of necessity,
wholly unacquainted with the genius Of our
institutions. and the policy best calculated to
subserye the great interests OF the country.
The editor of,ihe Gazette then succeeded in
plainly defining his position. He left no room
for doubt. Aftera night Of rest. or unrest, prob
ably. during which the question, Dhh alt is
bearings, was revolved in his mind, he thus blota
out the record Of yesterday, and takes posi-
tion which has startled the entire community.
Indeed. we do not know but that II has had
something TO do with the sudden rise in prices
Of -four and grain Hear him
Why naturalEe al all I Why retain single
provision Of the Constitution placing foreigners
on different footing TO natives Why not let
than vote year after their arrival ia this
country Why even confer the right Of citizen
Ehipf "Let down The bars" We say, "aad let
hs iShOls '0OTld iH!' Away with your probstion
aud your schooling
The Gszstte "out,Herods fIerod |" We eau
hardly believe our contemporary 10 earnest be
may possibly DO exercsi ny his ironical abilities;
II so, he has succeeded beyond competition iu
the line But there is something behiud this
ironieal pleassutry-this expression Of lovs for
the foreign born-of our neiehbor There is aD
evident purpose to break the force Of what he
wrots yesterday His article was mischieyouI
in It's tendency to RePublieAnism 10 Ohio
where 'the naiurAlized vote must bo secured at
all hazards" Our neighbor put his foot in il
and in order to get the party out, has put in his
other foot We have, As considerably As pos
sible, nsnaeled them, and now leave our neigh.
boT with bucket Of water ON either shoulder.
----------s-s----------
RETURN or PiKEs PEAKERs.-The st Lou.
is Republican has intelligence from Cotton
wood Springs, announcing the return Of
gold hunters in vast numbers from Pixies
Peak. They have been utterly deoeiYed
and disappointed, and have been driven
away by the simpl. fact that they could not
live at the "mincs' They come back most
ly on foot, and are in a miserably ragged
condition. Comparative relief has been Af-
fordsd them at the different stations Of the