Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-05-12
Nauranza,ion From a Republican
Standpoint.

The Gazette Of this morning in an article on
the Amendment to The Constitution Of hSssa,
eusetts, which drpriyes nsluraliaed citizens
from exercising the right Of suffrage until alter
they shall have resided in that State for two
yenrs, rather excuses the act, a. the object was
simply "to protect the integrity aud purity Of
the ballot box r. II seems that, according TO a
Republican, view, the purity Of that precious
box Is endangered only by men whom by the
accident Of birth, are natives Of smother land -
They are supposed from this fact, to be ignor
ant Of oor institutions and laws, aud incapa
BILE Of acquiring a knowledge Of either sufficient
TO eutille them to a voice in our aRairs, unless
they undergo . probation Of years. during
which time they are expected 10 devote themS
selves 70 study Of our domestic and foreign
policy. Iu their obliviOusnoss to natiOe ignorN
ance, and through prejudice to the foreign born,
these Republican inquisitors seem to forget that
those who, flying from persecution at home,
seek our shores for the puPoseof securing per
sonAl and political freedom undet todr free in'
tutions, are. men Of legal age, and Of mature
misds capable Of studying aud comprehending
in a short time all that Is studied and uOder'
stood Of our social aud political economy hy
the masses of our own people. They are neith'
er infants or blockheads, as can be easily afeer
tanned by those who deem them snch, on trial
OF their intelligence, Coming 10 this country
for the purpose Of making IT their home, they
naturally feel an interest Ia asceftaining the
nature Of our institutions, and their rights
under them Il is their first interest to learn
their relations to us, and to opr lawsi and to
their credit be It said that very many Of them
acquire in short time a knowledge Of our gov
ernment which will put to shame too large a
portion Of those "to the manor born" tits
right and proper that persons coming from other
counties to this should serve short probationi
should have time to acquire enough informS-
tion to enable them 10 exercise "the snered
right" at least as intelligibly as very many
who are born here; but il is not necessary TO do
this, that the time be extended unreasonably,
as is claimed by the opposition,
Again the Gazette says; Gov. Chase in his
late letter, however. proposed milder apd
quite as effective method of meeting this diff
Guilty, viz: reduction Of eperiod Of residence
in tho United States TO three years, with the
privilege of voting two years afterwards"
Are we to understand by this recommends
ton Of Gov. Chase that foreigners who com,
here to make this country their permanent
abode are not capable Of learning anything
about our constitution aud laws until after thej
receive their naturalization papersH Do ou
Republican friends assert that during the thre
years Of probation the foreign-oorn viii oni.
clay around loose" without so much as exer
cising the faculties Of mind3 That the givinl
them papers Of naturalization is simply givin!
them permission to commence the study OF ou
institutions, and that two years are then gra
ciously allowed them in which to pursue thei
studies aud complete their political education
The whole thing is a bumbug. A foreigne
who desires to become citizen will make him
self acquainted with our policy before he pro
cures his "papers." These are given them a
certificates Of their good faith towards our Gov
ernment, and as evidence Of their citizenship
aud not as certificates of knowledge Of our laws
When they are entitled to the active politica
rights common to all citizens, they will doubt
less improve in knowledge as fast as the best o
us.
Governor Chase is very gracious. While h
has great concern for the foreigners, he has stil
greater concern for the purity Of the ballot-boz
It's strange, though, that he aud his friend
can conceive of no danger to "the sacred right
so great as that which they pretend is meditAle'
by the naturalized voters. Their distrust Q
adopted citizens is manifested so plainly thS
we wonder they succeed in inveigling any Q
them to their support.
The Gazette evidently favors an amendmen
to our Constitution similar to that just adopte
in Massachusetts and as We presume it "sPeAk
by the book" )" naturalized citizens can take thei
cue.