New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-08
NATURALIZATION AND VOTING.

test on behalf Of his brethren OF foreign German
birth against the proposed alteration Of the Co5stl
tuition Of Massachusetts,, whereby Adopted CIti-
zens are to wait too years after naturalization
before they shall exercise the Right OF Suffrage.
We agree with him 90 fer to consider the interval
| Of tao years between Naturalization and Voting
excessive, and to hope that the proposed amend
| mert Of the Constitution Of Massachusetts, may
therefore be voted down. But there is another
phsse of the question to be looked at, and we shall
! not hesitate TO present It.
To give dog an i'll name and to hang him were
long ago recognized cognste if not Identical pro-
ceedugr "An Iowa Farmer coolly assu mes ths.
the proposed Massachusetts, amendment throws
contempt and depression" upon those whom it
aaects-that it is unjust, Liberal and offending
that il " makes On offensive discrimination be-
tween those born here and immigrants-thst it H.
wolves degradation that itdeprives immigrants
eff " their rights that it is iDpeed by sin
tolerant Nativism that the pretexts on which
it is urged are imbued with Hypocrisy" &C, &c.
AL these assumptions are surcharged with that
very illiberality which our correspondent would
seem to condemn. lie has no right thus harshly to
judge others, and attribute to them motives and
purposes which they disclsim We, who hold the
rights Of each human being TO be ust equal TO those
Of every other human being deny that the con.
templated Massachusetts, Amendment is justly
obnoxious TO these imputstions. For, if this
amendment lie obnoxious to such charges, then our
Naturalization La~s-in fact any Naturslz alton
Laws WbatsOevet-sre Ike vice exposed to them.
German or Irishmsn is not an American-thst q
term of residence in this country and transfer of
allegiance, and a solemn remuneration Of all pOlit-
ica Obligations arising from nativity, are prerequi
sites TO naturalization. We believe Gov. Seward
and Gerrt Smith, and perhapstwo or three others,
have at one time or another proposed to allow i'm
migrants from Germany or Ireland into this State
to vote at our elections exactly the same terms
with immigrants from Vermont Connecticut.
Whoever favors this policy may perhaps accuse the
supporters of the Massachusetts Amendment with
illiberalty and prescription; not SO the uphOlders
Of our present Naturalization laws and Constitu-
tons, whereby the Right Of Suffrage is restricted
to Native and Naturalized Citizens and denied 10
Immigrant Aliens. These have no moral right to
ment of illberality, or prescription, or anything Of
the sort.
For two radically diverse theories with regard TO
the r ght Of Suffrage and its bases underie all con-
s.tutoDs naturalization acts, and legislation per-
tainir TO suffrage. One of these theories regards
Suffrage as a natural night like that Of access to
courts Of Justice, and just payment for services
rendered and equality generally before and in the
eye of the law. Whoever hold, this theory is
bound TO insist that every person, whether white,
red or black, male or female, adult or minor, cul
prt or innocent, citizen or alien, be recognized and
treated as legal voter in all political elections. If
there be consistent, unshrinkipg champions of this
rule, beyond the few stigmatized as fanatics, we
know not where to find them. The theory almost
universally accepted and acted on regards the Right
of Suffrage as high public trust, held By part 10
be exercised for the good of ala trust to the
proper discharge Of which certain moral qualities
and intellectual requirements are essential. Under
this theory, Suffrage has usually been restricted to
Adult White Male citizens Only-these forming |
less than one.iflh of the entire population of most
States We do not assert that all these restrictions
are wise and prOper-we do not believe they are
but we protest against the assumption that eIclu-
sion from Suffrsge is necessarily prescription or in-
iustice-tba. it implies iwil or iberality toward
the excluded on the part Of its advocates-thatit |
is necessarily even deprivation 30 be regretted. |
For our part, We hold the Right Of Suffrage asa !
public trust for the benefit of the whole community,
whether voters or non.eoters, and should be hearti
" glad TO surrender it if we could be convinced that
the public good would thereby be promoted. And |
we hold il a mistake in and reproach to any one |
that be or she is more eager TO be entitled TO vote
than TO be qualified to vote intelligenty and use
fully.
We hold the Massachusetts Amendment, then, |
70 be based On sound and just principle but wrong
in going further than that principle requires. We
hold that a reasonable term should intervene be- |
tgixt Naturalization and Yoting-a term long |
enough TO discourage and limit if not absolutely |
prevent, the present shameful practice CT hunting
up immigrants and running through the Natural |
cation mil in order to carry pending election by |
the aid Of their votes. This practice is fruitful |
source of frauds and peruries. For instance: we
are informed that single person appears on the |
records of one Of our City Courts as having msde |
the requisite afidsyits as to character, length of
residence, &C., to put through Seren Hundred nat |
publications in this City during 1856 OF course, |
he swore in st least six hundred cases 10 what be
csnnot have known TO be true, and which in many |
instances wa, probably false; for those who pos
sessed the required qualifications could have |
L., nit