The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-13

Union c1n convert a person, born in
foreign country, into citizen of the
United States. This power is exclu-
siyely vested in the General Govern
ment, by that provision Of the Consti-
tuition of the United States which
gives to Congress the power to pass
laws providing for uniform rule or
system of naturalization. You also
know, that by the laws of Congress, a
person born In foreign country and
coming to this after he has arrived at
the age of twenty-one years, cannot
be naturalized-cannot be admitted to
the rights Of American citizenship
until he has resided five years in the
United States.
You also know, that by the Constr
tuition of the State of Indiana, in all
elections by the people, every white
male person of foreign birth, of the
age of twenty-one years and upwards,
who shall have resided in the United
States one gear, and who shall have
resided in this State during the six
months Immediately preceding. the
election, and shall have declared y.ts
sHtention to become O citizen of the
United States, conformably to the laws
of the United States on the subject of
naturalization, shall be entitled to
vote, &c. q u.a -st-
Here, then, you see by the express
terms of the Constitution of this State,
man may vote who is not citizen
of the United States, and who cannot
become such citizen for four years.
But appeal not only to the Consti-
stitution of the State on this subject,
but to your own experience. You know
as matter of observation and exper-
fence, that at every election In this
State, men who are not citizens, but
who have only declared their inten-
tion to become such, do vote, and it
rs VIGOROUSLY true that at every warm
Iy contested election, hundreds of
voters are made on the very morning
of the election by men of foreign
birth, who have the proper qualifica-
tion as to residence, declaring their
Intention to become citizens. q
Thus have | proved one of nay pro-
positions, namely, that the right to
vote IS not an element or an iDgredi-
emit of. American citizenship, by show
ing that those not citizens are entitled
70 vote. How is it as to holding real
estate? Is citizenship necessary to
the enjoyment of the right to hold
real estate? / answer, it is not. By
the statute law of Indiana, any per-
son of foreign birth who is bona tide
resident of the United States. is AZ
competent to take, hold and transmit
real estate situated in this State as is
Ahe President of the United States or
any other citizen of the United States.
Thus have | proved by evidence.
which even Mcdonald and Coffroth
would not attempt to controvert, that
thousands of persons in Indiana may,
and do, both vote and hold real estate
who are not citizens. What, then, be-
comes of the definition which saws
that a citizen of the United States
is one who has the right to vote and
hold real estate" if those who are
not citizens may do both? r9t 2a.a
The next proposition which I am
to prove is that there are many citi-
Gems who have no right to vote.
TO prove this, / have only to point
to my fair countrywomen now before
me- Are you not, every one of you.
American citizens just as much as
the late Attorney General or the am
bilious young gentleman who is
anxious to succeed to that position.
and who shows his fitness for it by
ignoring Marshall, Story and Kent,
and appealing to Webster's Dictionary
on a question of constitutional law?
1t, ladies, you who were born on the
soil of the United States are not citi-
Eens of the United States, in the name
of the Constitution of our. country
pray you to inform me of Whatcountry.
you are citizens2 Or do these patri-
archs of the Church of the New Dis
pensation hold that American Women
are without country? But knowing
these men, knowing that whilst they
may not fatty deny the citizenship of
American born women they. will not
admit it, but that they will equivocate
and say that they enjoy a. sort of
partial citizenship (Which no man
can define or understand. I do not
intend to rest the argument here.
Men who PROFOUND such definitions as
the one l am considering would not
be convinced though an angel spoke.
10 seyre their party purposes they are
willing to deeitizenize their wives 4
sisters, daughters and mothers. The
most cogent arguments in the month
OF the most beautiful woman would |
make no impression on such unless
these arguments could be reduced ia |
the consistency of broom handle /
and applied. as ladies are said to know
how to make the application when
the vildication of their rights may
demand it. ~. Ell :. VIZ '96TT9
J But / told you I would not rest
the argument here, by pointing to INV
American born countrywomen. and
saying, Here, Mr.. Attorney General |
Mcdonald, are full grown native born
american citizens who have not, and |
never bad, the right to VOTE ~ a. i
The power of Congress over the
ar1IlltAat Mt IN fr,v. liz fs0r II L..