Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-31
FOREIGNERS, ATTENTION !
Is KnOW-NOthingiSm TO be Re-
ViVed -?


as a general thing, being startled, if not
frightened, by the dark aspect of affairs,
indicate tendency to act with the De-
mocratic or Conservative party in the
elections, and hence it is that the Radi-
calls have set up great howl about
frauds in naturahzatiOns, and propose
in effect, wherever they can do so, to
prevent men from exercising the
highest right of citizenship-sufrage
wherever, however, and whenever
they can do so. They have gone so far
as to deny the right of franchise to null
titudes of foreigners who have been ma
turalized in the usual manner.
This course Of conduct is no more nor
less than new political or party declara-
ton of war against foreigners. 1t is
Know Nothingism over again, except
perchance as to the religious feature of
that organization.
Now, the question addresses itself to
one and all Of such old naturalized ciii-
zens as have the unquestioned right of
voting, whether they will longer support
a party which is taking violent and ille-
gal steps TO prevent their brothers, who
are more recently than themselves resi-
dents of the country, from having and
exercising all and several of the rights of
citizenship which they themselves have
arrived at through the benefcent opera
tions Of the laws for naturalization ?
THE NEW ENGLAND FROSCRIP-
TION.
The old spirit, which in its New Eng
land home, practiced persecution for con-
science sake, and which, at various times,
has shown its fangs towards the foreign
population OF this country, has broken
out afresh. For the accomplishment of
its selfish purposes in one section of the
country, it has ingrafted an amendment
on the Constitution, prohibiting States,
under penalty of the forfeiture of pro-
portionate loss Of representation in Con-
grcss, to restrict or impair the right OF
suffrage. In another section it coolly
violates this amendment in the prOSecu-
ton Of another phase Of its proscriptive
policy. The Radical Legislatures of New
Hampshire and Connecticut have re-
Gently passed Laws expressly designed to
obstruct the naturalization and enfran-
chisement Of foreign-born citizens. The
foreign population of Connecticut is being
urged to make early application, and
complete the requirements Of the law OF
citizenship, as every possible obstacle
has been placed in the way Of naturali-
eaton by the new election law of that
State law contrived on purpose to
disfranchise adopted citizens. In Rhode
Island, settled by Roger Williams, him
self victim Of Puritan persecution and
Punishment, his defendants are pursuing
4 like system Of intolerance towards the
foreigner. The laws of that State admit
adult male negroes to the ballot, but i'm
pose on the foreign-born white man a
property qualification Of 1874 worth of
unincum5ercd real estate.
HOwIT Is DONE IN NEW YORK.
The New York Tribune is the Cory
pheus Of Radicalism. 1t is the mouth
speak the sentiments and foreshadow the
| purposes Of the party.
The vile and wicked animns of Radi-
calism in the regard Of foreigners is best
shown by reading from a late report Of
the New York Tribune, as follows:
"The business Of naturalization has fall
en- off to a degree that is more than sur
prising. In the Court of Common Pleas
| yesterday, before Judge Brady, only fif-
teen persons were made citizens, while
in the Superior Court, before Judge Nc
Gum, not over one hundred received
their certificates Of citizenship.
III 81 Ul-C b1llltlb > CDul 1, dI . tlOCh
last night, about one hundred aliens pre-
scented themselves for naturalization.
How many Of these We're entitled to the
privilege Of applying for the right Of
citizenship is a secret known only to the
Judge, his clerks, the Tammany CON-
mittce, the witnesses, and a few Of the
ncwly-madc citizens themselves. To
say that all Of the latter are thoroughly
cOgnizant Of the fact that the law re-
| quires so many years residence in the
country, and that it demands other quail
iications, were a libel upon ignorance. TO
| say that all the witnesses, whose names
it is impossible for the press to obtain
are acquainted with the status Of those
| for whom they vouch, is simply to hazard
an assertion by no means capable Of proof
That the Judge himself can conscien-
tiously indorsc the papers presented to
! him, in view Of the enormous frauds re-
Gently practiced by the Tammany Com
mittec, and detected by Marshal Muir.
| rays men and the Republican Naturali
cation Committee, and that he can hon
! eStlv confer upon scores of new men, not
| properly identified, the right of suffrage
is merely matter Of probability. A
! brief description Of the scene in the
| Supreme Court room will suffice TO show
| that whether the work Of naturalization,
as performed in Judge BaTnard's court, is
honest work or not, the manner in WHICH
it is performed is at Feast open to criti-
! cism, If not liable TO the suspicion that il
is absolutely dishonest.
"A representative Of the Tribune
visited the courtroom at seven O'Clock
last night, and found it wcll-flled with
applicants, nc9rly all Of whom were of
| the Celtic persuasion, and, generally
speaking. very dccent-lOoking men. The
clerk was busy calling names, and as
| thew were announced The owners thereof
| took places in the center Of the room,
near the Judges bench. About sixty
had thus collected when Judge Barnard
| delivered a short address, in which he
spoke Of the solemn responsibilities which
they would soon be authorized to assume,
and OF the necessity Of being legally quail
! fled to exercise the rights about to be
! conferred lie then called upon the ap.
plicants TO touch the Bible, those not near
enough to it being requested to raise
! their right hands. About eight men
| touched the bOok-abOut one out offs
OF the remainder went through the simple
| form suggested as a substitute. The
oath was then administered, and three
score foreigners became voters-Gull>
Pledged citizens, entitled to the privilege