Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-10-16

whole practical part of naturalization IS in
trusted to two tipstaves, who, on Monday
28th ofSeptember, made seven hundred and
twenty citizens.
During the September Nisi Prius six
thousand aud eighteen persons were
nasurallzed, of whom two thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two were naturalzed
during the last week. See paper appended
marked (C). r p''-'1'
The opportunities for fraud are. therefore.
vastly multiplied by this practice of Iicbf.
ming speed in creating citizens. many oP
Ebom understand English very imperfsctly
1he natural consequence is, that frands are
committed IN the process of naturalization
ana papers are afloat which are believed To
DC forgerles, but are SO well executed that
tne Proth0notary cannot say positively thai
It IS not his own name
1t is therefore clearly the duty of the Pro-
thonotary to ferret out these frauds by every
means In his power, and by giving free ac-
cess to all respectable citizens to examine
the naturalization records and papers, in
order to assist in their detection. The Pro
thorotary of the highest tribunal in the
State should not avail himself of any techni
cal objection, but throw the whole omen to
a searching examination. Nothing else will
Applications directly and Indirectly were
made to me 10 interfere personally, which /
OF course declined to do, having no power to
control in any way the Judge regularly as
signed to hold che Court of Nisi Prius. I
however thought it proper, under all the
circumstances, to telegraph Judge Apnew
and Judge Williams, who was ATTENDING his
sick wife in the interior of New York. to
come to Philadelphia, which they did. JUDGE
AgneW arrived on Saturday and JUDGE
Williams on Sunday morning; but we did
not meet until Monday.
After a careful examination of the acts of
Assembly we were unable to discover apy
authority TO convene a special session of the
Supreme Court. The court in baDc having
nsen IN July last, without an order of adj
gonrnment, its next meeting, as prescribed
by law, Wlllbe at PittsbuTg, on the third
Monday of the month.
The judges have been regularly ASSIGNED
for September and October, we of course
had no right to interfere with them. judge
Williams not having taken che oath of Office
Tor reasons which when made known will be
perfectly satisfactory to the community, his
opinion Is not like Judge Agnew and my
SEN an opinion ofa full judge Of the court
we all three regard the practice of natural
izatiou pursued in the nisi prius, however
old or by whatever judges sanctioned, as
contrary to the plain words of the acts of
Congress, and is therefore illegal.
Naturalization is judicial act and the
examination of the applicant and his witness
or voucher should be conducted By the
Judge himself
This was the practice of Judge Agnew
when President Judge, aud is the uniform
practice Of the District Court of Allerhenv
county.
This viii be the opinion of majority of
the Judges of the Supreme Court whenever
Judge Williams takes the oath of Office.
| should not have intruded upon YOU nv
opinions, or those Of Judges Agnew and
Williams, were it not necessary that they
should be known to you and Brother Shars-
wood, and through you to the community.
You viii oblige very greatly by having