Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-03-03
The Germans Moving.

The Germans Moving.
The hostile attitude of Congress- toward
the alien residents who desire to become
citizens, the enactment by State legisla-
lures Of registry laws looking specially to
the hindrance of foreign born citizens from
the free exercise of the elective franchise,
joined with the Gvowed determination of
the radical politicians to change the char
acter of the naturalization laws into some
| thing of q more harsh and rigid nature,
have Justly alarmed the German element in
was held in New York City, few days
SINCE, to take. action for the defence and
| safety of the rights of alien -born resi- dents
and citizens, which was largely attep ded
and which adopted memorial to Congress
asking that ''the period of time nov pre-
scribed by law for which an allie n must
have resided in this country before he eau
he admitted asa citizen of the Urlited States
NAV be shortened" and that 1.-The process
of naturalization should not be exclusively
conferred upon the courts of the United
States, to the exclusion Of the courts OF
record in the several States,
This meeting was com posed of democrats
and republicans, "who cordially united in
the cause of protection to immigrated
residents and naturalized citizens Gen.
Franz Sigel, president of the German Re.
I publican Central Committee, opened the
meeting in al eloquent speech, III the course
of which he said:
I'VE will guard against injustice being
done to us. We will have no laws prolong.
ing the time necessary for naturalization
but Il law which will remedy existing abuses
without prolonging that time which will
not contain Il heap of clauses unintelligi
bic to immigrants which will NOT ne,.essi
tate new aud expensive class of officials
When Germans fought to preserve the
Union when the German soldiers fell on
battlefield no question MAS raised then as
to the political creed of an immigrated sol
der They shall not inquire about this
point now when the rights of those adopt
ed citizens are at stake.
Gen. Sigel nominated Hon. Oswald OF
tendorffer, editor of the New York .St0at,
Zeit,0,g, Dem. ! for president of the meet
ing and Mr.. Ottendorffer was unanimous
" elected Mr.. Marcus Otterbourg tof the
German Republican Central Committed is
the author of the memorial above referred
to, and in presenting it to the meeting de
clared ''Uc orU hare no lar male for one
puty-but for the welfare of all.
Ereyy bfr arhicb restricts rights Of citizens /,
0juoriOuS.
We have referred to this meeting of the
New York Germans more especially to cal
the attention of adopted citizens in our own
State to the fact that their rights are even
in greater danger than those of their breth
crn in New York, There is at present {
| bill before the legislature which is deliber
atclv and maliciously intended by its an
thors to hamper and hinder foreign-borr
citizens in the exercise of their rights as
citizens. 1t is popularly known as the
Reqistrg Bill 1t proposes to give the reg
, sters the power to examine naturalization
. papers and to decide upon their validity by
S entering, or refusing to enter, upon tht
list of voters, the name of the party claim
ing citizenship under them. Tt is bill
l which, in the language of General Sigel
a contains heap of clauses unintelligible'
Il to the adopted citizen, and which will nc
/ lcessitate u new and expensive class of Off
cials" 1t has but one object and can serv,
4 4 but one purpose, viz 4 reratiomS o6St'Uc
/ Ho,t Qfhe. foreigt barn citizens aPrrofch 4
{ the ballot-bor. We content ourselves, fo
the present, with merely referring to thu
matter, 50 that naturalized citizens may b
!. put upon their guard in relation to tin
T threatened action of the Legislature. w
g doubt not that passage of such Law
would lose the radical party thousands o
votes, but we prefer that the bill shall bc
defeated, because it is wrong in itself, am
5 would he hideous and disgraceful blot up
: ON the statute book.-Hwfsburg Patriot.