The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-06-30
The Naturalization LaWs-Re-
marks of Mr.. Eldridge.
lcoNIINURD IRON 1sT PAGE


TO prevent fraud and purify the ballot
box Indeed! Radicalism purifying the
ballot! That party that has done more to
corrupt and degrade the ballot than all
other influences put together! That party
that has stuffed the ballot tox with the
bayonet, that has driven ignorance and
brutality to the polls. and intelligence and
refinement away by the sword! That party
that has by fraudulent and corrupt use
and abuse Of the ballot overthrow and de-
strcyed sovereign states and revolutioniZed
the Federal Government That party that
to day holds the power and controls the
destinies Of forty million people BY cor
ruptly using and corruptly preventing the
use OF the ballot! That party purify the
ballot box, that has by force snd fraud Just
sent to the polls more than million ne
groes, the great majority Of whom cannot
read the ballot they carry, who forget their
own names between the day of registration
and the day of voting, and who, uncon>
trolIed, are as likely to deposit the ballot
in the lamp-post as in the ballot box.
That party now, by this bill. strikes from
our law the word white and thereby
extends the same invitation Of citizenship
to oil India, Japan, China, and Africa that
is extended TO the people of those countries
OF Europe from which We or our ancestors
have all come. That party, those men
purify the ballot box and elevate the bal
lot, who would now tor the first time open
wide the aoors of the Republic to more
than eight hundred million pagan idolators
and welcome them on the same terms and
with the same cordially to participation
In the Government ana use Of the ballot
that they do the intelligent Christian of
our own race and blood! The idea is alb
surd and revolving.
Sir, | repeat, the cry of fraud in the
elections as an excuse for this legislation is
pretense only. 1t is to hide or divert the
attention from the real object. 1t is avow-
cd by at least one gentleman Of the COM
mittee (Mr. Butler of Massachusetts, that
one OF purposes sought by the bill is to pres
vent the voting at the elections of their in
.tentIons 10 become citizens of the United
States. My own State and several other
western states, too, | believe have allowed
and still do allow aliens having all the 9TH
er qualifications ofvoters to enjoy this priv
Iicge Immediately after making the pre-
liminary declaration now provided for by
law.
The bill under consideration repeats this
hmlnary declaration of intention to become
citizens. BY this means it is supposed
that the State of Wisconsin and the other
states disposed to treat with Justice ana
iiberality their foreign population will he
deprived Of the power to do SO.
II this shall accomplish what these gen
tlemtn desire 1t will drive from the polls
and deprive Of the privilege of voting
thousands OF educated, intelligent men who
have been allowed to vote under the laws
OF the State of Wisconsin for more than
twenty years. These men have been pre-
vented by variety of circumstances from
becoming fully naturalized. They have
poor with large families to feed and sup>
port, and needing, therefore, every dollar
they could acquire They have been in
new and sparsely- settled country, and hv-
ing long distance from the courts where
they could apply for their final papers, and
absolutely unable to pay the expense Of
themselves and their witnesses to and from
the courts. 1t is now proposed by this act
to shat the door against these men and all
those throughout the United States who
have declared their intention to become
citizens, to make null and void all these in
luatory proceedings and to repudiate with
out notice the contract entered into with
them by this Government, by denying them
the right OF citizenship altogether or fore
ing them to come IN under the cnnber-
some, veyatlous, and expensive mode pro-
vided for ty this bill. | know it is said
these preliminary proceedings are made
unnecessary that the alien who has re-
sided heie the requisite length of tiae may
apply at once tor naturalization.
But he must apply in the manner pro.
vlded for by this BILL in the manner and
subject to all the delays and annoyances |
have before described. He must obtain
his naturalization, if at all, through the
mazes OF, 1t may be, an lntermlnable law
suit or proceeding In court. And though
1t be then hive or even twenty years since
he declared his intention to become citi>
zen, he, like all others, can only obtain q
Judgment to take effect after six months
from It's rendition. And even if there
should be no delay in the proceedings of
the court he can IN no event become cIti,
zen OF the United States till six months.
after be is fully entitled under existing
laws IhIs delay applies to every man
wko shall not have become fully naturally
ed before this law shall take effect. Who
Will, who can now deny, after looking into
the provisions of this bill, that it is gross
wrong, an outrage upon the rights, the
vested rights, If may use the ten m in this
connection, of all those who have been in
duced by the liberality and generosity of
our naturalization laws to immigrate to
this country with the view Of becoming
citizens? And, sir, is it just, is it honest
thus to violate our faith, to repudate the
contract under which we have procured 50
large proportion of our population to
ature the countries in which they were
born, and to leave the scenes and homes
of their childhood and TIE graves of their
ancestors and cast their lot with us? In
my judgment, 1t is unworthy the high
character and beneath tue dignity of this
great nation II is unjust, absolutely dis (
honest, and most flagraut violation Of the
pllghtod faith of the Government to every
man, woman, and child whom we have BY /
our naturalization policy induced or en-,
couraged to immigrate to this country.
But, sir. as l have already more than
limited, the injurious effect of this legisla-
ton will not be alone upon the alien who /
has already united his destiny with ours
Its spirit and temper are in hostility to
one of our most important national inter /
ests; it is an unfriendly blow struck at