Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-04-22
NATURALIZATION REFORM,

L.
II read your article on Naturaliza-
ton Reform with attentive interest,
because of the business of its sug-
gestions and the conelusiveness of
its reasons. I heartily concur with
you in the opinion that a radical re-
form of our naturalization laws is
eminently desirable. as --.
Reason, experience, the genius of
our institutions, the character of our
nationality, the theory of our liberty
and the spirit of our times, alike de.
mand reduction of the probation
ary period. Can any valid reason
be assigned why full grown foreign
ers, who have publicly renowned
allegiance to their native country,
and immigrated to the United States
for the purpose of carving out their
fortunes IN this great empire of lib
erty, should remain five years before
they assume the responsibilities or
enjoy the advantages of citizenship :?
Is a preliminary residence of five
years absolutely necessary to fit
them to WELD the elective franchise
intelligently? ] think not. 1t is
not SO much the arbitrary period of
five years that will fit the foreigner
to discharge the obligations of citi-
zenship with reasonable intelligence,
as it is his habits of thought, his
moral qualities, and his native ON
mon sense. A century would not
fit some men to be good citizens.
But less period, than FIVE years
would certainly answer for the gen
eral masses. aa 5@s sut 81 "slls .-
American nationality is emphat.
ically cosmopolitan. The bloodsot
the Anglo Saxon, the Teutan, the
Celt, the Scandinavian, the Musco-
vite, indeed of all the civilized races
on the globe. are mingled in the
veins of theAmerican people. Our ma
tional character is Enthusiastically the
creature Of amalgamation, Of fusion
of assimilation. The best blood
the representative types of the bone
and sinew of the old world have
heen melted down into the hare
metal of American manhood. We
| possess a wonderful national facil
ity, a vital national aptitude fol
blending and incorporating othel
blood with our own. This distin
4 gushing quality of our nationa
character renders it entirely safe fol
us to admit foreigners to the full
privileges Of citizenship without al
extended period of naturalization
An examination Of the statistics O
the United States will discover. tn
important fact that from 1900 tt
1870 our adopted citizens and thei
) descendants numbered twenty on,
} million, or more than one. half O
4 our entire population. This is sig
nifcant. It uncovers the origin o
our power and explains the rapidit,
Of our development. 1t proclaim
with ringing eloquence the VALUABLE
truth that the great problem of fre
government has nothing to fear, bu
much to expect, from the foreigl
element of our population.
The highest obligation of citi
zen, whether native or naturalized
is to defend the flag of his countr.
!. in the hour of peril. How that oh
3 legation has been discharged by ou
$ adopted citizens, the bloodiest battl
fields Of the war can tell. In peac
l or war, in prosperity or adversity
Y in sunshine or storm; they have eve
Y been as true as steel to the land Q
e their adoption. The rich experienc
a of nearly century, therefore, cleal
e ly justifies some relaxation sof til
v rules governing foreign citizenship
Oar constitutional law now resi-
l on the broadest principles of demo.
$ racy. BY a noble and a gloriou
d amendment we have blotted O,
a every obnoxious distinction as
d race, and enfranchised down trot
d den people. The statesmanshi
e that conceived, and the pure demo,
y racy that ratified. the Fitteent
8 Amendment, would, l believe, ais
IS sanction more liberal period !,
e naturalization. The Republica
q party ought to be too just, too ma!
g unanimous, the open hearted, toe
C catholic in it's democracy to sho
T. meanness or narrow-mindedpess