Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-05-21
Chinese Suffrage and the Haturalisa.
ton Laws. "l "a
rs. F. Examiner. :


Among the weakest suggestions Of po.
litical trickery that we have heard Of, d
the prete9ce put forth by Pacific coast
Radicals, that the word "whi,e" in the
naturalization laws operated as bar "a
Chinese citizenship. Now, it is very
easy matter to strike out from the NATURAL
sation laws that one word, and the Radi
Gals haze such au antipathy for the word
whito' that they are inspired BY mania
for striking it out wherever they find it in
any law. Congress stulti6es itself, and
proclaims its hypocrisy, in not striking
out the word white from the naturalixa-
tion laws. 1t is only kept there to assist
the Republicans of this coast and the
party here would be in favor of expung-
ing it, except for fear that to do so would
damage the chances Of party success.
Any man who is in favor Of Constitu-
tional clause prohibiting the States from
denying to any one the right Of suffrage
on " account Of race, color, or previous con-
dHion" is either in favor Of Chinese citi-
zenship and suffrage, or else, he is politi-
cal knaee. The fraud is so palpablc as to
justify the use of harsh terms.
The Fifteenth Amendment to the Con.
stitution and the naturalization laws con.
flict 1t is almost certain that Radical
United States Courts, and they are all
Radical and political upon this question,
if called upon to naturalize a Mongolian,
would decide in favor Of naturalization,
upon the simple ground that constitutional
law was paramount to statue law, and that
hence the word ~ white" in the naturalza-
ton laws was illegal.
Yet the Union is guilty Of the low sub
tcrfuge Of constantly parading this quib-
Bile, as a proof that Democrats are wrong
in charging Radicals with the purpose Of
making the Chinese citizens aud voters.
The Union knows very well that the mode
of procedure of the Radicals, heretofore,
when they contemplated the imposition
upon the people Of some new idea, that
they knew was unpopular, took first stop
in the direction of the contemplated end,
while protesting that they had no inten-
tion Of ever reaching it; and afterwards
justified the full accomplishment of their
purpose, by alleging that it was easier tn
accomplish it than undo what had already
been accomplished. This will assuredly
be the case in this matter Of Chinese
citizenship and suffrage. The next and
finishing step Of the Radicals towards the
establishment Of Chinese suffrage, will be
to strike out tho word "white" in the nat
ufalizatiou laws. To this end they will
plead the treaty, and the treaty was made
expressly to be pleaded for this purpose,
guaranteeing Chinese the same privileges
in this country as are enjoyed by the most
favored, &c. and they will justify their
predetermined efforts to strike out, still
further, by alleging they thing which
they now deny, viz: That the word
"white" conflicts with the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution. 1t is
the foregone conclusion of the Radicals to
give the suffrage to the Chinese but
knowing the measure to be unpopular,
they cunningly contrise to bring about a
condition of affairs that would make it ap-
pear that the thing was not done as party
measure, but resulted from circumstances
which were beyond the control of the
party.