Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-03
THE RADICAL NATURALIZATION
M r7- u15i1 BILL. lH1i7 1nllsix
r ..aIIT4H u h.raWml09 %
Foreigners ReadTGermaus and Irlshmen
E~xpeHedthe Ballot Box-Partlsaa KHa.
very to Secure Radical Eaisrlties.

"
The Washington correspondent of
the Baltimore Gazette thus defines the
naturalization bill introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. COnkling, and no doubt
to become a law of the land, one of
the most startling movements yet
made in the direction of centralism.
1t totally Ito begin with Gusts the
State courts of all jurisdiction in the
premises, comforting exclusive power
to issue naturalization certificates TO
Federal courts and Federal registers in
bankruptcy. The authority of State
tribunals is steadily but rapidly being
reduced tO-a nonentity.
In the next place "the bill" inter-
poses every species Of obstacle to the
issue of the required certificates, and
Ffsinee the "right of suffrage" has be-
come diluted so as to render it of lit
tie or no value) presents scarcely an
~appreciable incentive to a foreigner
to become a n~aturalized citizen at all.
Foreigners are allowed to fight the
battles Of the "Republic" without be-
ing naturalized). 1t further provides
lex post facto) that 'nO certificate of
naturalization issued since July 4,
1868, and prior to the date of the act,
in any city whose population exceeds
one hundred thousand, shall be evil
dence of naturalization until it shall
have been presented by the person
named therein to the Court or Conn
missioner of the district where he
| resides, and Endorsed and approved
with q proper seal and Signature
But it is to the last section of this
iniquity that it is desirable public at
tention at large should be more especi-
ally called. This section in nOWise
relates to naturalization" and has
been manifestly interpellated with
the fraudulent design of deeeiving the
| people (under cover of the title of the
bill), into the suppOsitiOn that it was
in somewise connected with the mat
ter. L shall be excused for quoting
the very words of the provision, when
it is considered to what Interior pur-
purposes the law may and will be
prostituted. 1t provides that sin any
| city having upward Of 80, 900 inhabi-
tants it shall be the duty of the United
States Circuit or District Judge for the
district in which said city is situated,
to appoint for each election district or
! voting precinct in said city land
change or renew said appointment as
occasion may require, from time TO
time), two citizens resident of the
district Or preeinct-one from each
political party-who shall be author
fized to attend at all times and places
fixed for the registration of voters,
who, being registered, would be en-
titled to vote for Representatives in
Congress, and at all times and places
for holding elections of Representa-
tiVes in Congress, and for counting
the votes east at said elections, and to
challenge any name proposed to be
registered and any vote offered, and
to be present and witness throughout
the counting of all votes, and to re-
main where the ballOt-boxes are kept
at al times until the votes are finally
counted; said persons, or either of
them, shall have the right to affix
their signatures, or his signature, to
said registers for the purpose of iden.
LITIGATION, and to attach thereto, or to.
the certificate of the number Of votes
cast, any statement touching the truth
or fairness thereof"
The invidious distinction here
drawn between the citizens inhabit-
ing towns containing a certain num-
Der of people, and those residing in
communities of less, can certainly find
no warrant in constitutional law or
reason, 1t is a transparent partisan
continuance, as it is known that
scarcely a city in the Union having
" $1,000 inhabitants" is at this mo-
ment in utilization with the Radical
faction. But the design of the pro-
posed law lies yet deeper than the
mere throwing of difficulties in the
way of a full and fair vote 10 unfriend-
ly localities. The section under re-
view means to provide a subterfuge
for throwing out a sufficient number
of votes, upon important occasions,
to insure Radical majorities, to be
finally judged of by a packed Radi-
cal House of Representatives. !
limited at such a purpose long
ago. 1t is now evident, and upon
record, that the dominant faction will
not yield its power at the command
of the peoplesthrongh the ballot box.
What other remedy will be left? OF
course, a violation of any of the pro-
visions of the proposed law is made
punishable c%riminally. "The hinder
ing or attemDtingto prevent (says MI.
Conkling's bllD any person so designa-
ted from doing any of the acts author
lied as aforesaid, shall be punished Is
a misdemeauOr by Imprisonment not
less than one year."
The bill (of kindred enormity) to
"enforce the Fifteenth Amendment
was passed to-day in the House by a
party vote. X.