The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-05-05
TEE CONTEMPLATED CHANGE Il TEE
NATURALIZATION LAWS.

NAIU RALlEaflOH La VIZ
With view to the tGrtherance ofequa
rights Senator Sumner has INTRODUCES
aBII into Congress to strike out froU
the naturalization laws the word ''white
An aged eoiored citizen of PHILADELPHIA;
who Is i uative of a toreiga couatry ant
who cannot become q citizen under thu
present lax furnishes Senator Sumner
with tae immediate reason for introduc
in. this Bill. No sooner had it become
known that Sumner had brought TIN:
measure before tie Senate than The
Democratic press set up an cutlery that
the proposition was made in the interest,"
of tie Chinamen of the Pacific Coast.
Alludiug to this matter the Wasair g;ou
correspondent of the Sacrament Union
says:
In the present condition ofour naturaliza
ton laws no ChIRaman can become citizen
of the United States. Strike out the word
white" and it might render him eligible to
citizenship; but at the same time that 1t Is
stricken out there will undoubtedly be insert
ed a proviso declaring expressly that '.all per-
sons of Asiatic origin" shall be preeiuded
from the operation Of the Act 50 amended,
thus rendering them incapable OF becoming
nafuralized citizens of this coUa.ry. In our
last treaty with China il is already panty
stipulated that nothing therein contained q
forget the precise lanSuaSe) shall be so con-
strued TO give 10 Chinese the right of ac-
quiring American citizenship. Hence a
discrimination agaiLs, the Chinese viii not
be considered Impairing, but rather sus-
tanning, the obligations OF our treaty with
that Power. And this VIII settle forever the
clap-tvap CRY oitne California Democracy on
this question Of Chinese Naturalization
cry raised simply and only for the purpose of
making political capital.
We think that the prosiso suggested
would be well, under existing cIrcum-
stances. 1t is doubtful If one Chiuaman
in ten Thousand has ever had a desire
to become an American citizen. No
native of Chiaa who has not voluntarily
abandoned his queue considers himsel.
anything else than subject Of the Celes-
tial Empire. There are probably not
- mrny as dozen Chinaman on the
Pacific coast who would, j; they could.
become American citizens. A people
VITO care so little for our politics are
subjected to no hardship By thus being
excluded from the operation of the nat
uralization laws.
Ba. we must no, forget that there is
y future before Us. The relentless per-
secutors ofIbe Chinese who are amongst
Us may make it necessary "a an act OF
Justice and as furnishing the means OF
the Chinaman's self protection that the
naturalization laws be changed. If the J
law is TO be as powe.less for the protect
ion Of these people from outrage as il
has been in the past, their naturalization
will become quite az logical necessity |
as was the enfranchisemen.o OF The Freed
mea Of the South.
Il is not to be doubted, however, that
In q very few years we shalt have voters
IF Chinese parentage whether the natur
aiizstion laws remain as they are or are
chsngeu SO radically as to adni, of the
D sturalization of the natives of China.
The Civil Rights Act sets forth that all
persons bora on this soil Except Indi-
ans Tot taxed) are citizens of the United
States and the Fifteenth Amendment
makes voters of all citizens irrespective
# race, color or previous condition OF
.erSitude. We suppose, however, that
here be those of native as well as OF
foreign birth Who would, if they could
deny to American citizeLs Of Chinese
descent the privileges nov conferred by
law upon citizens who were born in
Europe. Time viii set these questions
right. In the meantime we sympathise
With the reasons which actuate Senator
Sumner in suggesting an amendmea 1t to
The naturalization Laws.