The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-13
The New Naturalization Act-Ncw York
Election Frauds-Curious Consus Dts

Election Frauds Curious Consus Dts.
closures.
The new Naturalization act just passed by
Congress, and which will doubtless be signed
BY the President, differs materially from the
original in this: The original Senate bill con-
fined the issue OF naturalization papers to tho
United States courts, in order, mainly, to head
off the local democratic courts Of this city In
this business, by which, it is charged, thou
sands Of Ineligible e.nigrants from "the ould
sod" are run through the mill and made
active--very actiye-dcmocra,..c voters. But
when this proposition came up for the action
of the House it was found to Ne
the restriction Of naturalization papers to the
United States courts would cut of from the
polls large body of Irish democrats in New
York, 1t would cut of a still larger number Of
Germans out West, transformed into American
citizens and republican voters by the Same
naturalization processes as those of New York
city. Consequently that honest measure limit
ing the issue of naturalization certificates to
the United States courts would never do for
the republican party, and so it was rejected.
Under the act passed the local State courts
are allowed as heretofore to issue naturaliza-
ton papers, but the United States courts are
authorized to appoint special agents, who are
to supervise all votes cast upon the strength
of naturalization papers, and to overhaul the
papers themselves. Where these agents
decide that such papers are fraudulent, or
have been obtained under false prctences, the
votes cast upon such false papers are to be
thrown out. The act is to apply to all cities
Of the Union of twenty thousand inhabitants
and upwards, though 1t is particularly in
tended for the overhauling OF this tremen-
dously democratic city. The bill to enforce
the fifteenth amendment and providing United
States inspectors, &c., of the elections for
Congress, is of the same character and chiefly
for the same declared purpose-that is, the
pruning down and wedding out of the alleged
heavy fraudulent vote which the democracy
Of this city, according to order, they say, can
and do roll up, be the order for fifty, eighty or
a hundred thousand democratic majority.
Whatever may be the truth in reference to
these charges, it is a remarkable fact that all
these measures for the protection Of honest
men at the polls, and for the detection and
punishment Of fraudulent voters, have been and
are regarded and denounced by the democrats.
rank and file, as the arbitrary devices of
radical despotism, and as unconstitutional
outrages upon the rights of the people. All
this, too, they say, in the face of the express
authority given by the constitution to Con-
gress to pass uniform naturalization law, and
to regulate the elections for both Houses Of
Congress, Excepting only as to the place of
choosing Senator'S"
These election laws however, pretty amply
provide for the guarding of the polls against
fraudulent votes, and for the overhauling of
the books and the votes by United States
officials, and we presume that in our coming
November election these officials will be amply
provided to overlook and inspect the work at
all the election districts in this city, and like
wise in Philadelphia, Chicago, &c. In this
connection we may say that if certain re-
ported returns made by this years United
States census takers touching the popula-
ton of certain election districts of this city,
as given by contemporary, are true, there will
be next November terrible cutting down Of
the popular vote thereof as compared with tho
vote of our free and easy election Of last May.
We will give few samples of these reported
population returns from the census takers =