The New York herald., 1873-10-19

ingling which way the individual means to vote
when he shall have become invested with citizen.
ship; and as consequence the sphere ol their
usefulness Is much contracted through TINS IN
terested motive. Where candidate comes 10 the
bureau endorsed or recommended Dy the WaIu
comm ittee the bureau puts him through" Hee
or charge. They Will, however. undertake tue
process Tor any applicant who presents nimseli,
evidence 10 sustain his claim to the distinction OF
citizenship; but he must pay all requisite lees
himself.
There seems 10 be rather unfortunate restric-
tion In the act OF Congress which conferred upon
individuals, for s.service during the wars and nom
orable discharge from ''the army,n the right OF
of citizenship naturalization. The law inieren-
tally excludes from such privilege indiyiduals VINO
Congress intended the law to bear this construc-
ton OF exclusion against class OF the natlons
from ~e.ner hastV and ,mnerect LEGISLATION
does not appear; but tnat the law Is SO construed
is fact. The assumption was very natural When
the law was passed that the privilege conferred Dy
1t was intended as mark OF gratitude or iavor
towards aliens who had been either ardent I'M
pecunious or brave enough to expose their lives
ia the national defence Now 1t does not seem
quite honest TO distinguish. 50 closely be-
tween men who grinned at bomb
deck of a ship and those who faced volleys OF
M ne balls or fenced with bayonets on shore. Yes
terday young German appeared at the Demo
cratic Naturalization Committees rooms and de-
sired TO obtain his papers on the ground OF having
served forty-two months in the navy, and was m
formed by one or the committeeman that he VIII
have to wait two years, first making declaration
OF intentionn All the officials connected with the
various naturalization offices likewise informed the
reporter that service in the navy does not entite
the sailor TO citizenship, as Is the case with the
soldier.
From another source the reporter learned that
the registrars in the Tenth election district OF the
Fifteenth Assembly district, Twentieth ward, have
during the past two days OF registration this
month refused TO permit citizens TO register upon
production OF certificates OF naturalization Issued
by the supreme Court OF this county ~
the fall OF 1868. They were excluded ON
the ground that all certificates issued by
that Court at that time were fraudulently
and Illegally granted. 1t may be OF benefit to these
registrars to know that there Is no power in this
land which can consttutionaly reject those certl-
fcates on that ground, unless fraud can be actu-
ally proved, and that the certificate must be
absolutely accepted as the evidence OF Its own
validity and OF the right which 1t coniers upon the
person to whom 1t was issued. Ii any
man, or any official representing public
authority, challenges such document for
fraud the burden OF proof rests with such
challenge, just as much as the State is bound to
show tha man indicted Tor murder did actually
commit tue crime with which ne Is charged. IL
would never DO simply to charge man with an
offence and make him prove in the frst instance
tnat he did not commit the offence Any citizen
Whose papers are thus rejected has summary
legal remedy by mandamus proceeding and should
enforce 1t II he values his citizenship