The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-18
REGISTRATION AND NATURALIZA-
TION.

REGISTRATION AND NATURALIZA.
The committees on registration and natur-
alzation Of the State Central and Parish Com
mittees now meet daily at their respective
headquarters.
Prompt reports should be made to the secre-
tary Of either committee Of all violations Of
law, fraudulent registration, or refusal to
register persons entitled thereto
The following extracts Of legal opinions by
w. r. Whitaker, Esq, attorney of the CON-
mittees, are published for Information. Re
frsal OF super ssors or ass:stan. supervisors to.
conform thereto should be promptly reported:
The Assistant Supervisors have no right to
retain naturalization paYeIs under any circum-
stances. They have Ee right to inquire into the
circumstances Of naturalization, into the evil
dence on which the naturalization was made or
20 go behind the seai'cf the court ind signature
Of the clerk
The Assistant Supervisor who retains the nat
uralizea papers shous1 be arrested for larceny at
once.
Relrsive to the case of -, havs to say
that Il he is naturaized, if his papers have seal
of court and signature OF clerk, II he can be lden-
isseed and if he has resided twelve months in
the State and ten days in the parish, he il emit
tied to registration, whatever he may have
arswered to unauthorized questions by the
assistant supervisor any O.e else.
Even il he OEtaine ed naturalization Improperly,
he is naturl.ized citizen, entitled to register
and vote, II this other requisite named above a1e
not wanting.
There lis nc such thing as going behind the
naturalization certificate for any cause, if it is
properly signed and sealed. BY this I mean
simply. that it certities to judgment which
registration and election officers cannot set aside.
The following resolution was adopted by
the Advisory Board upon this subject:
Resoloed That when assistant supervisors of
registration refuse to register naturallzeC cti-
zens on the ground OF their exhibiting frauau
naturalization papers 1t s their duty to caHse the
immediate arrest and prosecution Of said appli-
cants, and for that purpose at once to tie said
papers in court to be used as evidence, but that
in no other car the said assistant sEpervls-
Ors withhold SAID pSpers from said applicants so
denied registration, but should return to them
the SAID papers,
STATE OF LOUISIANA
Office State Registrar of Voters,
New Orleans, Oct 2, 1874.
[Circuar No. 81
In consequence of the following resolution of
the Advisory Board Of Registration, VIZ
'sRooMs ADVISORY BOARD, |
"New Orleans, La, Oct. ], 1871 I
"Col. VIM. Wright, State Registrar of voters:
6 Sri am instructed by The Advisory Board
to transmit the following resolution this day
adopted, viz:
.'Resotred, That the Supervisors ana Assistant
Supervisors Of Registration throughout the
State be instructed to permit the United States
Supervisors OF Election to make lists Of all per
VIII NAV bav hpap epist ja To
be done without impeding registration and public
notice be requested to that effect.
Il have the honor to be respectfully.
"(Signed) E. A. BURKE,
'sSecretary of Board"
Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors Of Reg
istraton hereby instructed to extend all facil
tiles to the United States Supervisors OF Election,
70 enable them to comply with the above resolu
lion, and allow such list to be made by both
parties will verify the correctness of the regis
tration, wherever the same be done without
delay to- or interruption of, the proper work of
Their offices. VIM WEIGHT.
State Registrar Of Voters.
WALTER s. LONG.
Chief Clerk State Registrar Of Voters:
Your letter of this date is at hand, You ask if
fore. gn-born colored men are entitled to gistra
tiOn without due proof OF their naturalization I'M |
der the laws OF the United States
To this reply. that they are not so entitled. |
Until July IA, 1870 there was way provided
Oy winch Sucn persons cOulu become citizens OF
the United States. On that day an act was APP
proved (see page 256, lot hU. S. Stat), extend
ing the benefits of the naturalization laws to
aliens Of African nativity"
The same proof o. naturalization should be re-
qured Of the colored alien born is required of
the white alen-born. Their is distinction in
favor Of either race as to naturalization.
You inform me that Mr.. William Casey was a
citizen Of the Republic of Texas before annexa.
tion and ask what course he shall take to secure
registration
Lei him offer proof Of citizenship of Texas at
the ,be named. That entities him to all rights
as United States citizen, precisely as if h. was
born in the United States.
One who has served a term in the penitentiary
has no more right to register than one under
age. If the Supervisor registers HIM he violates
State and United States law and be prose-
cuted crmnally.
The United States Supervisor or any citizen
has right to challenge such registration,
and the right to challeng such vote on election
day. II such party votes, representations
should be made in the shape of af1davits to go
before the Returning board, after failure every !
where else.
AS to the case of John Monnerialn, Of
Twelfth Ward, who has lost his naturalization
papers, am of opinion that his only course to
secure registration will be to send for duplicate
cert ticate of the judgment Of the court that de-
creed him to be citizen.
That Will be the best evidence of his nat,1ra-
cation at all events; and if he wishes to guard ]
against future trouble. let him record his judq-
mef of naturalization here His affidavit that
such Judgment was once rendered, does no. |
l'oce that 1t was rendered.
United States Commissioner Byrne asks Mr. a
Mari to refer him to the law authorizing United /.
States Commissioners to take evidence Of natur- :
allied citizens who have lost certificates with +
view to voting on such affidavit !,
There is no such Law. The parties who have /
lost their papers must send for certified copies.
You inform me that the United States Super
visor for the Twelfth Ward New Orleans. adj
vises you that one Robert Smith, having applied
for registration, claims to be twenty-one wears
old, and the State Assistant Supervisor refuses
him (the United States Supervisory the privilege Fl
Of examining the applicant as to his age and of +
insisting on proof of the fact b,