New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-22
EcCENTRlCITlEs OF NATURALIZATION
RICH FIELDS FOR INVESTIGATION

1t is suggested that little ventilation Of
the Democratic naturalization bureau
might be in order Just at the present time.
The parish convention now in session will
probably tell us before adjournment all we
want to know about the management of
Democratic primaries. But while they are
deciding how much ballot stutfing, fraud
and perjury are essential to ward elections
some investigation as to Democratic man
agement of naturalization matters may,
perhaps, fill gap and engage public atten-
tion for the time b. ing. Not indeed, with
the absorbing interest which centres round
the fight of the Finnerty factions or the
DiamondShakspeare contest. But like
Colonel Sellers suggested corners in hogs
and corn, it will do as sort Of side specu-
lstion till something richer developes.
The direction in which inquiry should be
turned was obligingly indicated by Major
Burke in his recent letter to the acting Gov
ernor complaining of the election frauds Of
1874. The gallant Major made special
poiat of the testimony given before the
Foster Phelps committee in January, ls7 D,
and he particularly quoted page l47 of
that report. Following up the testimony
referred to, and going just three pages fur
ther, there will be found the evidence on
which the present remarks are based. From
page $50 to page l8l the record is entirely
occupied by certified transcripts Of the
lists of aliens naturalized in the Second
District Court for the parish Of Orleans, in
the months Of August, September and Oc-
tober, 1874. There was q naturaliza alton
committee of the Democratic party then in
operation, and the process of citi-
zen making appears to have been
conducted on . scale of wholesale
grandeur. On the twentieth of October ll6
young gentlemen Of foreign birth, all Of
whom are certified to have come the United
States as minors, suddenly arrived at vot-
ing age and were entered Of record ~ fully
pledged citizens. Twenty seven European
carpet baggers who had not the advantage
Of arriving here go early in life, and whose
declarations of intention to become citi'
zens, made some years previously, by some
strange mischance had ell been lost or mis-
laid, were also ADMITTED at the same see
sion to the rights and privileges of Ame1i
can voters. On the twenty first Of October
100 innocent minors and eight less innocent
adults were added to the registration lists
On the twenty-second of October l0l late
minors and fourteen adult arrivals were
pitchforked into citizenship. Altogether ac
cording to the certificates of Mr.. Frank
Pace, Jr., clerk, 1909 aliens were made citi
zens in less than thirty sitting Of the Second
District Court.
The very grave questionas to whether
the Second District Court for the par
ish of Orleans, being a court Of ex
elusive probate jurisdiction, has the right
under United States laws to grant natural
izatlon papers under any circumstances
need not here be discussed. That question
will probably be decided before long by the
court of last resort. But in the meantime
some most attractive subjects for reflection
are suggested by the official records to
which allusion has been made. To enable
readers of the REPUBLICAN in some degree
to appreciate the humor Of this gigantic
Democratic joke, q few hundred names Of
applicants and their witnesses have been
transcribed, and are herewith republished
One of the most startling features is the
extraordinary acquaintanceship possessed
by some of the witnesses. Mr.. L. Prince
val, for instance, seems to have enjoyed the
friendship of no less than ll9 juvenile
aliens. All races and nationalities are alike
to him-French Jeans, Guillaumee, Victort
and Pierres; Spanish Joses, Pedros, Manu-
els and Domenicoe; Italian Stefanos, Clio
vanie, Luigis and Benedittos; English Viii
liams and Georges, German Carls and Gas
pars and Irish Michaels-are all welcomed
to the bosom OF his capacious friendship
50 intimately does he know them all that
he is enabled in each case to swear that the
applicant has resided for upward of five
years within the jurisdiction Of the United
States, and has in all things conducted him
self as man of good moral character, at
tached to the principles of the constitution
of the United States, and well disposed te
the good order and happiness of the same
To understand the full force of this position
let an average citizen reckon up the number
of unnaturalized foreigners personally
known to him, and estimate what proper
ton they bear to the whole bulk of his &C
quaintance, and then apply the same rule
to Mr.. Princeval's ll9 alien friends. The
result will probably indicate that if that
gentleman is .as careful as foreign residents
generally are in observing social proprieties
in their intercourse with each other his
whole existence must be passed in a con
slant round of attendance on family fes
tivals, marriages, christen nings and funerals
Mr.. Monte (suggestive name) scarcely
lags behind Mr.. Princeval in the extent
and variety of his friendships. He stands
sponsor for ninety eight youthful aliens al
the font of citizenship. and, by curious
coincidence, happens to know thirty of the
same people that Mr.. Princeval knows
and shares similar joint acquaintance
with Mr.. A. Biggio in thirty cases
more. The same condolences, in less
degree, run all through the naturalization
lists. Mr.. Patorno and Mr.. Morici have
eighteen mutual friends; Mr.. Christian
Christianson vouches for thirty eight en-
bryo citizens, and Mr.. La mantia for thirty
three.
The Republican Campaign Committee
can hardly do better work than by over
hauling the entire list of citizens manufac
tured by the Democratic naturalization
bureau of 1874. The records of the