The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-28
THE CONSTITU VIONAL AMEND
MENTS.
AMEND
Senator Reeve Discusses the Proposed
Changes in the Election Law,
And COrrects Some False Impressions
In Regard 10 His speech of Last
Friday.
To the Editor OF the SENTINEL,


amendment TO the second section of the sec
Snd article Of the Constitution, proposed and
discussed in the senate on Friday last.
Personally, care nothing as to what is said.
/ announced when began my remarks in
the senate that l was fully aware that The
position | WAS about To assume would be
unpopular with certain class, but having
been placed in the POSITION of leg sl.tOr, L
had no right 20 consider any personal re-
suits, nor 10 pander to any popular preju-
&c or pred sIOsition; the only question for
me to consider and act on was, what would
most subserve and tend to perpetuate our
representative republican form of govern
emit
Heretofore and now the United States re-
quires foreigner to reside here five years;
70 behave IS man of good moral charac-
ter, attached 10 the principles OF the
constitution of the United States and
we'll disposed to its good order and
happiness; and this he must prove by
two witnesses who are citizens before he can
be admitted to renOuuce his allegiance to
all foreign rulers and declare his allegiance
- our government. But for the favor of
states he could not sooner be admitted to
vote here. By the favor of Indiana he has
been admitted to vote at her elections after
one years residence in the United States
and six months inside her boundaries on
declaring his intention TO become a citizen.
Under this favor many thousands have been
voters who could not speak one word of
English and who never have become citi-
zens; and they are numerous enough to con-
trol any election in the state, and still are
not citizens.
Without regard to who or what they were,
Or what they had been in the old country;
whether they were intelligent or ignorant,
honest or rsseally, good men or criminals,
loyal or fugitives from justice, taxpayers or
beggars all alike, on six months residence
and declaration of intention to become a
citizen, have had an equal voice in the Sc
lection of men to administer government
With men born and reared and educated
here, and who owe allegiance by birth.
The privilege has been seized on by pO-
htical hucKsters and tricksters to make as
many such voters as possible, merely to Sc
cure position in office for office seekers and
hundreds have been put through the process
on the day of election, simply to procure a
majority OF votes.
am one who believes the rights OF citizen
ship are worth something | regard them
ss of priceless value under form of gov
eminent where the citizens can select the
rulers, can tax themselves, and have voice
IN the selection of every officer from lowest
70 highest, and where the only government
IS the law, and that law made by the men
selected by the votes of the citizens. / wish
IL TO be noted that / use the word "Citizen"
and not native American" as has been
charged upon me.
Ali foreigners can become citizens on the
terms fixed by the naturalization laws and
the highest, most valuable and proudest
right of citizenship is the right to vote.
Had the United States in an early
day regarded the elective franchise as cheap
y rs We do they would never have made the
naturalization laws they did make. They
would have made one years residence
enough 10 admit 70 the final oath. But they
valued it highly. and they made FIVE years
residence. good conduct. good character and
open evidence of attachment to the princi-
piles OF the constitution, open evidence for
the good order and happiness of the United
states, precedent conditions, and all the
facts must be proved by two citizens in open
court; not two persons, or two aliens, but
two citizens; and then the applicant must,
before that. have gone before an officer aud
entered of record description of himself,
and on oath declared his intention TO be
come citizen; and have. on OATH renounced
his allegiance to all other authority
Our fathers encouraged immigration.
They wanted aliens 10 come here. They in
yited and encouraged them TO come. They
gave them liberty and great privileges but
they guarded citizenship and the cleo
tive franchise with all these
barriers knowing its value and its power,
and its dangers i'm the persons of bad men.
AlcAcf II q ClilLtH COUlUlitS u Crlfut the law
DISTINGUISHES HIM. hut the states take in all
kinds of aliens ard admit them to all the
privileges OF citizenship without their being
citizens. not liable TO military duty, not ow-
ing diligence TO the United States able 10
claim the protection of foreign govern
ment, and without question as to whether
they have been guilty or Convicted of crime
or whether they are entitled TO a certificate
Of good moral character While there are
thousands-and now millions-of foreigners
Who make good citizens and are well
come and we are glad 20 have
them as citizens, there are other
thousands, and | may say millions, who
make bad citizens and are not fit to be
clothed with the rights and powers Of a
citizen Ne have plenty of ignorant and
Vicious people who are born to the right
without going to foreign lands fer more. or
clothing them with the precious right Of
citizenship when that kind come to our
shores TO hunt homes and the
protection of free government There are
more than ten millions of foreigners
who to day are clothed with the rights
privileges and powers Of citizenship, of
whom fully 5000, 900 have the privileges and
yet are aliens. and have never been natur-
allied; and there are voters enough in the
latter class TO control every election in every
state and on every question in the union
Like oar own had people they know
nothing of the rights or duties or obligations
of citizenship. They regard simply its
privileges and its power They construe
liberty TO mean license. Political leaders
and managers seek for them and their votes,
and make them 70 order where they can
ind one not yet moulded as a voter. When
they vote with one parry they are ''the hon
est Germans" or the patriotic Irish, or
the enlightened French" with that party,
and with the other party they are 1.-THE lop-
cared Dutch, the hog trotiers'' and the
id Johnny Crapaud-." When they vote
with the other part7 then the former sings
the cry of anathema- IL has come 70 be
well understood that "the party who gets
the foreign vote" not the vote of the natur-
allied citizen, carries the election. Mark
the words foreign vote" They talk about