Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-09
CAN BECOME 4 CITIZEN.
He Nay Have Been Russian, a
Zulu, Afghan or PruEsiaD, Oh
Even Il GhiHanan, and
still Become Nell
can Han.

| Chicago Times: An Impression Is abroad
| that the Chinese cannot become citizens Of
the United States under our naturalization
laws. A year ago, It may have been, some
statesman claimed to have made the GisCUV-
cry that before the emancipation Of the
| slaves none but Europeans, or at least per-
sons of the Caucasian race, could become
citizens, but thai after emancipation the
laws were amended so That persons Of African
nativity or descent might be admitted 30 Cti-
zenshlp. This pretended discovery w3s
widely published, and seems to have been ac-
cepted as true. But an Examination Of the
statutes disclOses nothing 20 support this
opinion that Of all the races and coIOrs OF
men on the globe none but whites and
blacks can become citizens. Section 2l65 Of
TIE revised statutes provides that an
alien may be adm ted to become
citizen OF the United States N
certain manner. The statute does
not say a white alien or a black alien, or an
alien OF any particular race or races, nor is
there anything IN the prescribed manner in
which an alien may become = citizen which
implies that any alien may be excluded from
citizenship on accouG5 Of race or color. The
law requires an alien to declare las intention
10 become a cltIz.n; to rsLoUnca all foreign
allegiance; to prove d five years residence
and good moral character; to renounca arv
title Of nobility he may have borne: and to
swear that he will support the constitution of
IuG OnlJGu States. -i!t ll-t@ ne. rr-tE f1lng
else contained IN the title aPpias as Vel 10
one alien as to another. Gngre Is rot q word
IN the title from which i can be inferred
that any alien, Of whatever rae. o. eoi0s,
may be denied the privilege OF citizenship
upon complying with the requirements OF tue
law. Section 2I69 provides that -tLe provi-
sions Of this title shall apply e. aiiyus #
African nativity, and 10 persons OF african
descent But there j. not d ya,& from
which it can be inferred that liz: PROVISIONS
of the title do not apply to aliens
OF any other nativity, or persons of
any other descent. The special provision re-
specting Africans wa made ga July 1910,
for reasons which were satisfactory g. con
gress at the time, tU5 its adoption >Jlnos Ue
c3nstru d as Implying that any oJAl. Aliens
may be denied tue privilege Of becoming
citizens. Under the statute. aF i now stands.
a Cinnamon may become a citizen as vel; Is
an African, Or = German, or &C. Russian. Il
there IS anything 80 iOroid. Al Wi. b. -cG1d,
doubtless, III d decision Ct some California
court There IS E0,AlG-, however, TO ore
vent congress from denying 10 the Chinese
the privilege Of becoming citiz IS, Il Il j.. 50
disposed. By the BUrIiugame treaty al
rights il this respect are reserved by China
and the United States, 50 that law ezciad-
ing the Chinese from citizenship would not
violate any treaty stipulation. 4 law OF this
kind Is 10 be expected, and i is to be ex-
pected that those who are lou1e=t N deLounC-
lag the Chinese because they DO not choose
to become citizens will be the first to aJvo-
cate and vote for suoh law