Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-10-22
RADICAL STA TESMANSHIP
HLUSTRA TED.


Rhode Island is u staunch and stal.
wart Republican State that has never
wavercd in its party fcalty for twenty
years. Under the Constitution OF this
model Republican Commonwealth no
naturalized citizen can exercise the suf-
fsage unless he owns real estate clear
OF debt to the value of sl34 at least.
The consequence of this Know-Nothing
provision is that the majority OF the
naturalized citizens are robbed of the
franchise. A naturalized voter may
have double and treble the amount of
the property required by this qualifi-
cation, but if none of it is in real estate
he cannot vote. Many emigrants do
not take the trouble of becoming natur.
allied, because naturalization does not
confer on them the political rights on
which they set the most value, Ac-
cording to the census taken in Rhode
Island in 1875, there were 10000
native born inhabitants of that State
who cast 81, 900 votes, or one vote for
every five native inhabitants. There
were II 900 inhabitants offoreign birth
who cast $500 votes, or one vote for
every thirteen or fourteen foreign
born inhabitants.
The attention of naturalized citizens
as well as of all lovers of political
equality, cannot be called too often to
this iniquitous provision of this boast
ed Republican State. Some of the tes.
timony taken by tho Wallace investi-
eating committee practically illustrates
its character. Among the witnesses
before the committee were naturalized
citizens who volunteered in defence of
the Union at the outbreak of the re-
bellion. Yet Rhode Island refuses the
right of sufferage TO these men, who
risked their lives for their country, be.
cause they do not possess the required
amount of real estate. To illustrate
how the Radical machine works as be-
tween a European and African, we
need state but one stubborn fact A.: A
Union officer, a naturdii.ed German,
brought ,0ih him to Rhode Island, at the
close of the wdr, freedman from the
South whom he had employed as servdnt.
The Union officer cannot Uote because he
does not possess a certain amount Of
Rhode Island dirt, but the negro can, be-
cause no such test is made against him.
II is applied only to the hated tohHe for.
eigners. The Hon. Thomas Davis, OF
the city of Providence, went to Rhode
Island thirty,four years ago, became
naturalized, and invested his money in
real estate He was several times
chosen to the State Legislature and in
1884 be represented Rhode Island in
Congress. He afterwards failed in
business and delivered up his property
to his creditors. The grey-headed old
man who once helped to mako laws
for Rhode Island as well as for the
whole country now finds himself rob
bed of the suffrage.
For this monstrous provision the Re-
publicans of Rhode Island are alone re.
sponsible. The Democrats every year
make the demand for its abrogation in
the State Convention, but the Repub
licans obstnately refuse to concede Ia
naturalized citizens the rights which
v'iv nas''Vs onJvy rnv rvpuoroanr
fear that change in the Constitution
admitting oil citizens to equal political
rights will destroy or greatly weaken
their power in the State. A Republi-
can Legislature made q pretence ol
conceding in 1870 by submitting an
amendment to the Constitution, but
the Republican politicians took care
that it did not receive the necessary
three-fflhs majority of the votes Of the
people OF the State. Thus the natur,
allied citizens of Rhode island who dc
not posses the requisite amount OF real
property remain disfranchised to this
day. The sovereign State of Rhode
Island in the exercise of its power
maintains this grossly partial and un-
just distinction between native born
and naturalized citizen. Rhode Island
has the undoubted right to put such
tests and qualifications to the enjoy
ment of the suffrage as she pleases
within the limits of the Constitution ol
theUnited States. Thepecular injustice
of this provision consists in the dis.
tinction which it makes against natu.
rallied citizens. The regulation OF the
suffrage is matter which belongs to
the States, and Rhode Island cannot
be restrained in the exercise of this
unjust power except through an amend
ment of tho Constitution of the United
States. As long as the spirit of Know.
Nothingism prevails among the Re.
publicans of Rhode Island an amend.
ment of the State Constitution is out Of
the question. 1t is well to hold up
this model Republican State frequently
for the serious consideration of natur.
allied citizens.
ATTENTION, DEMOCRATS l.
1T Is YOUR DUTY AS FREEMEN
TO GO TO THE POLLS ON THE
FIRST TUESDAY OF NOVEMBER