Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-06
NATURALIZED CITIZENS.
WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES OF PERSONS
WHO DESIRE TO BECOME CITIZENS
OF THE UNITED STATES

WHO DESIRE TO BECOME CITIZENS
OF THE UNITED STATES
The intense interest which will be felt
in the approaching presidential election
warrants the assurance that every male
resident of the United States who has ar
rived at the age of 81 years will desire to
vote. There are many persons who,
through carelessness, may have neglected
to take the necessary steps to entitle
them to all the privileges of citizenship,
and they should proceed at once to obtain
the necessary papers, in order to avoid
the throng and delay which will follow
later on, as election day approaches. To
these persons the following information
will be valuable:
There are two classes of applicants for
citizenship: Those who arrive in this
country before they reach the age of Is
years, and those who come here after
they have passed that age.
With regard to those who come here
after they are Is years of age, the pro-
cess of naturalization is quite simple.
They must make declaration of their
intention to become citizens, which must
be done in court of common law juris-
diction, which has a clerk and a seal.
A certified copy of this declaration is
given to the applicant, which he should
carefully keep; Having obtained this
certified copy, he can then apply for a
full certificate of his citizenship two years
thereafter; provided, however, that he
has resided for five consecutive years in
the United States, and the one immediate
ly preceding the application in the State
wherein he applies for admission Each
application must then have witness
to certify to such facts under oath and in
open court. 1t is not necessary that such
witness should be citizen himself. The
witness must be prepared there to certify:
l. That he is acquainted with the ap-
plicant, and knows of his own knowledge
that he is the indentical person mention
ed in the certified copy of the declara-
ton of intention.
2. That the applicant has had con-
tinuous residence for the preceding five
years in the United States Ca temporary
absence for business or pleasure does not
break the continuity, nor does the fact
of any person engaged in the marine ser
vice being almost constantly away inter
fere, provided the intention is declared
and he deems the place of the applica-
ton his home) and also that the appli-
cant has resided the preceding year in
the State in which the application is
made
8. That the applicant is a person of
good moral character, adapted to the prin-
ciples of the constitution of the United
States and we'll disposed to the good or
der and happiness of the same.
With regard to the first class the pro-
cess is somewhat different. Minors, that
is, those who have arrived in this coun-
try intending 10 remain, before they are
18 years of age, are not required to make
a formal declaration of their intention to
become citizens. Nevertheless, they will
be required to certify before Judge that
has always been their intention to become
citizens. The minor must have witness
who can swear positively to the following
fact:
Il l. That he is personally acquainted
with the applicant, and knew him in this
country before he was Is years of age.
This, in many cases, is very difficult to
do, particularly in those cases where the
applicant was between the 18th and 18th
birthday when he landed. In such cases
the applicant should, if possible, bring
some one of his relatives, if he have any,
and if he have none, then he should be
able to show some documentary evidence
which would corroborate the averments
of himself and his witness.
2. That he knows that the applicant
is over 21 years of age.
8. That he knows that the applicant
has had a continuous residence of five
years next preceding in the United States,
and one Immediately preceding in the
State where the application is made.
4. That it has been the intention of
the applicant to become citizen.