Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-05-13
POLITICAL PRESCRIPTION.
The Methods OF Rhode Island Radicals.

REPORT OF SENATOR wALLACE's SELECT COM.
MITTEE ON TIE MEASURES WHICH MAIN
TAIN MINORITY IN PowER-PRo.
scRIPTIyE POLITICS DENOUNCED.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-The following
is an abstract OF Senator Wallaces re.
port presented to the Senate to-day:
The testimony taken by the commit.
tee at Providence discloses many dis.
ordinations by the laws Of Rhode Is.
land, and the practices under them,
against foreign born citizens of the
United States and of Rhode Island.
Naturalized citizens may own any
amount of personal property, and pay
any amount OF taxes thereon, but they
cannot vote unless possessed Of a GER
tain amount Of real estate. Foreign
born citizens who were naturalized and
voted in Rhode Island long before the
War of the Rebellion, and who served
the United States and the State OF
Rhode Island, in Rhode Island regi.
ments throughout the war, and who
have been shown to have lost this real
estate, have been deprived of the right
to vote by that loss. The result has
been in Rhode Island that very many
resident foreigners, not already made
citizens of the United States elsewhere,
on going to that State decline to be.
come naturalized. They decline to take
up the burdens of citizenship without
| being permitted TO enjoy its benefits.
As a specimen case your committee
refers to that of Col. James Moran, of
Providence. An abstract of his testi.
mony is as follows:
Lived here twenty-eight years foreign
er naturalized entered service of United
States from Rhode Island under promise
made by the State officials that foreigners
who went into the service could vote when
they came back commissioned AS second
lieutenant; promoted 10 captaincy served
three years honorably discharged held
an election for officials in Rhode Island in
his company in the army but could not
vote himself WAS "A voter once because he
owned real estate has lost il and cannot
vote now; been colonel in militia, and
notary public; majority of the operatives
in the mills are foreigners; are changed
about and can't save money TO buy homes
Although naturalized he cannot vote
because he does not possess the real
estate which Rhode Island laws make
it necessary for foreign born citizen
to own.
A similar case is that OF Col. John NJ.
Duffy, who had been a resident of Provi.
dence for twenty years. lie entered
the service of the United States in Nav,
1861, in the Second Rhode Island vol.
unteers as private, being promoted.
subsequently, to sergeant, Cd Lieutenant,
and lst lieutenant of that regiment.
After some service in the Second Rhode
Island volunteers, he was honorably dis.
charged to accept the commission in the
United States regular army as lst lieu.
tenant in the Thirteenth infantry. being
brevetted lieutenant colonel for gallant.
ry at the battle of Missionary Ridge.
lie remained in the army until 1869.
when he was discharged for disability,
and received pension of SIS per
month. Col. Duffy acquired real estate
after his return from the army. and
upon becoming naturalized, was permit.
ted to vote. Having lost his real estate
from the vicissitudes OF fortune he has
lost his right to vote.
| The case of Hon. Thomas Davis, for
merly a member of Congress from Rhode
Island, is given in the following con.
/
Live in Providence; foreigner; natu.
rallied forty-fve years ago seventy-five
years old manufacturing jewcler been
in both branches Of the Legislature a mum.
Der of times member of Congress from
Rhode Island In 1s53-'5I; then owned
real estate; l am net now qualified vut-
err / failed In business and the title to my
property passed to my assgnecs, and
cannot now vote; colored men now vote
here like native born whites, while every
foreign born citizen Is excluded unless he
owns real estate the effect of this Is bad !;
1t makes the voters mercenary; wealth
controls suffrage in Rhode Island money
is ali-powerful here IL can over whelm
public sentiment at any time here have
been both q Republican and a Democrat,
but always advocated the repeal OF this
| restriction.
Tbos. McMurrough.- h.-Naturalized can
not vote no real estate am president Of
the Rhode Island suffrage association !;
presented memorial praying for exten.
sion of suffrage 10 foreign born citizens ;
father lived in Massachusetts, n naturaliz.
ed citizen and voter there the line be-
tween the States was changed and we were
thrown into Rhode Island we cannot vote
now, for we own no land at least 5000
naturalized citizens in the State who can.
| not vote.
Daniel Donovan. -Naturalized came
from Connecticut; lived In the United
States since five years old am a skilled
mechanic ten Of us work together in one
room In our factory the highest grade
room In II six Of the ten ara foreigners
and cannot vote for want of land a house
and lot to suit my family would cost me
$4,000.
Instances are described in the testi
mony where naturalized citizens who
were the holders of real property have
been disfranchised because OF the con
demnation of their real property for
city purposes. In the case of the
Brooke street condemnation for the
city OF Providence, there were forty.
three persons previously entitled 10
vote who became disfranchised under
1 H.. 4. a