The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-20

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these facts he was citizen Of Nebraska at
the date of her admission into the Union.
which by the act of admission admitted
him to citizenship Of the United States,
and moreover, that he has won citizenship
by military service and otherwise.
Obviously the involvement of the ques-
ton of citizenship and of naturalization
and its consequences in such confusion
and uncertainty as this runs counter to
the letter and spirit of the federal consti-
tuition. That instrument confers upon
congress alone the power-which of course
implies the duty-.'to establish an uniform
rule Of naturalization"44th clause, Sec.
Will, Art. I. Considered in connection
with correlative clauses of the same in
strument, this plainly contemplates uni
form rules for comforting upon aliens who
are found worthy an exact equality, in all
respects but one eligibility to the presi-
dency) with natural born citizens, and
even as to this exception a reservation
seems implied in the 5th clause Of Art. II.
in favor Of those of foreign birth who were
citizens Of the United States at the time
the constitution was adopted.
1t would be disrespectful to the trainers
of the constitution to assume that this
provision was incorporated into the organic
law merely as matter of form and as q
barren compliment; that they intended to
make the benefciaries the equals of natural
born citizens merely in name, without
guarantee or security for any of the inn
munities and privileges belonging to the
latter. 1t would be an equal disrespect to
assume that they did not intend to make
naturalization mark OF distinction, and
an important one, between aliens upon
whom it might be conferred and other
aliens.
Considered with due respect to the
trainers, this provision was incorporated
with high appreciation of citizenship.
They meant that not only should naturali-
cation be uniform in the granting, but also
in its effects; that it should be worthily
bestowed; that it should endow its recipi-
ents with all that the term implies, with
rights as certain and unassailable as those
OF the native born, equal everywhere
within the jurisdiction of the federal con-
stitution and distinctly superior to those
of unnaturalized aliens. They clearly did
not intend that the fact of residence, the
fact of being deemed worthy, the fact of
naturalization and the fact of citizenship
should be subordinate to the possession
AID retention Of certificate of those facts.
But under the operation OF our naturali-
cation laws, there is conspicuous absence
of uniformity in the effect, comparing one
state with another. A citizen in one state
is an alien in another. In one state he
who after a residence in the country for
two years has taken the first step enjoys
equal privileges with another who in an
adjoining state can only enjoy them after
five years residence and full comp,i-
ance with the law. He who in one state
may by his vote decide the presidency and
the complexion of congress, cannot in an
adjoining state participate in the choice of
constable or justice of the peace.
This Is far from uniformity in the effects
of naturalization, and it is but fair to as
sumo that uniformity IN this respect, equal
ity and certainty of the distinction and the
right conferred, was the chief object of the
constitutional provision. In naturalization
laws of the United States. enacted pursuant
to the federal constitution, uniformity in
effect of naturalization should be guaran-
teed. Provision should be made for main
tanning thu intended distinction between
naturalized citizens and aliens, at all events
and everywhere equally in respect to par
ticipation in the choice of federal officers.
Rules and conditions for comforting the
distinction should be uniform, clear and
explicit, and should bear rational and
distinct relation to the importance and the
value of the distinction to be conferred.
And then by some means it should be
definite, positive, readily established, and
freed from all avoidable limitations and
exactions.