San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-17
THE MEXICAN QUESTION
LAWYERS M'MINN AND EVANS
HAVE THEIR TURN.
Say They Have Not Been Treated Fair
And Now Put Fourth Some Very
Cold Facts.
To The San Antonio Light:

| DOIlle the ldSll, the ldlSelOOuS, anu lue
Misrepresentation of a portion of the
| Southwest Texas newspapers, and po-
liticaI memberships and demagosues;
and now write this for your paper. not
so much to set ourselves right and to
| correct the many falsehoods hurled at
us as to place the question fully be-
| fore the public; a thing that no one of
| the several sheets or newspapers have
| done.
From the year 1902 until now the
laws of the United States have per-
mtted aliens by adoption, being free
white persons (and after the abolition
of slavery in the United States), per-
! sons of African nativity and African
| descent, to become citizens. This is
| too clear for denial, as will be seen
| by the last revision of our naturaliza-
ton laws, of date, February 18th, 1870,
IS vol. statute at large, page 31S; and
that there may be no mistake, here is
the law:
THE provisions of this title shall ap-
ply to aliens being free white persons
and to aliens of African nativity and
to persons of African descent"
Naturalization is a right and privi-
lege granted to aliens, and not duty
forced upon them. Coming to the
United States, they can go before the
courts, and complying with the laws,
become citizens, or they can stay out
of the courts and live and die aliens to
this country.
Now, under this state of the case
one Richard CRicardo) Rodriguez vol
UNFAIRLY presented himself before the
United States Circuit court for the
Western District of Texas, asking and
demanding a judgment of that court
making him a citizen of the United
States.
In doing this said Rodriguez had to
demonstrate before that court as fol-
lows
First. That he caI previously taken
the preliminary oath.
Second, That he is an alien-that is
persOn born in a foreign country.
Third, That he is a person who is
permitted by the naturalization laws
to become a citizen-that is a ''free
white person, or a person OF African
nativity or African descent"
lie ldilutt u SdlI IkrllS utIs " SlloN
all or either of these things to be true,
is fatal to his naturalization.
This proposition cannot be gainsaid
unless the denier wishes to rank
as a judicial ass, and n willful deceiv-
er of ignorant MeXicans for vile pur-
poses.
AS before stated the said Richard
CRicardo) Rodriguez presented him
self before the court above, and the
proceedings instituted by him, (and
not by us or any one else, as has been
falsely stated again and again with
the record before them stands as fol-
lows:
"EXparte-Ricardo Rodriguez. APP
plication for final naturalization"
When this proceeding came up for a
hearing il the court, we interposed OBJ
jections In so doing we exercised our
clear legal rights, as American citizens
voters 9nd attorneys of the court.
We objected to his naturalization sole
ly upon the last or third ground above
that IS that the applicant is not a
free white person or person of Afri-
can nativity or descent.
Thus the issue was made at the May
term, 1896, of the United States Cir
cult court at San Antonio, and is pend
ing yet, and until decided common de-
cency demands that the matter rests
with the court.
But at this point for political and
other purposes, a howl comes up from
Mexican leaders and white men that
r. j. McMinn, and A. ]. Evans, have
commenced proceedings in the court to
dsfranchiSe Mexican citizens and VOt-
ers.
OF what do these hOwlers complain?
Let them specify. Is it that McNIinn
and Evans had no right to object?
If this is the complaint, then the OBJ
lection has been Overruled by the
court; in fact, was not made by Rod
riguez's attorney, Mr.. Fiske. Is it
because these howlers wish to perpe-
trate a political fraud upon the United
States Circuit court. and upon honest
voters and citizens of our republic, and
a violation of our naturalization laws,
by naturalizing a person not having
the right to such a boon? Yes, this is
the course. If Rodriguez is a free
white person" he will get his papers,
and this is the end of the matter; if
he is not free white person or a per-
son of African nativity or descent he
will be denied his papers. And We
here assert truism, when we say
that any American officer or citizen, or
voter of the United States who wishes
to have a person not entitled, made a
citizen of the United States, is himself
bad citizen. political traitor, and de-
serves fOrcible eXpatriation.
Now Mr.. Editor, the only thing re-
| naming open to the honest and fair
discussion of this matter is, has the
objection of McMinn and Evans any
| force-that is, is Rodriguez a white
person?
This is a question of fact; and one
| that the court must find upon. The
| applicant was in open court-his per-
son was in evidence. He is of small
statue, very swathy I'm color-much
darker than the ordinary mulatto-has
| coarse black Indian hair-has high
Indian hopnc-naitbar