Especially do I desire this in view of what might be termed the nnaencrous attack of the gentleman from Now York [Mr. Cox] yesterday on this bill. He was pleased to inform the Hoose that "this bill detracts from the valie of American citizenship." "that it discouraged immigration." and. thirdly. "that it songht to ingraft upon our stautebooks principles of. the feudal system." I need hardly stop to inform this ouse that if a single provision of this bill wats amenable to the objections thus raised by the gentleman from New York. not a single member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs would have consented for ie moment to entertain. much less report it. to the House and ask its passage at their hands. This till. sir. has its originin a necessity created by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution. which the membcrs of this House will remember provides "that all persons born or naturalized hi the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." to which is attached the clause providing that Congress shall enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation. The language of that fourteenth amendment is general. and hcleo it becomes necessary for Congress. in order to meet cases of inevitable exceptions. to define to some extent at least the status of American citizenship both here and abroad. In the bill now before us. in attempting to define that st.
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naturalized immigration