I have said that this bill refers to a kindred subject. the status of an American citizen abroad. It does not affect dirctly the qiestion of naturalization. but naturalization is a kindred question to this. In Wiirtemberg citizenship is obtained by acquiring landed property in or near the city or ceimanne where the foreigner has established his residence. and it cosfers all the privileges and subjects him to all tle obligations of a native. In Prussia. by a law of 1842. the superior administrative authorities are empowered to mturalize. with a few exceptions. any stranger who satisfies them of his good condict. Other instances might be cited. ManyEuropean governments have shown also in other matters. as for instance by the abolition of the passport system.that it is wise to inake ceicessious to the liberal tendency a sd the commercial spirit of the age. The stattebooks of the several States of the Union also demonstrate that the existing naturalization laws have become too illiberal. Though no State can confer upon any alien all the rights amnd privileges of a citizen of the United States. it maygrant him any civil or political privileges within its own jurisdiction not inconsistent with the laws of the United Statcs. Usder this residuary power many- of the Western States have passed statutes which allow aliens to bold land. to exercise the elective franchise. and to enjoy many of the privileges of citizens. a liberal policy which ba cosetributed greatly to the rapid settlement of these States and to their increasoia woalt and prosperity. At the close of the late war four millions of negroes were a.t once invested with the rights of citizenship. and the constitutional. and legislative changes by which this result was proenred should have been followcd up by a modification of the naturalization laws in tic direction indicated. But it was not done. On the contrary. in the year 1869 a strong attempt was made to deprive the State courts of all power in the premises.
Keywords matched
naturalization