Speech #430082938

I am in favor of tbe passage of flue bill for good reons that have been given . ut I take this opport iay to mae one remark npou the apparent changes of law which were made by I the Revised Statutes. certainly without the knowledge of Congress. and I doubt if they were with the knowledge of the committees of Congress who gave as much time and attention as was possible perhaps to the scheme of revision of the laws. I have been surprised since we passed the 1Revised Statutes. on a number of occasions. to find that the statute law of the United States was changed in very grsve particulars. and yesterday my attention was called to a case which I ask the patience of the Senate for one momenut while I bring it to their notice. Any one acqqainted with the legislative history of the past few years knows that the question has been raised on a number of occasions whether the word "white" shouldbe stricken from the naturalization laws or not. Some of the Senators and lembers who are more familiar with the condition of things existing upon the Pacilic coast thought it would be disastrous to the interests of civilization and good government on that coast to have Chinese naturalized. and therefore. and for that reason only. resisted the striking of the word "white" out of the naturalization laws. I need not perhaps give the basis for that belief. but they thought. among other things. that as these persons were actually imperialists. if they had any political sentiments. as they were ignorant of our language and very slowly acquired it. they might be naturalized in large numbers and sent in platoons to the polls. and consequently anything like free government under proper influences would be lost to American citizens where they were in large numbers. At any rate we made a most earnest struggle in both Houses ofeongress on that matter. The object of those who pressed for legislation in that direction was to enable certain persons who were of African descent to be naturalized. and finally there was a compromise made. by which the word "white " was left in the naturalization laws. but it was provided that aliens of African blood or African descent might be naturalized. So the law was placed in the statutebook. Africans being allowed to be naturalized. but the word "white" being retained for the very object that was explained in the debates at the time the provision was adopted in regard to Africans. that the Chinese might not be naturalized. Now. sir. I find by reference to the Revised StatutesAny alien may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States in the following manner and not otherwise. And the words are industriously excluded therefrom which are in the original statutes. which I traced up. providing that "any alien. being a free white person." may be naturalized Under the laws of the United States. It that is not legislation under the form of revision. in spite of the action of Congress intelligently had to accomplish a certain object. then I cannot give an instance of it. I call attention to this because it is possible that by and by I may ask that the law be put in stata quo. as it was before this provision was made. and also to show that it is a surprise upon us members from the western coast that any such legislation appears to have been adopted.