Speech #460010766

There is no law of Congress professing to prevent or punish frauds in voting or cond ucting elections. and the penalties relating to certificates of natmafization are by no means adeqnate. Mr. Chairman. prior to the year 1868. naturalizations in the city were effected only in the court of coninon pleas and the superior court. The average number naturalized each year in the two courts from 1856 to 1867 inclusive was 9.207. On the 0th of October. 1868. however. the supreme court. presided over by Judge Barnard. afterward impeached and removed. commenced operations. and in twentythree days 10.093 American citizens and democratic voters had been ground out by this new process. Between the 8th and the 23d of that month. this good judge. singlehanded and alone. ordered a daily average of 718 certificates of citizenship . but even his industry was exceeded by those who presided over the superior court. where MeCumn. assisted by Garvin. naturalized in one day (October 14) 2.109 persons. On other days. 1.868. 1.856. 1.842. and 1.760 were naturalized. the daily average for seventeen days being 1.415. and the indefatigable McCunn declared that lie could examine two witnesses in a minute. and often exceeded that number in practice. When it is remembered that timo is consumned in calling applicants al witnesses . in explaining what is to be proved. and in making room by withdrawal for others. the commit tees estimate of twelve naturalizations in one hour is a fair and liberal one. Attention is also called to the report of a select committee of the Twentyeighth Congress. where in speaking of a judge in Lonisana it says: It further appears that nearly four hundred certificates were issued in one day. and it seems to your committee impossible that this could have been legally done. The reputation of that State for extraordinary energy and ability in all matters pertaining to elections arid the puity of the ballotbox is so well known that it. needs no eulogy from me. but the skill displayed by the Now York democratic judge was as two to one in comparison to his Lonisiam prototype. Fortunately both were removed from the hench which they disgraced. The common pleas court had some oldfashioned notions about honesty and decency. and naturally was not in favor with these patriots zealous to confer the rights of citizenship upon all comers. so that during the whole year it granted but 3.145 certificates. Altogether there were issued in the three courts during that year 41.112 certificates of naturalization . more than four times the average of previous years. and two and a half times greater than the largest nnmber in any preceding year. In order to avoid theprevious declaration required by law. the largo majority of certificates issued were upon "miner applications." or those who had lived in the United States five years. including three years next precediag arriving at the age of twentyoue. In the supreme court in one month. out of a total of 10.093 nattralized. 9.711 were "minor applications." In the superior court. out of 17.572 certificates granted. 13.451 were on "minor applications." In many instances no renunciation of allegiance was made. and in some the records show that those who were born in Germany renounced allegiance to the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. That the whole plan was a prearranged one to cheat and defraud is clearly shown. The evidence is conclusive that between September 16 and October23there were printed for theuse of the courts 105.000blank applications and 69.000 certificates of naturalization. and this in the face of the fact that prior to 1868 the highest number naturalized in the city was 16.493 in 1856. Of this number 75.000 applications and 39.000 certificates were furnished to the supreme court between the 16th of September and the 22d of October. and to the superior court :10.000 applications and 30.000 certificates. and 10.000 were furnished to the supreme court so late as October 20. or within two weeks of the day of election. Of the whole number of certificates furnished the latter court but 1.800 remained after the naturalization mill had ceased from its labors in the interest of denmeracy anid pure elections. Certificates were issued in great numbers. signed and sealed in blank. and delivered to persons who never appeared in court or who never took the oath of allegiance. They were scattered broadcast over the city and to the adjoining counties. and democratic partisans in their anxiety for a fair ballot and an honest count supplied portions of New Jersey and Connecticut out of their abundance.