Speech #470025028

The constitution of the State of California. adop ed March 3. 1879. and ratified b2 a vote of the people May 7. 1879. provides. article 2. section 1: Every native inal citizen of the United Stales. every male person who shall have acquired the lights of citizenship isnler or by virtue of the treaty of Quoeretaro. and every male naiturZeld ciLizen thereof. who shall have been a resident. * * * 1shall it entitled to vote at all elections which are now or may hereafter be anthorizod bylaw: Proided. No native of China. no idiot. * * * criminal. &c.." shall ever exercise the privilege of an elector in this State. Although a Chinaman might have been duly naturalized. and thereby have becone a citizen of the United States. with all the rights. inmunities. and privileges as such iu all the other States of this Union. yet so soon as lie shall enter the State of California these rights and privileges of citizenship are struck down. and y the fundamental law of that State he can never "exercise the privileges of ain elector" in that State. Article 14 of the amendments of the Constitution of the United States declares: SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States. and snbiectto the jurisdiction thereof. are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Section 2 of the sam article provides: Representatives shall be al)portionedamong the several States according to their respective nunibers. counting the whole numbor of persons in each State. excluding Indians not taxed. But when the tight to vote at any election for the choice of electors for rresident aild Viceiresident of the United States.