Robert Lowry charges James B. White with being an alien. White pleads naturalization. which is a plea in the nature of a plea of a matter of record. Lowry rejoins. "No suchrecord." Then. according to Blackstone. the trial is by inspection of the record itself. no other evidence being admissible. and upon inspection of the record it is found that there is no such record as that pleaded. and of course the plea fails and j udgment must be entered up accordingly of " No record. still an alien." Freeman on Judgments lays down the doctrine that the entry of a judgment nuncpro ten is always proper when a judgmnent has been ordered by the court. but the clerk has failed or neglected to copy it into the record. But an entry must be found somewhere in some book or record required to be kept by law in that court. I conclude. then. that there being no entry on any book or anywhere in the court of common pleas of Allen County. Indiana. there was nothing upon which a ninsl 1)ro tune order could have been cutered. and that this Congress will not by virtue of its plenary power. which has been invoked. declare that James B. White became a naturalized citizen of the United States seven years before the commencemeat of this Congress when there is not a court in the land which would so declare. I do not. understand that it has ever been held that Congress in the exercise of its plenary power will disregard settled principles of law. trample under foot mandatory statutes or constitutional provisions. I do not understand that Congress has the plenary power to admit a gentleman to this floor as a member who has not the constitutional qualifications of being twentyfive years of age. seven years a citizen of the United States. and an inhabitant of the State in which he shall be chosen.
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naturalized naturalization