But at the same time I came to consider it with the sympathy and feelings akin to those which were manifested by many members on the floor of the House but a few moments ago when the fact was alluded to that this contestee had shed his blood for the preservation of the Constitution. Of what value is that Constitution to us. of what value is it that men shall shed their blood for its preservation. unless it be preserved in the purity of its provisions without regard to conditions. or policies. or parties? All provisions of the law favoring the naturalization of aliens who were soldiers are to be heartily approved. But those provisions do not apply to this case. The law does not go so far as to make such soldiers citizens without having complied with its plain requirements. I do not forget. sir. that upon one occasion a battlescarred veteran of three wars was elected to this House as a member. backed by a majority three times as large as that of this contestee. and by that party over there lie was sent back and his district turned over to his opponent. I allude to the case of the gallart General Shields. when he came here as a Representative from the State of Missouri. I remember. also. that uponaIbrmer occasion. at an earlier day.when he was elected to the United States Senate from the State of Illinois. le was virtually sent back to the people by the Senate. because at that time he had not yet been naturalized. I remember that the records show that Albert Gallatin. who was here at the birth of the Republic.was deprived of his seat on the same ground.
Keywords matched
naturalized naturalization