Speech #500010844

The oath of allegiance was administered to me in open court by Judge Borden. the then presiding judge of the court of common pleas. The principal fact in connection therewith was the fact that I was going to Europe. I therefore insist that if we believe Captain White has told the truthand we may follow if we please the ordinary rules of law. but there is no obligation upon the House to observe any of these technical principles of legal practicewhen we are satisfied that Captain White has told the truth. whether we reach that decision according to the principles laid down in Greenleaf and by regular judicial decisions. or whether we reach the conclusion in any other way. if we believe Captain White. we are bound to believe he was a naturalized citizen at the time he states. and is eligible to a seat here. and we are bound to vote to give him that seat. There is an attempt made to showthat Mr. Jenkinson. one of the witnesses who. Captain White says. waspresent at the time of his naturalization. does not corroborate Captain White as to that fact occurring in 1865. Yet Mr. Jenkinson does recall one allimportant and forcible circumstance that occurred that day. When the naturalization was taking place it was remarked. as Mr. Jenkinson swears. that it seemed strange that a Federal soldier who had fought during the war should. after the close of that struggle. be obliged to go into court and renounce his allegiance to Queen Victoria. The following questions and answers occurring in Mr. Jenkinsons testimony overwhelmingly corroborate Captain White. Responding to a question he says: From the time he was first naturalized the matter had passed out of my mind for years until the Friday or Saturday evening before the last Nove.nber election. I noticed the fact that it was questioned in the Fort Wayne Gazette. which I was reading in my office that evening. Reading that statement revived in my mind instantly that I had been present at the time he was naturalized. Q. 4. To whom. if any one. did you communicate your knowledge of said naturalization? State when and precisely what was said on the subject as near as you can recollect. A. The first person I spoke to on the subject was Colonel Robertson. that was on the Thursday after the last November election. I was on my way In Bloomington that day and met Colonel Robertson at Greencastle Junction. in the conversation I had with him there I referred to the statement that Captain White had not been naturalized. and said. "It mustbe a mistake. because I felt sure I was present when he was naturalized.l Robertson immediately replied. "That is just what Jim White says." Q. 5. On your crossexamination. in your answer to question 41. you speak of some incident in these words: " There is one incident connected with the occasion which satisfies me that the purpose was not a mere declaration of intention." Please state what that incident was. A.