Speech #510040454

Just as strong and forcible a Iimitation upon the power of a Territorial assembly in prescribing what hall be necessary to constitute a foreigner a voter in the Territory as if it were in the Constitution of the United States instead of being in the statute. Now. hear this : First. The right of suffrage and of holding office shall be exercised only by citizens of the United States above the age of twentyone years and by those above that age who have declared on oath. before a competent court of recordNota clerk. not dealing. mind you. with the question of naturalization. dealing simply with the question of the qualification of voters. declaring who may vote in a Territoryby those above that. age who have declared on oath. before a competent court of record. their intention to become such. andAnd what else? and have taken an oath to support the Constitution and Government of the United States. No act of a Territorial Legislature declaring that a person who has simply declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States under section 2165 should be entitled to vote in a Territory would be valid so long as that act stood unrepealed upon the statutebook. Congress declares that a person may become a citizen primarily by declaring his intention to become one and his intention to renounce his former allegiance. leaving it to the State to say whether it will admit him upon that declaration to all the rights and privileges of full citizenship. but as to the Territories it was for Congress to say who should be a voter. and the policy of Congress. enacted.