Speech #510091441

From this clause it appears that upon the happening of a contingency. that is to say. in .ase the State officers shall neglect or refuse to immediately put an oath or oaths to the voter and to at once pass upoa the qualifications of the challenged party. the Federal supervisor shal L without delay put such oath or oaths and promptly pass upon the qualifications of such person. This is an extraordinary power. for in determining upon the qualification of the challenged party he passes not only upon his competency to vote for Representatives in Congress. but also upon his competency to vote for State and county officers. Again. clause 12 of section 8 provides that the supervisors shall have authorityTo make. in any city or town having 20.000 inhabitants or upward. when required by the chief supervisor. a list of all such persons as shall be naturalized in any court therein. the date of their naturalization. whether as a minor or otherwise. with the residence of such persons. their place of nativity. and the name and residence of their witnesses. and for such purpose. shall have at all times access to and the right to examine the original affidavits or applications p resented or which have been presented to said courts and there filed. Such lists so made shall be filed in the office of the chief supervisor. Naturalized citizens are qualified voters under State laws for State officers. and so far as these officers of the State are concerned. their right to vote should not be questioned by any one. and certainly not by a Federal supervisor of elections. If it is not intended to dispute the right of naturalized citizens to vote in any and all elections. why are these investigations made? And why should the names of such foreignborn citizens be filed in the office of the chief supervisor? Under this provision a foreignborn citizen. no matter how long he may have been naturalized. no matter what service he may have renderei the country. becomes an object of suspicion and the subject or investigation by a partisan supervisor. and his name is placed on file with the chief supervisor as a "suspect." The Republican party can take to its loving embrace the negro. the black man. but discriminates against the foreignborn white man because of the accident of birth. Other provisions of the bill might be referred to showing. as conclusively as those I have commented upon. that the attempt is being made to obtain control of the election of the various local officers of the various States. and if this bill shall pass and be approved it will be an utter subversion of the Constitution and the longest stride that has yet been taken towards centralization. In fact. centralization will have been accomplished. and the State governments will only exist in such manner as the General Government may graciously permit.