It is neither a sectional question nor a race question. it goes deeper than that. It is a question of the preservation of republican institutions. which depend for their existence upon the popular will as expressed in our elections being honestly carried out. It is settled in this country that the negro is a citizen. that the Irishman who comes here and becomes naturalized is a citizen. that the German who casts his lot with us and becomes naturalized is a citizen. That the people of nearly every nation on earth can come here and. by virtue of law. become naturalized citizens of this country. all of us understand and know. While there are exceptions. these naturalized foreigners have brought to the nation power. yielded willing obedience to law. and largely contributed to the material welfare that has placed us among the foremost Governments of the world. If this is true. it follows that he who raises his hand to prevent their exercise of the right of citizenship. which we deliberately give to these men by law. is an enemy to his country. no matter how he may undertake to disguisd it. for. if one can. many may. and where in sufficient numbers. thus band themselves together and determine that any class of men who are entitled to vote shall be deprived of that right. it will be but a little while before revolution is inaugurated. The success and the maintenance of republican institutions will be at stake. and whenever men make that assault in any considerable numbers they will be sure to meet with resistance.
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naturalized