That city. sir. has more than a vivid recollection of the way in which the Federal election law was enforced in 1872. Our foreignborn citizens will never forget it. It was true. as the gentleman from Massachusetts has observed. that a few fraudulent naturalization papers were Issued in 1868. It was upon this pretense that every foreignborn citizen who appeared at the polls with a Democratic ticket in his hand. exhibiting naturalization papers issued in 1868. was arrested and imprisoned. -His papers were taken from him. and in hundreds of instances never returned to him. In vain he pleaded at the office of the United States supervisor for their return. I say that there are today hundreds of foreignborn citizens in the State of New York entitled to vote who can not exercise the franchise because they were robbed of their papers at that time. The plain maxim of justice and law. that a man is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. was reversed. The rule that ninetynine guilty men should escape rather than that one innocent man should suffer. was reversed. Every Democrat naturalized in 1868 was presumed to be guilty. Ninetynine innocent men were punished that one guilty man might not escape. The innocent lost their naturalization papers and the punishment was lasting. No foreignborn citizen in New York State will advocate the passage of this law. They know too well what it means when exe. cuted by John I.
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naturalized naturalization