New York Times

NATURALIZATION.; Unprecedented Rush for Papers Naturalization of Discharged Soldiers The Law of the Case Twenty Thousand votes Added to the County Vote.
Published: October 26, 1864

The rush for maturalization papers this season is unusually large, even fer a Presidential campaign. The Judges of the Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas have their hands full with the work of transforming aliens into full-grown citizens, at the rate of nearly five hundred per day. This unprecedented rush is partially owing to the fact that large numbers of foreigners, who have refrained from taking out their papers from a dread of making themselves liable to a draft, have come to the conclusion that the conscription will never be enforced in New-York, and that they may as well have their share of the fun of electing a President.

About five per cent. of the number who take out their papers are

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS,

who have received an honorable dismissal from the service of the United States. An erroneous impression prevails in some quarters that the act of Congress allows alien soldiers who have served one year in our army to vote, without being naturalized. This is not the case. The law only permits them to be naturalized without a previous declaration of intentions, and without requiring a five years' residence. The following is the section:

And be it further enacted, That any alien of the age of twenty-one years and upward, who has enlisted, or shall enlist in the armies of the United States, either the regular or volunteer forces, and has been, or shall be hereafter honorably discharged, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, upon his petition, without any previous declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and that he shall not be required to prove more than one year's residence within the United States, previous to his application to become such citizen; and that the court admitting such alien, shall, in addition to such proof of residence and good moral character, as is now provided by law, be satisfied by competent proof of such person having been honorably discharged from the service of the United States as aforesaid. Sec. 21, Chap. 220, Laws of the 37th Congress, 2d Session, page 597, approved July 17, 1862.

At the commencement of the present term, the question came up as to how far this act applied to the navy. Judge MONCRIE[???], of the Superior Court, was inclined to the opinion that the act had refer ence to the naval as well as to the military service; but this view of the case was not concurred in by the other Judges, and the language of the act has been construed to include only soldiers.

ANOTHER INDUCEMENT

to take out naturalization papers at this season, is the fact that political organizations are willing to pay the required fees, in the hope, of course, of a grateful remembrance at the polls. The fees amount to about three dollars and a half for each person, an insignificant sum, but one which our thrifty foreign friends are very willing to save. The way this is generally done, is for any organization to deposit a sum with the Clerk of the Superior Court, to pay the dues for all persons whom it brings up for naturalization. A great saving of time is effected by this mode of procedure.

NATIONALITY.

The majority of the persons who are taking out their papers this Fall are, of course, Germans. They are mostly well-to-do mechanics. The Emerald Isle contributes a nearly equal share of naturalized citizens. Here and there among the crowds that jostle each other in the different court-rooms, you may see an Italian or Frenchman; but the proportion of these to the whole number is very small. Most of the persons naturalized appear to be men of intelligence, who will make respectable and useful citizens.

THE NUMBER NATURALIZED

this Fall, it is estimated, will reach 20,000 to 25,000. This immense number of new voters will take part in the coming election, and will share with the native born citizens the responsibility of deciding the important questions on which the fate of this great country depends.

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David Upton