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LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES

RELATIVE TO

NATURALIZATION.

REMARKS.

THE first act of Congress "to establish an uniform rule of naturalization," in accordance with the power conferred by the eighth section of the first article of the Constitution of the United States, was approved March 26, 1790.*

On the 29th of January, 1795, this act was repealed and new regulations were established by another act;† and to the latter act were added still further regulations by an act June 18, 1798.‡

On the 14th of April, 1802, all regulations upon naturalization hitherto made and in force were abolished and new ones instituted by an act entitled "An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on that subject."||

Two years later, March 26, 1804, was approved " An act in addition to's the act of 1802, prescribing the mode by which aliens who resided in the United States between 18th June, 1798, and 14th April, 1802, might become citizens, and providing that the widows and children of aliens who had complied with the conditions of naturalization, but died before admission, should be considered citizens.

On the 3d of March, 1813, by the twelfth section of "An act for the regulation of seamen on board the public and private

* United States Statutes at Large, vol. 1, p. 103.

Ib., vol. 1, p. 566.

Ib., vol. 1, p. 414.

Ib., vol. 2, p. 153.

Ib., vol. 2, p. 292.

24th

vessels of the United States," it was declared that five years of continued residence in the United States was necessary to qualify a person to become a citizen. And on the 30th of July, 1813, by "An act supplementary to acts heretofore passed," it was provided that persons who were resident in the United States on the 18th June, 1812, and who had made a declaration of their intention to become citizens of the United States, should be admitted.

On the 22d of March, 1816, by an act entitled "An act relative to evidence in cases of naturalization," it was provided. that evidence of the time of the arrival of an alien and of his intention to become a citizen should be exhibited on his application for admission-the proceedings otherwise to have no validity and declared the rights of persons who arrived in the United States between June 18, 1798, and April 14, 1802.

On the 26th of May, 1824, by an act entitled "An act in further addition to an act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization," &c., additional provisions and explanations were given respecting the declaration of intention required by the act of 1802, and the conditions on which aliens who had arrived during minority might be admitted to citizenship.

On the 28th of May, 1828, by an act entitled "An act to amend the acts concerning naturalization,"§ it was provided that aliens residing in the United States between the 14th of April, 1802, and the 18th of June, 1812, might become citiAnd on the 26th of June, 1848, by "An act to amend the act" of March 3, 1813, the provision requiring a continued residence of five years in the United States previous to naturalization was repealed.

zens.

*United States Statutes at Large, vol. 2, p. 811.

Ib., vol. 3, p. 258.

|| Ib., vol. 4, p. 69.

Ib., vol. 3, p. 53.
Ib., vol. 4, p. 310.

The second section of the act of 1802 and the first section of the act of 1816 were repealed by the act of 1828.

United States Statutes at Large, vol. 9, p. 240.

LAWS.

AN ACT to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on that subject.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any alien, being a free white person, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, or any of them, on the following conditions, and not otherwise:

First. That he shall have declared, on oath or affirmation, before the supreme, superior, district, or circuit court of some one of the States or of the territorial districts of the United States, or a circuit or district court of the United States, three years at least before his admission, that it was, bona fide, his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whereof such alien may, at the time, be a citizen or subject.

Secondly. That he shall, at the time of his application to be admitted, declare, on oath or affirmation, before some one of the courts aforesaid, that he will support the Constitution of the United States, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whereof he was before a citizen or subject; which proceedings shall be recorded by the clerk of the court.

Thirdly. That the court admitting such alien shall be satisfied that he has resided within the United States five years at least, and within the State or Territory where such court is at the time held one year at least; and it shall further appear to their satisfaction, that during that time he has behaved as a man of a good moral character, attached to the principles of the constitution of the United States, and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the same: Provided, That the oath of the applicant shall, in no case, be allowed to prove his residence.

Fourthly. That in case the alien applying to be admitted to citizenship shall have borne any hereditary title, or been of

any of the orders of nobility in the kingdom or state from which he came, he shall, in addition to the above requisites, make an express renunciation of his title or order of nobility in the court to which his application shall be made; which renunciation shall be recorded in the said court: Provided, That no alien who shall be a native citizen, denizen, or subject of any country, state, or sovereign with whom the United States shall be at war at the time of his application, shall be then admitted to be a citizen of the United States: Provided, also, That any alien who was residing within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States before the twentyninth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, may be admitted to become a citizen, on due proof, made to some one of the courts aforesaid, that he has resided two years, at least, within and under the jurisdiction of the United States, and one year, at least, immediately preceding his application, within the State or Territory where such court is at the time held; and on his declaring, on oath or affirmation, that he will support the Constitution of the United States, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whereof he was before a citizen or subject; and, moreover, on its appearing, to the satisfaction of the court, that during the said term of two years he has behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the Constitution of the United States, and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; and where the alien applying for admission to citizenship shall have borne any hereditary title, or been of any of the orders of nobility in the kingdom or state from which he came, on his moreover making in the court an express renunciation of his title or order of uobility, before he shall be entitled to such admission; all of which proceedings, required in this proviso to be performed in the court, shall be recorded by the clerk thereof: And provided, also, That any alien who was residing within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States at any time between the said twenty-ninth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, and the eighteenth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, may, within two years after the passing of this act, be admitted to become a citizen without a compliance with the first condition above specified.

SEC. 2. Provided, also, and be it further enacted, That, in ad

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