Search Nevada County Historical Archive
Enter a name, company, place or keywords to search across this item. Then click "Search" (or hit Enter).
To search for an exact phrase, use "double quotes", but only after trying without quotes. To exclude results with a specific word, add dash before the word. Example: -Word.

Collection: Directories and Documents > Tanis Thorne Native Californian & Nisenan Collection

C.E. Kelsey Correspondence with A.L. Kroeber (1904, 1913-1914) (11 pages)

Go to the Archive Home
Go to Thumbnail View of this Item
Go to Single Page View of this Item
Download the Page Image
Copy the Page Text to the Clipboard
Don't highlight the search terms on the Image
Show the Page Image
Show the Image Page Text
Share this Page - Copy to the Clipboard
Reset View and Center Image
Zoom Out
Zoom In
Rotate Left
Rotate Right
Toggle Full Page View
Flip Image Horizontally
More Information About this Image
Get a Citation for Page or Image - Copy to the Clipboard
Go to the Previous Page (or Left Arrow key)
Go to the Next Page (or Right Arrow key)
Page: of 11  
Loading...
G:-E. KELSEY . “LAWYER alfred L.Kroeber Papers ROOMS 69-70 AUZERAIS BUILDING Bancroft Library SAN JOSH, CAL. Chey iy apa Talegyr OE} Pose, Cad ti oy OGY 20, 1904. A. LL. Kroeber, "sq., fan Francisco. Calif. £9 Naar Sir:Yours of the 19%t1 reeeivea. IF fear that exact information resardiv:; tie status of Indians in California, t: i snip and right to vote coes not exist. there are no Ge ' have been able to .‘scover tiat confirm the Indian rights in any respect The first constitution of California proscribed Inéians as voters. , In tne present constitution this provision was omitted but Indiaas are not included amons those classes entitled to the elective traachise. Fhe Supreme Court ot the Unito¢ States decided in 1684, [1k vs Wilkins 112 “ oe 9 Cc thoes wae sens wry + eI + = 2 U. Se 94 that Incians “lo had abandoned tribal relations anc acdoptec civilized life must be naturalized to entitle them to vote. Our present 2 at . w ae) ced cae : 24. 7 2 2 2 constitutional provision limits the voting privilese to "native born eitizens of the Unitee Gu.tee," ic those wo becane citizens under tie syeaty wits ctexteo, (in. Faas aie net.) } c Gs , faa }o one those perscens Vio tave been naturaliceé as citizeas of the Unitec States. fare 4s also an educational requirement aacea a few years ago. J Inéian citigeisip in several acts of Indian must depend, watil rurtuer lewislation, is ti. act o2 ben. &, 1887, 24 Statutes at Large 390, as amencec by the ant of larch 3, 1901, Sl Statutes ut Larsze 1447, th. Yacien born within the nen provices that "Every 1 territorinl Llinits of we unitec States to tlom allotments sliall Leve been ay or trea, Weng every Indian born within Unitea States who has voluntarily taken up, te and apart from any tribe of ed life," x x X . ¢ ‘There were several approaches toward Con.ressbpuc te one vw On “si.ieh the made uncer" ti:is aet or any 1 the territorial limits of the within said limits, his resicence separa Indians therein and has acopted the habits of civiliz “ss hereby declared to be a citizen of the United States ang entitled to all the righte, privileses and immunities of such citizens," whether such Indian was by birth a member of a9 Indian tribe or nov. Jor. the intention was evidently to make tle Inéian a citizen and a voter anc I am inclined to think the provision quoted aceomvlishes it. But the Indian tiough a native was not a native born citizenerd in pretty nearly all communities he has not been allowed to vote. ‘iat the Courts wsoulé gecide I vould not undertake to Sé@}’.vhe only @eecision tovehing tnis provision of law Palivornia in People tion but the above quoged is in refcrence to the liquor lew or to vote was not in ques vs Pray, 105 Calif. 344, the right obiter dicta nfo tavorable to that right. It may aiso be a question that is, if it requires some further act if the law is self executing, ning if the Indian has actually adopted prescribing some means of ascertai:z aians wlio have been civilized life. We Lave hoard of but very few In allowed to register as voters, but there are some. I presume that if