The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1837-12-30
THE NATIVE AMERICAN
For he Nat,pe .anerieaa.

NATURALIZING ALIENS, PROVED FROM IT'S
TENDENCY TO EMBROlL oUR GofEhN-
MENT WITH FOREIGN NATIONS
Mr.. EDrToR: Impressed with the Importance
of piece of information contained in late six
column editorial of the Inteligencer, touching
that part of the Message which refers to the state
of our claims on Mexico, l venture to declare,
openly and honestly, the conclusions drew from
its perusal 1t is as follows: IS. de A. De @.
Santangelo. This individual is a naturalised CT
tizen Of the United States. He was the Editor
of newspaper at the city Of Mexico, called Ell
Coreo Atantico, and he and his wife kept school
there for the instruction of young women. Some
remarks in his paper having given offence to the
Mexican Government, his passport sent to
him in June, 1895, with an order TO quit that
country within -- days. lie claims $780,
600 as an decentralization for has sudden bG-
nistnae,af, and sohich he declares TO hare been
contrary to the Merical lars, as GeH as az Uto-
lation Of his rights as caisea Of The Umted
Stafes.'
Without entering, Sir, into the merits OF the
claim, propose seriously to inquire TO what sad
and disorganizing results this loose custom we
have adopted of aggregang TO our body polite,
without sufficient preparatory apprenticeship IN
political education, all the strangers and alventu-
rers who come to our ports, will inevitably lead
us, and to how much Inconvenience and danger
the consequent necessity Of adopting the quarrels
of those natlralised foreigners, who, in the
above cited, shall at any time in collision
with any foreign government with which we are
on terms of peace and amity, must expose us.
By making them citizens of this Republic, we
actually pledge " co nstante" the public faith to
protect them, and consequently, whenever it shall
happen that those artificial citizens, through vena
ambitious motives, attempt to interfere with the
internal poty of nations friendly to us, and as in
result of failure, they be punished by the laws
of the land our Executive is bound to step in, and
demand explanation and satisfaction for the insult
offered, or the injury done, to the rights or pro-
perty of an American citizen.
We have enough in all conscience to attend to.
and for which we are responsible, to protect our
own native-born countrymen, without thus in
creasing by our own acts the and duties Of
our Government; since il is fact too clear to be
denied, that every time an alien is naturalised, he
acquires ipso facto right to enjoy all the advan-
fages that are shared among children Of the soil;
and among other claims, that of demanding from
his adopted country protection retributive JUS
tice, when his rights and person have been vio-
lated.
Suppose, by way of illustration, German
Republican, one of those heady and selEwilIed
students of German universities, were to flee to
our shore as to refuge from the offended laws
OF his own country, and when the accustomed
five years had elapsed, or by perjury, &C., he shall
have obtained the dignity of an American citi-
zen, and by SO doing, have acquired right to ex-
act countenance and support from our Govern
ment. Scarcely have the new title and immuni-
ties been conferred, when he leaves this country
and returns TO his own, invested with new cha
racter and under the protection of an American
passport. He forthwith, as did SAINT Angelo at
Mexico, establishes a Revolutionary Press, by
means Of which scditious articles are sent among
the people, to excite them to revolt. The CO.
vemment seize his Journal, confscate his proper
ty, cast him into prison, and arraign him before
the appointed tribunal, on the plea of High Trea-
son.
| should like to know what would our Execu-
tive do under such circumstances! Would the
President send belligerent Indictment of the
German Potentate to Congress, as in the Mexican
affair! Would our Minister Agent, at his Court
be instructed to demand the traitor, because few
months previous he had been admitted to citizen
ship under our laws! And does any one imagine
for moment, that the prisoner would be liberated
on the demand! Would, in fine, the mprison-
ment, fine, exile, or death, Of the offender, be
deemed matter sufficiently important to justify an
appeal to the ultima ratio regum'--to the arbi-
trament of the sword!
why, cOulu we expect any tning but the pun
ishment of the man traitor, when we all must
know that in Europe the maxim !" memo potest
exuere patram'' is asserted, and consequently that
the mere acquisition, by Europeans, of the rights
of citizenship in the United States does not at all
exempt them from the penalties or disabilities of
treason whenever they dare to interfere with the
established laws and institutions of their native
land! Will they not, | ask, holding this maxim to
be orthodox, resist "vi ct armis' every attempt
on our part to weaken the opinion that allegiance
is perpetual and universal, not temporary and To-
cal!
We will then be placed in an unenviable posi-
tion-we will be obliged to espouse the quarrels
OF those who come to for the purpose OF re-
newing with new vigor and security, the seditious
schemes interrupted by their exile, being bound
in justice and equity to treat them as Natives
when once we have hailed them as fellow citi-
zens.
This illustration is made practical in the case
which is the text of my discourse The facts.
Sir, are these: The President has come before
Congress in his Annual Message, and among var-
Gus important matters and suggestions. has told i
that our claims upon the Government of Mexico
remain unsettled, and that at its hands are IN bc
meeted forth :" the time, the manner, and the mo-,