The native American., 1838-01-06

is sought for, and industry receives a recompense
beyond that which itcan obtain in the old world;-
when we see daily instances that Europe is max
ing its lazar-house and its Botany Bay, casting
upon us the inmates of its poor houses and pris-
ons and transporting to shores in their vessels
of war; and almost in chains, the felons spared by
the policy or humanity of their monarchs, on con-
dition that their own soil shall be spared the
pollution Of their presence, and that these
men will contend with us and our children, for
political supremacy at the polls; we cannot but
think that the time has more than come, when
we should endeavor to free ourselves from such
disgracefu and demoralizing association, and that
we are bound to make the name of an American
citizen passport of honor, and not brand OF
reproach or nfamy. A native American, may
be disfranchised, but there is nothing to prevent
Meuner and Boireau, and men of their stamp,
who cannot be prosecuted to conviction in our
country, for offences committed in another, from
being naturalzed, and exercising the elective
franchise. Again, after very short and ineffi-
cent probation, not only insufficient for them to
learn and properly estimate the value of a rational
liberty, circumscribed within copstitutional lin
its and restricted by the laws of the land, but not
even long enough for them to forget the passions
and the preiudices of the Old Wold-its follies
and its crimes-we cannot but arrive at the con-
clusion that it is the mere engrafting, on hatred
of monarchy, conceived under real or fancied OPP
preston, wild idea of unlicensed and unrestrict-
IL Il nd cluo uladua hxy]
laws, and contrary to the true intent and mean
ing of our institutions. We do not mean to say
that this embraces all foreigners who come to set
tie among us; for we acknowledge, with pleasure,
that large portion Of our adopted citizens, are
such as we have every reason to be satisfied
with; nay, more-are among our first citizens IN
attachment to the laws and reverence for the Con-
stituton, in devotion to Republican principles
and love of freedom; but none will have the har-
dhood to deny, that more than majority Of our
foreign population are men, who know nothing
of the real character of our Institutions, and feel
no interest for their perpetnity.
To our already adopted citizens we would
say, we respect the sacredness Of compacts, and
have no wish to deprive you of any rights you
have acquired. To those who are with us, and
may plead that the present naturalization laws
existed at the time they made the United States
the land Of their adoption, we say, we have no
objection to your enjoying the privilege held out
to you by an excessive and mistaken liberality;
declare your intentions, and if, in the interim,
you shall have committed no act, which would
disfranchise native citizen, we will receive you
into political brotherhood; and you will see that
in crcumscribing the privilege to those already
in the country, and refusing it to others, we en-
hance the value of the boon conceded to yourselves.
To all new comers, we are willing to extend
every privilege short of the elective franchise;
short of making them political masters, or,
as we have already said, the arbiers in politi
gree of lberality which is not to be found in the
code of any other nation upon earth. To follow
out this subject, would require more extended
ampliication than we believe to be necessary at
this moment, and we have contented ourselves
with placing before you few prominent facts,
the outlines Of which can hereafter be filled in.
Secondly-We wish to place before you and
the world, frank and manly exposition of our
principles and views. We believe them to be
such as will pass through the crucible of public
opinion, and come out as pure gold from the
furnace. Are we to be charged with hostility to
any, because we refuse to share with those with
whom possess no ties of blood or lineage,
an inheritance purchased by the valor and paid
for with the blood of our fathers, and which we
hold ourselves sacredly bound to transmit unm-
paired to our children!
Fellow citizens, we seek for constitutional
rights in peaceful and constitutional manner
we ask you to form Associations homogeneous and
congenial to ours, and we shall be happy to hear
that you take it Immediately and actively in
hand. Ours is not a political party, but patri-
otic National Association band like that of the
Revolution--to rescue our country from Foreign
Domination, and with the blessing of Heaven
upon what we conceive to be Just and holy
cause, we will not cease our efforts until our
objects accomplished. Similar associations
are already formed and forming in other States,
and we believe the day is not far distant when
hxy. &c