The native American., 1839-11-30
THE REPEAL OF THE STANDARDIZATION
LAWS

LAWS.
The session of Congress being now at hand, we
are impeed, by high sense OF duty to the People
of the United States TO recur 70 this interesting to-
pic. We should be unmindfu of the great principle
which lies at the bottom OF our Tree institutions
were we TO cease our efforts, TO restore TO the ma
i've citizens of our beloved country, rights, of
which thew have been deprived by the thought
less liberality of the National Legislature. A lib
eraity which has proved destructive to the peace
and harmony Of our country, and will, if much
longer peservered in prove destructive of the very
form of government under which that Legislature
derived its power of working such gross injustice
to those for whose benefit alone the government
was Instituted, and for whose benefit alone 1t
ought to be administered. When we say, that the
government was Instituted alone for the benefit Of
the natives of the United States, we speak delib-
era,ey and with full conception OF the import
of that phrase. We are not to be understood,
however, as desiring to deny to the natives OF
other lands, certain collateral advantages, bysther
immigration to this country; but, we hold that
the benefits to be derived by them should be en-
trely subordinate, and Of an inferior and more
qualified character than those resulting to our
selves For instance, no foreigner should be per-
mitted to take up his abode III this country with
view to a permanent residence, unless he brings
with him the evidence Of previous good character,
and ample provision for the<support of himself
and family for a period of at least three years,
and no foreigner, whatever his character or quail
6cations, should be naturalized under period
of twenty-one years, unless under the age of fiji
teen at the time Of his arrival, and his intermar-
rage with native, in which case, we would con-
sent to reasonable abridgement of the term, say
to period when the applicant should have at
tanned the age Of twenty-five years. But we &c
further, that IN no case uhateuer, would we
consent to the naturalization of foreigner, who
could not, at the time of his application, produce
indisputable evidence of continued good ano
peaceabe conduct. 1t may be asked-what is to
be the condition of unnauralized foreigners dur
ing this long term of probation !! We answer
that our scheme is Of the most liberal character
We would extend to them every ci0il, as contra
distinguished from political privileges. We woule
authorize them to persue all their lawful trades
professions or callings; acquire and hold ant
transfer at their pleasure, every kind and descrIp
ton of real and personal estate, and transmit the
same to their heirs and descendants, upon then
taking simple oath of allegiance; bat they
should not exercise the right of suffrage or hole
any Office whatever under the Government. Ever
when naturalzed, no foreigner ought to be elig
Statn riSla tnr
or 10 any high office under the Government, or Il
commission in the Army or Navy
We submit this synopsis of our view OF TIM:
subject to every foreigner i'll the country, whethe
naturalzed or not, and ask them, in candor ant
Justice, whether the plan is not fair and liberia
one We ask them what more could they in
common Justice require att the hands Of the Amer.
lean people? So far the preservation Of oul
institutions is a matter Of consequence to them
naturalized citizens are as deeply interested in the
adoption of our plan as we are. Ihe value OF the
privileges already conferred on them, depend, in
great measure, on the early adoption Of some
such rules which can be prospective only in their
effect and operation. We do not hesitate to say
that the citizen of the United States Of foreign
birth, who objects to the adoption of such rules
for future naturalization, is not socitous for the
welfare of the country of his adoption. That his
professions of attachment to it are hollow hear
ted and insincere that he desires the destruction
OF the character and free institutions of the coun-
try which shelters and cherisles him, and that he
ought to be watched with an unceasing and jeal-
GUS vigilance. Our time and room do not allow
us to say more at present, but we may purue the
subject hereafter.
THE NEXT SESSION OF CONGRESS-
The most august body IN the world, the rep
resentatives Of the only free people on the Globe,