The native American., 1839-01-26


ground on which both of the great parties which
now strive for the mastery in this country, may
and will cordially unite. We are bound to be-
heve both of them honest in their avowed object
the general welfare Of our whole country, and
that they honestly differ about the manner and
means by which this may best be effected. But
let them differ ever SO widely, if their true aim be
the honor, prosperity, and happiness Of the peo-
pie, and the whole people, surely they must agree
tha, one Of the most e9ectual and necessary
means to produce that end must he to purity the
fountain Of all law--the ballot-box-from the spn-
been polluted. 1t seems to us, that no man, ma
tive ar foreigner, who really has respect and
regard for the safety and purity Of the institutions
under the benign and wholesome influence of
which he lives and prospers, can find any objec-
ton to such law. 1t as necessarily follows in
the footprints Of naturalization laws, as effect iol-
lows cause. Ifitbe necessary to restrain and reg
ulate the admission Of the citizens of another State
to adoption here, it must be necessary to see that
such and such only as are thus admitted, shall
we are to be governed. Else why not throw open
the doors at once, and invite all comers to enter
in, and, without question, take the place OF the
master of the feast' This s one point of view.
But as this relates only 10 that already large, and
still increasing portion of our population, the
alien against whom we would especially guard,
we give il the first rank in our view Of the matter.
We speak by the book, and cautiously, and delibe-
rately, when we say that we have good reason to
believe that more than two thousand uotcs o. aliens
were received in the city of New York alone, du-
ring the last election. We are perfectly aware
that many of these presented their credentials,
and evidence. to satisfy the judges that they were
duly naturalized; but we know too we'll how
MANY such are obtained, to put much faith in them.
We do not mean to point the finger at either Of our
no,;,;cal narties. Both are to be blamed in this
respect, And when was it otherwise--~ hen was
country distracted by party feuds, that frauds,
and corruption, and perjury, did not even riot and
luxuriate in the shambles where PATRIOTISM and
intelligence, and virtue, were sacrificed! We
state the fact as we believe it; and in that elec-
ton alone, if we had no other argument to offer,
ve could find two thousand arguments, which no
man can refute or answer. We know that even
Registry Law may be avoided, at least to certain
extent. And so may forts be blown up, and ar
mics destroyed, and navies sunk, and the revenues
Of country embezzed, and carried off, But is
that any reason why we should not multiply the
guards with which we would fence round this
strong hold of our liberties! We know that ind-
vidual wrong may result from IL; but we know
that il can easily be redressed, if the party chooses
to bestir himself, and vindcate his rights, instead
of supiney waiting till the period has passed, and
he may then have to delay for another season.
But we know that scarcely any great public good
can be effected without some individual injury,
more the consequence of individual negligence
than Of the law which effects it. But is that
sufficient reason for letting whole community
suffer injury and violence! We know not pre-
cisely the detail or even the general scope OF the
proposed law, but we hail its ti,le--a Registry
Law. It's one of the bulwarks Of Republicanlsm
--one Of the safeguards ofregulated liberty-one
Of the strong-holds against nobocracy. We 60
IOI bCHloCIdiC pliHSiPio 90 iSSo6"-A~S - -
Constitution-for the legitimate exercise OF the
supreme power Of the State by the supreme mo-
raj and physical power Of the State But we tie
that supreme power in in.incibe bonds when " G
throw over it the Constitution; we place before
j. barrier which j. shall neither break down nor
overleap, nor turn aside from. That Constitu-
ton, and the Constitution of every State in this
Con(ederacy, nhibits every man from voting who
;s not citizen Of the State in which he would
exercise that great preroga,ive of freeman But
in times OF great excitement, when party feeling
usurps the place of patriotism, and country is
lost sight Of in the struggle for power, who does
not know, and who has not seen, that every
means will be resorted to to insure success, and
the constitutional restraints set at naught. IL IS
to foltify these, to keep the legitimate action o.
this supreme power within its conventional II
mits, that we would create new, or more de'ailco
and more specific restraints. We would nave
every man who claims vote registered, enrolled
on the list of frcemen; so that no man should cal
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