The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-05-11

uhcation of their native-born counlrymen, and
the welfare and happiness of their country, be
their only object aim and end
lfnaturalzed citizens were able to adduce any
advantages which could possible accrue 10 the
United States, by continuance Of the process of
naturalization, il might TO certain extent, con.
tribute to extenuate their guilty interference Gas
la foreign party with the desires of our native
born inhabitants but as all their objections to
repeal OF the naturalization laws, are based upon
their foreign affections and predictions, they of
course come under the above category. 1t is not
to accomplish any good TO their adopted country,
or TO themselves that they institute objections to
a repeal of the naturalization laws, but to serve
foreigners now in a distant land.
Besides what are the naturalization oahs OF
foreigners to the United States, in great degree
but mere form,--a dead letter. The majority
ofioreigners believe that oathsolallega dwinde
into mere secondary and imperative Formally,
when brought into competition with the requlsl-
tons OF his birth places that the laws OF their ha-
tive landnot recognizing remuneration ofaeglarfee,
as the perrogatve OF suhect, her statutes should
influence their action under all circumstances IN
short that a mans. native land always claims,
and is entitled to his loyalty and immutabe idell-
ly, no matter what nominal obligations he may
have lncmred IN any other country.
The principle, that an individual owes an allie
glance to the country of his nativity, is sustained
by most writer's on international law; and that his
allegiance is not only perpetual, but intrinsic,
and which cannot be Invested by any act of his
own, is regarded by many as a fundamental prin-
ciple. 1t is also the doctrine of the common lar,
that an individual owes "a natural and perpetual
allegiance to the government Of the country in
which he was born; and this, too, is the doctrine
of the European Govern!ments, and that of Eng
land especially, which insists that a subject born
| in England, and emigrating from that to a foreign
country, and taking commission from foreign
Prince, and engaged in a war against England,
is guilty of treason, andlable to be prosecuted to
condemnation and punishment for that offence.
The right TO recall the subjects of Great Britain
from foreign country, or from foreign service,
wherever they may have departed, is not only
claimed but exercised by the British Govern
ment.
In October 1907, the King of England, issued
his proclamation retaining from foreign service
all sealnen and sea-iarlng men, who were natural
born subjects, wherever they might be, upon
pain Of being proceeded against for their omission
to obey the call. In 1914, the Senate of the
United States, called upon the President by reso-
luton, to inform them what had been the practice
Of Great Britain concerning her native subjects
naturalizaed in other countries, and taken in arms
against her: and in answer to that resolution, it
was stated that the British Government arrests as
traitors, and menaces with death, persons sup
posed to be native British subjects, for having
fought under our standard against the British
force, althoug h they had voluntarily entered into
our army, after having emigrated to the United
States, and incorporated themselves into the Amer
can society. AMI it has become an historical
fact that ddring the late war in England, many
native born subjects Of the King OF Great Britain,
who had been naturalized in America, and were
taken prisoners on the North Western Frontier,
were transported to England to be tried for treason
against their King.
The governments of Europe afford no correla-
tive facilities for citizenship to foreigners. On the
contrary their laws are strictly prohibitory of such
privileges, and if they deem it necessary to protect
themselves from foreign naturalization who have
comparatively so few questionable adventures,
resortng to their shores, what protective prov-
sions should IRE not enact whose country is rapidly
exchanging the proud title Of the ASYLUM of the
oppressed and prosecuted, for that of 8 the COM
mon sewer of the world -
Thus it appears through our shortsighted po-
Icy, in order to increase our population, or from
a weak and imhece philanthropy, we prostitute
our glorious rights and privileges to the stranger,
the alien and the secret enemy, who nevertheless
still continue to retain all the natural propensities
which mankind universally possess TO sustain the
institutions of the countries which gave them
blrth--as well as the claim OF natural allegiance
which those countries have upon them, together
with the liability of being recalled by their native
sovereigns, and in of neglect to obey such
call, and of being taken in arms against their
native countries, to be subject to condemnation,
and The punishment of death for treason.
The pernicious system of naturalization has
already cost our country countless amount of
blood and treasure, for one of the principal causes
which led to the last war with Great Britain, was
the impressment or rather the reclamation from on
board of our ships, of British subjects who had
either been naturaized, or who had obtained Amer
lean protectpns,-and causes of new difficulties
with Great Britain, on similar subject appear to
have been agitaed in Congress within the last few
days. J. ;,
THELLER, one of the prominent Canadian Pa
triots. as he calls himself, has recently presented
to Congress memorial, in which he states that
" ahhoughacondcmned 10 death on the ground
that he vas a citizen of the United States, yet
he a0s Onhif IL ,0furaLzcd citizen md not n mn