Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-19


ference between the two: Was it not the policy of
every Government and every nation upon earth to
draw such distinction,
But it was said by the Senator that actual settle
ncnt on the public lands better evidence OF an IN
tention TO become American citizen than any forms
prescribed by naturalization laws; So would II
not be better at to repeal all orr present laws
touching nanallzation and substitute this "better evil
dence: Would the gentleman from Prnnsy lvana
think IL good policy TO declare that if any foreigner
would 90 upon our public lands and 90 to work cutting
down trees he should forthwith be declared an AmerI
can CITIZEN: He (Mr. Crittenden) supposed he would
hardly advance such position 1t was particularly
surprising to hun that there should be in certain quar-
ters such extreme sensItivcness and such strong
dread OF interference IN our concerns by foreigners who
held petty interest IN some petty bank among u.s.
when, al the same time, there was nothing at all o!
that feeling at the idea of granting landed privileges
our country TO foreigners who would not express
| an intention TO become American citizens. If TO-
| reigner, an alien, could with his foreign character
never cast Off and without recording intention to
become naturaIlzcd obtain privileges not granted to
own native horn citizens, did this involve danger
OF foreign influence: IL seemed not. The gentleman
could view this with perfect composnre; but let 70
rel.ner, residing far from limits, hold share in
one Of our banks, and it excited at uighy
alarm. Now, he did not hold that the privilege pro.
posed to be conferred by this BILL if extended even
foreigners, would present any just of alarm; bu,
he opposed TO on principle. The soil of the L
States belonged to the citizens of the IT, States. Did
Il not? IL their property, out and out. The
right of holding it had been conferred upon citizens,
native and nauraized, but it part of our policy
to grant The right TO foreigners, and especially 10
such refused even to declare that it their nen
ton ever to become naturazed amongst lie would
put case by way of illustration. We possessed a
widely extended country. II spread from TO sea,
and there was portion of IT under the more linnc-
date Of his friend from Missouri near him, Mr..
Linn:] he meant that part Of il which, lay beyond the
Rocky mountains, and round about the mouth of the
Columbia rivcr region represented by gentle
men rs terrestrial paradise Now if the bill should
pass in its present shape what should prevent foreign
ers from coming there erecting their log cabins, CLAIM
ing the right to the soil, and selling il to whom
they pleased This might certainly be done. As
10 the probability of snch event, there might be
difference of opinion. But under the bill il might
be done But The gentleman says this is log cabin doc
uinr. All the gentleman did not understand what the
log cabin doctrine meant. These foreigners who do
not intend 10 become American citizens, not the
sort Of log cabin wish 10 provide for. The bill,
ndrcd, makes il a condition that the settler shall
buld log cabin but it does not define what sort Of
og cabin Il shall be. Now, The sort o log cabin which
good Wing or Harrison man would put mp for his
dwelling thing, and that log cabin which To-
rclgncr wcud erect prctrxt 10 obtain color
OF tile different thing The must be
thirty or forty feet square, and comfortable at that
The other is howell den Just big enough for 10
creep IN on all III we ADOPT the amendment,
We surely do the foreigner no injustice The moment
he sells foot upon soil welcome him at to
all the privileges Of American citizen, provided he
will simply Declare and put the declaration on record
that he means to become such. This is all ask.
Let him do this, and ''without money and without
price" we give him at once all the privileges and adj
vantages Of native born citizen. lie has at
once the right acquire lands and TO engage in all
the pursuits conducive Ia his happiness. Where else
under the he obtain such rights such terms
Nowhere. Bat all this is not sufficient The gentle
man wants 10 90 further and 10 invest him with these
rights without his making much declaration
that il is his purpose 10 become citizen. The gen.
tlcman fears that his foreign friend may have omit.
ted this, through nadvertence, from not
knowing that it is necessary, but surely before man
gets land by virtue of presumption law, he will al least
read the law which he depends for his title. il night
perhaps be complained ofas hardship to the foreigner
# withheld this right from him during all the years
he is required by law to reside within the United States
before he obtain the privilege Of naturalization.
But this do not propose 10 do. All require is the
legal evidence that the man int nds 10 become an
American citizen. Let him give this, and am willing
at once insiate him in all the privileges ourselves
enjoy This surely is little do in justice
to our citizens.
Mr.. BUCHANAN would say few words in reply
The Senator from Kentucky is good logcian, aud,
unless he were closely watched, would get the better
of his antagonist even in bad cause His sophistry
upon the present occasion consists in attempting
fer from my argument that in favor of substitute.
ing actual settlement upon tract Of the public land
for the declaration Of intention required from every TO-
regner before he can become American citizen IL
would be very easy for the Senator TO triumph If lie
permitted to substitute his forced inference,
for my express declaration 10 the contrary With this
vew he triumphantly asks if | would be willing to
change naturalization laws by rendering residence
our vacant lands equivalent 10 the declaration of in
tenton which these laws reGuirc3 Now, | ask him in
I I Iova |
timated any such intentions; On The contrary, have !
not expressly declared that would not grant to any
foreigner the elective franchise until he had become
naturalized citizen under lawsa Whilst should
with the Senator from Kentucky, deny to the TO-
regner the right of the redemption which he has fair
~ acquired by the dangers and prvatons encountered
in making settlement on your remote frontier would
not for this reason confer upon him the high political
privileges of American citizen. The Senator'S ar
gumen therefore, in this particular, falls to the ground
Ii has foundation, in any thing which said, to rest
upon. The right of pre- empilon is one thing; but the
high privilege of becoming American citizen is
Their and entirely different matter.
And what, after all, is this great privilege of pre-
empticn. To what does il amount; What is its in
trinsic value II is merely contest between the spe
culator and the actual settler, 10 whether the for
shall be permitted TO purchase the spots of land
improved and rendered valuable by the tor, of the lat
ter Our experience has demonstrated That the aver
are excess Of the price of the public lands adver-
dents proclamation not two three cents per
acre above the fixed price of the Government at private
sale.
What, then, is the privilege granted TO the settler
who goes into the wilderness, clears away the Forest
and there establishes his home, Does this bill offer
such a man donation: Not at all Does it give him
the land as bounty No such thing. The privilege
it confers is, that he shall not be driven from his hum
Bile home by the sPecuator This mighty privilege is
that he shall pay for his land the price fixed by law,
which may be less by two three cents per acre, than
il would command at public sale; and that; after he has
paid for it, he shall hold it. And why, Mt this late day.
for the first time in your history, should you make
an odious distinction, in this small matter, between
the settler who had drawn his first breath the other
side of the Atlantic, and the American citizen No
such distinction had existed heretofore, and no
complaint had been uttered by those directly in
,erestcd that this trhng privilege had been conferred
upon foreigners. If the Senator had carefully read
the history of his county, mean this particular
pont-I myself have not, but the fact has been fur
nished TO me by who has-what would he have
found in relation to these despsed fore yners?
Here Mr. Crittenden denied that lie had spoken Of
them as "despised foreigners.'J