The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-07

who stood side by side with your native citizens, and
assisted in achieving your independence The coun-
try was grateful 10 them, and from sense Of this
ratitude, she allowed them 10 take up her vacant
lands and il was the highest policy to induce them
to settle the frontier Of the west--wise policy
which he trusted would never be abandoned but the
gentlemen TO think il will be degrading TO an
American freeman to be protected and defended by
man. who has not declared his intention Of becoming
a citizen and makes light Of herds of savages which
your policy has caused to be settled on the western
frontier. How many hundred thousand savages have
been settled on the west Of Arkansas and Missouri
they are foes-hey have le your country with hos
tile eelings-have been driven to the western frontier
at any time and all times there is danger Of war,
on the part of these savages against your western po
neers and it not the manifest policy of any govern
to increase It's number of settlements and Is not
German, Frenchman or lrishman, buwark against
savage foe2 Are they not ready to resist them
any of our citizens would bel He held that the man
who goes there and settles in that wilderness land
was prepared to defend the country.
Mr. CRITTENDEN rose to reply to the honorable
Senator, and rather to what he had insinuaed than
what he had said He had expressed surprise that in
feeling Hostility foreigners He did know to
what the gentleman alluded He (Mr. CO. did not
feel any such spirit-but he not willing to set
them up the bulwarks Of our land-to assign this
the of legislation. He spoke in spirit of
hostility TO them-but he made distinction between
his countrymen and the citizens Of foreign coun
tries. Does the gentleman hold all alike-fee no
more sympathy and affection for the people of his
own country than for those Of France, Germany, or
Russia 7
The gentleman tells that the settlement the
lands the best evidences of citizenship If this be
| SO Continued Mr.. c. perhaps we had better abolish
our naturalization laws and make settlement the
public lands requisite for citizenship. Would the
gentleman think this good policy} He had no feel
ings of enmily towards foreigners. He proceeded in
this matter the great principles Of equality and jus
tice towards all men.
We have vast extensive tract of country beyond
the Rocky Mountains he would ask the honor
ding vessels, while harbored there to build log cabins
the land and then come afterwards at the proper
time, and claim the right of pre-empon to those lands
and sell theml This may be done under your laws.
Do you intend that your laws shall admit of the posi-
this is log cabin docrine-but he Mr. CO. did not
understand the log cabin doctrine in this way This
is not the sort Of log cabins. The sort Of cabin that
good Wing or Harrison constructs is another
thing from that of foreigner One must be some
twenty feet wide, and comfortable for a residence
but the other perhaps ten feet-room enough for
man to crawl into-to give him a title to acquire the
land. Your bill does not tell the of cabin or the
length of residence. There could be possible in
justice in these amendments Let the foreigner be-
fore he is entitled to this right signify least his in
tenion to become citizen This was as little as we
could require of him.
Mr. BUCHANAN replied at some length. He
protested that he had said such thing that settle
ment on the public lan!s would be preferable to
present system Of naturalization but he had express
y declared yesterday that he not in favor of in
creasing the rights Of foreignerswould grant to
any foreigner the elective franchise OF any privileges
Of American citizens until they had become natural
lied
he wished to make no political capital out of this
question-but to act the principles of eternal and
immutabe justice.
But the gentleman says, why do you oppose TO
iegners holding little stock in petty bank Those
(said Mr.. b. are the foreigners of whom am most
afraid
Mr. BENTON said, that they.w the million
aires.)
They have no intention CONTINUED Mr.. Buchanan)
of being citizens-but come here to suck your blood
and transfer il to their country for the purpose of
Strengthening themselves and acquiring influence
over you They are foreign mllionaires who seek to
control your politics, and not for any purpose but their
interest do they invest capital in your banks.
MIR. CRITTENDEN said that the Senator (Mr.
in arguing against his amendments, insisted that
settlers public lands, the building log cabins,
was TO his mind far better evidence Of intention of
becoming citizen, than giving formal declaration to
that effect. Now if it be better evidence why not
substitute it for your naturalization law If il was a
better way of he would be opposed to such
a substitution.
The difference between them, this He in
sists putting foreigner who has not according to
law, signifed his intention of becoming a citizen on
the same footing of those who have become citizens,
and not only this but on the ground with native
born citizens. He (Mr. CO. not all that he ask
ed by these amendments that they should signify
their intention of becoming citizens,
But the gentleman Mr.. B is afraid Of the million
who come here lie says, to fleece This remind
ed him (Mr CD of the Spanish proyerb, "That many
man who comes for wool will go back sheared, and
he thought this would be the with them should
they come to this country for this purpose.
He should not now go into the question of bank
of the United States, bank of a hundred millions
dollars, which the gentleman was sure would be the
destruction of the country, but he would tell the gen
tleman at once what he always had said, that he
/ L. l. A. a.
come, when the people Of the United States would