Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-11-29
THE JOURNAL.
mmnDAYp S9oVs 30. aeAAs
Native observation-disclosures en- Influence
The New Hobby Horse OF federalism.

The New Hobby Horse OF federalism.
Federalism vanquished under its last,
alias, of whigism-inding out that 1t is no
60 under that garb, having worn it so thread
bare, that child could see through it at
iast-is now fetching about like the detec-
ted culprit, for another new, and if posi-
BILE, a more plausible one than the last
They, Qhe wings, that were) it seems,
have already pitched upon new name,
and pitched into new hobby horse, by
which they think they will be able to ride
into power in '4S, notwithstanding the sig.
nal and meriied rebuke they have just re-
ceived at the hands of the people in "A !;
as this seems to be the next move OF Fed
eralism on the political chess=board. and as
it(Native Americanism) seems TO be the
new issue, by the ENGRAVING of which in
to, and amaIgamation Of which, with the
old ones of Bank, Tariff. &C., they hope
and expect to make them palatable enough
to go-down with the American people, we
will thus early devote few moments to
the discussion OF the present naturalization
laws, and TO the changes which the wings
or the native Americans propose to intro
duce into those laws. We do not intend
TO 90 into minute detail or examination
of the various acts which our Federal Con-
gress has passed from time to time on this
subject. We will merely give the requi-
sitions of the law as they now exist.
In the first place then, suppose Ger
man or an Irishman were to em!grate 10
the United States at the age. say OFFS, five
long gears must elapse before he can be-
come citizen Of the Union. During
these FIVE years, by the policy Of our laws.
he in a state of probation. He has, some
time during these five years, at least two
years before the expiration of that period,
to come into open Court-it must be a
Court of Record too--and there file on
oath, written declaration of his intention
to becOmea citizen Of the United States,
together with solemn remuneration of all
allegiance to the Governmental authorities
Of bis native land. Two years from the
date ofihis declaration. he again comes
into open Court and his attorney makes a
motion for his admission 10 take what is
called the final oath. When this motion
is made, any citizen has right TO object
and shew cause why he ought not to be
permitted TO take the oath and qualify
The applicant is also required 10 bring in
40 Court, some credible citizen Of the
United States, who will take an oath
that he has known him for the last five
years-that during all that time he has con-
Quoted himself in moral and upright man.
ner--that he is well affected towards the
laws and institutions of the United States
He is then, at the termination Of five years
after having complied with the requs-
lions of the act Of Congress, and after pro-
wing his good moral character during all
that time-he is then, we say. and not be-
fore, permitted to participate in the rights
and immunites of citizen of the United
States. The only question then is, is he
or is he not after all this, such man as
the blessings of freedom and selfgovern-
ment can be safely entrusted to! For our
own part, we think he is; and we mistake
much, if most Of our readers are not of the
same opinion.
The Federalsts however-alias the Ma
tive Americans, think and say, that he
should continue foreigner for 81 years.
That is, that man who comes from any
other country in the world must live here,
suppose he arrives at the age Of 81, until
he is 40 years old before he can have any
share i'll the rights and privileges Of citi-
zen.
Our reeders can't but be aware that we
are daily landing ourselves to the skies
and justly too-as the only people on the
face of the earth, who afford to the down
trodden of all other lands, home and an
asylum-that we hold out to the whole
world that this fair land of ours affords a
home-a retreat for all those in other lands
who desire to flee from the grinding OPP
pressions of tyranny-that the mantle of
freedom is broad and wide enough TO en-
brace them all. This for more than half
century past has been our boast and our
pride; and is it come to this then! Are
the people Of the United States prepared,
and willing to say, that such shall no Ion
ger be the case?
Il Should the modern alien laoO party gain
the ascendency. (which we do not for a
moment believe) how can we expect the
Industrious and the intelligent portion of
the citizens of other countries. 10 come a.
mongst us and assist in turning our wes-
tern wilds into smiling and cultivated
garden, if we tell them through the
statute book, that they must first toll on,