The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-17
THE DAILY UNION.

ter and services Of that illusrious mani No.
was becatise he cherished those very feelings @
respect and admiration, because he desired TO rem
der TO all the full justice which Washington wa
accustomed to extend, that he desired to do no in
justice 10 Massachusetts,.
II Mr. CHAPMAN then succeeded in obtaining tn
toor. He was voting member. When the ques
ton had been preached that day, he had resolve.
to keep his seat and to allow it TO pass without of
| fering solitary remark And he should pfobabl,
have remained silent, had not the remark of tn,
gentleman from Illinois affected his sensibilities
that he could not possibly refrain from expressing
his sentiments. If he rightly Understood the ques
ton, it was as open and broad as the interests o
the republicans broad and expansive as the Union
in the language Of gentleman on the other side
and therefore required special reference. He could
not but regard that as a novel position. He con
sidered that the rghts and feelings of the poores
emgrant from abroad were entitled to as much con-
sideration any, however much exalted by mighty
deeds That man-the son of the Emerald Isle
who had severed all those ties which had bound him
to that beloved home, amid whose valleys he had
wandered in his youth, and where his young lips
were first taught to lisp the name Of qod-when he
came to this land was much entitled to rtgsrd and
as worthy Of esteem the greatest hero, with his
laurelS
"Blood.bought and watered it'll the widows tears"
Some gentlemen had appeared ready to burst
with admiration Of a Lafayette; but he (Mr. c.
WOulu take tncm 10 the WNsrI Ut GHHduepuId, anu
there suppose them meeting the poor son Of Erin.
There they would discover that his first, his only
ejaculation on setting his foot upon the shores OF
this free land, would be devout expression of
gratitude to the God of heaven that he had indeed,
been released from the iron rule of tyranny. But
what was tie language that some native Americans
would address to the poor stranger' II would be-
"Cease your grateful invocation 20 The Author of
your existence; you are mistaken you hare sew
cred yourself from home whose oppression crush
ed you TO the dust, but you have made foolish ex-
change; you are now eypatriated; and you are to
remain DISTINGUISHED till 3ou pay the last debt Of
nature fifty years have frosted youf heed for the
gravej and, by the naturalization laws of TINS
Union, you must remain not only expatriated, but
disfranchised-the naked semblance of a man with
out his rights, till the last moment of your exist
ence J" Such was the language addressed to the
foreigner Were those the blessings that they pro-
posed to extend to the countrynien Of Lafayette
not to mention other names, for that embodied
all that could be uttered Were those the
blessings, he would ask, which were offered
in this asylum of the oppressed, to the men who
left the lands Of tyranny and blood and came here
signing after liberty Their hearts came bursting
with the hope Of freedom, and freedom met them,
and told them that they were degraded, fallen
wretches He cherished altogether different senti-
mens.
What he would ask, what was this native Amer
lean party' Where had it its origin, and who are
native Americans Native Americans they
who enjoyed all the blessings of freedom--who had
derived even their very existence from foreigners
from the sons of those lands, whose emigrants it
was now attempted to place under the ban of the
most odious and oppressive system OF prescription.
The native American party had originated IN a
false and unworthy pride Great national prosper
ity-the unexampled progress of the republic, had
excited In the minds of some wrong impressions as
to the duty of American citizens. Some had for
gotten that they held this glorious inheritance Of
freedom in trust-that they were the guardians of
those great principles of universal federation and
universal freedom for which their fathers had con-
tended even unto death In their prosperity and pride
some Americans had forgotten the debt which they
owed TO the foreigner, and that name now uttered
by some lips with dsrespect But II was said that the
denizen of foreign land, who sought home
and an asylum here, "coud not appreciate Dur in
stitutions" Out upon such silly calumny What!
Were not the foreigners who landed on Plymouth
rock able to appreciate the blessings of liberty
Was the present crisis when the influx of foreign
wealth, and foreign industry, and foreign numerical
strength into this couitry, wits to be regarded
national calamity? He really could Hardly conde-
scend to notice, in terms of serious argument the
miserable reasoning with which it had been attempt
ed to bolster up this native American movement.
This republic is now rapidly extending its broad
domains from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 1t is fast
fulfilling its high destiny. Year after year it is
and more exhibiting itself in the eyes of the
world as the asylum of prosecuted religion and the
home of outlawed liberty. Was the present,
then, period when any man really inspired by de-
votion to the cause of universal freedoni-really
imbued with those lofty and patriotic sentiments
which constituted the peculiar glory and pride Of
American citizenship, could stand up in the face Of
heaven and all men, and declare that the gates
of free America were to be closed against all those
who happened to have been borne beyond the At
lantic' No. The destiny of this country was set
tied. They wanted this foreign population. They
wanted their native love of liberty rolling in upon
them, like the heathful waves of the Atlantic neu-
tralzing ali corrupting influences Of political in
trigue and selfish craftsmanship 1t not the hardy
son Of the Emerald Isle, with his warm affections,
his sturdy arm, his frugal habits, his steady indus
try; it not the frank and manly German; It was
not the ingenious and gallant Frenchman, that the
true friend of America dreaded. No. The brawng
native partisan--the schening native demagogue--
the unprncpled native party politician, who cared not
for the people nor for libcrty-these were the foes
of democratic principles, and democratic freedom,
and democratic America, which were to be dreaded
and put down.
He would ask, where was there any reason--any
shadow ofreason--or referring the resolutions to
lect committee instead Of the Judiciary Committed
As to imputatons the latter, that respectable and
important committee was able to defend itself
against them. Indeed It needed not to make any
defence against such implications. He submitted
that IN his humble judgment, this question ofnative
Americanism was entitled to no more respect than
was the abolition question.
He had voted to lay the question (ofabolition( up
on the table, as being at with the rights Of the
people and with the constitution of the Union.
And now, when any gentleman on this floor pro-
posed to extend the period of citizenship required
for naturazation-in other words, to put an end to
the naturalization laws--he looked upon 1t as being
in violation of the principles and the genius of our
government and abhorrent to the wishes of the peo-
Pile; and therefore he proposed the special reference
He would not vote to lay the resolutions on the ia
bic, because they came from the source [Massachu-
setts to which the gentleman from Illinois had allu-
ded. But he remarked again, he should have no
pride, in political point of view, in being able to
boast that Massachusetts was his birthplace. He
had always looked upon it as something of a severe
misfortune that his birthplace with his own con-
sent) had happened to be in Vermont!
He had veto learn any reason for the special ref
erenco of the resolutions Why should they not
go to the Committee on the Judiciary some other
of the standing committees, to which they properly