The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-17
Mr. HOGE Then Innew NV motion.

, 10 ME.
The SPEAKER Not in order, sit.
j The question being put and lost,
\ Mr.. LEVIN again asked leave to address tn,
i House, but without success.
The SPEAKER said that the rule prohibited ,
member from speaking twice on the same subject
until all who desired TO speak had done SO. The
gentleman from Alabama had the floor.
| Mr.. YANCEY rose to give his reasons, he said
why he would vote fora reference Of the resolutions
TO select committee. He believed il was parlia.
mentary practise 10 refer matter coming up for in
curry TO its friends, in order that 1t might have a
| fair hearing They had heard an intimation given
| by the chairman Of the Judiciary Committee, that
! he would ask to be excused from acting on that
committee after its first meeting. He did not know
what the feelings of the other members of that
| committee were in relation to the subject
but he thought if they would express them, and
answer such interrogations as might be put, that
they would respond to the remarks made by the
| chairman. Such would be in the naturG of
things. That being the case, the memoriallsts
would not have fair hearing He was therefore
willing to give them the opportunity they asked, of
placing before the House. and through that the ma
ton at LARGE the question which they held TO be
great one, and of the highest Importance He was
not disposed to cut them off. As far as he was
concerned his sympathes were with the foreigners.
He was willing to open the doors of the American
temple of liberty, that those dwelling under the
evils abroad might come here and enter. He would
not refuse any portion of his fellow-citzens from
an American SO J, hearing on such grave ques-
ton. II was said that they were few in number, in
that House and elsewhere. Well, in his opinion,
the fewer they were, the more were they entitled
to respect He was for letting them bring their
facts and arguments before the House, that its pa
Tlotsm might be brought to bear on those facts and
arguments. But let them 60 home. denied ola hear
ing, and it would produce predominant influence.
Were they to give them such an opportunity as
Mt No IA, hr.o attI xyitI,
tenfold fury. That opportunity he Would hot give
them. The sympathies Of his mind and the convic-
ton OF his reason were against them; still, he was
not willing TO close the door against them. What
did they ask' The security of the bal'ot-box. No
man could deny that that was the palladium Of their
Liberties, and ought to be preserved from corrup-
ton of every sort They only asked Congress to
consider this question: and pass laws in conform
ity with the result of their inquiry He did
not desire to go into the merits of the
question; but he saw good reasons for voting
lect committee. They desired to have the question
discussed where it could be met and enter into the
history Of that ilustrous individual whose character
was redoent of glory; and Of that other great man
who took to his bosom the former, when yet for
eigner, without any Of those ranking feslings In his
heart and when they might recall the heroic deeds in
the service Of this country rendered by other lusr
Gus foreigners-the gallant services of a Kosciusko
or Pulaski, who fell fighting for freedom beneath
that flag with which American beauty had rewarded
foreign valor. These were his reasons for voting
for select committee
Mr.. OWEN said ; believe shall not be sus
pected of native Aniericanism and yet shall vote
with my friend from Alabama Mr.. YANcBY] for the
reference of the subject before not to the Judicial
ry but TO select committee.
The few and the feeble, to my thinking, are espe-
cially entitled to courtesy and a fair hearing. And
the advocates of native Americanism this floor
are in an eminent drgree, few and feeble: speak of
fbe nherS andx aittHn he tale
which they may be able to bring in aid of their pc
culiar views. In number they are few, in power
of votes feeble; and to SUCH when they ask hear
ing, the powerful should grant it. The strong can
afford to be generous.
To look at the matter in its business aspect, we
should refer to the fact, (as understand it from
the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that not
single individual of the so-caed 'snatives" has a
seat on that committee. There cannot be, on the
subject, them from that committee, even minority
report. But | am not only willing such a report
should be made; | much desire to see it. When,
in my own district, have spoken on this matter;
when have reminded my constituents, that, under
the administration Of Washington the term of pro-
baton for Foreigners five years. that under the
elder Adams, the term was extended to fourteen;
and that, Under the succeeding administration, one
of the earliest acts of Congress, following up the
suggestion contained in the first annual message Of
Thomas Jefferson, to restore the law as it stood
in Washington's time, and it has since stood
even to this day; when to these "reminiscences
have added the assertion, that the "natives Of our
day desire to 60 far beyond even the term Of prbba
ton established by the same Congress that passed
the alien and sedition laws, and deny to foreigner
the rights Of citizen until ticenty-one years had
passed from the day of his emigration; when, to
my feilow-citizens Of Indiana, have stated this
how have | been met, BY defence of such princi-
such are in point of fact the doctrines of the native
party.
Now, sir, either these are native principles, or
they are not If they are not, in justice to those
who are said to hold them, they ought to have an
opportunity of disclaimer. But if they are, in very
tce, then desire to have the fact duly certified
from under their own hands. 1t will do more, in
my State, to put them down, than volumes of argu-
ment can effect
For these reasons--and for that other more gen.
eral reason that there hundred matters which
are worth discussing, for every one which it is
proper to adopt shall vote for reference to Sc
lect committee. II is very old and often qudted
sentiment--worn out, if important truth can ever
wear outhat s'error of opinion ceases to be dam
gerous, when reason is left free to combat it,"
Mr.. GILES said that he had not any intention
to speak on the subject at the commencement Of the
debate; but he now thought it was incumbent on
him, as representative of one of their large COM
mercial Cities to give his reasons for the he
would give. According to the decision of the Chair,
the whole question, in all its bearings, was now
open, for discussion. He was, then, upon the
threshold, ready to meet the question. If had
been, as ntmated by the gentleman on his right,
mere question of fraud on the purity of the ballot
box, he would have had objection to give the
resolutions any reference his friends might have
chosen But it was more. 1t was not only ques-
ton as to frauds on the ballot-box, but one which
carried with it an imputation the naturazed citi
zens of this land which he sought to repel and re-
but II was question of frauds not alone upon the
ballo-box, but Of frauds on the naturalization laws.
1t did not ask for an inquiry into the frauds COM
mitted aa these laws by native-born citizens and
was therefore opposed to any action which would,
in the face of the country, tend to give sanction
to that imputaton upon their foreign citizens. He
could not consent to any reference by that House
which would do so. That question had been much
moved in the large cities Of the Atlantic coast. II
attempted to gain strength there, but it had been e
fecualy rebuked by the intelligence of the citizens
of that city that "gives graves to its invaders, and
monuments 10 its defenders" Ii had been rebuked