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

ton that What! keep the foreigner here twenty
| one years before being naturalizedl Why, II ha
Wete done, there would be in few year
mole than two probably, three--millions Of me
ton In the government. Now he %ocid asl
these gentlemen representing the native Amer
can party there, would they desire to see such
state of thngsi What in an unsettled state of on
foreign affairs, and not knowing what the futur
might bring forth, would they wish TO such astat
without the rights of citizenship. Every patrlo
must deprecate it. II was for these consideration
he felt constrained to vote in the negative Of thu
proposition now before the House. He could not
" any means, sanction that imputation on thu
adopted citizens Of bttr rnd, Any inquiry into the
frauds on the ballotbox with pleasufs If INCLUDED
our citizens by birth well as those by adoption
Why should there be distinction between those cit
liens who were so by accident and those who had
the love of liberty strong enough in their hearts to
leave the graves of their athersthe homes of their
chidhood-aiid geek an asylum in this happy land
of freedom. If there was any credit due 10 either,
il was to the latter; and the same laws 6hould be
melted out to them. In reference to that great ques-
ton, as well as all others, in the face of the universe
before the whole world--he would desire so to
act that the glory of his country would be secured,
and her happiness last as long as time itself.
Mr.. BAKER next addressed the House; and, af-
ter few remarks not audible al the reporters table,
said, that probably the Judiciary COMMITTEES might
recommend the raising of select committee, TO
whom the whole subject embraced in the resolu-
tons would be referred In the first place. he would
ask, what harm to anybody would ensue from
such references Who would be injured by it,
The purpose of the resolutions, ae hsd been re-
marked, was either right or wrong. If right, the
select committee can do them no injury; if wrong,
error, another gentleman had well observed, was
harmless, so long as truth was free to combat it..
"a ware AZ her n rule ne
reference Of subjects to select committee for whose
reference provision had been made in the organza-
ton of any Of the standing committees. But was
there not something Of distinctive character in
these resolutions that justified departure from the
the usual course-which demanded ut the hands of
the House more than ordinary respect He had,
with regret, heard some remarks, accompanied by a
sneer, about the claims of Massachusetts, if they
had not been treated with respect He had not
heard any such complaint from any member from
Massachusetts,; and if he had seen any indications
of disposition to treat the claims Of Massechu-
sets with disrespect, he would have been justly in
dignant But if the deliberate, the calm, the re-
spectful resolutions of the Massachusetts legis-
lature were not treated with respect, she would
have right to complain. But had they ever
heard anything said against the character, or
claims, or conduct OF Massachusetts, Of all the
members of that contederacy, whether numbered
amongst the old thirteen States or the twenty
tition or memorial he would listen with SO much
respect as to that of Massachusetts. He was will
ling to accord as much she any of her friends
desired, with respect to the reference of these
resolutions, marked, they were, by all the insig-
MIA of her sovereignty. For what did Massachu-
sets ask Did she display any party feeling in her
No She simply announced her belief
that there have been frauds perpetrated under our
laws, and asked the deliberaton of
Congress upon the facts presented. What better
reason, then, could be given for the reference to
select committee than the simple fact that sovef-
eign State comes forward and says that matter of
infinite public concern-yes, Of infinite public
concern--the rights of citizens, of native-bon as
well as of adopted citizens, affected by those
who are aliens to the blood of the majority of the
peoples He did rot believe that many of the
things said on that subject were trte. But, there
are certain undeniable facts presented, and they
merted calm and deliberate consideration; and he
was glad that these facts had been presented under
the sign and seal of Massachusetts,.
Some gentleman had appeared to exult in the be-
lief that native Americanism was for ever de-
stroyed. Now, he did not mean to intimate
that he was at all friendly or favorable to ma
live Amercanism. He had the same reasons
is the gentleman from Indiana, Mr.. OwEN,1 for
believing that he would not be suspected of that.
But he could not by any means sympathize with the
gentlemen in their triumphant emulation over fall
len enemy. He begged to remind them that they
thus followed not the very glorious example of a
certain hero Of old, whose exploits had been record
I'd by the poet
'And thrice he routed all his foes
And thrice he slew the slain -
If native Americanisn be dead why triumph in its
DOWNFALL and in the very expression of EMULATION,
refuse committee, if you please, to pronounce
funeral discourse overIts remans9 He was anxious
to have that opportunity of recording his vote in
avor of a select committee, because the dignity of
he petitioners required that that course should be
aiken. And there were other reasons which oper-
,ted in his mind in favor of such a procedure.
Six members of that House, if he mistook not had
been elected account Of their peculiar attachment
% the principles Of native Americanism, as it had
been called. Why should any opposition be made
any extension of courtesy to those representing
arge a portion of the American people' He be-
ieved that last year the same question had been re-
erred to the same committee. Now
Mr.. C. j. tNGERSOLL. Petitions on the subject
were last year referred to the Judiciary Committee
Mr.. BAKER. That was the question as to the
propriey of extending the term of residence
,ary to constitute qualification for citizenship.
Might he ask his friend from Pennsylvania what
was the action of the committed
Mr.. C. ]. INGERSOLL'S impression was that
bill reported by the chairman of that commit
ec without any report accompanying it; and that
he bill had not been acted on by the House.
MIR. BRODHEAD. There was not only bill,
but report made.
Mr.. BAKER. We'll, then, there was a report
ind bill but what action of the House had fol-
owedi None. That was all that had been DONE
And there was another thing to be said as to the
manner in which this subject had been treated. Was
/ to be supposed that six gentlemen who desired to
present the particular facts on which their COM
plants based have not some right to ask refer
,nce TO another quarter in order to obtain the fullest
examination of their casei He apprehended that
considerations Of that sort would influence that
House, and that opportunity would be afforded
% those gentlemen--no, he would retract that ex-
oression-to the legislature of Massachusetts,, to as
certain whether that House considered the COM
plant to be right, reasonable, and just.
II seemed that some gentlemen supposed that an
effort had been made by the Massachusetts, egisa-
lure to produce an impression that the term of the
laws ought to beextended. He would
,sk did any such design appear on the face Of the
themselves Was it to be found in the
character of the legislature of Massachusetts--in
what was supposed to be the dominant party in
hat legislaturei No. As my friend had said, the
resolutions had not emanated from democrats, or
wings, or natives. A majority of them were wings,
out thew were not native Americans They did not